The city of Seattle, once a city that had the Mariners win 116 games which tied a Major League record, that had the Seahawks go to the Super Bowl and well the fall out of that, but they broke a tradition by returning to the playoffs the next year. Seattle saw the Metropolitans hoist the Stanley Cup in 1917 and the Supersonics who win an NBA championship in 1979.
Now Seattle is a city that has the Mariners, who became the first 100/100 team in MLB history, the Seahawks who are currently 2-7 and are tied for 2nd place in the NFC West, and Sounders FC, a new MLS squad which has yet to play a game and have the motto of being the bench mark for soccer in North America.
They currently have signed four players—Kasey Keller (GK, USA), Freddy Ljungberg (MF, Sweden), Sébastien Le Toux (FW, France) and Sanna Nyassi (MF, Gambia). While Seattle is setting the bar for North American soccer, they don't have an NBA or NHL team.
They city of Seattle has a lot of things to do in order to put itself back on the map of major sports. First off, they need to build a new NBA/NHL arena and then we can have an NBA team back in Seattle and a new NHL team.
- B/R Ticket Guide
Former Sonic "Downtown" Freddy Brown is already putting plans into action for the Emerald City Center, which would allow Seattle to bring back the NHL and NBA. This privately funded arena would be looking to acquire teams that currently need a change of scenery.
The Memphis Grizzlies, New Orleans Hornets, Los Angeles Clippers, and Sacramento Kings are all teams that would be able to prosper in Seattle. As for an NHL team, the Nashville Predators, Florida Panthers, and the Phoenix Coyotes are all teams who are in small markets without a huge fan base that would be able to expand in Seattle.
The two teams would share the same arena, the Emerald City Center so it would be used all-year-round. Plus, the proposed area of were to build it is pier 49, which is right near Quest and Safeco field.
My pick for the NBA transplant to Seattle would be the New Orleans Hornets.
Seattle has a strong fan base, especially for a winning team like the Hornets. Plus, there are no hurricane threats in Seattle.
There is a higher population in Seattle than New Orleans, so there is no worry about financial problems or no fan support. The likelihood of the transplant in my estimation would be around 70-80 percent because all Seattle has to do is build the arena.
From past experience and with the private funding that is promised, along with commissioner Stern saying that he will bring a team to Seattle. Seattle fans are ready for a new NBA team.
My pick for the NHL transplant would the Phoenix Coyotes.
They are a solid team currently but with some good moves they can be a great team. They are already in the Pacific division so they wouldn't have to travel far for games. Plus, they will get more media coverage when they move to Seattle because it is a bigger and better market for hockey than Phoenix.
Regardless of what moves are made, Seattle is a place where championships can be born.
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about 1 month ago
Well first off, in order to be able to build a new Arena, we have to win the battle against the powers in Olympia. We are dealing with the same regime that denied the re-model of Key Arena in 2006, which sent the Supes packing. The only way we could get a new Arena, let alone a re-model, is if it is privately funded. Second, the Hornets success in New Orleans is a big deal. I don't think there is any way to bring their team up here, nor is there a way to bring The Coyotes. Keep in mind, we only have about 5 years to fund a new arena and team in order to keep the SuperSonics Name and Logo.
about 1 month ago
Well the emerald city center would be privately funded by Freddy Brown and his associates
from about 1 month ago
It takes a lot of money for a project like that, especially in a new location. Do you think Brown and his investors can come up with the all the money needed? I think we're talking the hundreds of millions here.
about 1 month ago
Ya we already had the money from the Balmer group. And yes Brown and his group has the 500+ million
about 1 month ago
Your optimism is good, but unrealistic. I don't think Seattle will be getting another NBA team within the next five years, regardless of what David "The Rat" Stern says. You can't trust him, especially because there is no guaranteed team that will come to Seattle. For example, when the Cleveland Browns left for Baltimore, the city of Cleveland was guaranteed an expansion franchise. The NBA will not be expanding according to Stern.
At this point, the most likely team to come to the Northwest would be the Grizzlies. They have a really small fan-base, they've missed the playoffs for the last two years, and they have an owner who isn't afraid to move (the Grizzlies moved from Vancouver a few years ago). I don't know enough about hockey to comment on that aspect.
about 1 month ago
How do you figure having a basketball and a hockey team, whose games roughly occupy the same 4 or 5 months of the calendar, will translate to the arena being used year round? It seems that there would be a small gap of say 7 or 8 months...
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