![]() On September 3, 2008, the team name, logo and colors for the Oklahoma City franchise were revealed to the public. The owners agreed to leave the SuperSonics name, logo and colors in Seattle for a possible future NBA franchise however, the items would remain the property of the Oklahoma City team along with other "assets", including championship banners and trophies. The terms awarded the city $45 million to get out of the remaining lease at KeyArena, and would have provided an additional $30 million payment to Seattle in 2013 if certain conditions had been met. Nearly a month later, the two sides reached a settlement agreement. In June 2008, a lawsuit brought by the city of Seattle against Bennett due to his attempts to break the final two years of the Sonics' lease at KeyArena went to federal court. Paycom Center began hosting the Oklahoma City Thunder in 2008. In 2007, Bennett announced that the franchise would move to Oklahoma City as soon as the lease with KeyArena expired. The sale of the SuperSonics and Storm was approved by NBA owners the following October. In 2006, former Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz sold the SuperSonics and its Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) sister franchise, the Seattle Storm, for $350 million to the Professional Basketball Club LLC, a group of Oklahoma City investors led by Clay Bennett. Main articles: Seattle SuperSonics relocation to Oklahoma City and 2008–09 Oklahoma City Thunder season The team has yet to win a championship since moving to Oklahoma City.įranchise history 1967–2008: Seattle SuperSonics They won their first division title as the Thunder in the 2010–11 season and their first Western Conference championship as the Thunder in the 2011–12 season, appearing in the NBA Finals for the fourth time in franchise history and first time since 1996, when the team was based in Seattle. In Oklahoma City, the Thunder qualified for their first playoff berth during the 2009–10 season. In Seattle, the SuperSonics qualified for the NBA playoffs 22 times, won their division six times, advanced to three NBA Finals, and won the 1979 NBA Championship. The SuperSonics relocated from Seattle to Oklahoma City on Jafter a settlement was reached between the ownership group led by Clay Bennett and lawmakers in Seattle following a lawsuit. The team was originally established as the Seattle SuperSonics, an expansion team that joined the NBA for the 1967–68 season. Oklahoma City previously hosted the New Orleans Hornets for two seasons following devastation caused by Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans. The Thunder are the only team in the major professional North American sports leagues based in the state of Oklahoma. The Thunder's NBA G League affiliate is the Oklahoma City Blue, which it owns. The team plays its home games at Paycom Center. The Thunder compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference. ![]() The Oklahoma City Thunder are an American professional basketball team based in Oklahoma City.
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