Lewis Katz conversation
I don’t know if all of this ran in today’s Oklahoman, so here’s the entire Q&A with New Jersey Nets part owner and relocation committee member Lewis Katz.
Q: What were your impressions of Oklahoma City coming in and what do you think now?
A: I had no idea what Oklahoma was about. I thought I was going somewhere was there was plains and a lot of wind. I’ve never seen a better presentation in my life. I’ve been to a bunch of these relocation meetings. I never saw better support from the business and political and government community. Your mayor and your governor are both incredible. This is almost too unbelievable to believe that a community could be that supportive. A voting community of 69 to 31 to self-impose a tax for an arena, it’s just beyond anybody’s wildest imagination that all this could be put together.
Q: Is this something you feel like the other owners are going to buy into?
A: Absolutely. This is wonderful for the league, wonderful for basketball, a strong wonderful ownership group that you have out here that can lead this thing. My hope is that we’ll find a settlement with Seattle that will give them the opportunity to have a replacement team. Seattle should have an NBA team. And I think David expressed that in the meetings. We all feel that way. So my guess is you haven’t heard the end of the Seattle story. But Oklahoma City, you can’t believe that you can build an arena with no debt and turn it into an opening for a new team at $200 million, which is the total cost of what you have hear with the renovations.
Q: What are the concerns from yourself and the other owners about relocating a team to a smaller market?
A: Let me say this about small markets. Everybody keeps telling me that you think you’re a small market. There’s an hour and a half between Tulsa and Oklahoma City. That hour and a half has 2 ½ million people or 70 percent of your state. Brooklyn, the fourth largest borough in America, has 2 ½ million people. This is not Oklahoma City. This is Oklahoma. And my view is 20 percent of your ticket sales came from the Tulsa market. I really didn’t look at this as a small market. And I think the argument in the committee was that this is a state market with a history of people that love sports.
Q: Do you think the Sonics will come here, and when do you think they’ll arrive if they do?
A: I think a lot of that has been described by the commissioner. You have a court case, so the outside is 2010 if you lose the court case. If you win the court case I think they’ll be here in a year. There’s no question in my mind that they’re coming. It’s just a question of when. And the hope is somebody makes the appropriate approach from Seattle, people get together to sit down and make a deal and everybody walks away with something good for their community. Hopefully, Seattle will then realize that the NBA is not walking away from them.
Q: What kind of situation would it be for the NBA to have a lame-duck team in a city for a couple of years?
A: It doesn’t help anybody to have a lame-duck team. Nobody should be in that position. It doesn’t help Seattle. It doesn’t help the ownership group here in Oklahoma. It’s not good for the league to have that. That’s why a good settlement that makes economic sense to Seattle (makes sense). If you don’t do that then it’s spite in my judgment.
-DM-
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Comments
That’s right donutboy, there is very little support for Bennett’s Sonics. Those of us who recognized the OKC group for what they are from the beginning, carpetbaggers, knew all along that their goal would be to alienate the Seattle fan base. If they wanted to, they had the opportunity to turn the franchise around and push through a reasonable arena solution. Look what Portland’s fan base did after the aquisition of Greg Oden and he hasn’t played a single NBA minute.
The current ownership doesn’t belong in Seattle and will never be supported here. Their only option is to sell or move. From the NBA’s perspective, this is a colossal blunder by Stern. If OKC had been given what they wanted, an expansion team, there would have to difference in value between an expansion franchise and the franchise they would receive if the Sonics moved to OKC. The only difference is the devaluation of an NBA franchise in Seattle whether the Sonics stay or host a future replacement team.
Reading articles posted here and in the national media it’s difficult to see any downside in the current chain of events. Things are looking quite rosy for OKC…..however, that’s purely because of the PR that Stern, Bennett and the NBA wish to put out there in order to “shame” an accepted buyout from Seattle. It’s all part of the plan. The only shame involved here is the behavior employed by our commissioner and current owner in order to blackmail us out of a franchise.
