Sonics Sold to OK. City Group

[Tipped Off]

the only tidbit about them moving, is, "A spokesman for Chesapeake Energy in Oklahoma City, whose CEO Aubrey McClendon, is one of the investors, said the Sonics would play the 2006-07 season in Seattle but the future of the franchies depended on negotiations in Seattle for a new arena."

that being said, ownership out of Oklahoma City can't be a good sign....

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/sports/2003135221_websonicssold18.html

Sonics sold to Okla. City group

The Sonics have been sold to a group from Oklahoma City led by businessman Clay Bennett, according to multiple sources. It was believed that the Storm was part of the package.

[RunTheGoalie]

So, everything I am reading on this story suggests that the Sonics have one of the worst leases in the history of leasing. Makes me wonder: what kind of deal do the Thunderbirds have, and with who?

It would be interesting to see how the Thunderbirds fare as the primary winter sporting team in Seattle.

[Beaner]

So, everything I am reading on this story suggests that the Sonics have one of the worst leases in the history of leasing. Makes me wonder: what kind of deal do the Thunderbirds have, and with who?

It would be interesting to see how the Thunderbirds fare as the primary winter sporting team in Seattle.

The birds lease as far as I know is with the same group as well, and they get the shaft even worse than the Sonics. The Birds are the "secondary" tenants and get treated as such, all one has to do is look at how the Key has arranged the layout for Ice Hockey in the Key and you can only imagine how much worse the agreement gets from there. I do believe the Birds have the highest lease in the WHL, hence the talk of maybe moving.

Kent Thunderbirds has a great ring to it.

[ihlemic10]

I heard the Birds lease was something around No Concession revenue, No luxary seat revenue and "3 times what they should be paying". Would be really nice for them to get a decent rink to watch games in.

[IceMan]

T-Birds pay the city of Seattle $15,000 per game to use the Key. They pay separately for the kiosk where the team store is. They pay all of the security staff, clean up crew, zamboni operators, etc. They pay the utilities separately from their "game rent".

Based on a $10.00 average ticket, and assuming that all of the ancillary stuff runs another $5000 or so per game (that's $20k total), they have to sell 2,000 tickets a night just to break even for putting on the game. That doesn't take into account their own actual payroll, practice facility rent, office rent, scholarships, buses, hotels, and all of the other costs of doing business in this league.

I'm frankly shocked that they've been able to keep it together this long. It's no wonder that Mr Yuill wanted to move them up to Everett, and it's no wonder he got out when given the chance. They need their own building -- Kent would be a perfect fit -- just like the Tips, and they'll be fine.

It's a no-brainer. Move the Sonics to OK, empty out the key and reconfigure it for concerts, shows, and other artsy stuff. Get the birds in Kent. That puts them a good 50 miles away from Everett, and about 20 miles closer to Tacoma. Both teams fan bases will be further defined and segmented. Both will contine to grow, and both teams will be profitable. A 6500 seat building will do great in Kent, just like the EEC up in Everett. There's tons of smaller events (circus, roller girls, motocross, etc) that are too small for a place like the key, or don't work well in Artsy-Fartsy Seattle to fill up the required 80 extra dates down there. It's a win-win-win, as far as I can tell.

[LifelongChiefsFan]

Although a good deal would be nice, I have a feeling both teams might be out in a matter of a few years anyway.

In Seattle you have the Seahawks and the Mariners (and probably the Huskies), and then there's everything else.

[Wingnut]

The average ticket price for the Thunderbirds is probably closer to $19. It's $20 for everything in the lower bowl except for a few rows in the corners, where it's $18.

I have heard from a number of different sources that they must average 4,500 to break even for the season. They have missed that number for a few years - it was 4,136 last year, 4,395 in 2004-05, 4,450 in 2003-04.

[rezstyle]

I believe it would be in the best interest of the T-birds organization to move also. I haven't been to a lot of rinks, but wasn't impressed with the layout in Key Arena. Combine everything else said above with the fact that Seattle was labeled this year's most overpriced city, you can see why they are paying way too much to play. Anywhere over there on the I-5 will attract people, but when you move out of Seattle, it becomes a little less expensive. I would hope, however, if and when they move, it's not out of state.