NBA returning to Seattle?

[vedthree]

It's like dealing with a bully, you don't beg for forgiveness and mercy, you punch him right in the MOUTH! Stern and Clay Clay better start counting their teeth 'cause they are going to have a lot less of them in the very near future! :th2thumbs:


Its going to get real UGLY for the NBA, and when it looks like they are going to get their asses handed to them in the courtroom, an out of court settlement will be reached and Seattle will be granted an expansion team or the Kings, much like the Pilots/Mariners situation, thats my prediction!

++++1

Here's the dirty truth - ALL of the pro sports leagues are cartels/monopolies that operate in violation of anti-trust laws. The only reason they haven't blown up is because 99% of the disputes are between owners & players - both of whom have a vested interest in keeping the monopoly alive (the arguments are just about how to divide the $$$$) so it's like the old days of the Cold War and brinkmanship diplomacy ... the sides will threaten the nuclear option at the bargaining table, but neither really wants to go through with it.

HOWEVER - in cases where it's an outsider or a plaintiff dead-set on carrying it through, precedent & law is stacked against the leagues - from players suing for Free Agency, to Seattle suing to get back the Pilots/M's, to Al Davis suing to move the Raiders ... hell, even the USFL suing the NFL (remember, the USFL won every argument in court, it's only because of their own mismanagement they didn't receive damages)

The leagues survive because a) they have deep pockets to keep people from suing or drag it out procedurally and b) when push comes to shove they know it's better to buy the plaintiff off and make them happy rather than see things through to the end.

The NBA can talk tough, but in the end money talks. If Hansen sues, the NBA has a helluva lot more to loose than he does and the owners aren't going to piss that all away because David Stern wants to leave a "legacy". They may bitch about it, but they'll let Hansen in their club - and when the Seattle market is pouring it's $$$ into the league's coffers, they'll learn to get along just fine.

 

[dunceface]

It's like dealing with a bully, you don't beg for forgiveness and mercy, you punch him right in the MOUTH! Stern and Clay Clay better start counting their teeth 'cause they are going to have a lot less of them in the very near future! :th2thumbs:


Its going to get real UGLY for the NBA, and when it looks like they are going to get their asses handed to them in the courtroom, an out of court settlement will be reached and Seattle will be granted an expansion team or the Kings, much like the Pilots/Mariners situation, thats my prediction!

++++1

Here's the dirty truth - ALL of the pro sports leagues are cartels/monopolies that operate in violation of anti-trust laws. The only reason they haven't blown up is because 99% of the disputes are between owners & players - both of whom have a vested interest in keeping the monopoly alive (the arguments are just about how to divide the $$$$) so it's like the old days of the Cold War and brinkmanship diplomacy ... the sides will threaten the nuclear option at the bargaining table, but neither really wants to go through with it.

HOWEVER - in cases where it's an outsider or a plaintiff dead-set on carrying it through, precedent & law is stacked against the leagues - from players suing for Free Agency, to Seattle suing to get back the Pilots/M's, to Al Davis suing to move the Raiders ... hell, even the USFL suing the NFL (remember, the USFL won every argument in court, it's only because of their own mismanagement they didn't receive damages)

The leagues survive because a) they have deep pockets to keep people from suing or drag it out procedurally and b) when push comes to shove they know it's better to buy the plaintiff off and make them happy rather than see things through to the end.

The NBA can talk tough, but in the end money talks. If Hansen sues, the NBA has a helluva lot more to loose than he does and the owners aren't going to piss that all away because David Stern wants to leave a "legacy". They may bitch about it, but they'll let Hansen in their club - and when the Seattle market is pouring it's $$$ into the league's coffers, they'll learn to get along just fine.

THIS x 10000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

I GIVE UP WHEN HANSEN DOES

 

[Happypuppy]

Few I suspect remember the story of how the the Mariners came about and the Pilots. It was the fear of litigation. I don't think for a minute that the Seattle group gives up. They will take it to Court if they have to , and I don't believe that the NBA wants that to happen. In the open letter they are pretty clear that legal options are open

"I just wanted to reassure all of you that we have numerous options at our disposal and have absolutely no plans to give up. "

 

[HawKnPeppa]

Blitzer, the time for playing nice ended when Stern/Schultz got laughed out of Olympia. I will not say it is a total vendetta against Seattle, since Stern bent over backwards to keep the Hornets(Pelicans) in New Orleans but Seattle has already taken Bennett to court. The city backing out/taking a deal didn't heal old wounds, this current fiasco shows that. If I am Hansen, I push forward with the deal and take actions if the deal is denied without due cause. Just because the NBA tells me I cannot relocate this year doesn't mean they can tell me I cannot close the deal if I meet all the criteria set by the NBA for owning a team.

