JMU has thousands of sports fans. All of us have our favorite team gear and trash-talking tactics. All of us have special bonds and rivalries with fellow fans. Most importantly, we have our favorite teams. Without them, none of the hope, excitement, anxiety and joy of being a sports fan could exist.
As JMU basks in the glory of March Madness, it is easy to take our various teams for granted. However, a different form of madness is taking place on the other side of the country — one that could rob a proud NBA fan base of its beloved team and history.
Supporters of the Seattle SuperSonics may be enjoying their last season with the team. Clay Bennett, chairman of the company that owns the Sonics, is attempting to move the team from its home to Oklahoma City.
It should come as no surprise that the company, Professional Basketball Club, LLC, is based in Oklahoma City.
Bennett claims that Seattle’s commitment to the team is insufficient, citing a lack of funds for a new arena. This idea stands on shaky ground, though, as Seattle taxpayers rebuilt the current arena fairly recently, paying for a massive overhaul in the mid-1990s.
Furthermore, the entire country’s economy is struggling, so it is ridiculous to throw a fit over not having the funds for a new stadium. According to Greg Johns of the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, many Seattle residents are attempting to raise the money anyway, showing their love for the team.
Despite Bennett’s claim, the importance of the Sonics to Seattle cannot be understated. They are Seattle’s oldest major professional sports team, having joined the NBA in 1967. In turn, they possess the city’s only major sports championship, winning the NBA title in 1979.
Though Seattle may not be considered a “true” sports city, its fans are among the most loyal in all of sports. They proudly support the Seahawks — who play in the NFL’s loudest stadium — and Mariners, with the Sonics coming as no exception: Sonics fans drowned out the PA system during player introductions in the 1996 NBA Finals, among other feats.
According to thesportsnetwork.com, the Sonics maintain healthy attendance this season, despite a terrible record and the looming threat of relocation. ESPN’s J.A. Adande recently reported that 2,300 fans showed up to watch a practice. These fans deserve to keep their team, but the powers that be seem to think otherwise.
NBA commissioner David Stern has been complacent at best. Bill Simmons of ESPN.com writes that Stern seems to be OK with the move. Stern is the best (and perhaps only) person to stop this move; however, he has shown no intention of doing so, which makes for a bleak outlook. Stern plans to visit Oklahoma City later this month as part of the Sonics’ proposed move. All of this sets a terrible stage that should madden any sports fan, no matter the location or affiliation.
Why should we, here in Virginia, care about what happens in Seattle? As Simmons points out, “if it happens to the Sonics, it could happen to your team.” Should Stern allow this move, it would set a precedent in favor of any particularly greedy team owners, the money-hungry businessmen who may try to forcibly rob a city of its cherished possession. Plus, any legal battles that result from this could affect rulings on future professional franchise moves, even in other leagues. Finally, fandom is universal, regardless of the sport, city, or region. It isn’t hard to feel pity for fellow fans in this situation.
What can we do to help Seattle keep its team? To start with, we can learn. There is much more information out there, and sites like SaveOurSonics.org and Seattlepi.com are good places to start. Bill Simmons’ columns on the subject can be found on ESPN.com. All of those sites have ideas and ways to help. The NBA’s Web site also has an e-mail form that anyone can use after a quick registration.
JMU has thousands of sports fans. All of us should be concerned.
Martin Steger is a sophomore SMAD major.
