Fining Owners, I just don't understand

[DevilAlumna]

Does anyone understand the concept behind fining owners of major league sports teams for speaking their minds?

I've yet to make out just what this guy did to get hit up with a $250k charge. (Apparently, the spokesman doesn't know either?)

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=2987741

The NBA has fined Seattle SuperSonics co-owner Aubrey McClendon $250,000 for comments he made two weeks ago that his group didn't buy the team to keep it in Seattle.

League spokesman Mark Broussard in New York confirmed the penalty Thursday morning, but said he did not immediately know the reason the fine was imposed. The comments of McClendon, an Oklahoma City energy tycoon, were at odds with commissioner David Stern's stated hope of keeping the Sonics in the city they've called home for all 40 years of their existence.

I mean, it's not like the whole city didn't understand this was his intent.

[Clipsfan]

Does anyone understand the concept behind fining owners of major league sports teams for speaking their minds?

I've yet to make out just what this guy did to get hit up with a $250k charge. (Apparently, the spokesman doesn't know either?)

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=2987741



I mean, it's not like the whole city didn't understand this was his intent.

I think that it may be against the rules to comment on things like moves before they official declaration. I know that it's stupid, but if you don't come out and say that you're planning on ditching your current city, there is plausible denial. Stern would hate it if no fans came to the games because they didn't want to root for a team about to abandon them, and now that one of the two "saviors" of the NBA is on that team he wants fan interest to remain high.

As you said, it's all stupid because it is a commonly understood fact that the team is likely to move.

[YmoBeThere]

for leaning against the common stockholders of his company so much. I know, there is much more to the story than I am telling, but if I ever run across him at an alumni event...well he will get a piece of my mind(not that it is worth much).