See You in Court, Clay Bennett
David Stern, curiously enough, sees nothing wrong with the fact that Clay Bennett lied to everyone about his true intentions when he purchased the Seattle Sonics. Thankfully, not everyone feels the same way.
Howard Schultz, the Starbuck mogul who sold the Sonics in 2006, is planning a lawsuit against Clay Bennett in the latest attempt to keep the team in Seattle.
“It’s not money damage. It’s to have the team returned. The theory of the suit is that when the team was sold, the Basketball Club of Seattle, our team here, relied on promises made by Clay Bennett and his ownership that they desired to keep the team in Seattle and intended to make a good-faith effort to accomplish that.”
This is certainly an interesting new little wrinkle being added to this ongoing saga, and even though it may not result in the team staying in Seattle, at least Sonics fans know that someone with some sway is willing to fight on their side.
40 Responses to “See You in Court, Clay Bennett”
Apr.15 at 3:03 pm
Tommy Patron says:
David Stern IS a lawyer.
Apr.15 at 3:14 pm
Adam says:
Probably too little, too late from Schultz.
Apr.15 at 3:15 pm
Nguni says:
f*ck D. Stern. He is such a dictator.
Apr.15 at 3:27 pm
Phil B says:
I dislike Stern and Bennett greatly.
Apr.15 at 3:41 pm
thomas says:
http://www.enjoytheenjoyment.com/2008/04/schultz-letter-interview-with-kjr.html who know’s i don’t think this lawsuit should be taken lightly. stern and his buddy clay are on notice.
Apr.15 at 3:46 pm
Dan says:
What a disappointment this is. Stern is likely the greatest Commish in the history of the L, yet he shows a complete lack of respect to his loyal fans and a longstanding franchise in Seattle.
Apr.15 at 3:47 pm
Dan says:
Not to mention the fact that the NBA will be popular in OKC for about a year, and then attendance will drop drastically and we will be back to square one. And the Sonics will have been better off in Seattle.
Apr.15 at 4:11 pm
RiseKing says:
YES
Apr.15 at 4:19 pm
hoodoo says:
Give me a break. If Schultz thought Clay Bennett had intentions of keeping the Sonics in Seattle forever, then why was there an agreement that he “had” to spend one year trying to put an arena deal together in Seattle. Why didn’t Schultz then sue immediately when Bennett announced (in July of 2006) that he would file for relocation if an arena wasn’t built in one year? Anyone who only agrees to spend a year trying to get an arena done, isn’t dying to keep that team in that city indefinitely. The bottom line is that if an arena had been built, Bennett would have kept the Sonics in Seattle. That was the agreement. Has anyone seen any data indicating that Bennett planned to move the team even if an arena hadn’t been built? That would have been the action that was contrary to the agreement, and it didn’t happen. Bennett waited until the year had passed before filing for relocation, as he had agreed.
Apr.15 at 4:25 pm
BigWalt206 says:
Howard is just tired of the D-Bag treatment he gets in Seattle now. I hope it works, although a case on “good faith effort” seems like a long shot. and I fully agree with Dan, OKC is not a long term solution.
Apr.15 at 4:36 pm
cf_flyer says:
whocares its not like we’re talking about the defending champs
Apr.15 at 4:56 pm
H to the izzo says:
Time to go Stern.
Apr.15 at 5:18 pm
Holy Baller says:
Thank you hoodoo for saying exactly what I’ve been saying. Bennett bought the team, sure he might of lied about his intentions, but Seattle just don’t cut it anymore. They’ve got too much attention elsewhere and not enough on Sonics basketball.
Apr.15 at 5:29 pm
Kevin says:
i asked this back then when this saga was jus unfolding over a year ago.. but.. why the f*ck is Stern letting all this happen?! is it really THAT helpless in Seattle with all these billionaires floating around?
Apr.15 at 5:30 pm
Dutch Rich says:
Number two: never let em know your next move
Don’t you know bad boys move in silence or violence
Apr.15 at 6:04 pm
Mr. Bob Dobolina says:
If I was Clay Bennett (which I may or may not be) I’d think twice before requesting whipped cream on my Venti Caramel Frappicino
Apr.15 at 6:32 pm
sheedfan says:
seattle super sonics, nuf’ said. keep em’ on the left coast.
Apr.15 at 7:01 pm
Nathalie says:
gonzaga will be happy to take the fans…
Apr.15 at 7:23 pm
Rail says:
The biggest loser here is by far David Stern. He is a joke. The NBA is struggling in many cities and he does nothing to build the communities with losing teams. Clay Bennett is a complete jerk. What an ass. More importantly he and his gang are stupid. Stupid to not understand the repercussions of their discussions. I think Seattle is a good sports town, especially considering they only have one title…..The 1979 SEATTLE SUPERSONICS. Shame on Stern for his COMPLETE apathy…
Apr.15 at 8:25 pm
jeremy says:
Gonzaga will take the fans? So we can watch them flame out in the first round of the tourney? Anyway, the “best efforts” clause of the Schultz-Bennett contract is quite real with any lack of best effort by Clay representing a material breach in the contract, which is grounds for termination. There is clearly evidence that Clay was not acting in good faith and putting forth best efforts to keep the team in the area as the the emails and Aubrey McClendon’s comments prove the group was positioning itself to move from the outset. However, you could argue that this “best effort” clause wasn’t real and was just a smokescreen at the time of the sale, thus Clay didn’t really have to be fully committed to keeping the team here. However, the Schultz ownership group received offers from KC investors and a San Jose-based investment group led by Larry Ellison of Oracle that offered more money ($400 million as opposed to the $350 which Clay’s group paid), thus you could say this clause was important enough to Schultz and his fellow owners to leave $50 million on the table in the hopes that the next owner would try to keep the team in town. So I think the “best efforts” clause was a genuine and material part of the contract, thus Schultz does have a case to sue, regain the team, then transfer ownership to Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer who has offered to purchase the team.
