1 00:00:00,200 --> 00:00:01,680 Speaker 1: Where we go. 2 00:00:02,040 --> 00:00:03,760 Speaker 2: So if you're coming on this show in the very 3 00:00:03,760 --> 00:00:07,160 Speaker 2: first segment, you better bring it. Baby Well, the CEO 4 00:00:07,240 --> 00:00:10,640 Speaker 2: of the Kraken and one roof sports and entertainment on 5 00:00:10,720 --> 00:00:12,960 Speaker 2: a big day, hopefully it will be a big day in. 6 00:00:12,960 --> 00:00:14,760 Speaker 3: The end for basketball fans in Seattle. 7 00:00:14,960 --> 00:00:17,239 Speaker 2: Todd light Wiki is with us right now on ninety 8 00:00:17,239 --> 00:00:18,560 Speaker 2: three three KJRFM. 9 00:00:18,680 --> 00:00:19,920 Speaker 3: Todd, how are you, man. 10 00:00:21,320 --> 00:00:22,400 Speaker 4: Good afternoon, gentlemen. 11 00:00:23,320 --> 00:00:25,800 Speaker 2: Great to have you on the program. Let's talk about 12 00:00:25,800 --> 00:00:29,760 Speaker 2: what today means for basketball fans in Seattle. Let's dive 13 00:00:29,840 --> 00:00:33,080 Speaker 2: right into it. So tell us what is today about? 14 00:00:33,120 --> 00:00:35,040 Speaker 2: What does today mean to you? And what does it 15 00:00:35,080 --> 00:00:37,519 Speaker 2: mean to me? Is a Sonic fan in Seattle? 16 00:00:37,560 --> 00:00:44,320 Speaker 4: Man? Well, I think today is a day of validation 17 00:00:44,720 --> 00:00:48,120 Speaker 4: of Sonics fans and all of Seahawk or all of 18 00:00:48,159 --> 00:00:53,120 Speaker 4: Seattle sports fans, because it is really without the fans, 19 00:00:53,240 --> 00:00:55,640 Speaker 4: none of what we're about to talk about really happens. 20 00:00:56,360 --> 00:00:59,200 Speaker 4: And I think, what's an amazing and you know what, 21 00:00:59,320 --> 00:01:03,880 Speaker 4: it almost tried to say it, but are the fans 22 00:01:03,920 --> 00:01:06,399 Speaker 4: in this town are the greatest sports fans in the world. 23 00:01:06,680 --> 00:01:10,160 Speaker 4: And you can measure it pound for pound. We have 24 00:01:10,319 --> 00:01:13,039 Speaker 4: the best sports fans that there are, and I think 25 00:01:13,080 --> 00:01:19,240 Speaker 4: that today is another important step and you know, maybe correcting, 26 00:01:19,600 --> 00:01:23,000 Speaker 4: you know, making something right that was wrong eighteen years ago, 27 00:01:23,280 --> 00:01:27,440 Speaker 4: and it is exciting. We're not there yet, but it's 28 00:01:27,760 --> 00:01:29,959 Speaker 4: definitely a positive, positive step. 29 00:01:30,240 --> 00:01:31,640 Speaker 3: Well, there's no question about that. 30 00:01:31,680 --> 00:01:33,680 Speaker 2: And I guess Todd, let me just ask you about that, 31 00:01:33,800 --> 00:01:37,160 Speaker 2: because I feel very good about this. I'm excited. I'm 32 00:01:37,200 --> 00:01:40,600 Speaker 2: actually thrilled about the news today. But as you said, 33 00:01:40,640 --> 00:01:44,720 Speaker 2: we're not there yet. So in your opinion, in your words, 34 00:01:45,000 --> 00:01:48,160 Speaker 2: what has to happen now for us to quote unquote 35 00:01:48,280 --> 00:01:49,800 Speaker 2: get there and seal the deal? 36 00:01:52,080 --> 00:01:54,919 Speaker 4: Well, you know, and I am going to say it again, 37 00:01:55,080 --> 00:01:57,560 Speaker 4: I mean, the most important thing we have are fans, 38 00:01:57,680 --> 00:02:01,520 Speaker 4: and this is a renowned sports market, and when you 39 00:02:01,560 --> 00:02:05,880 Speaker 4: look at the support that the teams have here, you know, 40 00:02:06,400 --> 00:02:10,680 Speaker 4: it's just incredible. And you know, whether it be the Mariners, 41 00:02:10,919 --> 00:02:17,240 Speaker 4: the Sonics, the Storm, my Sounders are cracking, the new 42 00:02:17,280 --> 00:02:21,720 Speaker 4: team in town, the Torrent, the level of support is incredible. 43 00:02:21,800 --> 00:02:25,200 Speaker 4: So I think the league never really gives consideration to 44 00:02:25,320 --> 00:02:27,920 Speaker 4: what might be a dating issue and other communities can 45 00:02:28,080 --> 00:02:31,400 Speaker 4: work because I think there's an inherent belief that we 46 00:02:31,520 --> 00:02:34,160 Speaker 4: have amazing fans here. We do I've worked for him 47 00:02:34,160 --> 00:02:36,720 Speaker 4: for now sixteen years and I love it. 48 00:02:37,600 --> 00:02:40,639 Speaker 3: Well, not my reasons, sorry, One of. 49 00:02:40,560 --> 00:02:45,880 Speaker 4: The reasons the Sonics left was that we couldn't get 50 00:02:45,880 --> 00:02:51,880 Speaker 4: the venue fixed, and you know, it was hard, and 51 00:02:51,919 --> 00:02:57,880 Speaker 4: I think when Howard took over the job of you know, 52 00:02:57,960 --> 00:02:59,919 Speaker 4: at that point in time in our world, the job 53 00:03:00,120 --> 00:03:02,960 Speaker 4: government was to have facilities that teams could make home 54 00:03:03,000 --> 00:03:07,119 Speaker 4: and make the business plan work. And at that point 55 00:03:07,160 --> 00:03:10,760 Speaker 4: in time, Key Arena was not capable of doing that. 56 00:03:10,760 --> 00:03:14,280 Speaker 4: That ownership group tried, but they lost quite a bit 57 00:03:14,320 --> 00:03:18,480 Speaker 4: of money, and at that point in time, the government said, 58 00:03:18,480 --> 00:03:21,040 Speaker 4: we're not going to do this. And there was a 59 00:03:21,080 --> 00:03:24,000 Speaker 4: city and city council person who said that he felt 60 00:03:24,080 --> 00:03:27,760 Speaker 4: that basketball brought very little cultural value to the city, 61 00:03:28,800 --> 00:03:31,600 Speaker 4: and things were said that weren't fair or weren't right, 62 00:03:32,680 --> 00:03:35,240 Speaker 4: and it was a moment in time. So that had 63 00:03:35,240 --> 00:03:38,400 Speaker 4: to get fixed one way or another, and it got fixed. 64 00:03:39,400 --> 00:03:44,080 Speaker 4: Privately funded arena, which is a beautiful arena. It is 65 00:03:44,480 --> 00:03:48,880 Speaker 4: home to seventy concerts. It's the only arena in the 66 00:03:48,880 --> 00:03:51,720 Speaker 4: world that hosts two professional women's teams. It's been an 67 00:03:51,760 --> 00:03:56,120 Speaker 4: incredible home for the Kraken and it's poised to be 68 00:03:56,200 --> 00:04:00,880 Speaker 4: home for the NBA, and we made nevigant news this 69 00:04:00,960 --> 00:04:03,960 Speaker 4: week talking about Samantha Holloway, our great owner, in her 70 00:04:04,200 --> 00:04:07,600 Speaker 4: additional investment in the arena. 71 00:04:07,640 --> 00:04:08,360 Speaker 1: And all it. 72 00:04:08,320 --> 00:04:11,880 Speaker 4: Does is it really it has definite impact on how 73 00:04:11,920 --> 00:04:15,640 Speaker 4: we operate day to day. And OVG is still a partner. 74 00:04:15,640 --> 00:04:17,280 Speaker 4: They're still going to manage the building. They're going to 75 00:04:17,320 --> 00:04:21,000 Speaker 4: help us book the shows. But it also sets the 76 00:04:21,040 --> 00:04:25,400 Speaker 4: table for you know what's about to come. And it's 77 00:04:25,440 --> 00:04:28,680 Speaker 4: another compelling part of this story. But we saw what 78 00:04:28,960 --> 00:04:31,760 Speaker 4: was at that point in time, the biggest challenge that 79 00:04:31,760 --> 00:04:35,560 Speaker 4: the community had was the venue. We're the only arena 80 00:04:35,560 --> 00:04:39,080 Speaker 4: in a park in the world. The building is now 81 00:04:39,120 --> 00:04:41,520 Speaker 4: one of the top concert buildings. When we put tickets 82 00:04:41,560 --> 00:04:44,479 Speaker 4: on sale, they sell. We fix the transportation issue. We 83 00:04:44,480 --> 00:04:47,320 Speaker 4: actually bought into half of the monorail operating company and 84 00:04:47,440 --> 00:04:51,160 Speaker 4: change that. That last mile now is written by thousands 85 00:04:51,160 --> 00:04:54,120 Speaker 4: of people. On the average cracking game, thirty percent of 86 00:04:54,120 --> 00:04:59,719 Speaker 4: the people are taking public transportation. That situation's resolved. We 87 00:04:59,760 --> 00:05:02,480 Speaker 4: will now put our best foot forward for the NBA 88 00:05:03,320 --> 00:05:06,040 Speaker 4: and I'm quite hopeful, but we're never going to get 89 00:05:06,080 --> 00:05:07,880 Speaker 4: in front of the commissioner. We've been saying this for 90 00:05:07,920 --> 00:05:11,720 Speaker 4: eight years. Oh yeah, but you know what, he took 91 00:05:11,760 --> 00:05:15,000 Speaker 4: a step forward or right behind him, so we're not 92 00:05:15,040 --> 00:05:16,839 Speaker 4: in front of him, but we're right behind him, and 93 00:05:17,000 --> 00:05:19,440 Speaker 4: the whole thing definitely took a big step forward today. 