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Mayor Johnson Responds To Stern's Comment On Kings Bid Being Too Low

SACRAMENTO (CBS13) - Mayor Kevin Johnson was on the CBS Sports 1140 on Monday talking to Grant Napear, who guest hosted the Jim Rome Show.

On Friday, NBA commissioner David Stern said the Sacramento bid for the Kings was too low.

Here's what Johnson said about that statement today: "I feel like our ownership group is well-positioned. This is part of the process so there will be a lot of negotiating going on between now and then. Seattle set a really high bar. We know what that number is. I feel like our ownership group has the financial capability and wherewithal to keep the team in Sacramento."

The Seattle group has reportedly offered to pay $525 million to buy a 65-percent share of the team. The financial terms of the Mark Mastrov/Ron Burkle deal have not been made public. But according to Stern, the Sacramento offer is well below the Seattle offer.

Johnson also talked about why Sacramento is a better location for the team: "Seattle had a team and they lost it for a reason and Sacramento has done everything to keep a team for the very reason that Seattle lost a team. Secondly, when you think about Sacramento, we're a one-team market, and we epitomize what a one-team market is, epitomizes and is capable of."

Today, the investor leading the Seattle group, Chris Hansen, asked Sonics fans to sign up for a "priority ticket wait-list." The list will go live on Thursday, and according to a statement, will give him the chance to "understand and prioritize the demand for tickets."

Hansen says the wait-list will show the NBA that Seattle wants its team back.

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