Argument:    The Sonics provide little or no cultural value to the City.

What value they provide should not be considered when making a purely financial decision regarding a new arena.

Rebuttal:       The sport of basketball has tremendous cultural value to people from nearly every demographic.  It provides a common ground for people of diverse ethnic backgrounds, income brackets, and interests.  The statement that basketball has no cultural value is not only elitist and insulting to those with different views, it is contradictory to the studies performed on the subject which suggest that the cultural benefits of the Sonics and Storm be strongly considered in future planning for Seattle Center.

According to reports by the Seattle Center Foundation, sporting events at Seattle Center are responsible for a more ethnically diverse group of visitors than any other attraction.   These events attract visitors that are more diverse in terms of household income than visitors of any other attraction; and they attract visitors that, despite these diverse incomes, regularly spend more per visit on tickets, souvenirs, parking, travel, and food and beverages than visitors of any other attraction.

Quotes:          “On a cultural basis, close to zero.”

- Seattle City Council Chair Nick Licata on the damage the city would suffer if the team were moved.

“Our young kids look up to those Storm players and the same is true of the Sonics; it is a vital part of our culture”

- Washington State Governor Christine Gregoire, Interview on KJR-AM, August 1, 2006

“In considering public funding for Key Arena, KAS encourages elected officials to consider a broad set of public values and benefits, including State, regional, and local economic impacts, impact on the financial health and vision of Seattle Center, impact of a major league arena on the quality of life of the region, the impact on living wage jobs, and the ability of a broad range of the community to enjoy the benefits of both building construction and building events.”

            - Key Arena Subcommittee Report (KAS), February 16, 2006

“They are not paying attention. I don’t think that they realize that for some kids their connection to school is basketball, or sports in general.  To play on the basketball team they have to have great grades and great attendance at school or you can’t play.  So this is incentive for kids to come to school. Basketball teaches young men and young women about teamwork, about responsibility. It’s great. Losing the Sonics would be terrible for Seattle.”

- Cleveland High School Assistant Coach Michael Fortson, Sonicscentral.com, September 22, 2006.

“I don’t think anyone wants to push the Sonics out, they’ve been a huge part of our sports culture for decades.”

            - Washington State House Majority Leader Lynn Kessler