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Fuck OKC

Back to Seattle you go!

Boom Town by Sam Anderson is a really good book. He outlines a lot of this. The Thunder basically exist because Oklahoma City businesses had a very difficult time recruiting and retaining workers because the city was perceived as minor league and had nothing to do. After successfully hosting the Hornets after Katrina- local leaders tasked Clay Bennet with getting an NBA team there. He bought the Sonics, and moved them as quick as he could.

The economics of the league has changed drastically since then. Being hung up about a public stadium deal in a larger wealthy market like Seattle seems pretty silly in retrospect, and OKC would have never gotten a team via expansion.

This is why people from Seattle despise the Thunder. It’s not just leaving but it’s the biggest douche of an owner possible as well.

How the turntables turn..

The OKC owner net worth is listed at $400 million, which makes him a pauper among team owners like Kroenke and Ballmer. No way he was self funding.

I'd rather see it privately funded, but this deal is not as bad as some.

OKC lacks space for conventions and other events. They are turning away concert tours and such during NBA season.

They are going to leave the old arena next to the new one and continue using both. There is also a badass new hotel planned right there. The whole deal should level up down town OKC.

Just in time to have a team in Las Vegas, much coincidence

Arenas should be publicly owned. Teams can then rent them. If they don’t get a deal they can go elsewhere.