Of course voters in OKC are going to approve a major renovation of an already-new arena if the Bennett family uses the media to tell people it’ll get them a team and elevate OKC to a professional city. Of course the owners are going to be impressed by Bennett’s OKC presentation because anything Stern says is good for the league they’re going to go along with it anyway (and moreover, because they’re not given any information about how hard the City of Seattle and the potential new ownership group are working out their own proposals for retaining the team). Of course the fact that a good portion of the Key was chanting “Save Our Sonics” at key intervals during Monday night’s game went blissfully unnoticed (at least as anything other than a faction of rabid fans trying to stir up trouble). It’s all about information, and what information is made available to the public with respect to who’s controlling the instruments of publicity. Things look great for OKC because that’s all you read. Doesn’t make it ironclad.
This is simply, to use Stern’s words himself, a “PR stunt” to get public opinion on the side of pro-relocation and fast-track the process of moving so that the team can break the lease and avoid a revealing court case. It doesn’t take much reasoning to understand that. It’s about posturing. The NBA obviously wants to avoid revealing any shady relationship between Stern and Bennett via a court case that they have good reason to believe they’ll lose; otherwise their efforts to make OKC look so promising wouldn’t be necessary. People just need to read between the lines and not buy into all the statements that would seem to imply the inevitability of the team moving.
Now about your comment regarding the Sonics playing in an empty arena, donuteyes: if the Sonics lose the case in court then obviously they’re stuck in Seattle for two more years…what makes you think they’re going to hold onto the team that long and take all the losses? If they’re held to the lease there’s a high probability that they’ll sell, and with Ballmer’s name out there we’ll get powerful local ownership that has already stated it would fund half of a remodel and even cover overruns if they’re necessary. Hell, if any of you were interested in really understanding the situation you’d know that there’s talk now that Ballmer and his group may put up the $75m remaining on the remodel costs. What’s $75m to him (er, them)?
As far as the current Sonics are concerned, the other 75 million doesn’t matter because the team is not for sale.
The BOG is going to approve the move and it will happen in 2010 or sooner. My guess is that Seattle accepts a buyout before the trial ever starts and the team begins play here next season.
Ballmer needs to get an arena deal done and either buy another team or try to talk Stern in to an expansion team
The lack of interest in Seattle right now is very sad. The big SOS rally this past Monday night looked really bad, The arena was half empty,
phillip, lets bury the hatchet. i invite you to seattle. i will even show you around. and within a couple of hours you will be wondering why anyone would be considering this move! you will see a world class city! we will drink good beer and eat good food. im sure all you know is bud light and hot dogs. you will also see mountains water and a beautiful skyline. things you have probably never seen. think about it? culture,life,and vibrance! it will be good for you!
i hope you keep your team. i want a team, but not like this. honestly, if i lived in seattle, i would be angry at the previous owners, not bennett. he was sold the team, and now he’s doing what most businessmen would do in his situation, whatever he wants to do. it’s ugly, but that’s capitalism.
seattle, get out and show america (and especially oklahoma city) that you want this team. it’s not a done deal, but some of you are acting like it is. okc will get a team, it doesn’t have to be yours, i don’t even want it. i just wish some of you cared more for the name on the jersey than the name on the owner’s box. i’m sorry you have a jerk for an owner, but at least you have (for now) a team. what’s more important?
p.s. joey, why do you have to talk crap? you make people in seattle seem like babies. as if there is no culture whatsoever in oklahoma. you’re not doing a great job of selling seattle as a “world class city.”
as i said a minute ago on another post. it makes no difference where your at, if the team loses attendance will dwindle. and considering this situation(which is an extraordinary screw job) i think were doing pretty well. this ballmer proposal is ten times better than anything okc could put together. if you consider the city and ballmers money. and okc knows nothing about supporting a team. seattle does. dont lecture people on things you know nothing about!
Seattle is being put in a position of power in this situation more and more. From what I hear, the city will likely not settle, and will insist on going to court. Despite what he says now, Stern won’t let this situation go to trial — he would be exposed, and that will be bad for the league. There are just some things you don’t want the national media to get ahold of. His legacy is already heading down the drain.
