The Seattle City Council said that the city's WNBA
franchise "must pay at least" $20,000 a season to play in
KeyArena, according to Murakami, Stiffler & Bruscas of the
SEATTLE POST-INTELLIGENCER, who write that the move
"jeopardizes the franchise." The $20,000 fee is "designed
to protect the city" if the team doesn't play as many games
as expected. The "feud" between the sides "stems from
lingering bad blood" between the City Council and Full House
Sports & Entertainment, the Ackerley family company that
controls the Sonics. City Council members "believe that the
Ackerleys reneged" on more than $300,000 in rent for NBA
games canceled due to last year's lockout. But Seattle's
WNBA Senior Dir of Business Operations Karen Bryant said
that the council's "demand may be seen" by the league "as a
sign that Seattle doesn't really want the team." Bryant:
"There's 10 other cities that want the WNBA who aren't going
to be saddled with the licensing fee." City Council
President Sue Donaldson: "We have had past dealings with the
Ackerleys and they left us pretty high and dry with the NBA
lockout, and we wanted to learn from those lessons and send
a message" (SEATTLE POST-INTELLIGENCER, 10/12). Meanwhile,
the Seattle franchise had about 5,900 season-ticket pledges,
"well beyond" the league 5,500 requirement. The team spent
about $1.5M in marketing (SEATTLE TIMES, 10/11).
AND IN PORTLAND ...: Portland's WNBA franchise also
topped the league's 5,500 season-ticket requirement. Fred
Meyer and Nike each purchased 500 tickets, Safeway
contributed $25,000 that "translated into" 200 tickets and
Gatorade bought 200 season tickets (AP, 10/12).
