[TripletDaddy]

Originally Posted by 8ballrollin

I believe the premise of your post is incorrect.

No thinking person thought the Sonics were going to stay after they were sold to non-local ownership. No one cares about arguments over owner's rights to sell assets. Of course, they can do what they want - as long as it's ratified by the league and other owners (except in the NFL case of Al Davis, who had to sue to move his team).

On the city being screwed, it depends on what you mean by city.

If by city, you mean the municipality of Seattle, who cares? They've been made whole via the settlement. If by city, you mean the fans of a 40-year-old franchise (that won a NBA title), then yes, they've been screwed over. By who? That's open for debate.

On the free market side, I don't see US sports leagues operating in free markets (see antitrust exemptions). I think The Premiership in England is better model of a free market in a sports league. You can build a team in any city you want (I think there are five in London). If a team wins, they stay in the League, if not...they're relegated. If the NBA worked this way, the Clippers and teams like them, would have been kicked-out of the league years ago by more competitive teams. I digress.

Besides MLB, which other US sports are exempt from anti-trust?