Menu
Leagues and Governing Bodies

NBA Preseason In Seattle Draws Raucous, Sellout Crowd To KeyArena

Durant played his rookie season with the Sonics in '07-08 before they relocated to Oklahoma CityNBA

Fans "wore old Sonics jerseys and held up signs asking the NBA to return" to Seattle during the Kings-Warriors preseason game at KeyArena on Friday, according to Nick Friedell of ESPN.com. Warriors F Kevin Durant "set the tone for the evening by wearing a Shawn Kemp Sonics jersey during starting lineup introductions." The sellout crowd at KeyArena, which had "already applauded Durant's every move in pregame warm-ups, went bonkers when they saw him wearing the Kemp jersey." Warriors coach Steve Kerr said that the Kemp-themed introduction "brought out his emotions as well." Kerr said, "The crowd was going nuts. That was amazing." Kerr attended his pre- and postgame media conferences "wearing a green Sonics T-shirt." Kerr said, "I've always loved the Sonics brand. I've loved the city." Seattle fans "came ready for a party Friday night, wearing various types of Sonics colors" (ESPN.com, 10/6). Tickets for the game, "sold out within four hours" of going on sale in February for the arena with a capacity of 17,074 (MERCURYNEWS.com, 10/6). The "widowed fan base filled" the arena to "remember what it was like when they had an NBA franchise of their own." Many came "wearing green and gold" (SACRAMENTO BEE, 10/6). In Seattle, Larry Stone asked, "Are you watching, NBA? This is what Sonics passion looks like." What transpired at KeyArena was "more like a reminder" or a "wake-up call." The atmosphere and crowd intensity "were playoff-like" (SEATTLE TIMES, 10/6).

WITHOUT FURTHER ADO: In Seattle, Percy Allen noted Durant during his pregame address at midcourt "acknowledged the Seattle Storm for winning WNBA titles during the Sonics’ absence." He also "thanked fans for coming out, showing their support and adopting his Warriors for the night." Durant, who played his rookie season for the Sonics before the team moved to Oklahoma City, said, "I know it’s been a rough 10 years. The NBA is back in Seattle for tonight. Hopefully it’s back forever soon" (SEATTLE TIMES, 10/6). In San Jose, Mark Medina noted during starting lineup introductions, the arena scoreboard "showed highlights of Durant’s rookie season with the Sonics." Then when the PA announcer spoke his name during lineup introductions, Durant "walked on the court and took off his sweats." He "sported a throw-back Shawn Kemp jersey over his Warriors uniform." Durant had "contacted Mitchell & Ness for a throwback Sonics jersey earlier in the week," but he "kept the plan secret, even from his teammates" (MERCURYNEWS.com, 10/6). The game was a "who's who in the front-row seats." Seahawks QB Russell Wilson and coach Pete Carroll, Storm G Sue Bird and F Breanna Stewart and Basketball HOFers Bill Russell, Gary Payton and Lenny Wilkens were all in attendance (SEATTLE TIMES, 10/6).

RUN IT BACK? Warriors President & COO Rick Welts, who served as a Sonics ballboy, was instrumental in getting the game to happen, and he was "enjoying his handiwork" on Friday. Welts said, "I originated the idea because I would love to see the NBA back in Seattle at some point and also just because we do have Kevin on our team. That was a natural fit why we were the team to come back there. I’ve been gone from Seattle since 1982 so it’s been a very long time." Friday’s game "may be the start of a reconciliation between the city, it’s NBA fans and the league." Welts said, "It’s an interesting time in the league. I don’t think at this moment there’s an appetite among owners for expansion. That’s not something that’s been actively discussed at all" (SEATTLE TIMES, 10/6). ESPN.com's Brian Windhorst asked, "When will Seattle get the Sonics back?" The likely answer "isn't what Seattle basketball fans want to hear: Not anytime soon." The NBA "doesn't have expansion anywhere on its timeline." Sources said that Seattle's arena developments "weren't discussed for a moment at the fall board of governors meeting two weeks ago." Sources added that some prospective ownership groups that have "met with NBA officials have been told expansion may not happen" until '25 at the earliest, when a new TV deal can be negotiated. Beyond that, the "complexities of the so-called New Arena at Seattle Center, the building's working title, may make it challenging for Seattle to compete for a team if and when the time comes." Sources said that the situation "could even require Seattle to have a second new arena with the NBA team as the main tenant if the city wants to outbid other markets to attract a team" (ESPN.com, 10/5). YAHOO SPORTS' Jack Baer wrote it "appears Seattle is very well-positioned to receive an NBA team soon, just not in the immediate future" (SPORTS.YAHOO.com, 10/5). 

SBJ Morning Buzzcast: March 25, 2024

NFL meeting preview; MLB's opening week ad effort and remembering Peter Angelos.

Big Get Jay Wright, March Madness is upon us and ESPN locks up CFP

On this week’s pod, our Big Get is CBS Sports college basketball analyst Jay Wright. The NCAA Championship-winning coach shares his insight with SBJ’s Austin Karp on key hoops issues and why being well dressed is an important part of his success. Also on the show, Poynter Institute senior writer Tom Jones shares who he has up and who is down in sports media. Later, SBJ’s Ben Portnoy talks the latest on ESPN’s CFP extension and who CBS, TNT Sports and ESPN need to make deep runs in the men’s and women's NCAA basketball tournaments.

SBJ I Factor: Nana-Yaw Asamoah

SBJ I Factor features an interview with AMB Sports and Entertainment Chief Commercial Office Nana-Yaw Asamoah. Asamoah, who moved over to AMBSE last year after 14 years at the NFL, talks with SBJ’s Ben Fischer about how his role model parents and older sisters pushed him to shrive, how the power of lifelong learning fuels successful people, and why AMBSE was an opportunity he could not pass up. Asamoah is 2021 SBJ Forty Under 40 honoree. SBJ I Factor is a monthly podcast offering interviews with sports executives who have been recipients of one of the magazine’s awards.

Shareable URL copied to clipboard!

https://www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/Daily/Issues/2018/10/08/Leagues-and-Governing-Bodies/NBA-Seattle.aspx

Sorry, something went wrong with the copy but here is the link for you.

https://www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/Daily/Issues/2018/10/08/Leagues-and-Governing-Bodies/NBA-Seattle.aspx

CLOSE