In the grand scheme of life, they can be the Sparkplugs, the Sliced Tomatos, or Whole Wheat on Ice.

What I don't get, and perhaps smooth can help explain, is why on God's lil' frozen pond pit would there be a help name the name promo, in any form, if there was even a remote potential for deciding to wrap this new team up under the former team's moniker or colors, etc.

Just seems a bad PR move if the prior group's name and colors are seen by new mgmt. as a good idea.

How many years has the Blazers name been in Oklahoma City? How long was the name Stars in Oklahoma City? What what the name of the MOST SUCCESSFUL MINOR LEAGUE HOCKEY FRANCHISE IN NORTH AMERICAN HISTORY named? Answer those, then josut maybe you bullheaded idiots will get it.:poke:

How many years has the Blazers name been in Oklahoma City? How long was the name Stars in Oklahoma City? What what the name of the MOST SUCCESSFUL MINOR LEAGUE HOCKEY FRANCHISE IN NORTH AMERICAN HISTORY named? Answer those, then josut maybe you bullheaded idiots will get it.:poke:

Naming the new AHL team after our old CHL team does not guarantee success.

Name != success.

Skills + competitive drive = success. Even with a subpar name.

Naming the new AHL team after our old CHL team does not guarantee success.

Name != success.

Skills + competitive drive = success. Even with a subpar name.

I'm with you there. A good stat I heard - 85% of the players in the NHL played in the AHL. The CHL - around 2%.

The skill level doesn't even compare. Call them the dipsh!ts... I don't care. If there's good hockey and good entertainment people will come. I got my 3 tickets already.

At the end of the day, all of this arguing over a teamname and who has earned what kind of degree will probably be pointless.

AHL hockey teams come and go (ask Omaha, Des Moines, Quad Cities, etc) and tend to pull stakes after a few years. This franchise alone has already lived in Nova Scotia, Cape Breton, Hamilton, Toronto, Edmonton, and now Oklahoma City since 1984. That's not including Springfield.

Also, if these clowns continue their last place, Springfield ways a couple of more seasons....this could get ugly. Oklahomans are not known for supporting losing organizations. Ask John Blake.

I'm a little nervous about the Myriad. I predict more early 80's, OKC Stars type crowds (1,300??) rather than the mid-80's, OKC Blazers crowds (9,900??).

Let's hope not.

At the end of the day, all of this arguing over a teamname and who has earned what kind of degree will probably be pointless.

AHL hockey teams come and go (ask Omaha, Des Moines, Quad Cities, etc) and tend to pull stakes after a few years. This franchise alone has already lived in Nova Scotia, Cape Breton, Hamilton, Toronto, Edmonton, and now Oklahoma City since 1984. That's not including Springfield.

Also, if these clowns continue their last place, Springfield ways a couple of more seasons....this could get ugly. Oklahomans are not known for supporting losing organizations. Ask John Blake.

I'm a little nervous about the Myriad. I predict more early 80's, OKC Stars type crowds (1,300??) rather than the mid-80's, OKC Blazers crowds (9,900??).

Let's hope not.

Springfiled has nothing to do with the new BLAZERS. They are not relocating. It is a franchise that suspended operations.

You people are rally bull headed. Take it from someone that has been around a lot longer than most of you. Plus I have a degree to prove my marketing savvy. I hope I have the chance to say I told you so. I get that opportunity most of the time.

Warning: <rant>

Smooth, That's not very smooth. You are a very abrasive poster with a style that turns people off.

Your age matters? The fact you have a degree? So do many others of us here, but we also know that it's not worth much these days. And the bolded part above just blew me away. Agree or disagree with a viewpoint, but I have a hard time reading posts by somebody so obviously arrogant.

Merriam-Webster:
ARROGANT
Main Entry: ar·ro·gant
Pronunciation: \-gənt\
Function: adjective

1 : exaggerating or disposed to exaggerate one's own worth or importance often by an overbearing manner <an arrogant official>
2 : proceeding from or characterized by arrogance <an arrogant reply>

Back to earth, smooth. You're not the end-all and be-all of every discussion.

