Sonics Fans Lobbying Mayor To Hold Team To KeyArena Lease

Save Our Sonics Dir Brian Robinson and his “new offshoot group, A Deal Is A Deal Committee, hope to put Seattle Mayor Greg Nickels in a position of holding" the Sonics to their KeyArena lease through the next three seasons, according to Greg Johns of the SEATTLE POST-INTELLIGENCER.  Robinson, who originally intended to work with Sonics Owner Clay Bennett on keeping the team in Seattle, said, “We always told [Bennett] our first loyalty was to this community.  I'll support him again tomorrow if he engages in talks to keep the team here.”  However, Nickels “downplayed the role of the potential initiative.”  Nickels: “Since I have no intention of letting the Sonics out of their lease, I don't think it changes anything."  Johns notes Nickels and Bennett have “agreed to meet soon to discuss the Sonics' scenario, but no date has been set” (SEATTLE POST-INTELLIGENCER, 7/26).