So the next step in all this is the actual denial of sale. Once that is done, time to file for financial losses. Look at the amount of money Hansen and his group has put into this project already. This should have just been a formality unless the NBA determined the money was not solid in the purchasing group or there were conflicts of interest in the ownership group.

I doubt Hansen wins and the waters are going to be tainted for quite some time. NBA probably never comes back but at this point I am not sure they would ever come back anyway. Maybe in 30-50 years but I don't think I will be around if they do. Take them to court, it is the American way!

Your prediction is wrong and your doubts are unfounded, but that's what happens when you lower your expectations to protect yourself from dissapointment.

 

[dunceface]

Few I suspect remember the story of how the the Mariners came about and the Pilots. It was the fear of litigation. I don't think for a minute that the Seattle group gives up. They will take it to Court if they have to , and I don't believe that the NBA wants that to happen. In the open letter they are pretty clear that legal options are open

"I just wanted to reassure all of you that we have numerous options at our disposal and have absolutely no plans to give up. "

Yes. some one on sonicsrising made a good point too...

"It’s a proven last-resort tactic in professional sports that has worked on a number of occasions (Mariners being one of them). Might as well try."

 

[drdiags]

Your prediction is wrong and your doubts are unfounded, but that's what happens when you lower your expectations to protect yourself from dissapointment.

Okay. Thanks for the tip.

 

[McG]

I've read though the majority of the end of this thread and what I have to say is this...

David Stern is easily the most corrupt and egotistical bastard that this world has ever seen. Go back to the Knicks getting Ewing back in the 80's with Stern's "lottery". Then him paying Jordan Millions under the table to come back to the NBA in the 90's (than again at WAS), of course none of that information has ever been published. Stern operates the league with a "mafia-ish" stance. Seattle did him wrong because they didn't kiss his feet aka pay him his cut, since then he has had a hard-on for us. This man makes me sick, I will try not to wish him bad things because lets face it, he's not worth it. With that said, when his name goes across the ESPN bottom line in a few years saying he's passed, I'm sure more than a few us will crack a smile or flat out laugh.

Sad part is I grew up with the NBA, and for it to be robbed from my son makes me sick. Side note, glad the Thunder lost in the finals last year and that their star PG got hurt in the 1st round. I don't wish injuries against any player, but I'm not going to be sad that Russell Westbrook got hurt. Knowing that Bennett is screwed is funny enough. Oh yeah, and they are struggling to beat the Rockets the last two games (they lost the last one). If Seattle doesn't get this team, the NBA will be dead to me. That sucks for my son because he loves to play NBA2K13, but for us to get this close just to have it ripped away by Sterns evil (Stern-ish) hands then forget this joke of a league. Lets just hope at some time the Mariners can step up and be good so they can fill the void, but that's a completely different story...

Let's hope some miracle happens and we get this team or my 10 year old son is going to be devastated, isn't this game really about kids aka the next generation of paying customers. Last I checked Seattle has a lot more money making chances than Sacramento aka Meth Land.

 

[salamander]

I'm sorry you won't be getting a team in the immediate future, but the Kings belong in Sacramento. The problem was the Maloofs... not the fans, city, or team support. With the Maloofs gone the team will thrive again. I hope you understand that by the team staying in Sacramento, millions of people will avoid having to go through the same heartbreak you did when you lost the Sonics.

Seattle deserves a team, no doubt, and I hope they get one, but Sacramento was not the town to take it from.
-Kings Fan

 

[Sac]

I'm sorry you won't be getting a team in the immediate future, but the Kings belong in Sacramento. The problem was the Maloofs... not the fans, city, or team support. With the Maloofs gone the team will thrive again. I hope you understand that by the team staying in Sacramento, millions of people will avoid having to go through the same heartbreak you did when you lost the Sonics.

Seattle deserves a team, no doubt, and I hope they get one, but Sacramento was not the town to take it from.
-Kings Fan

I approve this message.

 

[Throwdown]

I'm sorry you won't be getting a team in the immediate future, but the Kings belong in Sacramento. The problem was the Maloofs... not the fans, city, or team support. With the Maloofs gone the team will thrive again. I hope you understand that by the team staying in Sacramento, millions of people will avoid having to go through the same heartbreak you did when you lost the Sonics.