</rant>

it sucks that there is going to be a hockey team trashing up downtown when they are just now starting to get it cleaned up

How many years has the Blazers name been in Oklahoma City? How long was the name Stars in Oklahoma City? What what the name of the MOST SUCCESSFUL MINOR LEAGUE HOCKEY FRANCHISE IN NORTH AMERICAN HISTORY named? Answer those, then josut maybe you bullheaded idiots will get it.:poke:

A dodge of an answer to a serious question ... some of the folks may be bull headed, but your blinders appear to have you somewhat horse-headed, or something not far removed from it.

The question I posed, again, was not complex -

Why have a name the team process at all if the one best name is to use the name, colors, etc. of a prior team in the city?

It's not like Jon and Jane Public went out and insisted on having and started a name the team contest in total defiance to the owners. Just seems an odd pr move for the ownership to do something that is so contrary to your deeply held, and apparently credentialed, belief that only one logical choice exists for the team.

How many years has the Blazers name been in Oklahoma City? How long was the name Stars in Oklahoma City? What what the name of the MOST SUCCESSFUL MINOR LEAGUE HOCKEY FRANCHISE IN NORTH AMERICAN HISTORY named? Answer those, then josut maybe you bullheaded idiots will get it.:poke:

How could anyone possibly disagree with a reply this charming?

I'm sold. Blazers all the way.

I am sure everyone here knows this, but Operation Bongo II was a series of sonic-boom tests conducted over the OKC area in the 1960s. Considering the NBA team is named based on a sound (Thunder), why not have the hockey team based on a sound as well...I propose:

The OKLAHOMA CITY SONICS. Plus, the name would just be rich with irony.

Here's an additional perspective to consider.

What if we name the new team The Blazers and they suck....not like kinda stink but they really suck the big one. Something like a losing record where they only win 20% of their games.

IMO, that would tarnish the previous record of The Blazers and do more harm to the name than good. Then we'll forever be arguing, "Yeah but this is a different Blazer team." meh....new name all the way.

GO BLIZZARD

89'ers

Oklahoma City Blazers!

Here's an additional perspective to consider.

What if we name the new team The Blazers and they suck....not like kinda stink but they really suck the big one. Something like a losing record where they only win 20% of their games.

IMO, that would tarnish the previous record of The Blazers and do more harm to the name than good. Then we'll forever be arguing, "Yeah but this is a different Blazer team." meh....new name all the way.

GO BLIZZARD

but what if they win 80% of their games

but what if they win 80% of their games
If they're named The Blazers, they will be mostly ignored.
If they're named The Blizzard or something else, they will be celebrated as "The Next Big Thing In OKC". :kicking:

B-l-a-z-e-r-s!!!!

OKC>>>>S_T_O_R_M!!!!!!!!!!!!!

:woowoo::woowoo::woowoo::welcome5::bright_id:woowo o::woowoo::woowoo:

Firestorm!?!?

If they're named The Blazers, they will be mostly ignored.
If they're named The Blizzard or something else, they will be celebrated as "The Next Big Thing In OKC". :kicking:

You bring up some very valid points in your argument against the Blazers name.

But your idea of 'Blizzard' truly sucks.....and you just need to let it go.

Just as long as it's not "Tornados" please, please, please not that.

You bring up some very valid points in your argument against the Blazers name.

But your idea of 'Blizzard' truly sucks.....and you just need to let it go.
haha...Blizzard wasn't my idea but I like it. :elmer3:

Blizzard - no
Wind - for the love of all that is holy, NO!

http://g-ecx.images-amazon.com/images/G/01/ciu/80/90/75ab225b9da0331a80ea7110.L.jpg

Blizzard - no
Wind - for the love of all that is holy, NO!

http://g-ecx.images-amazon.com/images/G/01/ciu/80/90/75ab225b9da0331a80ea7110.L.jpg

This team goes to 11

You bring up some very valid points in your argument against the Blazers name.

But your idea of 'Blizzard' truly sucks.....and you just need to let it go.

Jethro is right. Although I am in favor of only one name (Blazers), Blizzard was MY idea. If it wasn't for the rich TRADITION of the BLAZERS, I would love the Blizzard name.

I like the name blizzard
if that happens maybe we can get the redhawks to change their name to redhawk

OKC is getting an AHL team because us Blazers fans supported our team better than any other CHL team for years, proving that we could be an AHL market. So, the owners should return that support by keeping the name BLAZERS.

