Why people are wearing jerseys of a basketball team that hasn't existed in 17 Years (By Jonas Lepp)

In 2025, if you say “Supersonics,” you're more likely to get a response about Sonic the Hedgehog’s powered-up form rather than the basketball team, but it wasn’t always this way. 16 years, 11 months, and 1 day – that's how long it's been since the Seattle Supersonics left town. In more time than most high school juniors have been alive, a period including the entire family of iPhones, a storied and beloved NBA franchise has been extinct. Yet, for some reason, the team’s merchandise is selling out, and fans are excited. Why?

The Story of Seattle

“The Crown Jewel of the Pacific Northwest” was incorporated in 1869 with 2,000 residents and has since grown into the 18th most populous city in America, with 759,000 residents. Known for the historic farmers market, Pike’s Place, and the Space Needle, Seattle is a vibrant city with a rich culture. The city is also an economic hotbed, having birthed some of the largest companies around. It’s common knowledge that Starbucks originated in Seattle, but what about Amazon, Boeing, or Microsoft? Combine a lot of people, a lot of money, and bad weather (at least from an Angeleno’s perspective) to yield a unique sports culture with enthusiastic and invested fans. With such consistent sporting event attendance, it’s evident that the residents of Seattle hold a strong passion for their many teams, including the Kraken, Seahawks, Mariners, Sounders, Reign, Storm, and formerly the Supersonics. 

What Happened to the Supersonics?

In 1967, prior to the NBA and ABA merging, the ABA had a new expansion team in Seattle called the Sonics. The Sonics were named after the jets that Boeing had developed in Seattle, and the “super” speed that the team played with on the court brought their adoption of the title “Supersonics.” Over the next 4 decades, the fledgling basketball team grew into a respected winner and a favorite of the Seattle locale. Among the team’s most impressive accomplishments were an NBA championship in 1979, led by Hall of Famers Dennis Johnson and Jack Sikma, as well as the “Sonic Boom” team of the 1990s, with Hall of Famers Gary Payton and Shawn Kemp. The Supersonics’ downfall began when Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz purchased the team in 2001, an acquisition that Seattleites believed would solidify the roots of their basketball team. After a solid start to his ownership, Schultz was tasked with navigating an expiring lease on KeyArena, the stadium where the Sonics played. Shockingly, the multi-billionaire couldn’t come to an agreement with the city to build a new arena, wanting more public funding. He decided that rather than exploring a solution, he would sell his problem to the highest bidder, who turned out to be Oklahoman businessman Clay Bennet. Even before Bennet’s purchase was confirmed in 2006, there were rumors of moving the team to his hometown of OKC; this possibility came to fruition in 2008, ending the 39-year history of the Seattle Supersonics. 

What’s Happening Now?

Supersonics fans were up in arms with the relocation of their team and rightfully so. One way they have found to express this displeasure is by continuing to wear Sonics jerseys. In October of 2024, the Clippers were playing the Blazers during a special preseason game in Seattle. That game was attended by an immense number of fans, many sporting their Supersonics merch to petition for the return of their hometown team. One fan went as far to say “It is a protest… see my Sonics gear and bring back my Sonics.” Another fan who was 13 years old shared a depressing sentiment: “I love basketball, but I have no one to root for.”  This goes to show that the fans are still here, they still love their team, and most of all, they aren’t going away. They’ll still be showing support in bright green jerseys, a fixture of Supersonics fan culture. 

The Effect of Clothing on Cultural Movements

The “protest” that the Sonics fans made known through their clothing demonstrates the role of fashion in social movements. Looking back at history, specifically the 1960s, it can be seen that fashion and clothing have been used to amplify messages and build cohesion between protesters, visually displaying solidarity. The three most notable movements of the 60s were the Anti-Vietnam War, Women’s Liberation, and the Civil Rights Movement, all of which used fashion as a form of protest. Members of the Anti-Vietnam War Movement wore bell-bottom jeans and black armbands. When three high school students wore black armbands after being instructed not to by school administration, they got suspended. In response, their parents sued the school district on the grounds of infringement of the students’ 1st amendment rights. The case, Tinker v. Des Moines, was ruled in favor of the students, setting a legal precedent that fashion is an extension of free speech. In the Women’s Lib Movement, protesters fought against the objectification of and societal expectations for women by removing their high heels and bras. During the Civil Rights Movement, the Black Panther Party wore black berets and leather jackets to symbolize Black power and fight against discrimination. Using fashion to express the ideological aims of each of these movements created a sense of power and solidarity, and often, news articles would address statements made through protesters’ clothing. This helped to amplify the protests by increasing visibility and press coverage; the protesters effectively asserted their message by visually standing out and refusing to be ignored.

Where Would I Buy Supersonics Apparel?

If you’re convinced of the power of fashion and would like to join the Supersonic revival effort, you now have to find the right clothes to wear. The first place you should look is Simply Seattle, the largest Supersonics store in the world. Take a look at a baseball hat of the Seattle skyline, complete with a silhouette of the Space Needle, or snag a bright green warmup jacket from 1979. In an all-time NBA ranking celebrating the coolest jerseys, the Sonics placed 12th, with ESPN remarking, “This look always represented the city of Seattle well. Stylish and different just the way they like it up in the Pacific Northwest.” This commentary reveals the rarity of a well-suited kit, with many teams falling short in that respect – Dallas, I’m calling you out. The bottom line is that “The Team Store for a City Without a Team” is your one-stop shop for all things Supersonics.

The Reason for Optimism

For the first time in about twenty years, the NBA is looking to add more teams to the league, which is great news for Seattle. It’s undeniable that the city deserves an expansion team bid. Seattle has a high population and a booming economy, which makes it a viable contender. The Supersonics fanbase is still alive and well, even though the team has been gone for 17 years – truly a testament to how much a sports team can mean to a city. Last but not least, the reason for the Sonics’ departure all those years ago was a dispute over the stadium, but that is no longer a concern. In 2021, the Kraken, Seattle’s pro hockey team, renovated Climate Pledge arena, which would be shared with the Sonics if they were to return. It is my hope that a couple of years from now, the world will be blessed with not only Super Sonic but also the Supersonics!