Seattle deserves a team, no doubt, and I hope they get one, but Sacramento was not the town to take it from.
-Kings Fan

Man was this really needed? We don't care about Sacramento Kings fans feelings, specially right now.

 

[HawkGA]

I'm not an NBA fan by any means but whenever a Seattle team does well, I pay a little bit of attention and hope for the best. To those who love Seattle sports, I offer my condolences that the NBA screwed you over.

 

[twisted_steel2]

I'm sorry you won't be getting a team in the immediate future, but the Kings belong in Sacramento.

The problem was the Maloofs... not the fans, city, or team support.

With the Maloofs gone the team will thrive again. I hope you understand that by the team staying in Sacramento, millions of people will avoid having to go through the same heartbreak you did when you lost the Sonics.

And the SuperSonics belong in Seattle, not Oklahoma. But did the NBA care? Nope. Where a team 'belongs' really doesn't matter anymore.

Agree, and like in Seattle, the problem wasn't the fans either. It never is. The fans are powerless, along for the ride, spectators. Spectators to the games billionaires and politicians play.

And it would be unfortunate watching the people of Sac gets their hearts ripped out. Been there done it. But Hansen/Ballmer are only playing the game that Stern/Bennett created.

The NBA is a dirty business.

 

[Uncle Si]

I'm sorry you won't be getting a team in the immediate future, but the Kings belong in Sacramento. The problem was the Maloofs... not the fans, city, or team support. With the Maloofs gone the team will thrive again. I hope you understand that by the team staying in Sacramento, millions of people will avoid having to go through the same heartbreak you did when you lost the Sonics.

Seattle deserves a team, no doubt, and I hope they get one, but Sacramento was not the town to take it from.
-Kings Fan

by millions do you mean the 13000 fans (last in the league) you averaged this season?

dont act all tough ("Sacramento is not the town to take it from") because you got bailed out by Stern and a half ass offer. you got lucky. you didnt survive drowning because you're a strong swimmer, you had a rope thrown to you. and if finishing last in attendance behind NBA powerhouses like the Bobcats and Pelicans is some show of your cities undying love for the team then god help the NBA and Sacramento.

so kindly f--- off

 

[Throwdown]

I'm sorry you won't be getting a team in the immediate future, but the Kings belong in Sacramento.

The problem was the Maloofs... not the fans, city, or team support.

With the Maloofs gone the team will thrive again. I hope you understand that by the team staying in Sacramento, millions of people will avoid having to go through the same heartbreak you did when you lost the Sonics.

And the SuperSonics belong in Seattle, not Oklahoma. But did the NBA care? Nope. Where a team 'belongs' really doesn't matter anymore.

Agree, and like in Seattle, the problem wasn't the fans either. It never is. The fans are powerless, along for the ride, spectators. Spectators to the games billionaires and politicians play.

And it would be unfortunate watching the people of Sac gets their hearts ripped out. Been there done it. But Hansen/Ballmer are only playing the game that Stern/Bennett created.

The NBA is a dirty business.

Oh they care about the fans, just not the Seattle fans.

 

[NorCal]

Here's the dirty truth - ALL of the pro sports leagues are cartels/monopolies that operate in violation of anti-trust laws. The only reason they haven't blown up is because 99% of the disputes are between owners & players - both of whom have a vested interest in keeping the monopoly alive (the arguments are just about how to divide the $$$$) so it's like the old days of the Cold War and brinkmanship diplomacy ... the sides will threaten the nuclear option at the bargaining table, but neither really wants to go through with it.

HOWEVER - in cases where it's an outsider or a plaintiff dead-set on carrying it through, precedent & law is stacked against the leagues - from players suing for Free Agency, to Seattle suing to get back the Pilots/M's, to Al Davis suing to move the Raiders ... hell, even the USFL suing the NFL (remember, the USFL won every argument in court, it's only because of their own mismanagement they didn't receive damages)

The leagues survive because a) they have deep pockets to keep people from suing or drag it out procedurally and b) when push comes to shove they know it's better to buy the plaintiff off and make them happy rather than see things through to the end.

The NBA can talk tough, but in the end money talks. If Hansen sues, the NBA has a helluva lot more to loose than he does and the owners aren't going to piss that all away because David Stern wants to leave a "legacy". They may bitch about it, but they'll let Hansen in their club - and when the Seattle market is pouring it's $$$ into the league's coffers, they'll learn to get along just fine.

