http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=2987741
The NBA has fined Seattle SuperSonics co-owner Aubrey McClendon $250,000 for comments he made last week about his hopes for moving the franchise to Oklahoma City.
According to Seattle-area media reports, the NBA did not specifiy the reason for the fine. In the past, Commissioner David Stern has fined owners for statements and actions deemed not in the best interest of the league.
"But we didn't buy the team to keep it in Seattle; we hoped to come here," McClendon, the chief executive of Chesapeake Energy, told The Journal Record of Oklahoma City for a story published Aug. 12. "We know it's a little more difficult financially here in Oklahoma City, but we think it's great for the community and if we could break even, we'd be thrilled."
A spokesman for the NBA had no immediate comment Thursday and the team's ownership group declined comment.
The Seattle Times also reported that Seattle City Council member Richard McIver planned to introduce an ordinance when the council meets on Sept. 4 that would prevent the owners of the Sonics from buying out of their lease at KeyArena. That lease runs out in September 2010.
Majority owner Clay Bennett has set an Oct. 31 deadline for an agreement on a new arena in Seattle. Otherwise, he has promised to begin relocating the team. Kansas City, which is seeking an anchor tenant for its new arena, has also been rasied as an option.
"They've got 60 days to make some decisions they haven't been willing to make in the past year," McClendon was quoted as saying, "and if they make them in a way that satisfies Clay, then the team will stay there. If they don't meet the requirements he's laid out, the team will move, and Clay has indicated they'll come to Oklahoma City."
Shortly thereafter, Bennett issued a statement saying the comments were McClendon's "personal thoughts" and said McClendon was "not speaking on behalf of the ownership group."
The NBA responded to McClendon's remarks in a statement on Aug. 14, saying: "We have been assured by Mr. Bennett that Aubrey McClendon does not speak on behalf of the team."
Bennett's ownership group purchased the Sonics from a group led by Howard Schultz a year ago.
The NBA has fined Seattle SuperSonics co-owner Aubrey McClendon $250,000 for comments he made last week about his hopes for moving the franchise to Oklahoma City.
According to Seattle-area media reports, the NBA did not specifiy the reason for the fine. In the past, Commissioner David Stern has fined owners for statements and actions deemed not in the best interest of the league.
"But we didn't buy the team to keep it in Seattle; we hoped to come here," McClendon, the chief executive of Chesapeake Energy, told The Journal Record of Oklahoma City for a story published Aug. 12. "We know it's a little more difficult financially here in Oklahoma City, but we think it's great for the community and if we could break even, we'd be thrilled."
A spokesman for the NBA had no immediate comment Thursday and the team's ownership group declined comment.
The Seattle Times also reported that Seattle City Council member Richard McIver planned to introduce an ordinance when the council meets on Sept. 4 that would prevent the owners of the Sonics from buying out of their lease at KeyArena. That lease runs out in September 2010.
Majority owner Clay Bennett has set an Oct. 31 deadline for an agreement on a new arena in Seattle. Otherwise, he has promised to begin relocating the team. Kansas City, which is seeking an anchor tenant for its new arena, has also been rasied as an option.
"They've got 60 days to make some decisions they haven't been willing to make in the past year," McClendon was quoted as saying, "and if they make them in a way that satisfies Clay, then the team will stay there. If they don't meet the requirements he's laid out, the team will move, and Clay has indicated they'll come to Oklahoma City."
Shortly thereafter, Bennett issued a statement saying the comments were McClendon's "personal thoughts" and said McClendon was "not speaking on behalf of the ownership group."
The NBA responded to McClendon's remarks in a statement on Aug. 14, saying: "We have been assured by Mr. Bennett that Aubrey McClendon does not speak on behalf of the team."
Bennett's ownership group purchased the Sonics from a group led by Howard Schultz a year ago.