The prospective new owner of the Sacramento Kings is calling on fans in Seattle to sign up for a "priority ticket waitlist" as a way to show the NBA how much interest there is in bringing pro basketball back to the area.

Chris Hansen made the announcement on his SonicsArena.com website on Monday afternoon. It was his first statement since the announcement of the sale of the Kings from the Maloof family to Hansen and Microsoft Chairman Steve Ballmer on Jan. 21. That sale is pending league approval.

Hansen says no inference should be drawn between the start of a ticket waitlist and the efforts in closing the purchase of the Kings and relocating them to Seattle for the 2013-14 season.