NEW YORK, March 30 2001 - The Basketball Club of Seattle, LLC (TBCS), a group of Seattle area investors, today received the approval on the sale of the Seattle NBA and WNBA franchises from the NBA Board of Governors. The $200 million sale will be finalized on Sunday, Apr. 1, 2001, once all funds have been transferred between TBCS and The Ackerley Group. Howard Schultz, founder of Starbucks Corporation, will serve as chairman and lead the local group of private investors. TBCS includes Wally Walker, who will serve as president and CEO of the Seattle Sonics & Storm. Other TBCS members include Stanley H. Barer, Naveen Jain, G. Scott Greenburg,
