McClendon says goal was to move SuperSonics to Oklahoma

Associated Press - August 13, 2007

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) - A member of the Oklahoma City-based group that owns the Seattle SuperSonics is now saying what many in Seattle believed.

Aubrey McClendon says the group didn't buy the Sonics to keep the team in Seattle. McClendon is quoted in today's edition of The Journal Record as saying the hope was to move the Sonics to Oklahoma City.

The ownership group is headed by Oklahoma City businessman Clay Bennett and is trying to get an agreement in Seattle by October 31st to replace KeyArena where the Sonics currently play.

Bennett has said if the deadline isn't met he'll file paperwork to move the team to Oklahoma City.

McClendon says Seattle officials have 60 days to make decisions that they haven't made in the past year. He says if the decisions satisfy Bennett then the team will remain in Seattle.

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