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MONDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 2009
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Sonics Owner Vows Move to Oklahoma

Seattle locals float buy bid to hold off relocation

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(Newser) – The Seattle SuperSonics’ owner said today he will move the team to Oklahoma City. Clay Bennett isn’t satisfied with the Sonics’ current arena, where the lease expires in 2010; he gave the city a deadline to plan a new stadium, which passed this week. Bennett wants to void the lease’s last two years, and claims the b-ballers lost $17 million last year due to the stadium, the AP reports.

Meanwhile, a former Sonics stakeholder offered to buy the team and its WNBA counterpart, the Seattle Times reports. The investment manager wants to keep the team in Seattle, and has assembled a group of unnamed civic-minded locals. He says he’s revealing the offer to fight public perception that the southward move is a done deal.

SPORTS BKN-DURANT SE
SPORTS BKN-DURANT SE   (KRT Photos)
Seattle SuperSonics fan Joel Feldman makes his feelings known about the likely move of the team to Oklahoma before the team's NBA game against the Phoenix Suns Thursday, Nov. 1, 2007, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson)
Seattle SuperSonics fan Joel Feldman makes his feelings known about the likely move of the team to Oklahoma before the team's NBA game against the Phoenix Suns Thursday, Nov. 1, 2007, in Seattle. (AP...   (Associated Press)
Seattle SuperSonics and Seattle Storm owner Clay Bennett speaks during an interview in the offices of The Associated Press, in this Jan. 18, 2007 file photo, in Seattle. Lawyers for the SuperSonics and the city of Seattle argued before a federal judge Thursday, Oct. 18, 2007, about whether the dispute...
Seattle SuperSonics and Seattle Storm owner Clay Bennett speaks during an interview in the offices of The Associated Press, in this Jan. 18, 2007 file photo, in Seattle. Lawyers for the SuperSonics and...   (Associated Press)
KeyArena, home of the Seattle SuperSonics NBA basketball team, is shown as viewed from the top of the Space Needle Wednesday, Oct. 31, 2007 in Seattle. Sonics owner Clay Bennett, has set Wednesday as his personal deadline to either secure a new arena deal for the team or to begin...
KeyArena, home of the Seattle SuperSonics NBA basketball team, is shown as viewed from the top of the Space Needle Wednesday, Oct. 31, 2007 in Seattle. Sonics owner Clay Bennett, has set Wednesday as...   (Associated Press)
KeyArena, home of the NBA basketball team the Seattle SuperSonics, is shown at night in this Jan. 16, 2007 file photo in Seattle. The City of Seattle filed a lawsuit Monday, Sept. 24, 2007 against the team to hold them to the terms of their lease of KeyArena, which runs...
KeyArena, home of the NBA basketball team the Seattle SuperSonics, is shown at night in this Jan. 16, 2007 file photo in Seattle. The City of Seattle filed a lawsuit Monday, Sept. 24, 2007 against the...   (Associated Press)
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