The
potential return of the NBA to Seattle has created a sense of euphoria around
the Seattle sports community. Memories of Shawn Kemp dunks and Ray Allen threes
are racing back into the subconscious of people all over Washington State. Old
Sonics fans are ecstatic to hear that a team is most likely coming back (and
that they will most likely be called the Sonics). However, I for one cant seem
to get on the band wagon. My excitement remains suppressed
First,
let me be clear that I was never the biggest Sonics fan. I mostly watched when
they a) were good or b) I was bored and they were on TV. That right there
dampers my enthusiasm for their return. Even so, I was hurt when they left and
I felt bad for all those die-hards. I could imagine the sadness I would feel if
my favorite team, the Seattle Mariners, was stolen from us.
This
feeling of sympathy is one of the main reasons I am struggling to get excited
now (the other being the Maloofs are weasels and mind still find a way out of
this sale). By taking the Kings from Sacramento, Chris Hansen and his
investment group are inflicting much of that same pain and sorrow Sonic's fans
felt onto another fan base. Kings fans didn’t do anything to deserve this, just
as Seattle fans didnt deserve to have the Sonics stolen. The NBA and its broken
system of managing it teams, revenue and fans is what causes these teams to
pack up and move, but the NBA doesnt face any consequences. However, the King's
fans are still going to feel the consequences of the move and the NBA will just
get new revenue from a new market.
Additionally,
I feel conflicted because Sacramento is a one team city. The sports fans in the
California capital dont have a football team or baseball team to fall back on.
If the Kings leave, the fans are stuck rooting for Bay Area teams, something I
think most Seattle fans can agree is less than desirable. It really feels bad
knowing we will be taking away something so important to a sports community.
Now,
dont get me wrong, I am not suggesting I dont want the Sonics to return. I feel
worse for the Seattle area fan than I ever will for the Kings fans. I just wish
there was a way for the wrong of taking the Soncis to be righted without us
diving into world of sports villains (which is exactly what will happen). The
way that we have to go about getting a team just makes me a little uneasy. I
dont want our fine city to be associated with Clay Bennettesque team stealing.
The
best way I have heard to rationalize this whole team swapping deal is that in
order to have a NBA team you have to play within the system that governs that
league. We are less stealing this team and more taking it. The new owners have
been very open this whole process about their desire to move whatever team they
acquire to Seattle. They aren’t playing with some other city’s fan’s hearts
like Clay Bennett did. Basically the old saying, "dont hate the player,
hate the game" fits these team movement situations to a T.
I don't understand your premise that it's immoral or undesirable for teams to move to new locations. Yes, former hometown fans will be understandably upset. But, in theory, that loss of utility will be more than offset by all of the new fans in a much larger market who get to enjoy them. You can't just refer to one side's loss and leave out the other side's gains.
ReplyDeleteAlthough it sucked to lose the Sonics I had no problem with them leaving in principle. Oklahoma City doesn't have any other professional franchises and they may likely value the Thunder more than we ever did for that reason. What I believe most fans were upset by (and should be) was that the whole process was deceptive and they were lied to by Clay Bennet. The same process is happening almost all over again with the Maloofs deceiving Sacramento into thinking they could keep the team if they built a new arena.
So, in my view, the issue isn't that teams re-locate as that is arguably a good thing. The issue is that owners haven't been capable of handling it the right way.
I think you are viewing the whole relocation of teams issue as too much of a financial problem and not considering enough of a emotional aspect. Yes, okc does derive happiness from having a team and maybe that is more than seattlites have from keeping the team. And yes, clay bennett has the right to try and maximize his own profits and happiness. However, the emotional and cultural bond that pro sports teams develop with their fans and cities are powerful things and the value of breaking that bond is immensely negative.
ReplyDeleteConsider if the Seahawks were to move to LA where they could conceivably fill a 100000 person stadium in the second largest tv market in the country. The pure dollars gain would clearly be on the LA side, but the emotional bond that would be severed in Seattle has a huge negative value. Not want to poison a whole market area against their product is one of the reasons teams move so infrequently.
Finally, let me try to clarify myself, I dont think moving a team in and of itself is wrong. The Jacksonville jaguars present and example of a team that should probably be moved. I just feel an emotional connection to sacramentos fans. I wish there was a way that we could both gain, but there doesn't appear to be.