Sonics fire radio announcer Locke

By Percy Allen
Seattle Times staff reporter
(on the Sonics beat for years)
June 23

During a week of upheaval inside the Sonics' front office, radio play-by-play announcer David Locke became the latest employee to be fired. The team removed his posts from its Web sites on Friday, terminated his two-year contract and notified employees of the decision in an e-mail.

The Sonics are expected to announce the decision today, although it is not clear if the team will replace Locke with another announcer or return to a simulcast with the television broadcast {where the excellent Kevin Colabro does play-by-play.)

Locke, 36, took over last year when the Sonics became the last NBA team to separate its broadcasts and moved to KTTH-AM (770). He had worked at KJR (950 AM) for the previous eight years and was a play-by-play announcer for the Seattle Storm for seven seasons.

The future of Francis Williams, who served as a commentator on radio broadcasts last season, is uncertain.

*** Sonics have recently hired a new GM, are looking for a coach, their Oklahoma City-based owner Clay Bennett is widely speculated to be preparing to move the team to Oklahoma City after next season, because Washington State politicians haven't come up with public dollars to support his wish for a new arena.

Locke was in tough to replace a great PBP guy like he had.  I wouldn't even say Locke was very good at play by play.  He was pretty good at breaking games down and giving good perspectives in post game shows, but not really at the level a guy calling major pro sports needs to be at IMO.

As for the need for a new arena in Seattle, I've never understood why they're so disappointed in the Key Arena.  While it's not a brand new arena, when I've been there I haven't found it to be that bad.  

Sonics Exhibition game in Vancouver in October!:  The Sonics and Phoenix Suns are playing an Exhibition game in Vancouver in October.  The guru behind this effort was Steve Nash who is from Victoria.  The announcement of the game came at his Celebrity game in Vancouver.  Tickets should be on sale.

So is Kevin Collabro still doing the Sonics broadcasts?

Aren't there some parallels between the Sonics present situation and the Grizzlies leaving Vancouver?   I mean, both teams have greedy owners that are not the least bit interested in the cities they play in.  The only difference being Seattle is a proven basketball market and Vancouver not.

What's up with rumours that a Vancouver businessman and real estate developer wants to bring an NBA team back here?   Isn't Howard Kelsey working on something?