Bennett will sell, and be promised another franchise. And we will all shake hands and happily go our separate ways.
and donuteyes, as i have said before. YOUR STEALING A MEMBER OF MY FAMILY!! i have never thought about okc in my life. until this situation. the country agrees with us! okc looks bad, not seattle! if the sonics stay in seattle? you will never hear from me again!!
great. i hope they stay. but out of curiousity: why are all these seattle people on this oklahoma website? i come here because, weirdly enough, i live in oklahoma. i wouldn’t talk crap about seattle on a washington state newspaper’s website. i don’t care, your comments are funny, but wouln’t it have more of an impact in seattle? just wondering. go ballmer! keep the sonics in seattle (for oklahoma’s sake)!
donuteyes,
I know Joey’s presence is loud in this blog, but please do not hold him against Seattle. He is not representative of the people of Seattle.
The people of Seattle and Oklahoma are great people. Both cities are fine cities. This issue is not about pitting the people against each other. It’s about basketball and the NBA, and about billionaires who care little about you or me or any of us.
Frankly, all of us are kind of on the same team. We all want basketball.
donuteyes, im on every website from seattle to berlin. regarding this issue. i dont want to be here either! but, unfortunatly the situation calls for it!
donuteyes, 13,000 fans a game for a stripped down model of a NBA team, is golden against your AAA baseball games that never even sell out. yes, 13,000. and i could send you some pics of the games ive attended. also, donuteyes, pete doesnt know how bad okie city has pissed off alot of other money-making business endeavors, such as, the loss of revenue from our softball teams not coming there this summer for tourney’s. we are going to take our $3000+ to dallas,tx, and, will never ever stay in okie city again. you see clay-boy put the whole city in a bad light, just like Ken Berhing did for the Seahawks heading to southern cali. unfortunately, your motels/restuarants dont have the extra people standing in line waiting to take those available rooms like southern cali did. this has become a city-against-city thing. you mayor started it, and, he vacations up here, what a hypocrit!!! and as far as, the nets owner opening his trap, who is he??? lets ask cuban, or some of the others that have been openly saying this is a bad financial idea. the nets owner!!HAHAHA! SEE YA IN JUNE DM!!!
love,
mike u.
wow, you folks in seattle sure know how to type (a lot) about a town that some of you know nothing about.
“what is red carpet treatment in oklahoma?” seriously, (some of) you seem like children who are lashing out at anyone who will listen to them cry.
Pete, thank you for being a represenative of seattle that doesn’t resort to name-calling and seems to understand what’s going on.
joey, I am not stealing a member of your family, and neither is anyone else in okc, except for clay bennett. i’m glad you’re on every website from seattle to berlin, and what do they think of this in germany? anyway, joey, keep enjoying all your culture, you seem very cultured.
people in germany are perplexed.
im not being a smart aleck. i wanted to know what okc did to impress stern and company?
we voted ‘yes’ on a tax increase. didn’t you hear? the only thing stern wants to be impressed by is a community’s willingness to support (emotionally AND financially) a team. all that crap about culture is secondary to the fact that we (the citizens) ponied up the money.
is it fair that to have a team, we (basketball fans) have to pay endless taxes to already rich businessmen? no, clearly not. but that’s the way it is. i’m sorry you’re blaming me and the rest of my state, but blame-throwing and down-talking oklahoma city won’t save the sonics. maybe when the sonics are long-gone, you’ll realize that you wasted your energy typing clever insults about oklahoma city instead of trying to do something substantial to help the sonics.
i feel bad for the true fans that are at the games (winning record or not) living and dying for a team that has been there forever and is probably leaving. i don’t feel bad for the malcontents on this website blaming me for taking their team, and thinking that making fun of oklahoma city for it’s lack of “culture,life,and vibrance” somehow makes you seem classy. with fans like you, joey, who needs the trailblazers?
i go to every game, and every rally, i write the nba,state legislature,the govenor. i not sure what else i can do? whether you like it or not? this is the tale of two citys! and i want everyone to know what a tragic mistake this is. and you have got to agree, at least somewhat. you will know my pain and anger very soon. when the club leaves okc, in about 10 years. even then you will not fully understand. 40 years of great memories. you will never get it.
i look forward to the day(ABOUT 4 YEARS FROM NOW) when clay bennett demands a brand new arena. welcome to the big leagues!!
