The Seattle SuperSonics played their last game at Key Arena in 2008, a few months after Amazon planted its flag just down the road with a 1.7 million-square foot office campus in the South Lake Union neighborhood. GeekWire sat down with the potential ownership team, Oak View Group, as it prepares to kick off a season ticket drive this morning. The group is aiming to secure an expansion team for the 2020-21 season. The group plans a $600 million renovation project that protects Key Arena’s historic roof, while largely rebuilding the interior. The ownership group is hoping to capture the enthusiasm of the city’s thriving tech workforce.

The name has historic roots, being the moniker of the team that won the 1917 Stanley Cup as a member of the Pacific Coast Hockey Association. The name has historic roots, being the moniker of the team that won the 1917 Stanley Cup as a member of the Pacific Coast Hockey Another historical name, this one hearkens back to the minor league team that played in the city from 1944-1976. A reference, of course, to Seattle's first Major League Baseball team, which only lasted one year before becoming moving to Milwaukee to become the Brewers. We really can't name a team after one mountain range or the other will get jealous, but Cascades is better than Olympics, right? We really can't name a team after one mountain range or the other will get jealous, but Cascades is better than Olympics, right?

SEATTLE, WA - There's no arena, there's no team, but you can still get your season tickets to Seattle's impending NHL franchise starting today. Once you put down your deposit - $500 per season ticket, $1,000 for club season tickets - you'll get placed into a queue to buy actual season tickets when the arena is done. The good news is the deposit is refundable - and if for some reason Seattle doesn't get an NHL team, you'll get your money back. to grab your place in line. Please abide by our posting standards: Users who violate our posting rules will have their comments blocked or deleted.

Bruckheimer met Gretzky at a party, and Gretzky arranged for him to get season tickets. Having season tickets, Bruckheimer decided to take skating lessons. And having taken skating lessons, he decided to get some friends together to play hockey on Sunday nights. In the meantime, they’re embarking Thursday on a season-ticket-deposit drive meant to demonstrate the city’s interest in a team. They’re also planning to renovate KeyArena, where the Sonics used to play, to the tune of $660 million — including $20 million in acoustic treatment requested by Seattle’s beloved Pearl Jam — and if they’re approved, the league expansion fee will run approximately $650 million, all privately financed.

Although hockey is fun to watch on TV, it’s one of the most enjoyable sports to see live — or play yourself. In February, the Los Angeles-based Oak View Group (led by billionaire David Bonderman and producer Jerry Bruckheimer) filed to bring an NHL expansion team to Seattle. Although hockey is fun to watch on TV, it’s one of the most enjoyable sports to see live. Before the new team arrives in the Emerald City, here are five fun facts to know about the sport. Meanwhile, the participation of boys and men increased 19 percent over the same 10-year period.

Bruckheimer said he also briefly pursued the the Anaheim Ducks and later the Pittsburgh Penguins before the team drafted franchise player Sidney Crosby in 2005. Bruckheimer marveled at the changes Seattle has undergone since he previewed American Gigolo here in the 1980s. Hockey fans have the opportunity to put down a $500 deposit in order to lock down an opportunity to be among the first buyers for tickets if a team comes to town. Should the NHL approve OVG’s bid to bring a team to Seattle, Bruckheimer might be as happy as any fan. That meeting rekindled his love for the game, and motivated him to learn how to skate.

The ownership group that applied to bring the NHL to Seattle, David Bonderman, Jerry Bruckheimer and Tim Leiweke, are hoping to not only land the 32nd hockey team but also to add an NBA franchise to the city. They submitted paperwork and a $10 million down payment to the NHL earlier this month, and it's expected the league will accept the bid pending interest of the season-tickets. The NHL also set the expansion fee at $650 million, which was a significant increase from the $500 million the Golden Knights paid to enter the league. "The way we are going to structure all of our contractually obligated income is making sure there will be revenue upside built in should the NBA ever consider Seattle," Leiweke said. "We are committed to making sure the building, all of our contracts, all of our partnerships and all of our relationships, are done in a way that we can maximize value." There are still some hurdles the potential owners face with the NBA, particularly if the league wants to expand to Seattle, but the interest is certainly there as the potential NHL expansion comes closer to reality.