Sonic Screw Job

BY JUSTIN KENDALL

The Chiefs didn’t get the roof, but they did get a few hundred mil.

Remember a couple of years ago when the Chiefs and Royals held up Kansas City taxpayers for money to renovate Arrowhead and the K? Do you recall the threats of leaving Kansas City and taking away hundreds millions of dollars from the local economy? Yeah, well it turns out at least one sports team owner thinks they were full of shit.

Sports economists have been saying it for years. But in a bizarre court filing last week, lawyers for the Seattle Supersonics actually admitted that a professional sports franchise has no economic impact, The Seattle Times reported. Wonder Woman must have used her Lasso of Truth on Sonics’ lawyers, who admitted in U.S. District Court that Seattle’s economy wouldn’t suffer if the Sonics moved to Oklahoma City. The strange claim contradicted Sonics owner Clay Bennett’s previous boasts of just the opposite while trying to swindle taxpayers into paying for a new arena.

“The financial issue is simple, and the city’s analysts agree, there will be no net economic loss if the Sonics leave Seattle,” court records say. “Entertainment dollars not spent on the Sonics will be spent on Seattle’s many other sports and entertainment options. Seattleites will not reduce their entertainment budget simply because the Sonics leave.”

In March, the people of Oklahoma City – the Sonics most likely next home – will vote on a $120 million tax package to upgrade the 6-year-old – SIX! YEAR! OLD! – Ford Center and build a NBA practice facility.

Remember this when the Kansas City [insert team name here] holds taxpayers hostage for Sprint Center renovations.