Ballmer & Stanton Confirmed by Mayor!

John Stanton & Steve Ballmer

Sonics fans can really start getting excited, as today Mayor Greg Nickels confirmed that a prospective deal is in the works for Steve Ballmer and John Stanton to provide the bulk of renovation funds for Key Arena. Their generosity is a huge step towards keeping the team in Seattle. That said, current owner Clay Bennett has made it clear that he is not planning on selling the team, regardless of interest and sizable offers from other investors. Here is where the problem could lie.

Bennett could come out on top, with Ballmer and Stanton providing the renovation funds, but Bennett retaining ownership of the team. This is unlikely, as Ballmer and Stanton are really only interested in renovating Key Arena if they have a financial stake in the team that plays there. If Bennett is unwilling to contribute financially, it's understandable why Ballmer and Stanton wouldn't want his team to play in their arena. That understood, there are really two options that I can foresee happening with the current deal on the table.

1) Bennett decides to sell the Sonics to Stanton and Ballmer, and Seattle fans are happy campers.

2) Bennett retains ownership of the Sonics, moving the team out of state. As a result, Stanton and Ballmer move to acquire another franchise.

I think I'm with most Seattle fans when I say that option 2 is less than ideal, because this issue is less about having a professional sports franchise, and more about having the Sonics stay where they belong.