94 00:05:19,520 --> 00:05:21,760 Speaker 2: Well, Todd, it's funny, Todd LAWICKI is with us, And 95 00:05:21,800 --> 00:05:24,239 Speaker 2: I'm half kidding, obviously, But if I had a dollar 96 00:05:24,279 --> 00:05:26,360 Speaker 2: for every time I heard you or Tim by the way, 97 00:05:26,440 --> 00:05:28,720 Speaker 2: say we're not going to get in front of the commissioner, 98 00:05:28,800 --> 00:05:31,719 Speaker 2: I'd have like maybe eight hundred and fifty dollars by now, 99 00:05:31,760 --> 00:05:34,039 Speaker 2: because you've said that a lot. You've been consistent with 100 00:05:34,120 --> 00:05:36,440 Speaker 2: that since you showed up. All you can do is 101 00:05:36,480 --> 00:05:38,839 Speaker 2: take care of your end and hope it's enough for 102 00:05:38,880 --> 00:05:41,120 Speaker 2: the NBA. But let me ask you this. If the 103 00:05:41,160 --> 00:05:44,359 Speaker 2: bid was due tomorrow, do you have all your ducks 104 00:05:44,360 --> 00:05:46,400 Speaker 2: in a row? Do you have all your financing? Is 105 00:05:46,440 --> 00:05:49,479 Speaker 2: the ownership group put together? If this bid is due 106 00:05:49,520 --> 00:05:52,000 Speaker 2: tomorrow and you guys need to go meet somebody in 107 00:05:52,040 --> 00:05:54,599 Speaker 2: some hotel room in New York City, are you guys ready? 108 00:05:54,640 --> 00:06:00,240 Speaker 4: Now? Well, the first, you know, the most important thing done, 109 00:06:00,279 --> 00:06:03,159 Speaker 4: as we have the arena done, and so are we ready? 110 00:06:04,480 --> 00:06:08,799 Speaker 4: I believe Samantha Holloway believes our city is not complete 111 00:06:08,880 --> 00:06:12,200 Speaker 4: without the return of the NBA, and she would be 112 00:06:12,360 --> 00:06:18,040 Speaker 4: an incredible owner. And I believe she's poised to do it, 113 00:06:19,920 --> 00:06:22,000 Speaker 4: and you know she won't do it alone. There will 114 00:06:22,040 --> 00:06:25,039 Speaker 4: be others that go on this journey with us. This 115 00:06:25,080 --> 00:06:28,239 Speaker 4: isn't something we just started thinking about today. We started 116 00:06:28,240 --> 00:06:33,240 Speaker 4: thinking about it eight years ago and that included how 117 00:06:33,320 --> 00:06:38,479 Speaker 4: we designed the building. And the building is fantastic for hockey, 118 00:06:38,560 --> 00:06:42,599 Speaker 4: but it also was customized specifically for an end use 119 00:06:42,640 --> 00:06:47,040 Speaker 4: of knowing someday, if the stars aligned, that the Sonics 120 00:06:47,040 --> 00:06:50,240 Speaker 4: would come back. And in this journey the last eight years, 121 00:06:51,680 --> 00:06:54,440 Speaker 4: so many people have come and told me stories about 122 00:06:54,520 --> 00:06:56,559 Speaker 4: how they grew up, how they had a defining moment, 123 00:06:56,640 --> 00:06:59,160 Speaker 4: how they and you know, the city had its heartbroken. 124 00:06:59,600 --> 00:07:01,760 Speaker 4: And I would here, I was running the Seahawks and 125 00:07:01,800 --> 00:07:04,800 Speaker 4: we were launching the Sounders, and you know, the stadium 126 00:07:04,800 --> 00:07:07,920 Speaker 4: had become this, you know, Quest Field at that point 127 00:07:07,920 --> 00:07:09,960 Speaker 4: in time, had become the loudest venue in all of 128 00:07:10,000 --> 00:07:13,280 Speaker 4: the NFL. The Sounders were the most successful launch in 129 00:07:13,280 --> 00:07:17,960 Speaker 4: the history of soccer in America, and yet somehow we 130 00:07:18,040 --> 00:07:21,800 Speaker 4: lost the team that was here first. And I do 131 00:07:22,000 --> 00:07:28,040 Speaker 4: have one regret we That regret is that, you know, 132 00:07:28,080 --> 00:07:31,040 Speaker 4: we had two statues we've put up last summer of 133 00:07:31,160 --> 00:07:34,680 Speaker 4: two incredible people. One was Superberd and the other was 134 00:07:34,760 --> 00:07:39,080 Speaker 4: Lenny Wilkins. And I have a regret that Lenny's not 135 00:07:39,120 --> 00:07:41,840 Speaker 4: going to be sitting courtside for that first game. And 136 00:07:42,920 --> 00:07:47,120 Speaker 4: he became a really, really great friend of mine. I 137 00:07:47,200 --> 00:07:49,960 Speaker 4: admired him because, you know, my first job was in 138 00:07:50,000 --> 00:07:54,480 Speaker 4: the NBA, and I've had three experiences with the NBA, 139 00:07:54,560 --> 00:07:56,840 Speaker 4: but my first job was with the Golden State Warriors, 140 00:07:56,920 --> 00:07:59,720 Speaker 4: and I remember the first time I met Lenny and 141 00:08:00,120 --> 00:08:02,320 Speaker 4: you felt you were in the presence of someone great, 142 00:08:03,080 --> 00:08:04,720 Speaker 4: and I was on here to shake his hand. But 143 00:08:04,800 --> 00:08:07,679 Speaker 4: later that same life, he really became a great friend 144 00:08:07,680 --> 00:08:11,640 Speaker 4: of mine, and I always hope that this would go 145 00:08:11,760 --> 00:08:14,600 Speaker 4: down and he would have a seat center court, and 146 00:08:14,640 --> 00:08:16,040 Speaker 4: that would be an incredible moment. 147 00:08:16,320 --> 00:08:19,160 Speaker 1: But I'm glad we got the. 148 00:08:19,120 --> 00:08:23,360 Speaker 4: Statue done, and I know that from up above us, 149 00:08:23,440 --> 00:08:25,760 Speaker 4: he's cheering us on, saying, let's get it done. 150 00:08:26,080 --> 00:08:26,400 Speaker 3: Yeah. 151 00:08:26,440 --> 00:08:29,080 Speaker 2: Well, I'm totally with you on that thousand percent. There's 152 00:08:29,080 --> 00:08:31,360 Speaker 2: a lot of other people too, you know that that 153 00:08:31,400 --> 00:08:33,080 Speaker 2: aren't going to be here for the return of this 154 00:08:33,160 --> 00:08:35,480 Speaker 2: whole thing when it does happen. But are you guys 155 00:08:35,480 --> 00:08:39,240 Speaker 2: expecting competition in regards to a bid for this thing? 156 00:08:41,160 --> 00:08:43,880 Speaker 4: Well, I think that there's going to be interest, and 157 00:08:44,080 --> 00:08:45,760 Speaker 4: I'm not going to sit in judgment of that. You 158 00:08:45,840 --> 00:08:48,800 Speaker 4: control what you can control. I do know that when 159 00:08:49,240 --> 00:08:52,920 Speaker 4: you think about ownership, you know there's going to be 160 00:08:52,920 --> 00:08:56,440 Speaker 4: a substantial investment. I'm not gonna I don't want to 161 00:08:56,440 --> 00:08:58,840 Speaker 4: get into speculating on what the final price would be, 162 00:08:58,880 --> 00:09:01,439 Speaker 4: but we know there's going to be a substantial investment. 