Apr.15 at 8:58 pm
steveej says:
People, people, people… (discloser upfront)I am an OKC native, but I am amazed at the whining that is taking place over the Seattle Sonics. If Schultz was so interested in the team, why the heck did he sell them in the first place? Because he saw the chance to make a buck while getting out from under a losing proposition. Bennett was the ONLY potential purchaser of the team who offered to give Seattle the chance to keep the team. Make no mistake about it, if Bennett could have gotten a new arena built, the team value would have increased even more than it has. Bennett could have offered to buy the Grizzlies or the Hornets to bring to OKC. Trust me there are more people in Oklahoma City who wish Bennett was bringing the Hornets back, especially after their successful year, instead of the dismal Sonics. Regardless, I have been saying for 15 years OKC should have professional basketball here. Those of you who think OKC will only support the team one year are completely out of touch with reality, and who we Oklahomans are.
Apr.15 at 9:23 pm
Tim Duncan says:
This whole saga is the biggest pile of crap I’ve ever seen. You’re tellin’ me that Seattle only has 2 teams now? (I guess the Mariners count…) The Seahawks are goin down the pipes with the whole team getting old, and the Mariners will be good to finish with 85 wins this year. 3 years from now, Seattle will be wishing it had a good team to cheer for and I’m thinking the Sonics are headed for the top. Durant for President.
Apr.15 at 10:02 pm
Pat Is Five says:
Is Stern siding with Bennett because he knows Seattle has no chance, and wants to have a good relationship with Oklahoma? Otherwise this makes no sense. David Stern, always right… he’s kind of like Isiah Thomas in that regard
Apr.15 at 10:03 pm
Russ Bengtson says:
I hate pretty much everyone involved, from Schultz to Bennett to Stern. Wish the Sonics could become a public trust owned by the city of Seattle.
Apr.15 at 10:20 pm
Dacre says:
Imagine a team run by the fans for the fans… - that would be awesome - a Co-Operative. there would be major tax loops and everything. They could be the new seattle ‘cut-price’ sonics.
Hey Russ….Should Stern go?
Apr.15 at 10:22 pm
chintao says:
Starbucks is working on the side of righteousness? Wait, I’m confused….
Apr.16 at 1:01 am
boonard says:
sesson learned, good will is worht f*** all
Apr.16 at 1:22 am
TC says:
Does it really matter? I mean, didn’t Stern basically say that there will be another expansion team in Seattle sooner or later? The Sonics will be forgetten real fast. But I do agree that Stern is a grimey jew though.
Apr.16 at 2:07 am
Pat Is Five says:
haha, a basketball co-op, for some reason that sounds like a jack black movie featuring ?uestlove and chris tucker
Apr.16 at 3:44 am
Russ Bengtson says:
I think Stern’s time is about up, yes.
Apr.16 at 4:23 am
Allen says:
I agree, Russ: Ladies and gentlemen, your new NBA commissioner, Isiah Thomas!
Apr.16 at 8:09 am
BETCATS says:
Chuck 4 govenor
Apr.16 at 8:19 am
hursty says:
HEll yeh Allen. To the comments about Stern being the best commish ever. thats all true but sh!t, theres probly only been a handful. In the future say…. 250 years from now?? maybe. well all be frozen and basketball will be a gas powered version of slamball.
Apr.16 at 11:31 am
AB_40 says:
supersonics in oklohoma will stay there for about 4 years then relocate. You can’t have a small city with 2 big pro franchises look at new orleans they had 17 sellouts all season and they are the no.2 team in the west that’s just crazy no one will show sympathy for a rebuilding semi d-leauge team
Apr.16 at 3:19 pm
big willy says:
Clay Bennett and David Stern are friends, FACT. David Stern looks so slimy here it is outrageous. I would say out of all the parties involved that Stern easily looks the worst out of all of them. Stern is LETTING Bennett move this team. Since Stern IS a lawyer I find it shocking that he claims that Bennett acted in good faith, when in the emails it clearly states that the ownership group wants to move the team, hopefully after the first season. Stern and Bennett both have to go!
Apr.16 at 4:04 pm
Russ Bengtson says:
Stern was the “best commissioner ever” because of Magic and Larry, and, of course, MJ.
Apr.16 at 6:36 pm
The Promise says:
Stern is a jerkoff
Apr.16 at 9:38 pm
Ethan says:
Well who cares the starbucks guy is an indian giver and D-Stern & his homies from OK City are scam artists so idk bout this one.
GO LAKERS
Apr.17 at 2:40 am
B. Long says:
I say let Gay Clay move the team to OKC but FORCE him to leave the rights to the Sonics name in Seattle that way when sum one with more nuts than Mr. Starbucks rolls around and starts a franchise in Seattle it wont be totally weird.
Apr.17 at 2:48 am
R. Alleba says:
Time for Dictator Stern to leave. He has completely lost it this time.