Your not totally correct on the precedent & law. You have to distinguish the type of suits where players are suing the league because those cases are arguing different points. And Al Davis's case did not reach a judgment, so there is no precedent there. In reality, courts do not like to hear cases about owners arguing with owners. They just dont. There are bylaws in place to govern disputes such as this. Also, there are reports that Hansen most likely signed an agreement prior to submitting a bid to not sue, which is huge.

But you are right that an antitrust case is mainly about who has the most money to see it through. Of course, Hansen will have to evaluate what would he win if he did see it through. Would it be nominal damages like what the USFL got. He would get money, not the team, if anything. Should be interesting to follow.

 

[m0ng0]

come to the darkside my friends, little brother still loves ya.

 

[pehawk]

Hansen left this quote;

“Impossible is just a big word thrown around by small men who find it easier to live in the world they've been given than to explore the power they have to change it. Impossible is not a fact. It's an opinion. Impossible is not a declaration. It's a dare. Impossible is potential. Impossible is temporary. Impossible is nothing.” ―Muhammad Ali

 

[Throwdown]

I'd rather shake hands with stern than root for the blazers.

 

[Smelly McUgly]

Here's the dirty truth - ALL of the pro sports leagues are cartels/monopolies that operate in violation of anti-trust laws. The only reason they haven't blown up is because 99% of the disputes are between owners & players - both of whom have a vested interest in keeping the monopoly alive (the arguments are just about how to divide the $$$$) so it's like the old days of the Cold War and brinkmanship diplomacy ... the sides will threaten the nuclear option at the bargaining table, but neither really wants to go through with it.

HOWEVER - in cases where it's an outsider or a plaintiff dead-set on carrying it through, precedent & law is stacked against the leagues - from players suing for Free Agency, to Seattle suing to get back the Pilots/M's, to Al Davis suing to move the Raiders ... hell, even the USFL suing the NFL (remember, the USFL won every argument in court, it's only because of their own mismanagement they didn't receive damages)

The leagues survive because a) they have deep pockets to keep people from suing or drag it out procedurally and b) when push comes to shove they know it's better to buy the plaintiff off and make them happy rather than see things through to the end.

The NBA can talk tough, but in the end money talks. If Hansen sues, the NBA has a helluva lot more to loose than he does and the owners aren't going to piss that all away because David Stern wants to leave a "legacy". They may bitch about it, but they'll let Hansen in their club - and when the Seattle market is pouring it's $$$ into the league's coffers, they'll learn to get along just fine.

Your not totally correct on the precedent & law. You have to distinguish the type of suits where players are suing the league because those cases are arguing different points. And Al Davis's case did not reach a judgment, so there is no precedent there. In reality, courts do not like to hear cases about owners arguing with owners. They just dont. There are bylaws in place to govern disputes such as this. Also, there are reports that Hansen most likely signed an agreement prior to submitting a bid to not sue, which is huge.

But you are right that an antitrust case is mainly about who has the most money to see it through. Of course, Hansen will have to evaluate what would he win if he did see it through. Would it be nominal damages like what the USFL got. He would get money, not the team, if anything. Should be interesting to follow.

No, it's not.

If I get you to sign something that says you can't sue me for running you over in my car deliberately, and then I run you over in my car deliberately and you sue for damages, the judge won't drop the suit when I show him the contract where you said you wouldn't sue.

 

[salamander]

I'm sorry you won't be getting a team in the immediate future, but the Kings belong in Sacramento. The problem was the Maloofs... not the fans, city, or team support. With the Maloofs gone the team will thrive again. I hope you understand that by the team staying in Sacramento, millions of people will avoid having to go through the same heartbreak you did when you lost the Sonics.

Seattle deserves a team, no doubt, and I hope they get one, but Sacramento was not the town to take it from.
-Kings Fan

by millions do you mean the 13000 fans (last in the league) you averaged this season?

dont act all tough ("Sacramento is not the town to take it from") because you got bailed out by Stern and a half ass offer. you got lucky. you didnt survive drowning because you're a strong swimmer, you had a rope thrown to you. and if finishing last in attendance behind NBA powerhouses like the Bobcats and Pelicans is some show of your cities undying love for the team then god help the NBA and Sacramento.

so kindly f--- off

The Kings were grossly missmanaged and the Maloofs had shown their a bunch of cheats and liars. Seattle only out-attended Sacramento in 3 of 23 years.