163 00:09:02,960 --> 00:09:05,800 Speaker 4: But there's other things that account And I think that 164 00:09:05,960 --> 00:09:09,840 Speaker 4: Samantha Holloway, you know, she milved here four years ago 165 00:09:10,120 --> 00:09:13,320 Speaker 4: and some people know her. Others have only heard about her, 166 00:09:13,320 --> 00:09:17,679 Speaker 4: But I know her. I've worked for her longer than 167 00:09:17,720 --> 00:09:21,640 Speaker 4: I worked for her dad. And I'll just tell one story, 168 00:09:22,000 --> 00:09:26,000 Speaker 4: and that is about Memorial Stadium. When we saw the RP, 169 00:09:27,559 --> 00:09:29,920 Speaker 4: it was published by the city in the school district, 170 00:09:30,880 --> 00:09:33,400 Speaker 4: you know, it was it was a lot. It was 171 00:09:34,040 --> 00:09:37,400 Speaker 4: so you had these two separate entities. They had some alignment, 172 00:09:37,480 --> 00:09:40,080 Speaker 4: but they definitely had different needs and visions of what 173 00:09:40,200 --> 00:09:44,760 Speaker 4: Memorial Stadium could be and a new iteration. And we 174 00:09:45,280 --> 00:09:47,000 Speaker 4: went to her and said, you know what, we want 175 00:09:47,040 --> 00:09:49,080 Speaker 4: to bid, but we don't want to bid commercially. We 176 00:09:49,200 --> 00:09:51,720 Speaker 4: effectively want to bid through the spirit of the foundation. 177 00:09:53,280 --> 00:09:56,800 Speaker 4: And it's been a massive project. It's it's one hundred 178 00:09:56,800 --> 00:09:59,200 Speaker 4: and forty million dollar project. There was a lot of 179 00:09:59,240 --> 00:10:03,040 Speaker 4: investment needed to take the prior stadium down, but that 180 00:10:03,160 --> 00:10:07,120 Speaker 4: journey started with concepting, getting the two partners aligned on 181 00:10:07,160 --> 00:10:13,600 Speaker 4: what the stadium could be, design, pricing, bidding, raising money 182 00:10:14,840 --> 00:10:17,720 Speaker 4: and we raised tens of millions of dollars and now 183 00:10:18,080 --> 00:10:21,200 Speaker 4: you know, we're fourteen months out. And that kind of 184 00:10:21,280 --> 00:10:24,320 Speaker 4: capacity of an owner who truly lives here and cares 185 00:10:24,360 --> 00:10:29,000 Speaker 4: about this franchise. This is her home. She cares deeply, 186 00:10:29,840 --> 00:10:33,480 Speaker 4: and she's expressed it in so many ways, including what 187 00:10:33,559 --> 00:10:35,440 Speaker 4: I just talked about, and of all the things that 188 00:10:35,480 --> 00:10:38,560 Speaker 4: I've done in my career from a committee standpoint, there's 189 00:10:38,600 --> 00:10:41,679 Speaker 4: nothing even close to what the Memorial Stadium effort's been. 190 00:10:42,240 --> 00:10:46,480 Speaker 4: And that was really on her watch, with her consent, 191 00:10:46,679 --> 00:10:49,160 Speaker 4: with her approval, and her cheering us on every day. 192 00:10:49,400 --> 00:10:53,280 Speaker 4: And that stadium is going to have an incredible impact 193 00:10:53,320 --> 00:10:56,520 Speaker 4: on Seattle public schools and it's a super exciting thing, 194 00:10:57,240 --> 00:10:59,440 Speaker 4: and so other things aren't going to count and the 195 00:10:59,559 --> 00:11:02,439 Speaker 4: NBA is going to want to make sure that when 196 00:11:02,480 --> 00:11:05,800 Speaker 4: it comes back, it never leaves right. And we think, 197 00:11:06,440 --> 00:11:10,360 Speaker 4: we think if you look at the profile, there are 198 00:11:10,440 --> 00:11:14,040 Speaker 4: so many positive things, and yes there will be a 199 00:11:14,160 --> 00:11:16,280 Speaker 4: heck of a check needed to be written, but that 200 00:11:16,320 --> 00:11:20,480 Speaker 4: won't be the only thing. And I'm we're excited by that. 201 00:11:20,600 --> 00:11:22,880 Speaker 4: We've been working on this for eight years and today 202 00:11:23,000 --> 00:11:26,960 Speaker 4: was another big step forward and I've got tons and 203 00:11:27,040 --> 00:11:29,800 Speaker 4: tons of messages today of people saying, let's do this, 204 00:11:31,640 --> 00:11:34,520 Speaker 4: you know, and it's an interesting time. It's an interesting 205 00:11:34,600 --> 00:11:39,679 Speaker 4: time both globally, nationally and locally, and news like this 206 00:11:39,960 --> 00:11:43,920 Speaker 4: can change the spirit of a city. So we're quite 207 00:11:43,960 --> 00:11:47,480 Speaker 4: hopeful and we're working hard at it today and we're 208 00:11:47,520 --> 00:11:49,000 Speaker 4: going to do that same thing tomorrow. 209 00:11:49,160 --> 00:11:51,480 Speaker 2: Well, let me Todde wrap it up with this, because 210 00:11:51,800 --> 00:11:56,280 Speaker 2: I've appreciated your approach in your excitement. At the same time, 211 00:11:56,320 --> 00:11:59,640 Speaker 2: it's actually kind of amazing and impressive how you've got 212 00:11:59,640 --> 00:12:02,200 Speaker 2: this a bit to get people excited about something but 213 00:12:02,240 --> 00:12:05,040 Speaker 2: also remind them there's a process, right so, and that 214 00:12:05,160 --> 00:12:07,240 Speaker 2: for people like me that's very important because I want 215 00:12:07,280 --> 00:12:10,000 Speaker 2: to just start buying tickets and merchandise right now, and 216 00:12:10,080 --> 00:12:11,560 Speaker 2: I want to get on the horn and you know, 217 00:12:11,600 --> 00:12:13,640 Speaker 2: go to the website and put my deposit down. But 218 00:12:14,880 --> 00:12:17,400 Speaker 2: people are excited, man, I mean, look, the reality is 219 00:12:17,440 --> 00:12:20,600 Speaker 2: people are really fired up about today. But as you've 220 00:12:20,640 --> 00:12:23,760 Speaker 2: pointed out, as Adam Silver pointed out, there's no handshakes, 221 00:12:23,800 --> 00:12:27,920 Speaker 2: there's no promises, nothing's been promised to anybody, nothing's been offered. 222 00:12:28,320 --> 00:12:31,320 Speaker 2: I'm asking you as a friend, and I'm asking you 223 00:12:31,400 --> 00:12:33,320 Speaker 2: as a guy who I think people really look up 224 00:12:33,320 --> 00:12:34,640 Speaker 2: to and respect in this town. 225 00:12:35,400 --> 00:12:36,600 Speaker 3: Can we get excited about this? 226 00:12:39,640 --> 00:12:45,240 Speaker 4: Well, the answer is absolutely. In my heart of hearts, 227 00:12:45,440 --> 00:12:48,160 Speaker 4: I had a pretty good job, and when I thought 228 00:12:48,200 --> 00:12:51,120 Speaker 4: about coming back to Seattle and serving these fans and 229 00:12:51,280 --> 00:12:54,280 Speaker 4: thought about building an arena, the arena turned out better 230 00:12:54,320 --> 00:12:56,680 Speaker 4: than we thought. The support of the crack and has 231 00:12:56,679 --> 00:13:01,120 Speaker 4: been incredible. But there was one thing that I was 232 00:13:01,280 --> 00:13:03,640 Speaker 4: prayed and hoped would come. And today I feel like 233 00:13:03,720 --> 00:13:06,000 Speaker 4: it's it's not a prayer anymore. It's not a hope. 234 00:13:06,040 --> 00:13:11,200 Speaker 4: It's there's a real, real strong probability that if we 235 00:13:11,280 --> 00:13:15,600 Speaker 4: put our best foot forward, the right leaders come together 236 00:13:16,400 --> 00:13:19,080 Speaker 4: and are in harmony on how this could work and 237 00:13:19,120 --> 00:13:22,960 Speaker 4: how this could be. How can they not say it, 238 00:13:23,120 --> 00:13:26,400 Speaker 4: this is what we should do it. And I think 239 00:13:26,440 --> 00:13:30,200 Speaker 4: Adam is an incredible leader. But you know, I'll just 240 00:13:30,240 --> 00:13:34,360 Speaker 4: say this, you know, Softie, we have been working on 241 00:13:34,400 --> 00:13:37,079 Speaker 4: this for eight years and there's a lot of stuff 242 00:13:37,120 --> 00:13:41,520 Speaker 4: that will be important in a bid, and we are 243 00:13:41,559 --> 00:13:44,400 Speaker 4: well positioned, and we have a great owner. And she 244 00:13:44,600 --> 00:13:51,520 Speaker 4: is different than other owners. She's vibrant, she's young, she's 245 00:13:51,559 --> 00:13:54,240 Speaker 4: a she and not a he. I am so proud 246 00:13:54,320 --> 00:13:57,760 Speaker 4: of the value she has brought to this organization and 247 00:13:57,920 --> 00:14:00,319 Speaker 4: all of that is going to count because, as Adam 248 00:14:00,360 --> 00:14:02,920 Speaker 4: said today, we also want to make sure that this 249 00:14:02,960 --> 00:14:06,920 Speaker 4: works long term. And you know, a lot of people 250 00:14:06,920 --> 00:14:10,040 Speaker 4: were you know, I remember as I started this journey, 251 00:14:10,240 --> 00:14:12,200 Speaker 4: there were a lot of people saying it's not going 252 00:14:12,280 --> 00:14:15,600 Speaker 4: to work. That building can't get renovated. I read an 253 00:14:15,679 --> 00:14:18,480 Speaker 4: article today that talked about it being read it wasn't renovated. 