It's already an established name known nationwide... B-L-A-Z-E-R-S!!!
I have to disagree, other than people who have CHL teams no one knew who the Blazers were, it was 3rd rate hockey presented like it was a higher grade of hockey imho !

I have to disagree, other than people who have CHL teams no one knew who the Blazers were, it was 3rd rate hockey presented like it was a higher grade of hockey imho !

You are VERY incorrect. The Blazers had the reputation of being the highest drawing minor league hockey team in North America and gained a great deal of national publicity. Plus, I have tried to drill it into the stubborn heads on this thread, it is pre-marketed.

You are VERY incorrect. The Blazers had the reputation of being the highest drawing minor league hockey team in North America and gained a great deal of national publicity. Plus, I have tried to drill it into the stubborn heads on this thread, it is pre-marketed.

All i know is i went to several Dallas Stars games and met people who were die hard hockey fans and had no idea who the blazers were......

All i know is i went to several Dallas Stars games and met people who were die hard hockey fans and had no idea who the blazers were......

You are referring to Texas. I am referring to intelligent life forms.

After several weeks of brainstorming, I've come up with a name which I think will satisfy all concerned parties:

"Lazers"

It's spelled incorrectly, yes, but this misspelling will allow for creative fans armed with Sharpies or Magic Markers to alter the merchandise as they see fit.

And fans who want a new name will also be happy.

Win-win. Besides, what's cooler than lasers? Nothing, that's what.

I am new to this forum but there seems to be a real lack of intelligent discussion just a lot of 5 to 6 word remarks that border on Just plan stupid so here is one for those i'm speaking of......The difference between stupidity and genius is that
genius has its limits.

Real hockey fans - i.e. those that truly follow the sport - will recognize the Oklahoma City Blazers in the same way that they recognize the Fort Wayne Komets, the Peoria Rivermen and the Houston Aeros.....regardless if they bounce from the CHL to the IHL to the AHL or versa visa.

If you've followed hockey for very long, you'll understand that there is a segment of hockey enthusiasts that call themselves 'hockey fans' but have zero interest in anything outside of the National Hockey League. They claim to be 'hockey fans' but have no desire to attend college games, minor-league games or watch anything from overseas.

So if a few of these folks in Dallas don't recognize the OKC Blazers, the San Antonio Rampage, the Laredo Bucks, etc....I'm not going to consider it a huge loss.

Real hockey fans - i.e. those that truly follow the sport - will recognize the Oklahoma City Blazers in the same way that they recognize the Fort Wayne Komets, the Peoria Rivermen and the Houston Aeros.....regardless if they bounce from the CHL to the IHL to the AHL or versa visa.

If you've followed hockey for very long, you'll understand that there is a segment of hockey enthusiasts that call themselves 'hockey fans' but have zero interest in anything outside of the National Hockey League. They claim to be 'hockey fans' but have no desire to attend college games, minor-league games or watch anything from overseas.

So if a few of these folks in Dallas don't recognize the OKC Blazers, the San Antonio Rampage, the Laredo Bucks, etc....I'm not going to consider it a huge loss.

Great response thanks for more that 5 words and i very much respect you opinion and see your point.

I have to disagree, other than people who have CHL teams no one knew who the Blazers were, it was 3rd rate hockey presented like it was a higher grade of hockey imho !

I won't disagree at all with the fact the CHL Blazers were third-rate hockey presented as a higher level (how do you expect a marketing department to sale a product??).

But I don't think people outside of our state borders were completely unfamiliar with the franchise. I've had a few conversations with Canadians, none of whom have never visited the south, who brought up how impressive those early-Blazers teams were in the old days.

It would be nice to get back to that tradition.

You are VERY incorrect. The Blazers had the reputation of being the highest drawing minor league hockey team in North America and gained a great deal of national publicity. Plus, I have tried to drill it into the stubborn heads on this thread, it is pre-marketed.


Well that's your opinion and of course we all know that saying....:backtotop

Plus, I have tried to drill it into the stubborn heads on this thread, it is pre-marketed.

& its working so well!!! OKC STORM!

Real hockey fans - i.e. those that truly follow the sport - will recognize the Oklahoma City Blazers in the same way that they recognize the Fort Wayne Komets, the Peoria Rivermen and the Houston Aeros.....regardless if they bounce from the CHL to the IHL to the AHL or versa visa.

