Are you a fan of the NBA team The Seattle Sonics?
Well, here’s some bad news, starting next year 2009, the Sonics will be playing home games no longer in Seattle but in Oklahoma City. Yup, your favorite team is leaving town. Together with the move, the players of the team will have a new nickname and will play under a different mascot. Almost everything will be different from now on. The name “Sonics” will be staying put in Seattle.

What precipitated this move? Well, it seems that after being ignored and not getting any support from the public and government to improve the KeyArena, the Sonics have finally had enough. KeyArena has been the home of Sonics when it was founded in 1967. To be released from the bond of the stadium lease, NBA assented to reimburse $75 million to the city of Seattle. Clay Bennett, owner of the Sonics, will pay $45 million immediately to the city government. He will pay the $30 million in 2013 under the condition that the Washington State Legislature refurbishes the KeyArena and Seattle doesn’t get a new team.

Sounds like the key parts of the deal are all in NBA’s favor.

By Raissa