254 00:14:19,040 --> 00:14:22,120 Speaker 4: We held up a forty million pound roof and built 255 00:14:22,120 --> 00:14:25,760 Speaker 4: a brand new arena underneath it. And it is so intimate. 256 00:14:25,960 --> 00:14:28,800 Speaker 4: The upper deck connects off the suite level. There is 257 00:14:28,920 --> 00:14:33,760 Speaker 4: really no upper deck. And when the fans come into 258 00:14:33,760 --> 00:14:37,320 Speaker 4: that building, if it comes true and the fans come 259 00:14:37,360 --> 00:14:42,040 Speaker 4: into that building under that roof and see the first 260 00:14:42,720 --> 00:14:44,800 Speaker 4: game for the return of the Sonics. It is going 261 00:14:44,880 --> 00:14:47,640 Speaker 4: to be an epic, epic moment, and the fans in 262 00:14:47,680 --> 00:14:51,160 Speaker 4: this city deserve it. I love the fans, and that's 263 00:14:51,160 --> 00:14:53,720 Speaker 4: why I've hung in there. I'm not a spring chicken, 264 00:14:54,360 --> 00:14:57,920 Speaker 4: but I think Sam, myself and everyone in this organization 265 00:14:58,080 --> 00:15:00,680 Speaker 4: has this intense desire to pull this up because we 266 00:15:00,720 --> 00:15:03,040 Speaker 4: have a deep devotion to the community and a deep 267 00:15:03,120 --> 00:15:06,720 Speaker 4: devotion to the fans. And you know, it does sound right, 268 00:15:06,840 --> 00:15:09,080 Speaker 4: and people sometimes tease me about it. How I talk 269 00:15:09,120 --> 00:15:13,680 Speaker 4: about the fans. They are phenomenal. The fans here are 270 00:15:13,720 --> 00:15:16,480 Speaker 4: the greatest in the world. And I've been around a 271 00:15:16,520 --> 00:15:17,000 Speaker 4: long time. 272 00:15:17,040 --> 00:15:17,200 Speaker 1: Man. 273 00:15:17,240 --> 00:15:19,760 Speaker 4: These fans have given life to a lot of things, 274 00:15:19,760 --> 00:15:21,480 Speaker 4: and I think they're about to do it again here. 275 00:15:21,840 --> 00:15:22,400 Speaker 1: Yeah. 276 00:15:22,440 --> 00:15:24,280 Speaker 3: Well, I'll tell you what. We'll let you go. We 277 00:15:24,320 --> 00:15:25,120 Speaker 3: appreciate this. 278 00:15:25,960 --> 00:15:28,200 Speaker 2: You've brought tears to my eyes twice when you won 279 00:15:28,360 --> 00:15:31,280 Speaker 2: us our first Super Bowl after you hired Pete Carroll. 280 00:15:31,680 --> 00:15:33,520 Speaker 2: You brought tears to my eyes when you brought the 281 00:15:33,560 --> 00:15:35,720 Speaker 2: hockey team home, and now you're doing it again getting 282 00:15:35,720 --> 00:15:38,240 Speaker 2: me fired up for basketball, man. So thank you for 283 00:15:38,280 --> 00:15:39,000 Speaker 2: everything you're doing. 284 00:15:39,040 --> 00:15:42,960 Speaker 4: It's not me it's we and it's you guys talking 285 00:15:43,000 --> 00:15:45,600 Speaker 4: about this every day and keeping the dream alive. And 286 00:15:45,720 --> 00:15:47,880 Speaker 4: teams have left towns have never gone back. 287 00:15:48,200 --> 00:15:48,440 Speaker 3: I know. 288 00:15:48,560 --> 00:15:50,280 Speaker 4: I don't think that's going to be the story here. 289 00:15:50,600 --> 00:15:51,080 Speaker 3: I love it. 290 00:15:51,080 --> 00:15:54,080 Speaker 2: Hey, great stuff, man, go get it done, bring it 291 00:15:54,120 --> 00:15:55,120 Speaker 2: home and we'll talk soon. 292 00:15:55,160 --> 00:15:56,280 Speaker 3: Buddy, appreciate this, Todd. 293 00:15:57,600 --> 00:15:59,440 Speaker 1: Okay, see if Allas you got it? 294 00:15:59,480 --> 00:16:02,800 Speaker 2: Mandd Wicki, there you go, the CEO of the One 295 00:16:02,880 --> 00:16:06,480 Speaker 2: Roof Sports and Entertainment Foundation and the Kraken And I mean, 296 00:16:06,560 --> 00:16:08,440 Speaker 2: is he talking like a guy who doesn't think the 297 00:16:08,560 --> 00:16:09,520 Speaker 2: NBA is coming back. 298 00:16:09,560 --> 00:16:11,240 Speaker 3: That's not what I heard at all. 299 00:16:11,480 --> 00:16:13,000 Speaker 2: I mean, I've heard a guy in the last couple 300 00:16:13,040 --> 00:16:15,480 Speaker 2: of years that has just been, hey, let's just let's 301 00:16:15,520 --> 00:16:17,400 Speaker 2: not go crazy here, let's put the you know, not 302 00:16:17,840 --> 00:16:19,120 Speaker 2: put the car before the horse. 303 00:16:19,160 --> 00:16:19,640 Speaker 3: And he is. 304 00:16:20,000 --> 00:16:22,280 Speaker 2: We asked him flat out, can we get excited about this? 305 00:16:22,400 --> 00:16:25,200 Speaker 2: His answer was absolutely, He's not doing that to us. 306 00:16:25,240 --> 00:16:25,400 Speaker 3: Man. 307 00:16:25,840 --> 00:16:28,120 Speaker 2: The NBA may do it to you, and Adam Silver 308 00:16:28,320 --> 00:16:30,440 Speaker 2: may do it to you. Tidler, Wickie's not doing that 309 00:16:30,480 --> 00:16:30,760 Speaker 2: to us. 310 00:16:30,880 --> 00:16:33,720 Speaker 5: Tod's telling us to get excited. I'm getting excited, softy. 311 00:16:33,800 --> 00:16:36,960 Speaker 2: Let's go beautiful, absolutely beautiful man. Great to hear from him. 312 00:16:37,120 --> 00:16:39,320 Speaker 2: We're gonna break, We're gonna talk more about this, get 313 00:16:39,320 --> 00:16:42,920 Speaker 2: maybe a national perspective on it. Longtime ESPN Radio NBA 314 00:16:43,040 --> 00:16:46,240 Speaker 2: voice Mark Kesterschier, who is now the number one lead 315 00:16:46,400 --> 00:16:49,320 Speaker 2: radio voice for ESPN for the NBA. He's gonna join 316 00:16:49,400 --> 00:16:53,320 Speaker 2: us next on ninety three three kJ a r FM Runners. 317 00:16:52,880 --> 00:16:59,720 Speaker 6: Comedy the News You're out, Beanie is much madness now 318 00:16:59,760 --> 00:17:04,440 Speaker 6: bad Jasati on your Home for College Basketball's Shining Moment 319 00:17:04,800 --> 00:17:11,640 Speaker 6: Sports Radio ninety three point three kjr FM, drop side off. 320 00:17:11,640 --> 00:17:14,040 Speaker 1: So the stare of the screen hesitates, drives in deep. 321 00:17:14,080 --> 00:17:16,359 Speaker 2: Paul Rippy Adam has a step on balling here he 322 00:17:16,440 --> 00:17:19,520 Speaker 2: comes Ron trailing out into the glass. Well pack it, 323 00:17:20,920 --> 00:17:21,760 Speaker 2: you know, I just had a. 324 00:17:21,680 --> 00:17:22,280 Speaker 3: Little thought here. 325 00:17:22,320 --> 00:17:24,800 Speaker 2: By the way, Jackson, A little tiphany doesn't happen very often, 326 00:17:24,840 --> 00:17:26,520 Speaker 2: but when it does, you gotta take advantage of bay. 327 00:17:26,640 --> 00:17:28,199 Speaker 2: At my age, when you have a thought in your head, 328 00:17:28,240 --> 00:17:30,200 Speaker 2: you gotta grab it or it's gone. 329 00:17:30,359 --> 00:17:32,760 Speaker 3: That's the voice of Kevin Collaboro. We heard right there. 