If you've followed hockey for very long, you'll understand that there is a segment of hockey enthusiasts that call themselves 'hockey fans' but have zero interest in anything outside of the National Hockey League. They claim to be 'hockey fans' but have no desire to attend college games, minor-league games or watch anything from overseas.

So if a few of these folks in Dallas don't recognize the OKC Blazers, the San Antonio Rampage, the Laredo Bucks, etc....I'm not going to consider it a huge loss.
You're looking at this all wrong. You're thinking the hardcore fans will be able to carry this team financially, they won't.

A new team has to appeal to a larger market and I'm not talking about know nothing fans. There's a huge group of fans between the die hards that will recognize the teams you mention and the know nothing fans. Let's call these fans potentially passionate fans and/or dedicated fans. These people like hockey but don't follow every team. They catch games even in the lower leagues and in the past they loved going to Blazers games many times a year and many of them were season ticket holders.

These are far from know nothing fans but they're simply not die hard fans and never will be.....however, they're the bread and butter of ticket sales. That's the demographic they need to appeal to because they'll consistently buy tickets, they'll get friends interested in hockey, they'll buy the gear. For the hockey team to succeed here....we need many, many of these fans.

The OKC entertainment market is much more competitive than it's ever been and if they name the new team the Blazers, it's simply too easy for this demographic to say, "Meh...been there, done that....let's go to a Thunder game."

You're looking at this all wrong. You're thinking the hardcore fans will be able to carry this team financially, they won't.

A new team has to appeal to a larger market and I'm not talking about know nothing fans. There's a huge group of fans between the die hards that will recognize the teams you mention and the know nothing fans. Let's call these fans potentially passionate fans and/or dedicated fans. These people like hockey but don't follow every team. They catch games even in the lower leagues and in the past they loved going to Blazers games many times a year and many of them were season ticket holders.

These are far from know nothing fans but they're simply not die hard fans and never will be.....however, they're the bread and butter of ticket sales. That's the demographic they need to appeal to because they'll consistently buy tickets, they'll get friends interested in hockey, they'll buy the gear. For the hockey team to succeed here....we need many, many of these fans.

The OKC entertainment market is much more competitive than it's ever been and if they name the new team the Blazers, it's simply too easy for this demographic to say, "Meh...been there, done that....let's go to a Thunder game."

Now your Talking....great post !!! Thank you.:woowoo:

you're looking at this all wrong. You're thinking the hardcore fans will be able to carry this team financially, they won't.

bingo

After several weeks of brainstorming, I've come up with a name which I think will satisfy all concerned parties:

"Lazers"

I think we have a winner.

I dont know i still like the name borrowed in part from the defunct USFL Oklahoma OutLaws...Oklahoma City OutLaws.....

Not sure I ever said 'the hardcore fans will be able to carry this team financially'. Of course we need to appeal to the walk-up fans.

In the same way the successful San Antonio Rampage do not. How that team survives is a mystery.

I prefer a name that is orginial. Not a copy of a previous team in any professional sports are a knock off of the 49ers or 76ers... Since I love horses, much better than any cow, I like the name Stallions. Use red as the primary color, and maybe add some wings to the stallion... Think Mobil...

When is Prodigal Hockey LLC planning on going public with the AHL OKC team name. Its been over a month and a half and still no word on this?.

Since I love horses, much better than any cow, I like the name Stallions. Use red as the primary color, and maybe add some wings to the stallion... Think Mobil...

Change it from red to pink, add a horn and you have a unicorn. The Oklahoma City Unicorns. Laugh if you want, but you know we would totally kick everybody else's ass in the coveted six-to-ten-year-old female demographic.

OK! Well according to OilFieldHockey.com and Twitter, the word is out that the new AHL hockey team affiliate of the Edmonton Oilers here in OKC will be the Oklahoma City Barons. Now Im not sure if this is 100% written stone, however it seems to be as true as true can be. According to OilFieldHockey.com, there saying that the official name annoucement will be in a few weeks. Im assuming that Prodigal will go public on their website soon as well. But it looks like it possibly is true, ITS THE OKC Barons.

During the naming contest, this was one of my least fav names, I would have chosen the tornadoes, roughnecks, or the thunderbirds. Anyways this can be found once again on OilFieldHockey.com

^^ Barrons, was also in The running for The NBA(Thunder)team name!I like it better as a minor league name!so in this case it's not to bad!

