Sonics on The Move

In one of the worst kept secrets....

The Seattle Supersonics are moving. Well, sort of. Seattle gets to keep the name and the colors. Yesterday's settlement calls for owner, Clay Bennett and the Sonics , to pay the city of Seattle $75 million to break the lease at Key Arena and move the team to Oklahoma City for the 2008-09 NBA season.

Over the years, professional teams have moved on a whim. With no regards to fans and the community. It's all about the money.

Some cities get lucky.....and get a replacement team. Cleveland, Charlotte, New Orleans.......Even Atlanta got another hockey team.....though years after the Flames left.

So the Sonics are moving........I hope Oklahoma City goes 0-82 next year. We can.....hope.



The relocation list..........From CNNSI.com:

Major professional franchises on the move since 1970 MLB Team Year Moved To Seattle Pilots 1970 Milwaukee, Wis. (Brewers) Washington Senators 1972 Arlington, Texas (Rangers) Minnesota Twins (Bloomington) 1982 Minneapolis NFL Team Year Moved To Dallas Cowboys 1971 Irving, Texas New England Patriots (Boston) 1971 Foxboro, Mass. Buffalo Bills 1973 Orchard Park, N.Y. N.Y. Giants (New Haven, Conn.) 1976 E. Rutherford, N.J. Los Angeles Rams 1980 Anaheim, Calif. Minnesota Vikings (Bloomington) 1982 Minneapolis Oakland Raiders 1982 Los Angeles N.Y. Jets 1983 E. Rutherford, N.J. Baltimore Colts 1984 Indianapolis St. Louis Cardinals 1988 Phoenix * Los Angeles Raiders 1995 Oakland Los Angeles Rams 1995 St. Louis Cleveland Browns 1996 Baltimore (Ravens) Houston Oilers 1997 Tennessee (Titans) ** Washington Redskins 1997 Raljon, Md. Note: Giants played at the Polo Grounds (1925-55), Yankee Stadium (1956-73 (two games in '73)), The Yale Bowl (1973-74) and Shea Stadium (1975) before moving into Giants Stadium Oct. 10, 1976). * -- Became Phoenix Cardinals; changed name to Arizona Cardinals in 1994 ** -- Moved to Memphis in 1997 (Tennessee Oilers), then to Nashville in 1998 NBA Team Year Moved To N.Y. Nets (W. Hempstead, N.Y.) 1971 Uniondale, N.Y. San Diego Rockets 1971 Houston San Francisco Warriors 1971 Oakland (Golden State) Cincinnati Royals 1972 Kansas City/Omaha (Kings) * Baltimore Bullets 1973 Landover, Md. (Washington) ** Dallas Chaparrals 1973 San Antonio (Spurs) Cleveland Cavaliers 1974 Richfield, Ohio N.Y. Nets (Uniondale, N.Y.) 1977 Piscataway, N.J. # Buffalo Braves 1978 San Diego (Clippers) New Orleans Jazz 1979 Salt lake City, Utah N.J. Nets (Piscataway, N.J.) 1981 E. Rutherford, N.J. San Diego Clippers 1984 Los Angeles Kansas City Kings 1985 Sacramento Cleveland Cavaliers (Richfield, Ohio) 1994 Cleveland L.A. Lakers (Inglewood, Calif.) 1999 Los Angeles Vancouver Grizzlies 2001 Memphis Charlotte Hornets 2002 New Orleans * -- Became Kansas City Kings in 1975 ** -- Became Capital Bullets, then changed to Washington Bullets in 1974; changed nickname to Wizards in 1997 # -- Became New Jersey Nets upon move to Piscataway NHL Team Year Moved To Kansas City Scouts 1976 Colorado (Rockies) California Golden Seals 1976 Cleveland (Barons) Atlanta Flames 1980 Calgary Cleveland Barons 1980 Minnesota North Stars * Hartford Whalers (Springfield, Mass.) 1980 Hartford, Conn. Colorado Rockies 1982 New Jersey (Devils) Minnesota North Stars 1993 Dallas (Stars) San Jose Sharks 1993 San Jose ** Tampa Bay Lightning 1993 St. Petersburg, Fla. Quebec Nordiques 1995 Colorado (Avalanche) Ottawa Senators 1996 Kanata, Ont. Winnipeg Jets 1996 Phoenix (Coyotes) Hartford Whalers 1997 Greensboro, N.C. (Hurricanes) Wash. Capitals (Landover, Md.) 1997 Washington, D.C. Florida Panthers (Miami) 1998 Sunrise, Fla. Car. Hurricanes (Greensboro, N.C.) 1999 Raleigh, N.C. L.A. Kings (Inglewood, Calif.) 1999 Los Angeles Note: NHL expanded in 1979 to include WHA's Edmonton Oilers, New England Whalers, Quebec Nordiques and Winnipeg Jets. * -- Merged ** -- Expansion team in 1991-92, played games in San Francisco 1991-93