The Utah Jazz | as seen by Basketball John

Usually I think epetitions are lame.  But this is the last chance to let your voice be heard about this.  The fine fellows at SonicsCentral.com contacted me to ask for their help.  They asked everyone to send a letter to the owners of your respective teams and let them know your thoughts.  It may be a bit late as the Board of Governors that decide on whether to allow the move meet tomorrow (April 17).  But we can still get the word out and maybe even get this delayed a bit.  Here’s what I wrote.  And if you’d like to sign the petition that I will forward to LHM, click here.  I’ll be sending the letter to Larry regardless so instead of everyone writing something, you can do something simpler and add your electronic signature.  Forward the link to all those that would sign and I will get it to him.  Add your comments to the petition.  Thanks.

“Dear Larry H Miller

We are a group of Jazz fans that are concerned with the potential move of the Supersonics from Seattle to Oklahoma City. The Sonics have been in Seattle for 40 years and are one of the NBA’s most storied franchises. And now the owners are trying to rip them from their home.

It seems as though the owners have been less than truthful concerning their intentions on trying to keep the team in Seattle. This concerns us deeply. From various news outlets and from one of the co-owners himself, we have learned that they had no intention of keeping the Sonics in Seattle.

This move concerns us as Jazz fans most of all because we feel that if a team with such a history and such a deep fan base can be uprooted and moved on a whim, then what will prevent a new owner of the Jazz someday from doing the same? This is a bit ironic coming from a team that once called New Orleans home. The ESA isn’t getting any newer. Could we be held hostage too if renovations are needed and the taxpayers don’t pony up?

The emotional and sentimental reasons for keeping the Sonics in their current home are many. But there are also financial reasons why this is a bad deal for the NBA. One is that the move would be from one of the bigger US markets to one of the smallest.

We know that as an owner that you’re in a tough spot. But with the vote coming on April 17th, we ask that you speak with the owners on the Board of Governors and at the very least recommend that in light of current news, this vote should be postponed until more information can be found. And we ask that you recommend that the owners vote no on the move as this isn’t good for the NBA, the owners, nor the fans. This will only cause more harm to a league that is still suffering from last year’s referee scandal, player conduct, and even the strike.

We are True Blue Jazz fans. But we are also NBA fans and Sonics fans.

Please ask the Board to vote no on this move.”