The relocation of the historic Seattle SuperSonics franchise to Oklahoma City prior to the 2008 season stemmed from an ownership dispute led by Clay Bennett's group and a failure to secure public funding or legislative approval for a brand-new, modern arena in the Seattle metropolitan area. Despite decades of passionate local fan support and rich basketball history in the Pacific Northwest, ownership chose to exercise relocation options after purchasing the team, moving the operational headquarters and establishing a brand-new identity in Oklahoma.