Seattle Thought The Storm Was A Sideshow. Now It's A $425 Million Empire.

Oh my gosh, you guys, you are NOT gonna believe this. Remember when our beloved Sonics bounced in 2008, and the Seattle Storm was pretty much the "tail on the dog" of that whole NBA operation? Well, buckle up, Emerald City, because the Storm isn't just a tail anymore. It's the whole damn dog, and it's running the show! The Storm, bought for a mere $10 million back when the Sonics left, is now valued at an estimated $425 million. Seriously, this isn't a drill!

From Sideshow to Slam Dunk: The Storm's Unbelievable Rise

Let's rewind a bit. Back in the day, before the Sonics skipped town, co-owner Ginny Gilder herself said the Storm was just tagging along, the "tail on the dog" of its NBA counterpart. Both teams were bought in 2001 for $200 million by a group led by former Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz, even sharing KeyArena and a practice facility. But let's be real, the men's team was the cash cow, covering most of the bills. Then 2008 happened, the Sonics ditched us over an arena dispute, leaving for Oklahoma City. That same year, a group of local businesswomen, including our very own Gilder, formed Force 10 Hoops LLC and snagged the Storm for $10 million. That was only 5% of what Schultz originally paid for both teams combined! Fast forward, and over the last two decades, our Storm didn't just grow; it *exploded*. We're talking an estimated value of $425 million, landing us among the top five of the WNBA's 13 franchises. And you know who was there for a lot of that? Our legend, Sue Bird! After retiring in 2022, she joined Force 10 Hoops as a Storm owner in 2024, after helping the team bag four championships. This team didn't just survive, it thrived!

Building a Basketball Mecca, One Game at a Time

So, what does this insane growth mean for Seattle? A lot, my friends. Our city might not be a one-team basketball town for much longer. NBA Commissioner Adam Silver is on record saying he's focused on bringing the SuperSonics back as part of the league's expansion, potentially as early as 2028. And get this: the ownership of the Seattle Kraken NHL team, through One Roof Sports and Entertainment, is even positioning itself to be the next owner of our revived NBA franchise. While the Sonics might have been the foundation, it's Gilder and the Storm's ownership who have spent the last 16 years building the basketball culture that the NBA now wants to re-enter. For them, a Sonics return isn't just about celebrating women's sports in the spotlight, it's about growing Seattle as a sports town, period. Gilder put it perfectly: "It raises the profile of basketball even more...so that you'll now have pro-basketball pretty much 12 months a year in Seattle." She said, "It's the Sonics and the Storm; it's the Storm and the Sonics. It's bread and butter, apple pie and vanilla ice cream. They belong together." That's the passion we need! And if you want to know where Gilder gets that fire, she grew up an athlete, even won a silver medal in rowing at the 1984 Olympics. She famously joined her Yale crewmates in protesting Yale's treatment of women athletes in 1979, literally stripping naked with "Title IX" scrawled on their bodies to demand a women's locker room. Yale added it the next year. She said, "I got my degree in history, but I majored in equity, in access to opportunity." That's the spirit driving our Storm! Can you even imagine? Pro basketball year-round, baby! This isn't just about the Storm anymore, it's about the Emerald City becoming THE basketball capital again. With the Storm leading the charge and the Sonics potentially back by 2028, Seattle is about to be a twin-powered hoop heaven. Get ready, folks, because the future of basketball in Seattle is looking brighter than ever!

This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.