Getting a new team not so easy

Charlotte provides model, but Seattle's path likely tougher By GARY WASHBURN P-I REPORTER The NBA owner was despised by the public after threatening to relocate his franchise if the city did not produce a new arena at no cost to him. The fan base, considered the best in the NBA, grew embittered with the owner, seeking to financially cripple him by ignoring what once was the hottest ticket in town. The battered owner abruptly took his team to another city. That's the story of the Charlotte Hornets and owner George Shinn. Seattle has lost the Sonics in a similar fashion, but the similarities might end there. Charlotte, the NBA attendance leader for eight consecutive seasons, was able to get a new team relatively quickly after the Hornets moved to New Orleans in 2002. It might not be so easy for Seattle. The Sonics and the city... [read full story]