330 00:17:33,040 --> 00:17:34,880 Speaker 2: How about in a couple of years from now, we're 331 00:17:34,880 --> 00:17:38,520 Speaker 2: hearing Kevin Collaboro call the games locally on radio. And 332 00:17:38,560 --> 00:17:41,480 Speaker 2: our next guest calling the SuperSonics in the NBA Finals 333 00:17:41,520 --> 00:17:44,560 Speaker 2: for ESPN Radio. That'd be fine, let's go because this guy, 334 00:17:44,600 --> 00:17:46,440 Speaker 2: I'm telling you right now, I'm not just saying it 335 00:17:46,480 --> 00:17:47,920 Speaker 2: because he's on the air with us. I'm not just 336 00:17:47,960 --> 00:17:49,920 Speaker 2: saying it because he's one of Just's best friends of 337 00:17:49,960 --> 00:17:52,840 Speaker 2: the media. This guy is killer good at what he does. 338 00:17:52,880 --> 00:17:55,840 Speaker 2: I've been listening to Mark Kesterschier for a long, long 339 00:17:55,920 --> 00:17:59,040 Speaker 2: damn time calling NBA games. He's ready for Atlanta and 340 00:17:59,080 --> 00:18:02,399 Speaker 2: Detroit from the Detroit tonight coming up on ESPN and 341 00:18:02,440 --> 00:18:04,879 Speaker 2: he joins us right now for a national perspective on 342 00:18:04,960 --> 00:18:08,200 Speaker 2: what happened today in New York City markets. Softie and 343 00:18:08,280 --> 00:18:10,080 Speaker 2: Jackson Felts, how are you, man, what's going on? 344 00:18:11,200 --> 00:18:12,560 Speaker 1: I'm doing good, guys, Softy. 345 00:18:12,640 --> 00:18:15,200 Speaker 7: I've been hearing about you for years, so it's finally 346 00:18:15,280 --> 00:18:19,080 Speaker 7: nice to put a voice to the name. And I 347 00:18:19,119 --> 00:18:21,440 Speaker 7: worked with Kevin many times when he was our voice 348 00:18:21,440 --> 00:18:24,040 Speaker 7: on ESPN Radio, and I like to say I grew 349 00:18:24,119 --> 00:18:26,160 Speaker 7: up listening to him, even though I'm only like eight 350 00:18:26,240 --> 00:18:28,760 Speaker 7: or nine years younger than him, But he was one 351 00:18:28,760 --> 00:18:31,280 Speaker 7: of the guys when I was coming up in the business, 352 00:18:31,400 --> 00:18:34,359 Speaker 7: very very early in the business. That I shadowed him 353 00:18:34,400 --> 00:18:37,040 Speaker 7: once on a Sonics game at New Jersey against the 354 00:18:37,080 --> 00:18:39,600 Speaker 7: next and he was incredibly nice to me. He is 355 00:18:39,960 --> 00:18:44,080 Speaker 7: as the late great Jim Durham, All of Famer told me, 356 00:18:44,640 --> 00:18:47,520 Speaker 7: he goes, I can't do what Kevin Callabro does. 357 00:18:47,359 --> 00:18:50,119 Speaker 1: Like he's literally one of one. And I'm with you. 358 00:18:50,480 --> 00:18:52,760 Speaker 7: If I don't hear about any magic carpent Rives opening 359 00:18:52,840 --> 00:18:55,440 Speaker 7: night for the Sonics in twenty twenty eight, I'll be disappointed. 360 00:18:55,720 --> 00:18:56,960 Speaker 3: No, We're all right there with you. 361 00:18:57,080 --> 00:18:59,120 Speaker 2: But Mark, you've been doing this a long time now 362 00:18:59,200 --> 00:19:02,119 Speaker 2: at the national level for the NBA, And first of all, 363 00:19:02,119 --> 00:19:04,480 Speaker 2: I'm just curious to get your thoughts from your perspective 364 00:19:04,600 --> 00:19:07,400 Speaker 2: on what today means. You know, we just had Todd laiwiki. 365 00:19:07,480 --> 00:19:09,080 Speaker 2: You know, Toddy was on the air with us last 366 00:19:09,119 --> 00:19:11,399 Speaker 2: segment and I asked him flat out, hey, can we 367 00:19:11,440 --> 00:19:14,639 Speaker 2: start to get excited about this, about the return of 368 00:19:14,640 --> 00:19:17,600 Speaker 2: the Sonics, And he said absolutely. What do you think 369 00:19:17,640 --> 00:19:21,000 Speaker 2: should Sonic fans now go to bed tonight, wake up 370 00:19:21,040 --> 00:19:23,600 Speaker 2: tomorrow believing that this is on the way to happening. 371 00:19:24,960 --> 00:19:25,720 Speaker 1: I would think so. 372 00:19:25,800 --> 00:19:28,840 Speaker 7: I know, if it's my team and I love the 373 00:19:28,920 --> 00:19:31,760 Speaker 7: Sonics and it's been twenty years, like I want to see, 374 00:19:32,280 --> 00:19:36,600 Speaker 7: I've dotted and teas crossed and expansion drafts happening and 375 00:19:37,080 --> 00:19:38,119 Speaker 7: merchandise selling. 376 00:19:38,720 --> 00:19:40,360 Speaker 1: But you know, it's been five. 377 00:19:40,240 --> 00:19:43,520 Speaker 7: Or six years in the making, and you know, we 378 00:19:43,960 --> 00:19:45,240 Speaker 7: kept asking the Commission. 379 00:19:45,280 --> 00:19:47,320 Speaker 1: It seemed like an annual question for us. 380 00:19:47,320 --> 00:19:49,560 Speaker 7: When we got a chance to have Adam Silver on 381 00:19:49,680 --> 00:19:52,600 Speaker 7: you know what about expansion And PJ. Carlossimo's my analyst, 382 00:19:52,640 --> 00:19:55,560 Speaker 7: and you know, he's mister Seattle, he's a resident, he's 383 00:19:55,560 --> 00:19:57,800 Speaker 7: been there the last couple of decades, and so that's 384 00:19:57,840 --> 00:19:59,480 Speaker 7: you know, a topic near and dear to his heart. 385 00:19:59,560 --> 00:20:01,440 Speaker 1: So you know the fact that you. 386 00:20:01,400 --> 00:20:03,439 Speaker 7: Know we've heard they're going to take this vote, and 387 00:20:03,480 --> 00:20:05,720 Speaker 7: then the report's coming out that it was going to 388 00:20:05,800 --> 00:20:10,080 Speaker 7: be Seattle and Las Vegas, not just two expansion teams 389 00:20:10,080 --> 00:20:13,840 Speaker 7: directly Seattle directly Las Vegas. I think, even though it's 390 00:20:13,840 --> 00:20:17,280 Speaker 7: not official, it feels official official enough for me. 391 00:20:17,359 --> 00:20:20,160 Speaker 1: So I'm excited. I say, it's about damn time. 392 00:20:20,280 --> 00:20:22,760 Speaker 7: But I know I can understand people in the Northwest, 393 00:20:23,359 --> 00:20:26,040 Speaker 7: especially in Washington in Seattle, say all right, I got 394 00:20:26,080 --> 00:20:29,400 Speaker 7: to see this first before I go to bed, extremely happy, but. 395 00:20:29,359 --> 00:20:31,760 Speaker 2: I would yeah, well, there's a little scarring, you know, 396 00:20:31,840 --> 00:20:34,879 Speaker 2: over eighteen years, man, there's a little scarring over what happened. 397 00:20:34,920 --> 00:20:36,639 Speaker 2: So I don't blame fans for fueling the way that 398 00:20:36,680 --> 00:20:39,320 Speaker 2: they do. But Mark Kester's share, a longtime NBA voice 399 00:20:39,359 --> 00:20:42,320 Speaker 2: for ESPN, is with us from Detroit getting ready for 400 00:20:42,359 --> 00:20:44,880 Speaker 2: the Pistons and Hawks, and Mark for as excited as 401 00:20:44,920 --> 00:20:47,240 Speaker 2: we are. You know, there's some folks that don't think 402 00:20:47,280 --> 00:20:49,160 Speaker 2: this is the right move for the league. They got 403 00:20:49,200 --> 00:20:51,879 Speaker 2: the the the tanking issue. 404 00:20:52,080 --> 00:20:54,160 Speaker 3: Some folks think the league is watered down. 405 00:20:54,200 --> 00:20:56,320 Speaker 2: We're seeing a lot of blowouts right now in the 406 00:20:56,320 --> 00:20:58,960 Speaker 2: month of March and into April. For the folks that 407 00:20:59,080 --> 00:21:02,280 Speaker 2: say the NBA should stay at thirty because thirty two 408 00:21:02,359 --> 00:21:05,000 Speaker 2: teams will dilute the product even more, what do you 409 00:21:05,040 --> 00:21:05,600 Speaker 2: say about that. 410 00:21:07,320 --> 00:21:09,960 Speaker 7: I don't like the argument, but I understand the argument 411 00:21:10,040 --> 00:21:12,600 Speaker 7: because just by the fact of adding two teams, and 412 00:21:12,640 --> 00:21:15,600 Speaker 7: that's you know, at least fifteen more on each team, 413 00:21:15,800 --> 00:21:18,800 Speaker 7: plus you know two and on two way players. 414 00:21:18,560 --> 00:21:21,080 Speaker 1: Yes, it will dilute it a little bit more. 415 00:21:22,160 --> 00:21:26,120 Speaker 7: But look, it's it's the smart teams that have figured out, uh. 416 00:21:26,040 --> 00:21:29,080 Speaker 1: You know, how to get into contention, how to build. 417 00:21:28,800 --> 00:21:32,040 Speaker 7: Their rosters, how to draft well, and so there's always 418 00:21:32,080 --> 00:21:32,520 Speaker 7: going to. 419 00:21:32,440 --> 00:21:33,600 Speaker 1: Be in a thirty teams. 