The Morale Impact

"The SuperSonics leaving was a very difficult situation for me. I have personally loved the Sonics for a very long time and it was truly hard to see them go. Not only that, but when the retired jerseys, memorabilia, and other Sonic-esque treasures left Seattle when the team moved, the reality of that was harsh as well. Those memories were made in Seattle and that was taken from us when they left," said David Hagberg, longtime local sports fan.

Local amateur sports writer Kevin Dunham says, "local sports teams not only boost morale in the overall community, as well as the tourism industry, but they also create a sense of belonging and culture. The SuperSonics made a lasting impression on the city-and not just by the numbers. We truly hope that bringing them back will create that sense of morale-boosting again."

The football team, the Seahawks, create a sense of culture and belonging in the fall and early winter, and the Sounders, the soccer team, do that during the summer and fall. During the winter and spring months, however, the city has been forced to be without that same spirit and pride due to the absence of the Sonics the past few years.