We can't miss you if you don't leavr

The first time I saw the Seattle Sonics in person was the early 1980’s.The big news then was the acquisition of David Thompson, who as a college player pretty much single-handedly ended UCLA’s string of NCAA championships.
Back then the Sonics played at the city’s largest venue- the Kingdome-before the roof started collapsing. Thompson scored the game’s final points, a shot from midcourt as time ran out, beating the visiting San Antonio Spurs by one point and sending the crowd into a collective state of euphoria. If you missed the winning shot or had gone home early, you could see the tape delay of the game at least twice the next day on the all-sports channel. Back then the sports channel was mostly Sonic games.
It was a Sonics’ town back, but if Seattle loves only winners then the Sonics can’t even get a date these days. For anyone who’s been living under a rock the past few months, or just watching hockey games, Sonics’ team president Howard Schultz is demanding that the city spend 220 million to spruce up Key Arena, the team’s home venue. Once known as the Seattle Coliseum, the city did 75 million bucks of repair work less than ten years ago.
The request (demand?) also comes despite the fact that recently the team has made the playoffs about as often as most Seattleites have something nice to say about George Bush. The Sonics have even threatened to move (along with their sister team, the Storm) when their contract expires in 2010 if demands aren’t met. Seattle City Council president Nick Licata told Sports Illustrated the effects of the Sonics leaving town would be, ``on an economic basis near zero, on a cultural basis close to zero.’’
While cities have often paid the freight for baseball and football stadiums the Sonics’ situation is somewhat unique. Seattle’s NBA franchise is only a tenant in the building (albeit the major one) along with the Storm, Seattle Thunderbirds’ minor league hockey, ice shows and music concerts. The Council says its primary concern is with Key Arena itself, not to mention the rest of the Seattle Center which has grown a little long in the tooth in recent years.
Last year it appeared the Sonics may have had an ally in Seattle Mayor Greg Nickels. The mayor took the team’s case (unsuccessfully) to the state legislature but in his 2006 state of the city address Nickels said the Sonics weren’t ``an immediate problem.’’ Nickels, whose biggest concern lately is to find money to build a tunnel on the waterfront added, ``we can imagine a future without NBA basketball that would be perfectly fine at the Seattle Center.’’
The Sonics appear to be victims? of a bad economy, lousy teams and Seattleites who are still torked off about the presence of Safeco Field after a majority of voters had given thumbs down to a new ballyard. However, there were people who wanted to keep baseball in Seattle – i.e. those who picketed King County Council head Ron Sims – but no one seems to be taking up the Sonics’ cause. Even bloggers who regularly write about the team and KJR, the city's all-sports radio station(which admittedly just lost the Sonics), don't show the team much sympathy.
Rachael Myers remembers cheering on the Seattle Sonics as a youngster. Her mom even had Rachael and her sister send a card to the Sonics in lieu of screaming at the TV. But today, Myers is one of the leaders of a group called ``Fine Then, Leave,'' http://www.finethenleave.com. The group, comprised of several community activists who are against welfare for the rich, say that if the Sonics are threatening to go Kansas City, Oklahoma City, or nearby Bellevue, well- ``fine then, leave,’’- and don’t let the door whack you in the wazzou on the way out.
Myers, the Director of Advocacy and Organizing for the Real Change Homeless Advocacy Project, figures that the County could spend $220 million on 2,000 units of permanent affordable housing or shelter 2,000 people for 18 years. The group hopes that the words of Bellevue developer Bob Wallace don't come true - ``I personally believe than at the 11th hour, Seattle politicians will come running and make a deal (with the Sonics).''
Recently, ``Fine, Don't Leave'' held a noon rally outside of City Hall recently. While only about 30 people braved the rainy weather, there were presentations (John Fox of the Seattle Displacement Coaliton gave one Most Valuable Priorities trophy to neighborhood activist Jan Bruckner, as that's where the money should be going) people dressed in Wizard Of Oz costumes, a giant goodbye card that was delivered to the Mayor and the City Council, and plenty of cake. As of last week, a total of 883 people have signed the group's online poll stating they don't want any money going to the Sonics.
Unfortunately the Seattle Times, the city's largest daily paper didn't cover the event. A reporter from the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, the city's smaller but supposedly better daily, was also in attendance. Unfortunately, her story just harped on how no one was there. None of the City Council members were in attendance, but one council member (known to be sympathetic to big business interests) was returning from lunch. When informed what the rally was about she exclaimed, ``I'd better not go over there.''
Currently, the Sonics' status is on hold, but Adam Glickman, a spokesperson for Service Employees International Union 775, says his union and other groups are considering a ballot measure this fall to prohibit using taxpayer money for an arena.