The Kraken Owner Just Made a Power Move That Could Bring NBA Basketball Back to Seattle
Samantha Holloway is not messing around. The Kraken owner just announced she is taking majority control of Climate Pledge Arena, and the timing is crystal clear: the NBA expansion vote is coming this week. This is not a drill, folks. Seattle is about to make a serious run at bringing professional basketball back to the Emerald City for the first time since the SuperSonics packed up and left in 2008.
One Roof Sports and Entertainment Changes Everything
On Monday, Holloway announced the formation of One Roof Sports and Entertainment, a parent company that consolidates her ownership stake in Climate Pledge Arena, the Kraken, the One Roof Foundation, the Kraken Community Iceplex, Memorial Stadium at Seattle Center, the Coachella Valley Firebirds of the AHL, and Acrisure Arena in the Palm Springs Area. This is a massive structural move. It gives Holloway tighter financial control over the arena while keeping the Oak View Group on as the facility operator. And it all happens 48 hours before the NBA could formally announce an expansion process. Coincidence? Not a chance.
"Increasing our ownership in Climate Pledge Arena allows us to consolidate operations and sets us up for future opportunities," Holloway said in a statement. The message is loud and clear: Seattle is ready.
Seattle Has Everything the NBA Wants
Here is why this moment feels different. Climate Pledge Arena opened in 2021 after a $1.2 billion redevelopment of the old KeyArena site. The building is modern, league-ready, and already hosts the Kraken, the Storm, and the Torrent. It has hosted NCAA championship events and three different NBA exhibition games. Developers even built a future NBA locker room into the arena's design, currently sitting empty but ready to go.
The city also has history on its side. Seattle held onto the SuperSonics name, colors, history, and memorabilia rights in the 2008 settlement. The banners, trophies, and retired jerseys are waiting, locked and kept by the Museum of History and Industry, ready to be put back on display the moment the team returns.
The Expansion Timeline Is Real
NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said in December that Seattle and Las Vegas are the markets most clearly in the mix for expansion. In February, he announced the NBA had cleared key hurdles by finalizing its collective bargaining agreement and national media deals. Silver has also made it clear that relocation is off the table. Seattle's path back comes only through expansion.
Silver expects the league to make decisions on expansion in 2026. To approve it, he needs a vote from 23 of the NBA's 30 governors. After the formal process announcement, that vote could come soon. Seattle's time has arrived.
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This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.