aren’t the blazers the sonics’ enemy? whatever.
joey, if you’re going to talk about how superior seattle is, at least spell ‘cities’ correctly. i might be an uncultured hillbilly, but incorrect spelling is a pet peeve. c’mon, “citys?” you’re better than that. and i’m glad you’re supporting your team. good for you.
oh, and in about four years from now, when bennett asks for more money, it will suck. but what will oklahoma do? support our team, whoever the owner is. is it fair? no, but that’s the way it is. we’re willing to play ball. it’s too bad for you that things didn’t work out (so far, but i truly hope they stay in seattle), but stop blaming the people of oklahoma for doing what you will probably do in a few years to get another team.
thats a lot of large talk! will oklahoma support a club, when clay bennett demands a new arena. no!!!
and the original spelling of citys is roman catholic!! if you have the nerve to belittle someone. no the history. american english, is far from it!!
oh, you small minded evangelicals!! GOD SAVE THE AMERICAN BIBLE BELT!!
(Guys, please watch your language. Thanks. -DM- )
i’m not a roman catholic. i’m an uncultured hillbilly. i’m glad you’re sure we won’t support a club, thanks for speaking on behalf of my state. seattle rules.
“i hope you keep your team. i want a team, but not like this. honestly, if i lived in seattle, i would be angry at the previous owners, not bennett. he was sold the team, and now he’s doing what most businessmen would do in his situation, whatever he wants to do. it’s ugly, but that’s capitalism. ”
Good to see some cooled nerves and empathy here. I’ve said in past comments that I wouldn’t want an NBA team jacked from OKC or anywhere else and brought here against the will of their loyal fans. It’s good to know that there are some in OKC who feel the same way. Expansion may be wearing a little thin but in this situation it oughta be made an option (give the NBA an even number of teams again too). However if this sort of thing continues I think EVERYONE needs to think twice about supporting this cutthroat league.
As far as “hopping on the enemy’s frequency” the reason I come here and comment is because I take issue with things being presented in such a consistently pro-OKC-relocation light. Ask DM and other bloggers/concerned citizens from OKC if they check out Seattle media and blogs to keep tabs on what’s going on on our end. Plenty of OKC folk have swung by Sonics sites and local news forums and given their two cents. That’s their right, as is this ours. For me personally, when something is posted in this blog that leaves the implication that the Sonics moving is a promising and/or inevitable conclusion, I have to speak up and disagree. Even if Darnell is just preaching to the choir as far as throwing out morsels of hope and justifiability, I feel I gotta let everyone know there’s more to the story than what he posts.
Plus anyone talking about Seattle deserving what it’s getting and having no options left to keep the team is just being smug.
Just to clarify I meant expansion for an OKC team, not what Katz was presumptuously saying needs to happen for Seattle.
The coverage of this has been much more balanced and fair here then it has been in Seattle, Kevin.
Darnell is sypathetic to the plight of Seattle fans. I’m not……Seattle is getting what they asked for. The sense of entitlement and superiority there is sickening.
Seattle wouldn’t build an arena……now they don’t have a team. Sounds fair to me.
Katz says their are the same number of people in Brooklyn as within a 90 minute drive of OKC? What does that have to do with it? Their are also over 12 million people within a 90 minute drive of Brooklyn.
Oh, and 8 million within a 120 minute drive of Seattle. So what?
leave the sonics to be ignored by thier ‘fans’ for two more years, and maybe we can get another team. i’m tired of listening to sonics ‘fans’ that have all these sorry excuses why they’re not going to the games.
“A big reason fans aren’t attending as much is because they know the ownership is gung-ho about moving the franchise and that there’s good reason to be skeptical about them gutting the team of veteran talent now in order to stock up for the future.”
-kdizzle 3/17/2008
so, if the sonics don’t leave until 2010, will they be playing in an empty arena? according to kdizzle, possibly. way to support the sonics. no wonder the previous owner sold them, and the current owner wants to move them. i think there might currently be more sonics fans in OKC than seattle.
you may now begin the name-calling and city-bashing. that’s all you’ve got left seattle.