420 00:21:33,640 --> 00:21:34,320 Speaker 4: You wanted thero. 421 00:21:39,000 --> 00:21:42,040 Speaker 7: Have to go closing and they you know, bock it 422 00:21:42,080 --> 00:21:45,160 Speaker 7: down to scale Bill, So I don't. 423 00:21:45,000 --> 00:21:50,040 Speaker 8: Know manage We're going to come around ways to solid 424 00:21:51,400 --> 00:21:56,119 Speaker 8: both management to sixty five game minimum. N be warrant 425 00:21:56,160 --> 00:21:58,880 Speaker 8: it out, So there's something that kind of fight us, 426 00:21:58,880 --> 00:22:01,400 Speaker 8: and you know, the four top guys may not make 427 00:22:01,440 --> 00:22:02,280 Speaker 8: that park so far. 428 00:22:04,040 --> 00:22:06,640 Speaker 2: Next Yeah, Mark, I'm gonna put you back on hold 429 00:22:06,640 --> 00:22:08,240 Speaker 2: of Jess, one of your grab market. It sounds like 430 00:22:08,280 --> 00:22:10,240 Speaker 2: we're losing him there. On his end, he's he's in 431 00:22:10,280 --> 00:22:12,240 Speaker 2: a busy arena right now in Detroit getting ready for 432 00:22:12,280 --> 00:22:15,240 Speaker 2: the Atlanta Hawks and the and the Pistons at at 433 00:22:15,240 --> 00:22:17,679 Speaker 2: four o'clock. So I get it things happened, But I 434 00:22:17,720 --> 00:22:20,600 Speaker 2: think important to get, you know, national perspectives on this 435 00:22:20,720 --> 00:22:22,679 Speaker 2: because one of the questions I'm gonna ask Mark if 436 00:22:22,680 --> 00:22:23,439 Speaker 2: we can get him back. 437 00:22:23,280 --> 00:22:25,480 Speaker 3: On the air, is just how has this league changed? 438 00:22:25,520 --> 00:22:27,520 Speaker 2: I mean, it's been eighteen years, for god's sake, it's 439 00:22:27,520 --> 00:22:30,280 Speaker 2: gonna be twenty when the thing comes back. And Mark, 440 00:22:30,320 --> 00:22:33,639 Speaker 2: I think has been with ESPN since ninety nine, so 441 00:22:33,680 --> 00:22:36,720 Speaker 2: it's only nine years later when the Soups took off 442 00:22:36,760 --> 00:22:39,440 Speaker 2: for Oklahoma City. I mean, think about where you were 443 00:22:39,480 --> 00:22:41,280 Speaker 2: in two thousand and eight. Think about what you were 444 00:22:41,280 --> 00:22:44,560 Speaker 2: doing eighteen years ago. For God's sakes, I mean I was, 445 00:22:44,840 --> 00:22:46,720 Speaker 2: you know, I was what I was thirty five years 446 00:22:46,760 --> 00:22:50,000 Speaker 2: old for crying out loud, right, I mean, people's lives 447 00:22:50,000 --> 00:22:52,800 Speaker 2: have changed dramatically in the last eighteen years, and so 448 00:22:53,040 --> 00:22:54,879 Speaker 2: is this league. And I think part of this and 449 00:22:54,960 --> 00:22:57,280 Speaker 2: part of the reason why we're doing stuff like this 450 00:22:57,440 --> 00:22:59,240 Speaker 2: behind the scenes. Hell, I was talking to a guy 451 00:22:59,280 --> 00:23:01,760 Speaker 2: I know in media that you know, my contacts are 452 00:23:01,760 --> 00:23:04,679 Speaker 2: either dead or retired from eighteen years ago in the NBA, 453 00:23:04,720 --> 00:23:06,200 Speaker 2: most of them were gone. And we were talking two 454 00:23:06,200 --> 00:23:09,800 Speaker 2: decades Jackson, where everything has now been reset from where 455 00:23:09,800 --> 00:23:12,560 Speaker 2: it was eighteen years ago. So Mark is back with us, 456 00:23:12,600 --> 00:23:14,440 Speaker 2: I think, And Mark, we got you back on the phone. 457 00:23:14,440 --> 00:23:16,480 Speaker 2: And before you go, why don't you answer that question. 458 00:23:16,520 --> 00:23:19,000 Speaker 2: We just talked about your first year at ESPN I 459 00:23:19,040 --> 00:23:20,320 Speaker 2: think was in ninety nine. 460 00:23:20,600 --> 00:23:21,680 Speaker 3: It was only nine. 461 00:23:21,480 --> 00:23:24,320 Speaker 2: Years later that the Sonics left for Oklahoma City. So 462 00:23:24,440 --> 00:23:28,000 Speaker 2: eighteen years since they left, and this league has changed 463 00:23:28,040 --> 00:23:30,600 Speaker 2: a lot. For those that have kind of gravitated away 464 00:23:30,640 --> 00:23:33,200 Speaker 2: from the NBA that maybe haven't paid as much attention 465 00:23:33,680 --> 00:23:35,399 Speaker 2: because we got no dog in the hunt. 466 00:23:35,720 --> 00:23:37,600 Speaker 3: Talk about how this league has. 467 00:23:37,560 --> 00:23:40,560 Speaker 2: Changed since the Sonnics left for Oklahoma and how it 468 00:23:40,600 --> 00:23:42,359 Speaker 2: looks different now almost twenty years later. 469 00:23:43,280 --> 00:23:46,520 Speaker 7: Well, it's a great question, Softy, and I think, you know, 470 00:23:46,560 --> 00:23:48,879 Speaker 7: the biggest thing I would say is obviously how the 471 00:23:48,920 --> 00:23:51,840 Speaker 7: gravity of the game has changed, where even tonight, yere, 472 00:23:52,280 --> 00:23:54,200 Speaker 7: you know, we've gotten Atlanta Hawks team that's going to 473 00:23:54,240 --> 00:23:56,560 Speaker 7: play five out most of the you know, the big man. 474 00:23:56,760 --> 00:24:00,159 Speaker 7: The big man's not dead, and defense isn't dead, but 475 00:24:00,320 --> 00:24:02,800 Speaker 7: it's you know, it's a completely different game. It's a 476 00:24:02,840 --> 00:24:07,240 Speaker 7: three point and in the restricted area game. And if 477 00:24:07,280 --> 00:24:10,879 Speaker 7: you've got those shooters, you got those Lainty three and 478 00:24:11,040 --> 00:24:13,680 Speaker 7: D type players, those are the guys. 479 00:24:13,480 --> 00:24:17,639 Speaker 1: That you're going to build around. So I'm sure the casual. 480 00:24:17,400 --> 00:24:20,920 Speaker 7: Fans, you know, have seen those changes with steps curialization 481 00:24:21,119 --> 00:24:24,240 Speaker 7: of the NBA, but that's where it's gone. And you know, 482 00:24:24,359 --> 00:24:27,960 Speaker 7: the broadcaster, it's incredibly exciting, but it's got to be 483 00:24:28,119 --> 00:24:30,200 Speaker 7: top notch because you know, you get those nights where 484 00:24:30,200 --> 00:24:33,560 Speaker 7: you see like fifty the fifty five three point attempts 485 00:24:33,560 --> 00:24:36,199 Speaker 7: and you're shooting twenty percent. The game can drag on 486 00:24:36,240 --> 00:24:38,560 Speaker 7: you a little bit, but yeah, it's amazing to think 487 00:24:38,600 --> 00:24:41,920 Speaker 7: of how far the game has changed from a team 488 00:24:41,960 --> 00:24:44,600 Speaker 7: that might take ten threes a game and now there's 489 00:24:44,640 --> 00:24:46,800 Speaker 7: guys individually. 490 00:24:46,280 --> 00:24:48,120 Speaker 1: Who we're getting off at least ten trees. Again. 491 00:24:48,480 --> 00:24:50,399 Speaker 3: Yeah, well, I'll just make this promise to you. 492 00:24:50,480 --> 00:24:52,680 Speaker 2: If this thing does happen and they come back, get 493 00:24:52,680 --> 00:24:54,320 Speaker 2: ready because we're going to be bugging the hell out. 494 00:24:54,240 --> 00:24:55,720 Speaker 3: Of you, all right, to come out here and talk 495 00:24:55,800 --> 00:24:57,440 Speaker 3: some talk some basketball. Man. 496 00:24:58,520 --> 00:25:00,639 Speaker 7: I'll let you know that I did a couple Seahawks 497 00:25:00,640 --> 00:25:02,960 Speaker 7: games a couple of years ago for ESPN Radio, so 498 00:25:03,000 --> 00:25:04,879 Speaker 7: I got a little facet of the pandom up there. 