Former Sonics Season-Ticket Holders Seek Refund From Bennett

Group Of Sonics Fans Suing Bennett For Refund On Last Year's Tickets

Attorney Mike Myers, who represents the three lead plaintiffs in a federal lawsuit filed against Sonics Owner Clay Bennett by former Sonics season-ticket holders, yesterday said that he "believes their case was strengthened by the departure of the club and the testimony of Bennett in the city's lawsuit," according to Greg Johns of the SEATTLE POST-INTELLIGENCER. Myers: "There was no level of commitment to Seattle (by Bennett). He didn't want to keep the team here; he knew when he was selling those tickets he wanted to move the team to Oklahoma City. I think our case got a lot stronger as a result of his testimony." The plaintiffs allege that they were "duped into buying tickets based on a deceptive marketing plan and that the [Sonics ownership group] breached its contract with them by failing to honor the future expectations in place at the time of their purchase." Myers said that the suit seeks to have Bennett's ownership group "repay fans the cost of last year's season tickets, as well as attorneys' fees and any exemplary (or punitive) damages." U.S. District Court Judge Robert Jones on August 1 will rule on whether the case "can be classified as a class-action suit representing the entire base of season-ticket holders." Bennett's lead attorney Brad Keller said that the suit is "'an extremely weak case' that involves only monetary issues and has no bearing on the team's relocation." Johns notes the Sonics "never sold tickets for any games beyond last season" (SEATTLE POST-INTELLIGENCER, 7/9).