NHL to Seattle/Bellevue: Plan or ploy?
- Thread starter LadyStanley
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Bear of Bad News
Your Third or Fourth Favorite HFBoards Admin
- Sep 27, 2005
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One part of the history not mentioned was the plan to give Seattle (and Denver) expansion teams in 1976, which derailed due to the battle with the World Hockey Association.
No place in Seattle to build a new arena. At least in the Bellevue/ Kirkland area there is space and land to do it. By moving the team across the lake the local fanns would still have their team to root for. If this guy moves it to OKC Id honestly feel bad for all the Sonics fans.
Dave is a killer
Dave's a Mess
and yet they're gonna spend 400,000,000 to build a new arena when the Key arena is already there ? ... which was renovated 12 summers ago
I didn't say they would build one.
I don't think the Key Arena would be very good for hockey, personally...
Ted Hoffman
The other Rick Zombo
- Dec 15, 2002
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Not only is it not very good for hockey, apparently the sight lines for hockey are even worse than for America West Arena in Phoenix - not to mention that I think the current lease with the SuperSonics specifically prohibits an NHL team from playing in the same arena.
"I remember sitting in meetings when Barry made it very clear he didn't want the building to work for the NHL," said Whitsitt. "He wanted a building that would be designed strictly — and intimately — for basketball. Barry was afraid advertising dollars and corporate dollars would go away from the Sonics to hockey and that he'd have to compete for dates."
Could it be that Bennett is using hockey as one more roadblock for Seattle, making KeyArena obsolete, in effect greasing the skids to take his team back home to Oklahoma?
NBA afraid of the NHL stealing advertising and corporate $$$?
NHL used as leverage to move a team?
Wow, welcome to the Twilight Zone.
I found another article in which the owner states he doesn't even want an NHL team. Why would you want an arena fit for hockey, yet not want a hockey team?
BTW, how fit is the Key Arena for basketball?
Could it be that Bennett is using hockey as one more roadblock for Seattle, making KeyArena obsolete, in effect greasing the skids to take his team back home to Oklahoma?
NBA afraid of the NHL stealing advertising and corporate $$$?
NHL used as leverage to move a team?
Wow, welcome to the Twilight Zone.
I found another article in which the owner states he doesn't even want an NHL team. Why would you want an arena fit for hockey, yet not want a hockey team?
BTW, how fit is the Key Arena for basketball?
Having gone to a ton of T-Birds games when I lived there its pretty bad for hockey. If youre sitting down low its pretty good but once you get up higher its pretty bad.
Guy Legend
Registered User
There's nothing strange about that point. It's pretty obvious that the addition of another pro sports franchise (NHL) that would play alongside the Sonics, would provide competition for available sports dollar. Especially in times when one team is good and the other is bad, you could see shifting support of casual fans between the sports
It's quite possible that the owner is just throwing another wrench in the arena plans, attempting to justify moving the franchise to OKC.
I've heard LA has agreed to give Seattle either the Ducks or Kings, on the condition that Seattle takes back Courtney Love.
Draft Guru
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Bear of Bad News
Your Third or Fourth Favorite HFBoards Admin
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I go to a lot of Thunderbird games, and the sight lines are pretty good in the lower bowl.
I don't think people ever sit in the upper bowl for T-Birds games.
Ted Hoffman
The other Rick Zombo
- Dec 15, 2002
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That's what I'm talking about - apparently there's one end of the arena that can't see the hockey on its end of the ice. At all.
If Seattle or nearby Bellevue get an arena then i would consider an NHL team there. But the situation with the Keyarena, Sonics possible move to messy. But, The Seahawks and Mariners came frightenly close to moving 10 years ago, they got new stadiums. So it can work again.
But they would sit in the upper bowl for NHL games. Wouldn't that be a problem if the vision is bad up there?
Again, I've never been in the arena.
Yet another reason Sonics CEO Wally Walker should be fired by the new ownership.
Something you all should know about the Seattle Times from a former 20+ year resident.
Even though he's been with the paper since the dawn of time Blane Newnham is a tard for not mentioning the history of the building of Key Arena. This is a fan article and not objectivity. Something you should know about this paper. They only print what they want to say and will purposely not mention the other facts to a given issue.
Local Politics is another prime example where they only select a few things/candidates to cover and not the whole ball of wax.
I will give him and the Paper kudos for FINALLY mentioning how he wanted to build Key Arena into a Basketball -only arena....tards.
dafranchz
Registered User
The whole south end in the lower bowl is closed off. It's not weel suited for the NHL. Obviously it works the T-Birds because of the smaller draw but then you look at the rent they have to pay and it kills them.
NJD Jester
Registered User
This is a different situation. The public support isn't there for the Sonics, but more importantly the political support isn't there, either. This team is as good as gone unless that changes dramatically over the next year.
I'm confident we all know that the Key Arena cannot, under any circumstances, host an NHL club. That said, I will mention the one fact that has not been mentioned yet: The Key Arena only seats just over 11,000 for hockey. No NHL team can survive with that.