499 00:25:05,320 --> 00:25:08,600 Speaker 7: I wasn't on the road yet when the Sonics were 500 00:25:08,600 --> 00:25:11,639 Speaker 7: in the league on ESPN Radio, but I cannot wait 501 00:25:12,000 --> 00:25:15,480 Speaker 7: for that first opportunity, and I hope it's I hope. 502 00:25:15,359 --> 00:25:17,919 Speaker 1: It's all done, done deal, and we'll see in a few. 503 00:25:17,840 --> 00:25:20,640 Speaker 2: Years now, you bet great stuff. Mark appreciate this man. 504 00:25:20,720 --> 00:25:23,720 Speaker 2: Mark kestersher ESPN Radio with us on the air. He's 505 00:25:23,760 --> 00:25:26,520 Speaker 2: in Detroit for the Hawks Pistons. All Right, we're gonna 506 00:25:26,520 --> 00:25:28,080 Speaker 2: get a break. We're gonna come back and breathe a 507 00:25:28,119 --> 00:25:30,520 Speaker 2: little bit about this. We'll talk about what happened today 508 00:25:30,920 --> 00:25:33,239 Speaker 2: for those that don't really get it and understand it. 509 00:25:33,280 --> 00:25:35,080 Speaker 2: And I think there might be some people out there 510 00:25:35,119 --> 00:25:37,720 Speaker 2: that don't really know what happened today, because I'm actually 511 00:25:37,800 --> 00:25:42,000 Speaker 2: seeing some social media reports that they're coming home, and 512 00:25:42,040 --> 00:25:43,280 Speaker 2: that's not official yet. 513 00:25:43,400 --> 00:25:45,760 Speaker 3: So we got to dive into this and explain what 514 00:25:45,920 --> 00:25:46,560 Speaker 3: happened today. 515 00:25:46,640 --> 00:25:48,520 Speaker 2: Detl of Shrimp is going to join us at four 516 00:25:48,520 --> 00:25:51,600 Speaker 2: o'clock as well on the phone as we continue from 517 00:25:51,600 --> 00:25:53,640 Speaker 2: the Queen Anne Beer Hall right here on ninety three 518 00:25:53,680 --> 00:25:54,760 Speaker 2: three KJRFM. 519 00:25:55,600 --> 00:25:57,080 Speaker 3: An comedy. 520 00:26:00,680 --> 00:26:05,280 Speaker 6: Beanie is much Madness Now back Jasati and on your 521 00:26:05,359 --> 00:26:09,200 Speaker 6: home for college basketball Shining Moments on Sports Radio nuney 522 00:26:09,240 --> 00:26:11,880 Speaker 6: three point three kjr FM. 523 00:26:15,840 --> 00:26:21,040 Speaker 9: The board voted to explore expansion in Las Vegas and Seattle. 524 00:26:21,680 --> 00:26:25,440 Speaker 9: Excited about that opportunity. We have long histories in both 525 00:26:25,440 --> 00:26:28,399 Speaker 9: of those markets. Of course, we had a franchise in 526 00:26:28,440 --> 00:26:32,359 Speaker 9: Seattle for over forty years. We have a WNBA franchise 527 00:26:32,400 --> 00:26:35,879 Speaker 9: in Seattle right now, and there's an enormous amount of 528 00:26:35,880 --> 00:26:38,560 Speaker 9: passion for NBA basketball in WNBA basketball. 529 00:26:39,960 --> 00:26:42,159 Speaker 2: Well, that's the voice of Adam Silver today in New 530 00:26:42,240 --> 00:26:46,480 Speaker 2: York City at the Saint Regis Hotel talking about the 531 00:26:46,600 --> 00:26:50,160 Speaker 2: decision by the NBA's Board of Governor's aka the owners 532 00:26:50,320 --> 00:26:52,080 Speaker 2: right to come out and just say, yeah, we're gonna 533 00:26:52,080 --> 00:26:54,439 Speaker 2: go ahead and see if there's interest in buying a 534 00:26:54,440 --> 00:26:57,000 Speaker 2: couple of teams. You know, I'll just give you a 535 00:26:57,040 --> 00:26:59,480 Speaker 2: quick analogy that my wife and I have an old 536 00:26:59,480 --> 00:27:01,720 Speaker 2: Peloton bike in our garage that we're not using that 537 00:27:01,760 --> 00:27:03,320 Speaker 2: we want to sell because Gina wants to have a 538 00:27:03,359 --> 00:27:06,600 Speaker 2: Peloton treadmill. Now have you seen those things? They're wacky, 539 00:27:06,680 --> 00:27:08,399 Speaker 2: So she wants one of those. So we're like, Okay, 540 00:27:08,600 --> 00:27:10,960 Speaker 2: Peloton's got this marketplace. You can go put your old 541 00:27:11,000 --> 00:27:12,280 Speaker 2: bike up for sale and see what you can get 542 00:27:12,280 --> 00:27:15,000 Speaker 2: for it. Well, we pulled it back because nobody wants 543 00:27:15,040 --> 00:27:17,560 Speaker 2: the damn thing, right, So if anybody wants to use Peloton, like, 544 00:27:17,840 --> 00:27:20,000 Speaker 2: let me know. But that's what the NBA did today. 545 00:27:20,200 --> 00:27:22,639 Speaker 2: The NBA went to eBay, the NBA went to the 546 00:27:22,680 --> 00:27:26,000 Speaker 2: Peloton marketplace. The NBA went to the Internet and said, hey, 547 00:27:26,000 --> 00:27:28,160 Speaker 2: we got a couple of teams in Vegas and Seattle. 548 00:27:28,160 --> 00:27:30,960 Speaker 2: We're offering anybody who wants to buy him there for sale. 549 00:27:31,160 --> 00:27:33,720 Speaker 2: What do you give up? And now that process has begun. 550 00:27:33,840 --> 00:27:36,960 Speaker 2: That's what's going on today. But there is a process 551 00:27:37,000 --> 00:27:39,920 Speaker 2: that it takes for the NBA to even do something 552 00:27:40,040 --> 00:27:42,359 Speaker 2: like that, and I don't think. My gut tells me 553 00:27:42,400 --> 00:27:44,680 Speaker 2: and I believe it even more now after talking to Todd, 554 00:27:44,960 --> 00:27:47,280 Speaker 2: I don't think the NBA is going through that kind 555 00:27:47,320 --> 00:27:49,439 Speaker 2: of process and that kind of headache unless they know 556 00:27:49,720 --> 00:27:51,960 Speaker 2: what they're looking for is going to come back to 557 00:27:52,040 --> 00:27:53,159 Speaker 2: them in an offer. 558 00:27:53,320 --> 00:27:56,919 Speaker 3: So I am extremely juiced about what happened today. 559 00:27:57,000 --> 00:27:59,800 Speaker 2: This is not exactly the day that we've been waiting for, 560 00:28:00,280 --> 00:28:02,520 Speaker 2: but it's getting damn close to the day that we've 561 00:28:02,520 --> 00:28:05,639 Speaker 2: been waiting for. I thought that this felt great the 562 00:28:05,720 --> 00:28:07,800 Speaker 2: day they announced that they were gonna do this, that 563 00:28:07,840 --> 00:28:09,159 Speaker 2: they were going to have a vote on this, I 564 00:28:09,160 --> 00:28:11,400 Speaker 2: felt really good about it. Then I feel even better 565 00:28:11,400 --> 00:28:14,400 Speaker 2: about it now. You know, Adam Silver was basically asked, hey, 566 00:28:14,480 --> 00:28:16,720 Speaker 2: you know what could derail this thing? And he said, look, 567 00:28:16,760 --> 00:28:18,800 Speaker 2: you know, an asteroid hitting the earth, right if something 568 00:28:18,840 --> 00:28:21,880 Speaker 2: crazy happens and we have all this unrest and blah 569 00:28:21,880 --> 00:28:25,200 Speaker 2: blah blah. He's not talking about anything in reality, he's 570 00:28:25,240 --> 00:28:29,240 Speaker 2: talking about covering his ass. That's why he's not promising anything. 571 00:28:29,560 --> 00:28:32,520 Speaker 2: It's why he's not offering anything. He knows it doesn't 572 00:28:32,520 --> 00:28:34,879 Speaker 2: do the league any good to only have one bid 573 00:28:34,880 --> 00:28:37,879 Speaker 2: and one offer. He wants multiple bidders. He wants to 574 00:28:37,880 --> 00:28:40,480 Speaker 2: look at multiple representatives that could take care of a 575 00:28:40,520 --> 00:28:43,200 Speaker 2: team in Seattle, in Las Vegas. I think they know 576 00:28:43,320 --> 00:28:45,680 Speaker 2: who's gonna get the team in Seattle. But he would 577 00:28:45,720 --> 00:28:48,600 Speaker 2: not be doing his due diligence, nor would the owners Jackson, 578 00:28:48,840 --> 00:28:50,960 Speaker 2: if they did not go out and see what else 579 00:28:51,120 --> 00:28:54,200 Speaker 2: is out there. You never ever take the first offer, 580 00:28:54,360 --> 00:28:57,200 Speaker 2: and you never ever ever talk to one bidder. So 581 00:28:57,680 --> 00:29:01,360 Speaker 2: I feel great about this, he asked l Wiki at 582 00:29:01,360 --> 00:29:04,960 Speaker 2: three o'clock. Look, this is a guy who has been 583 00:29:05,800 --> 00:29:09,000 Speaker 2: I don't want to say guarded with the NBA at all, 584 00:29:09,640 --> 00:29:12,120 Speaker 2: because that's not the word I would use. He actually 585 00:29:12,160 --> 00:29:15,880 Speaker 2: has been pretty excited about the NBA since he showed 586 00:29:15,960 --> 00:29:19,240 Speaker 2: up to town. He mentioned it there with us that Look, guys, 587 00:29:19,320 --> 00:29:22,560 Speaker 2: and we've talked about this before. This arena no disrespect 588 00:29:22,560 --> 00:29:26,719 Speaker 2: to any other franchise or concert or traveling show that 589 00:29:26,760 --> 00:29:27,880 Speaker 2: goes across the country. 