Decision Announced in Sonics Case
I knew it would happen. I knew…it…would…happen. Welcome to my world. As soon as I hit the button to publish my last post about how they were going to announce it late in the afternoon/early evening, I got a call informing me that a decision had been made. The call came at 5:41 p.m. It’s now 10 p.m. Maybe I can leave the OSU pressroom now.
Anyway, Judge Martinez made his ruling. You can read about it here. The case is staying in court. Attorneys for the Sonics still have hope that they can lose the battle but win the war.
“The Sonics ownership group is pleased that there has been a prompt decision,” a statement read. “It’s important to note that the decision addresses the forum in which the dispute will be decided, not the merits of the case. The Sonics owners are confident that they can perform their financial obligations under the lease and that the city is not entitled to specific performance.”
Confident or not, after reading the judge’s order, I don’t think the Sonics are coming — until 2010. If you read Judge Ricardo Martinez’s order, found here, he sounds like he whole-heartedly feels that the Sonics should have to honor the commitment they made by staying and playing in KeyArena until 2010, in other words enforcing specific performance. He seems to me to be a stickler. That’s not good news for the Sonics owners, whose attorneys must be sweating bullets right now.
I expect this case to be drawn out for as long as the city can stretch it. Here’s an idea for Clay & Co. if they really wanted to move the team next season. Apply for relocation in November. Allow the litigation to proceed for a few weeks, maybe months to allow the city to save face and act like they fought as hard as they could. Then make the city an offer it can’t refuse. Open up your checkbooks, break out the pens and begin writing. Don’t even negotiate. Start high and when you think that’s high enough increase it by about $20 million. That should do it.
And here’s an idea for the city if it wants to keep the Sonics…..Build them an arena. (Although I fully understand why their officials are opposed to it.)
-DM-
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Comments
Nick, there are two ways of “honoring” the commitment. At least the Sonics think so. There is staying and playing in KeyArena until 2010. And there is “honoring” the commitment by paying the remaining financial obligations.
That’s what this whole fight is about, what is “honoring” the commitment? Seattle wants specific performance invoked, which would make the Sonics “honor” their use agreement by staying and playing at KeyArena.
The Sonics want to pay the remaining financial obligations, which is also “honoring” the commitment. It’s called a buyout. I don’t think the bank would force me to “honor” the final 12 months of my loan on a month-to-month basis if I wanted to pay it all in a lump sum.
And thanks for catching my typo.
-Darnell-
I wonder if the NBA will be open to awarding an expansion team by 2010. Do you think the attempted kidnapping of the Sonics is helping OKC ’s chances or hurting them?
Seattle, why would the NBA punish all of OKC for the actions of a few? And it’s certainly up for debate whether those few are attempting to “kidnap” the Sonics. An interesting question, though. Another interesting question, what do you think the state of the Sonics would be at this point if Seattle agreed to build the arena this time last year? I don’t know the answer to that. But I’d like to know your thoughts.
But to answer your question, I think David Stern has long had in his mind where, how and when he wants to expand. And I don’t think anything will knock him off his course of action. And frankly I don’t think much of it involves Oklahoma City, Kansas City, Las Vegas or San Diego. More like London, Paris, Barcelona and Berlin. Just my thoughts.
-Darnell-
Why on earth would OKC publish this blog?
First off, get an editor:
” Then make the city an offer it can refuse”
I think you mean ‘an offer it CANNOT refuse’
Next,
“… he sounds like he whole-heartedly feels that the Sonics should have to honor the commitment they made. He seems to me to be a stickler. ”
So, the judge is a “stickler” for feeling like the Sonics should hae to honor their commitment ?!?!
Read those two sentence again mensa.
Now ask yourself: “does requiring a commitment be honored make you a stickler” ?
Go take out a loan from a bank, commit to a 36 month term and then after 24 months decide you dont want to honor your commitment – see what the “sticklers” at the bank do.
I think it’s cute that OKC is willing to ignore the mountains of facts that indicate investing public money in an arena is a horrible misuse of funds. And I think the writer of this blog is the exact type of intellect that is required to ignore those facts.