I just watched Sonicsgate

[Kings Fan Gerard]

This whole relocation drama got me interested in Sonicsgate. I didn't really understand or I wasn't really interested when Seattle got relocated but now, obviously, it's a different story.

As for the film itself, one word: UNBELIEVABLE.

 

[LWP777]

Where can we watch it?

 

[Siranthony]

Link?

 

[Kings Fan Gerard]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s9Dp20ydm1E

The whole thing. I really recommend it (if you haven't seen it seen it yet)

More info on the film:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sonicsgate

 

[Siranthony]

Thanks for the link. It can also be seen here http://www.sonicsgate.org/movie/. It's long though. I watched about 20 mins of it. Looks like about 2 hours going through the entire history of the team. One funny thing is the arena had just been rehabed in the mid 90's and it was obsolete 15 years later.

 

[Lafayette]

There really is no connection, not the same situation. The Sonics were sold to a shady owner that had plans to move the team no matter what. The Kings have owners that have informed the city, league that its moving with no trick in place. They want an arena just like Seattle did and guess what, not getting it but unlike the Thunder owner, the Maloofs aren't promising one more year and no move, they want out.

 

[Kings Fan Gerard]

There really is no connection, not the same situation.

TThey want an arena just like Seattle did

Seriously. While the two situations aren't entirely the same, you'd have to be blind to not see any type of connection between the two situations.

 

[folsomfella]

Ha, I just watched it a few days ago too. It is remarkably similar to our situation. Eerily so.

 

[Trueblood]

Thanks for the link. It can also be seen here http://www.sonicsgate.org/movie/. It's long though. I watched about 20 mins of it. Looks like about 2 hours going through the entire history of the team. One funny thing is the arena had just been rehabed in the mid 90's and it was obsolete 15 years later.

In some ways, it's similar to Arco 2/PBP. Luckenbill built Arco on the cheap knowing that it would be obsolete in 10-15 years but he at least had a stop gap arean to keep the Kings in town for the time being.

Same with Key. It was rebuilt for a very cheap $75 million but came with just a 15 year lease because they knew that it would be obsolete as well. They really messed up on that one. They actually had a deal in the summer of '91 to build a brand new arena that wold be the equivalent of the Honda Center in Anaheim. It only would've costed $100 million but the banks that were going to front the money backed out at the last minute. Had they not, we wouldn't be seeing Sonicsgate in the first place.

 

[Trueblood]

I liked Sonicsgate as well. Well done documentary. But just out of curiosity, what is it about the movie that blows everyone away? Not trying to contradict the contributors to this thread but it seems to me that it was very cut and dry and surprisingly, the movie seems to depict the city leaders as the bad guys more so than Stern or Bennett. Had they done their job right, the Sonics would still be there. Take away prop I-91 and you have an easier time securing funding for a new arena. The politicians seem to be the ones to blame as opposed to easy targets like Stern and Bennett, which is who most people were blaming until the facts of Sonicsgate came out.

At the end of the day, there is one MASSIVE difference and it came to the forefront on Thursday and Friday. Leadership makes a difference. Seattle's mayor wanted a payoff. Sac's mayor came to fight for the team. As a result, there is a big difference in how this will go down.

 

[RookieOfTheDay]

I liked Sonicsgate as well. Well done documentary. But just out of curiosity, what is it about the movie that blows everyone away? Not trying to contradict the contributors to this thread but it seems to me that it was very cut and dry and surprisingly, the movie seems to depict the city leaders as the bad guys more so than Stern or Bennett. Had they done their job right, the Sonics would still be there. Take away prop I-91 and you have an easier time securing funding for a new arena. The politicians seem to be the ones to blame as opposed to easy targets like Stern and Bennett, which is who most people were blaming until the facts of Sonicsgate came out.

At the end of the day, there is one MASSIVE difference and it came to the forefront on Thursday and Friday. Leadership makes a difference. Seattle's mayor wanted a payoff. Sac's mayor came to fight for the team. As a result, there is a big difference in how this will go down.

That's kind of what I've been wondering for awhile, too. It seemed like a fairly standard doc. to me. It's probably just the emotions involved that makes it hit home with Kings fans.