590 00:29:28,240 --> 00:29:29,080 Speaker 3: That arena was. 591 00:29:29,040 --> 00:29:32,240 Speaker 2: Built for the NBA, and everything else comes in line 592 00:29:32,680 --> 00:29:35,520 Speaker 2: behind it because the NBA is the big dog, right, 593 00:29:35,600 --> 00:29:38,520 Speaker 2: everything else comes in line behind it, and he mentioned 594 00:29:38,560 --> 00:29:40,000 Speaker 2: that when he was on the air with us, we 595 00:29:40,040 --> 00:29:42,760 Speaker 2: asked him, hey, look, can we get excited about this? 596 00:29:42,840 --> 00:29:46,320 Speaker 2: Are you giving us Uncle Todd permission to start dreaming 597 00:29:46,320 --> 00:29:50,960 Speaker 2: about waking up tomorrow and seeing Santa Claus? And he said, absolutely, guys, 598 00:29:50,960 --> 00:29:55,320 Speaker 2: this is happening, okay outside of craziness, and you know 599 00:29:55,320 --> 00:29:56,280 Speaker 2: what craziness is. 600 00:29:57,160 --> 00:29:57,960 Speaker 3: This is happening. 601 00:29:58,040 --> 00:30:01,120 Speaker 2: I feel very good, very good about jumping it with 602 00:30:01,200 --> 00:30:02,760 Speaker 2: two feet and embracing this process. 603 00:30:02,800 --> 00:30:04,960 Speaker 5: And I don't want to get ahead and jump into 604 00:30:05,000 --> 00:30:06,800 Speaker 5: a clip that we might play later. But there was 605 00:30:06,840 --> 00:30:08,920 Speaker 5: a question that Adam Silver was asked in that press 606 00:30:08,920 --> 00:30:11,640 Speaker 5: conference today where somebody asked him what are the chances 607 00:30:11,840 --> 00:30:14,040 Speaker 5: that this doesn't happen? And he, you know, kind of 608 00:30:14,120 --> 00:30:16,440 Speaker 5: danced around it, as Adam Silver does, right, but he 609 00:30:16,520 --> 00:30:20,000 Speaker 5: did then going to say, it's entirely possible that expansion 610 00:30:20,040 --> 00:30:23,160 Speaker 5: goes to one and not two series or not, we're 611 00:30:23,200 --> 00:30:24,960 Speaker 5: not And I think, and I think yeah, And I 612 00:30:24,960 --> 00:30:27,960 Speaker 5: think the reason why Adam Silver, you cover your bases 613 00:30:28,000 --> 00:30:30,120 Speaker 5: and you say that sort of a thing is because 614 00:30:30,480 --> 00:30:34,600 Speaker 5: Seattle is such a solidified situation. You have a group, 615 00:30:34,800 --> 00:30:37,440 Speaker 5: you have a stadium, you have eight years of planning 616 00:30:37,520 --> 00:30:40,920 Speaker 5: that has gone into making this day happen. Vegas is 617 00:30:41,520 --> 00:30:44,880 Speaker 5: totally a different situation, very very different. They have a group, 618 00:30:45,040 --> 00:30:48,680 Speaker 5: but they have a very little, you know, concrete idea. 619 00:30:48,880 --> 00:30:50,320 Speaker 3: They don't have a stadium up here yet. 620 00:30:50,520 --> 00:30:54,320 Speaker 5: So Adam Silver leaving that open of one not the other, 621 00:30:54,640 --> 00:30:58,880 Speaker 5: that tells me just psychologically, this is somebody who understands, Yeah, 622 00:30:59,040 --> 00:31:01,880 Speaker 5: one of these two cities we're talking about has already 623 00:31:01,920 --> 00:31:04,400 Speaker 5: done all of the work needed for eight years to 624 00:31:04,440 --> 00:31:07,640 Speaker 5: get here. So I think I think Silver even knows 625 00:31:07,800 --> 00:31:09,080 Speaker 5: we're pretty set with Seattle. 626 00:31:09,160 --> 00:31:09,280 Speaker 1: Well. 627 00:31:09,280 --> 00:31:11,320 Speaker 2: And that's the other point is that this is unlike 628 00:31:11,360 --> 00:31:15,080 Speaker 2: any other expansion process that I've heard of, because normally, 629 00:31:15,240 --> 00:31:19,080 Speaker 2: when you see a league expand they're saying, hey, we 630 00:31:19,400 --> 00:31:22,520 Speaker 2: are moving forward with expansion teams and we are opening 631 00:31:22,520 --> 00:31:26,040 Speaker 2: this up for bids across the country. They're not doing 632 00:31:26,080 --> 00:31:28,440 Speaker 2: that right that They're saying no to Nashville, they're saying 633 00:31:28,440 --> 00:31:32,120 Speaker 2: no to Mexico City, they're saying no to Kansas City 634 00:31:32,480 --> 00:31:35,320 Speaker 2: or wherever. I mean, this is exclusively, guys, and this 635 00:31:35,400 --> 00:31:39,720 Speaker 2: is important here, Exclusively US in Las Vegas. It's either 636 00:31:39,880 --> 00:31:43,800 Speaker 2: US and nothing. US in Vegas and nothing or nothing. 637 00:31:44,000 --> 00:31:46,640 Speaker 3: That's what it is. There's only three options, that's it. 638 00:31:46,960 --> 00:31:49,360 Speaker 2: So the fact that they are so far down the road, 639 00:31:49,400 --> 00:31:52,280 Speaker 2: and again not that that's a surprise, because we knew 640 00:31:52,320 --> 00:31:54,800 Speaker 2: that already when the story when when Sham's had the 641 00:31:54,880 --> 00:31:57,400 Speaker 2: story about two weeks ago whatever it was, they're going 642 00:31:57,440 --> 00:32:00,400 Speaker 2: to vote on pursuing expansion in Seattle and Vegas. 643 00:32:00,400 --> 00:32:02,840 Speaker 3: We've known about this now for a couple of weeks. 644 00:32:03,240 --> 00:32:06,360 Speaker 2: You don't go that narrow unless you know that there's 645 00:32:06,360 --> 00:32:08,200 Speaker 2: some kind of potigle at the end of the rainbow, 646 00:32:08,800 --> 00:32:11,560 Speaker 2: or at least one of them. So I just I 647 00:32:11,560 --> 00:32:13,360 Speaker 2: don't know, guys. I've been talking to Todd now for 648 00:32:13,400 --> 00:32:15,480 Speaker 2: a long time. First got to know him when he 649 00:32:15,520 --> 00:32:18,240 Speaker 2: came here and you know what, twenty ten whatever it was, 650 00:32:18,320 --> 00:32:21,360 Speaker 2: two thousand and nine. And he's a guy that you know, 651 00:32:21,640 --> 00:32:24,880 Speaker 2: likes to obviously compliment people, likes to tell a story. 652 00:32:25,360 --> 00:32:28,160 Speaker 2: You guys have totally figured that out by now. He's 653 00:32:28,200 --> 00:32:31,760 Speaker 2: a big storyteller. He loves the journey, but he also 654 00:32:31,840 --> 00:32:35,080 Speaker 2: wants to make sure that people understand that there's a 655 00:32:35,120 --> 00:32:39,240 Speaker 2: process and nothing is given until it's received. And the 656 00:32:39,280 --> 00:32:41,320 Speaker 2: way that he talked to us today when he was 657 00:32:41,360 --> 00:32:44,320 Speaker 2: on the air. He was literally putting a chill down 658 00:32:44,360 --> 00:32:46,920 Speaker 2: my spine when we asked him, can we get into this? 659 00:32:47,360 --> 00:32:50,160 Speaker 2: I see no reason for this to not happen. Absolutely 660 00:32:50,280 --> 00:32:53,440 Speaker 2: get fired up. He's not breaking our hearts like that. Guys, 661 00:32:53,600 --> 00:32:55,920 Speaker 2: so I'm ready. I think you should be too. If 662 00:32:55,920 --> 00:32:58,200 Speaker 2: you're not, I get it. I get some people that 663 00:32:58,240 --> 00:33:01,040 Speaker 2: are tepping some people. Maybe your scarred, that's fine. But 664 00:33:01,120 --> 00:33:03,520 Speaker 2: I believe that this is gonna happen, and I believe 665 00:33:03,560 --> 00:33:05,920 Speaker 2: that our patients, very very shortly here is. 666 00:33:05,880 --> 00:33:08,920 Speaker 3: Gonna get repaid. We're gonna break What do you say? 667 00:33:08,920 --> 00:33:12,040 Speaker 2: We ask an old legend detlif Shremp what he thinks 668 00:33:12,080 --> 00:33:14,400 Speaker 2: he'll join next on ninety three three KJRFM