Per multiple sources, the Oklahoma City Thunder have declined to wear one of the new gold championship patches on the rear of their jersey collars in the upcoming 2014-15 season. The soon-to-be-introduced patches are meant to signify that a franchise has won a championship at some point in its history.
While the Thunder made it to the Finals in 2012, they lost to the Miami Heat. The one championship that would qualify the franchise, as a whole, for the patch was the 1979 title won as the Seattle SuperSonics.
As part of the contentious settlement agreement in 2008 that allowed the Clay Bennett-owned Sonics out of their KeyArena lease with the City of Seattle to move the team to Oklahoma City, the rechristened Thunder would share all records, trophies, banners, and stats with Seattle for a five-year period. If a new team was secured by July 2013, the settlement allowed for the two teams to share the history in perpetuity at no cost to the new Seattle franchise.
With that deadline come and past, the Thunder now own the history and all memorabilia of the Sonics outright. Part of the agreement called for the memorabilia to be housed at the Museum of History and Industry in Seattle's South Lake Union neighborhood. While it remains at MOHAI today, including the original 1979 Larry O'Brien Championship Trophy, any display is clearly marked with a notation of being "on loan" from the Thunder.
The Oklahoman reached out to Christopher Arena, the NBA's vice president of outfitting, identity, and equipment, for comment on the patch decision:
"As of right now, they are not wearing it," Arena said. "They actually would have had to have told us that some time ago, and that was their choice. We have several teams who have a lineage that exists prior to the city that they’re in ...Some teams embrace that past, some teams don’t. Whether it’s because of ownership changes or perhaps the lineage is too great of a distance or the team nickname changed or whatever it may be, that’s their decision."
Other franchises have maintained long histories from relocation through the tenure of the league. The Los Angeles Lakers happily include their Minneapolis days as part of their active history. The Atlanta Hawks and Sacramento Kings plan to include gold patches on their uniforms, even though their lone championships were won in St. Louis in 1958 and Rochester, New York, way back in 1951, respectively. By all rights, the Thunder could easily claim Seattle's championship as their own.
Yet, there is something about the relocation of the Sonics that hasn't sat well with many fans of the sport, even as the Thunder have been embraced as an exciting highlight of the league, and star Kevin Durant one of the prominent faces of the pro sport. Fans in both Seattle and Oklahoma City have been adamant about separating the two franchises. It would appear by not choosing to include the championship patch on next season's unis, Bennett and his fellow owners are acquiescing to those desires.
It should be noted that the team has also long used an "Est. 2008" date in marketing materials and merchandising as a point of distinction, as well.
What results negotiations for the SuperSonics history will bear once the franchise is reborn remain to be seen. For the time being, everyone is acknowledging that only Seattle should rightly celebrate that 1979 championship.
Speaking of the O'Brien Trophy, per Q13 Fox Sports Director Aaron Levine, the Seattle Storm will be hosting a Championship Night on Tuesday at KeyArena. The beloved NBA trophy will be on display alongside the Storm's two WNBA championship trophies and the Vince Lombardi Trophy for the Seahawks' Super Bowl XLVIII victory.
Comments
And in a first
Let me say thank you OKC. Classy. Appreciated.
By MrCLM on 07.21.14 3:01pm
What our championship isn't good enough for you, OKC???
Kidding. Very good decision by them and a very respectful one.
By Paul Rogers on 07.21.14 3:01pm
And smart.
Though they may be well within their rights to use the gold championship tag, certainly they’re not blind as to the possible public backlash if they did.
By JetCityWoman2 on 07.21.14 3:09pm
Exactly
this wasn’t about being respectful it was about being smart.
They already know the negative image of the move and they know there would be an outcry. Don’t for a second think Bennett and his merry men care about showing respect to Seattle. This was as self serving for okc as it was a good thing for Seattle fans.
Sonicsgate and the continued pressure by Sonics fans is why there isn’t a patch.
By Eric E on 07.21.14 6:26pm
It's possible to be smart and respectful at the same time.
