The Seattle Supersonics were a former NBA franchise that operated from 1967 to 2008. In 2008, the club moved to Oklahoma City and rebranded as the Oklahoma City Thunder due to ongoing disagreements between the team’s owners and the city of Seattle regarding the financing of a new venue. The decision was met with controversy and triggered a legal dispute, as well as a strong negative reaction from both fans and the Seattle community.
History of the Seattle Supersonics
Franchise Creation and Early Years
The Seattle Supersonics were founded in 1967 as an expansion team, along with the San Diego Rockets. They were named after the Boeing 2707, a supersonic aircraft that was being developed in Seattle at the time. The teamâs original colors were green and gold, and their logo featured a jet flying over the Space Needle.
The Supersonics struggled in their first few seasons, finishing last in their division four times in their first six years. They hired Lenny Wilkens as their head coach in 1969, and he led them to their first playoff appearance in 1975. Wilkens also played as a point guard for the team until 1972, when he became a full-time coach.
Success and Championship Season
The Supersonics reached their peak in the late 1970s when they acquired center Jack Sikma and guard Gus Williams, who formed a formidable duo with forward Dennis Johnson. The team won their first division title in 1978 and advanced to the NBA Finals, where they faced the Washington Bullets. The Supersonics lost the series in seven games, but they returned to the Finals the next year and defeated the Bullets in five games to win their first and only championship in 1979. Wilkens was named the Coach of the Year, and Johnson was named the Finals MVP.
Period of Decline
The Supersonics failed to repeat their success in the 1980s, as they lost several key players to trades, injuries, and retirement. They made the playoffs nine times in the decade but never advanced past the second round. Wilkens left the team in 1985 and was replaced by Bernie Bickerstaff, who coached the team until 1990.
Payton-Kemp Era
The Supersonics returned to prominence in the 1990s, when they drafted guard Gary Payton and forward Shawn Kemp, who became the stars of the team. They were joined by sharpshooter Detlef Schrempf, defensive specialist Nate McMillan, and center Sam Perkins, who formed a balanced and explosive roster. The team was coached by George Karl, who implemented an aggressive and fast-paced style of play.
The Supersonics won three division titles and made the playoffs every year in the decade, except for 1995, when they were upset by the eighth-seeded Denver Nuggets in the first round. They reached the Western Conference Finals three times, and the NBA Finals once, in 1996, where they faced the Chicago Bulls, led by Michael Jordan. The Supersonics lost the series in six games, but they were the only team to beat the Bulls in the playoffs that year.
Struggles in the 2000s
The Supersonics entered a period of decline in the 2000s, as they traded or lost many of their core players, and failed to find consistent replacements. They also had several coaching changes and struggled to adapt to the changing landscape of the NBA. They made the playoffs only once in the decade, in 2005, when they won their last division title and reached the second round, where they lost to the San Antonio Spurs.
Reasons for the Supersonicsâ relocation
Controversy Surrounding the Teamâs Sale
The Supersonicsâ relocation was triggered by the sale of the team in 2006, when the previous owner, Howard Schultz, sold the team to a group of investors from Oklahoma City, led by Clay Bennett. Schultz claimed that he sold the team because he was frustrated with the lack of public support for a new arena and that he believed that Bennett would keep the team in Seattle. However, Bennett had a history of involvement with the Oklahoma City Thunder, a former NBA team that had relocated from Seattle in 2008. Bennett had also expressed his intention to move the team to Oklahoma City unless he could secure a new arena deal in Seattle.
Desire for a New Arena
One of the main reasons for the Supersonicsâ relocation was the dispute over the funding of a new arena, which was deemed necessary to keep the team competitive and profitable in the modern NBA. The teamâs original arena, the Seattle Center Coliseum, was built in 1962 and was renovated in 1995 when it was renamed the KeyArena. However, the arena was still considered outdated and inadequate by NBA standards, as it had a small seating capacity, limited luxury suites, and poor sight lines.
The teamâs owners demanded that the city of Seattle and the state of Washington pay for a new arena, or renovate the KeyArena, with public funds. However, the city and the state refused to do so, citing the lack of economic benefits and the public opposition to using tax dollars for sports facilities. The teamâs owners then explored other options, such as moving to a suburb of Seattle, or to another city, such as Las Vegas, Kansas City, or Oklahoma City.
Economic Factors
Another reason for the Supersonicsâ relocation was the economic factors that affected the teamâs profitability and viability in Seattle. The teamâs attendance and revenue declined in the 2000s, as the team performed poorly on the court, and faced competition from other sports teams and entertainment options in the city. The team also had to pay a high rent to the city for using the KeyArena and had to share the revenue from the arenaâs naming rights, concessions, and parking with the city. The teamâs owners claimed that they were losing money every year and that they could not afford to stay in Seattle without a new arena deal.
Impact of the Move on Seattle and its Fans
The move of the Supersonics to Oklahoma City was met with anger and sadness by the fans and the community in Seattle, who felt betrayed and abandoned by the teamâs owners and the NBA. The move was also challenged in court, as the city of Seattle sued the teamâs owners for breaching the lease agreement that required the team to play at the KeyArena until 2010. The lawsuit was settled in 2008, when the teamâs owners agreed to pay $45 million to the city and to leave the teamâs name, colors, logos, and history in Seattle, for a possible future NBA expansion or relocation. The teamâs owners also agreed to pay an additional $30 million to the city, if the NBA did not grant a new team to Seattle by 2013.
The move of the Supersonics to Oklahoma City was also criticized by many NBA players, coaches, executives, and analysts, who felt that the teamâs history and legacy were disrespected and erased by the relocation. The move also sparked a debate over the role and responsibility of the NBA and its owners in preserving the tradition and culture of the league and its teams, and in respecting the loyalty and passion of the fans and the cities that support them.
