The Big Picture

Now that the Sonics have gone on the road to OKC, what is next for the NBA? Business-wise this move looks foolish. I have to wonder if there is a bigger picture Stern is trying to paint. Is this his way of forcing Seattle to build another arena at our expense? Will Seattle do it? The Seattle Center needs a facelift and a Coliseum rebuild could be the center of it all. The timing could be perfect. Or I could be delusional, take your pick.

Does Stern anticipate the Supes leaving OKC and back to Seattle in two years? Is Stern using OKC as a test market for more potential smaller cities? Does he want cites where there is no competition for the $$$? On paper I am sure that makes sense. Perhaps he is paving the way for expansion, although I don't foresee that, either. Current owners don't want to share their part of the existing tv revenue and I think the days of the mega-tv contracts are gone, especially in this economy. Small market teams don't add enough the pot to make owners want to expand, at least domestically. Eventually each team will have to have their own tv distibutors ala New York's MSG network. Look for that down the road when tv contracts start expiring.

What really amuses me is that in every scenario, the fan is simply ignored. I cannot help but think this short-sighted money-now mentality in sports is what is going to turn pro sports into nothing more than WWE-style soap operas. Only in America...