The NBA is moving closer to Seattle: two groups are already competing to bring back the SuperSonics

The race to secure a NBA expansion franchise in Seattle has a second known candidate. BlackSun Private Equity, a New York-based firm that submitted a bid in August to bring professional basketball back to the city, has formed a partnership with the Tulalip tribes to develop a new stadium project.

The proposal envisions building the venue on tribal land near Marysville, Washington, approximately 56 kilometers north of Seattle. Nick Rathod, BlackSun's global strategy and communications director, confirmed the partnership to The Athletic and advocated for a project where fans and the local community play a leading role.

BlackSun wants to bring the NBA to Tulalip tribal land

The main novelty of this candidacy is the chosen location for the possible new stadium. BlackSun is working alongside the Tulalip tribes on land they own, where plans for the venue would be developed should the NBA choose their proposal.

"Our goal is to have fans truly drive this project," Rathod said. "Obviously, the NBA makes the final decision. But we want fans to be part of the decision because we believe our proposal is different and the most compelling. We are coming forward with the Indigenous tribes, the original inhabitants of that land. We want to prioritize the local community and get their input. I believe the NBA needs a different approach to ownership right now. We saw how the agreement with the Lakers went."

Rathod was referring to Mark Walter's agreement to sell the Los Angeles Lakers just 14 months after buying the franchise, in addition to mentioning a federal investigation into alleged financial irregularities related to Walter's insurance companies.

"A couple of billionaires passed the franchise around like it was a rental property," Rathod said. "For fans and teams, that's terrible."

The memory of the Seattle SuperSonics remains present

BlackSun's candidacy is also marked by one of the most significant episodes in recent sports history in Seattle: the departure of the Seattle SuperSonics in 2008.

Rathod stated that one of the main objectives of the group is to prevent a new franchise from leaving the Pacific Northwest again.

"We want it to remain in that community forever," Rathod said. "We will do everything we can to make that happen. One of the initial challenges when the Sonics left Seattle was related to the stadium. We believe the land we have designated now with the Tulalip tribes is a place where families can come."

However, the proposed location presents one of the major challenges for the candidacy.

The distance of the stadium, one of the major issues

The land is located near Marysville, north of Seattle, and travel from downtown can often exceed an hour during peak hours.

This poses a particularly significant problem for fans living south of Seattle, such as residents of Tacoma.

BlackSun is aware of the difficulty and asserts that the project will need to include a sufficiently developed mobility plan so that distance does not become an obstacle to game attendance.

"We are not going to ask people to make 41 trips to a venue without a credible mobility plan," Rathod said. "That means we are currently studying road capacity, regional transportation, game-day exclusive transport, a park-and-ride system, and shuttle buses. We are thoroughly analyzing the fan experience to make it as comfortable, easy, and smooth as possible to get there. Once there, it's not just about the stadium. There will be an entertainment district that we will continue to develop. It will be a destination."

BlackSun intends for the venue to not only function as a sports arena but also as part of an entertainment district that can become a destination for families and fans.

The keys to BlackSun's candidacy

BlackSun claims it can gather $8.1 billion

The candidacy also boasts significant financial capacity.

Atonn Muhammad, CEO of BlackSun, told the Seattle Times that the group could attract enough investors to support a bid of up to $8.1 billion.

The figure reflects the economic magnitude that the bidding for a future NBA expansion franchise could reach.

However, the final decision will rest with the league itself, which still needs to determine the future of a possible expansion and which group would be in the best position to secure a franchise in Seattle.

One Roof Sports and Entertainment is the other known candidate

BlackSun is not alone in the race.

One Roof Sports and Entertainment, led by Samantha Holloway and the majority owner of the NHL's Seattle Kraken, is the other known bidder for a potential expansion franchise in Seattle, according to industry sources cited by The Athletic.

One Roof also has a stake in the Climate Pledge Arena, located north of downtown Seattle.

This gives it an obvious advantage in terms of infrastructure, as it already has a presence in the city's sports market and is linked to one of its main venues.

Holloway had previously discussed the possibility of adding an NBA franchise to Seattle.

"If done right, an NBA team is an added value," Holloway told The Athletic earlier this year. "It has been important that we have had enough time to establish the Kraken brand and get to where we want to be. There is always room for growth, but it is an excellent time to incorporate basketball, and they are complementary activities if managed correctly."

Seattle looks toward the NBA again

The emergence of BlackSun expands the group of known contenders seeking a future NBA expansion franchise in Seattle to two.

The two proposals present different arguments. One Roof Sports and Entertainment has the experience of managing the Kraken and a stake in the Climate Pledge Arena, while BlackSun Private Equity is betting on a new stadium alongside the Tulalip tribes and giving a prominent role to the local community.

Location will be one of the key elements the NBA will need to evaluate. While One Roof already has sports infrastructure in Seattle, BlackSun believes that building a new venue can address one of the issues that, according to Rathod, contributed to the departure of the SuperSonics in 2008.

BlackSun's candidacy also aims to differentiate itself through its ownership model and commitment to keeping the franchise in the Pacific Northwest.

Now the ball is in the NBA's court. Seattle already has two known groups that want to bring a league franchise back, and the battle to secure it promises to be one of the great stories surrounding the upcoming expansion.

This is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, La NBA se acerca a Seattle: dos grupos ya compiten por devolver a los SuperSonics