Sonicsgate: Requiem for a Team

2009 "Exposing the truth behind the Seattle SuperSonics' tragic exodus after 41 years in the Emerald City"
8| 2h0m| en
Details

"Sonicsgate" is a feature documentary film exposing the truth behind how Seattle lost the SuperSonics after a heated legal battle in 2008. The perfect storm of corporate greed and political impotence formed to rob loyal Seattle sports fans of their oldest professional franchise. The team's celebrated 41-year run in Seattle included an NBA Championship, three Western Conference titles, six division titles and legendary players such as Gary Payton, Shawn Kemp, Ray Allen, Tom Chambers, Xavier McDaniel, Jack Sikma, Freddy Brown, Slick Watts and Spencer Haywood... just to name a few. As NBA salaries skyrocketed following the 1999 player lockout, the league's business model changed to require expansive new buildings paid for with taxpayer dollars. Seattle's KeyArena, built in 1995 as a remodel of the old Seattle Coliseum, just wouldn't cut it anymore according to NBA Commissioner David Stern...

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Also starring Sherman Alexie

Reviews

Linbeymusol Wonderful character development!
SmugKitZine Tied for the best movie I have ever seen
Teddie Blake The movie turns out to be a little better than the average. Starting from a romantic formula often seen in the cinema, it ends in the most predictable (and somewhat bland) way.
Billy Ollie Through painfully honest and emotional moments, the movie becomes irresistibly relatable
Claytin23 This films in depth look at what really went on both publicly and privately definitely gives the viewer the insight for the "Sonics Scandal."The amount of energy and pride that our city had when the Sonics were in town proves that we (Seattle) deserved a team.The pain is like your wife cheating, taking the kids, moving across the country, and then getting re-married to the man she cheated on you with.If your a big sports fan, please watch this movie. Think about if all this happened to your most beloved sports team.
ice_berge_12 When I first heard about this movie I didn't really feel like watching it, I felt it might have been to quickly made, poorly written and above all very biased towards us Sonics's fans. However once you get past the history of the franchise, which reminded me why I was a Fan in the first place (Counting to Ten for Malone at the free throw...classic), it really became a very factual and very well made movie.Considering what they had to work with (no David Stern, Clay Bennett, Howard Schultz), they had a very well made, neutral documentary on the downfall of my beloved SuperSonics. This move teach's fans of others cities the greediness of the NBA, the heartlessness of the NBA and shows that no team is safe.Never Again Shall I hear "Your Seeeatle SUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUPERRRRRRRR SONICS!" At least I have this movie to remind me why and keep the memory of this once great franchise alive!
zane-3744 I am a fourteen year old boy who saw a link to this documentary and was just going to take a glance. However, once i started watching this, i was hooked! Sonics Gate accurately explains how the Sonic's franchise was STOLEN from Seattle.Even if you are a Yankee's fan or you don't watch basketball, this documentary is a MUST WATCH. Please take a little time to watch it! It is my second-most favorite documentary of all time after Tupac : resurrection.With love, Zane; Faithful Sonics fan
dongsong I wasn't expecting this feature to be so well-made and intriguing. I decided to glance thru it just to see the contents. But one minute into it, i was truly engaged.the filmmaker does a great job giving the sports history of the City of Seattle and the history of the Sonics. It made me understand why the citizens of Seattle loved their basketball. Being a fan of the Sonics' bitter rival, the Portland trailblazers, i found myself becoming a fan of the Sonics and a fan of the Sonics' fan. In saying that, i found it heartbreaking to see what happened to the organization, the city, and the fans.I couldn't give it a full 10 stars just because it felt a little too biased. Some more perspective from the NBA and Bennett would have been nice, but i guess since they declined to be interviewed, we're not able to see that. Overall, a very excellent doc! PS. I hope Seattle does get another NBA franchise, and hopefully not at the expense of another struggling city.