Well, I am an avid hockey fan and look forward to seeing the OKC Barons play some competitive hockey coming up this fall, it will be an exciting inaugural season for the barons and for the players. Also though, there rumoring to keep the old blazers "B" on the new uniform sounds pretty cool, I think they should.

Oilfieldhockey is just saying that the name was leaked on twitter. But nothing was said about an announcement of the name. That came from the original twitter post, that was re-tweeted by Oilfieldhockey and others.

I hope it's Barons, that would be a great name for this energy emerging city.

Cleveland's Barons of the Old American Hockey League and one year as the Barons of the National Hockey League (short-lived history); I wonder if there is going to be a problem with this name because it was previously a minor-major league name?


Can someone out there shed some light on this--did Cleveland possibly reserve this name for an eventual return to the AHL in the future?

Seattle has this right with the Supersonics?

The Cleveland Barons were moved to Worcester, Ma, and they have been the Sharks affiliate. The Lake Erie Monsters are in Cleveland, and are the primary affiliate of Colorado.

The Cleveland Barons were moved to Worcester, Ma, and they have been the Sharks affiliate. The Lake Erie Monsters are in Cleveland, and are the primary affiliate of Colorado.


Thanks HockeyFan4Life, that shoud leave the name Barons open.


Oklahoma City Barons



I'm sold!

works for me. ..

wow, just look at OKC's major league/pro sports contingent now:

NBA - Oklahoma City Thunder
AFL - Oklahoma City Yard Dawgz (PLEASE CHANGE THIS NAME!!!!)
AAA - Oklahoma City Redhawks (should be '89ers' though)
AHL - Oklahoma City Barons
other 'local' pro teams

guys, that is a full slate of sports where ALL are at or 'just below' the Major Professional Leagues. wow - who would have thought that 'minor league' OKC would have such a contingent; and ALL with OKLAHOMA CITY names. .... This is very impressive (would be moreso with a few name changes). :)

Add to that list OKC's contingent of college sports:

OU - Football (might as well be NFL)
OU other sports
OSU sports
Oklahoma City University sports (reportedly to be moving up to NCAA)
University of Central Oklahoma sports
local colleges (SNU, Rose State, etc).

with all of this, OKC press had better get much better in broadcasting and reporting as well as promoting all of these teams and events.


I must say, I am very looking forward to OCU moving up to NCAA and having their basketball games played at the Cox Convention Center. Can you imagine? Oklahoma City with a MAJOR LEAGUE team (NBA) AND two MAJOR NCAA teams..... wow - could that be matched by ANY other metro of similar size?

there will be no problems with cleveland
the ahl coming here is great i grew up watching and then working for a ahl foe the grand rapids griffins

Well, whatever the name is, Im wondering what the holdup is on going public with the name. I have called Prodigal hockey a few times since Feb, to no avail and Im wondering when all the souveneirs will go on sale. Im sure theres all to be done during the summer and time is counting down.

Remember that it just isn't us fans here in OKC, there are alot of Oilers'(and I don't mean Tulsa) fans that are very interested too.

How about the Naturals? Natural gas, natural resources, natural friendliness, natural people.

arkansas would kick our ass over that, they are the natural state, not us.

I like the Oklahoma City Wind.

.

Oh lord, I can already hear the ESPN commentators over this one

"Well, it looks like tonight Vancouver is going to have a hard time trying to defeat Oklahoma City in this fierce competition,..yet the question among fans remains the same....Can the Canucks break the Wind?"

i swear im gonna slap the next person who thinks Barons is a great name for Oklahoma's hockey team. Would the hell would be our mascots?, Snoopy & Woodstock??

Theres not an incredibly large French population in Oklahoma, there is in Louisiana, but not here.

i know Mr. Smooth thinks its dumb to have any name that even mildly associates itself with reknown elements of a specific region, feeling it to be overly stereotypical...but going out on a limb to name our team something that were entirely not is just plain silliness.

i did some homework here and even looked up Barons, and im sorry, Im just not seeing the vaguest of relevance to it having anything to do with Oklahoma at all.

Baron - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baron)

..and Baroness is a character from G.I. Joe.