When, in the course of sporting events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the tribal bonds which have connected them with a team, and to assume among the powers of the League the separate and equal station to which the regulations and the officials of the game entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of other sports fans requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.
We hold these truths to be self evident: that all sports fans are created equal; that they are endowed by the Commissioner with inalienable rights; that among these are good players, wins, and the pursuit of a Championship; that to secure these rights, organizations are instituted among teams, deriving their powers from the consent of the fans; that whenever any form of organization becomes destructive of these ends, it is the right of the city to boo or to heckle, and to institute a new ownership group, laying its foundation in such principles, and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect a high win percentage and happiness. The history of the present Chairman of the Seattle Supersonics is a history of instabilities and threats of moves, in direct object the establishment of an absolute tyranny over our city and team. To prove this, let facts be submitted to a candid sports world.
He has come from Oklahoma City and brings his ownership group upon us without our consent.
He has demanded the building of a new arena, using the funds of our fine city.
He has refused to listen to our calls to leave the team where it lies.
He has outbid and refused to sell to any other chairman who may wish to leave the team in its current position.
He has made our players dependent on his will alone for their tenures, and the amount and payment of their salaries.
He does all of this with a foot still in Oklahoma, slowly pulling the Sonics into a closer and closer bond with this far off state.
We therefore, the fans of the Seattle Supersonics of the National Basketball Association, appealing to the Supreme Commissioner of the League for the rectitude of our intentions, do in the name, and by the authority of the good people of this city and region, solemnly publish and declare, that these united fans are, and of right ought to be, free and independent of this tyranny; that they are absolved from all allegiance to Clay Bennett, and that all emotional connection between them and the state of the Professional Basketball Club LLC is, and ought to be, totally dissolved; and that as free and independent fans, they have full power to boo players and coaches, heckle refs, hope for a playoff birth, and criticize off-season moves, and to do all other acts and things which independent teams may of right do.
And for the support of this declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of the Sports Gods, we mutually pledge to each other our cheers, our money, and our sacred honor as Seattle fans.
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