Four more Oklahoma City businessmen are
joining the ownership group that is buying the Seattle SuperSonics.
The new members announced Sunday are William M. Cameron,
president and CEO of Oklahoma City-based American Fidelity Assurance
Co.; Bob Howard, president of Mercedes-Benz of Oklahoma City;
Everett Dobson, executive chairman of Oklahoma City-based Dobson
Communications Corp.; and Jay Scaramucci, president of Oklahoma
City-based Balon Corp.
Clayton I. Bennett, chairman and managing partner of Professional
Basketball Club LLC, announced in July that his group would buy the
Sonics and WNBA's Seattle Storm for US$350 million. The sale is
subject to league approval and is expected to be addressed at the
NBA Board of Governors meeting on Oct. 24.
``This is a dynamic group of accomplished business people,''
Bennett said in a statement. ``They bring business insight from a
variety of demanding market categories including finance, banking,
real estate, insurance, automotive, telecommunications, energy and
investment management.''
The original partners in the group are Bennett, president of
investment firm Dorchester Capital; Aubrey K. McClendon, chairman
and CEO of Chesapeake Energy Corp.; G. Jeffrey Records Jr.,
president and CEO of MidFirst Bank; and Tom L. Ward, chairman and
CEO of SandRidge Energy Inc. All four companies are based in
Oklahoma City.
The group was initially formed in February and set out to find an
NBA team for Oklahoma City. However, Bennett has said the new owners
intend to keep the teams in Seattle, provided a new arena deal can
be reached within a 12-month deadline.
``We will enhance the tradition of the Seattle Sonics and are
completely committed to keeping the Sonics and Storm in the Seattle
area,'' Bennett said in the statement. ``The business experience and
expertise of this ownership group will be invaluable in securing a
world-class arena for the area and building one of the league's
premier franchises.''
The original investors last year helped Oklahoma City fund a
$10-million revenue guarantee to the New Orleans Hornets when the
team temporarily relocated to the city following hurricane Katrina.
© The Canadian Press, 2007