By Paul Rogers on 07.21.14 6:37pm
Of course it is
but we’re talking about Clayton Bennett, therefore I have absolutely no trace of evidence that he did it out of any trace of respect for Seattle.
By Eric E on 07.21.14 8:36pm
For some, yes, it is possible. For Clay Bennett, nah, not so much.
By JetCityWoman2 on 07.22.14 4:21pm
Thanks for doing the right thing for once, Clay!
By Kevin Nesgoda on 07.21.14 3:08pm
Great, great choice
Seriously, it’s a big step in everyone moving on. The Thunder are not the Sonics, they bought the right to have a franchise and to employ Kevin Durant and Nick Collinson. Everything else is Seattle’s. I understand that they are holding on to the rights, but when we get a team back that will end. First time I’ve ever been happy with something the Thunder have done.
By danieltiger on 07.21.14 3:43pm
And of course I meant Collison
By danieltiger on 07.21.14 4:26pm
The last thing they want is another public reminder of the move.
They want to bury it, we just refuse to let it lie.
It’s not classiness, it’s image manipulation.
By sofa-king on 07.21.14 4:01pm
I really couldn't care much less what their motivation is
If it separates them from us, I’m for it.
By Taylor Made on 07.21.14 4:50pm
Clay wants Seattle as far in the rearview as possible.
No way does he want a Seattle Championship reminder on the team’s jersey.
The next time Clay Bennett does something “classy” with no ulterior motive will be the first time.
By Bald Eagle 1313 on 07.21.14 4:19pm
OT Sterling reportedly meets with Ballmer
By Gene Hunt on 07.21.14 5:05pm
Personally, I'm over Ballmer. He'll get the Clips eventually - and good on him. But I don't care at this point.
Hansen will find more money to put in the pot, for whatever good that does us. Of that I have no doubt.
The NBA has again shown they’re not interested in making us whole – message received loud and clear.
In the big picture, there’s no way the NBA lets this sale fall apart. They will exercise their right to go nuclear on Sterling, too – turnabout is fair play.
The league has the ideal owner for a team in the nation’s 2nd-largest city; they’ll make it work somehow.
Meanwhile, across the State of Washington….
(tips his cap to Sofa)
By Bizzquik on 07.21.14 6:34pm
If deal with ballmer goes south
and ballmer walks away, there are still potential anti-trust issues with NBA removing sterling as owner. I still have yet to read anything that gives NBA the right to remove DS as a owner that doesn’t violate federal and state laws.
By gstommylee on 07.21.14 9:29pm
regardless of the legal truths of this matter, it will be fun to watch.
I think it’s entirely possible that Sterling’s newfound motivation is to see those skeletons in the light of day.
By Speedcat on 07.22.14 10:50am
Either/Or? Neither?
I don’t think it’s about being respectful vs. being smart. I think Clay Bennett and his hooligans just want to forget about Seattle and forget we/the Sonics ever existed. I don’t think he was being “respectful” of Seattle’s history or “smart” about not making us madder; I think he just doesn’t want to be reminded of the hoopla he caused or that his team wasn’t actually his team.
By Tiffany V. on 07.21.14 6:55pm
Meh
By Mike Baker on 07.21.14 9:14pm
Applause
Smartest move by the Thunder front office in a decade (and both you and I know how long they’ve actually had a front office). :-)
By MartinHughes on 07.21.14 10:53pm
Going to be Honest.
I almost wish they put the championship patch, just for the sake of lighting a larger fire up here.
By yearsago on 07.22.14 11:24am
instigator!
By Speedcat on 07.22.14 11:50am
This is the best part of the story for me....
"The Atlanta Hawks and Sacramento Kings plan to include gold patches on their uniforms, even though their lone championships were won in St. Louis in 1958 and Rochester, New York, way back in 1951, respectively."
LMAO, really guys?
By Marina Mangiaracina on 07.22.14 12:43pm
I really can't wait to beat you guys in summer league, regular season, and the playoffs. ;)
Godspeed on your expansion team.
By DTG13 on 07.22.14 1:46pm
What...no pre season??
Summer league shmummer league ..give me some pre season action!
By VoxMediaUser704744 on 07.22.14 3:27pm