Which of these major/mid-major professional sports do you believe will be the next to penetrate the Oklahoma City market and why?



MLB: Major League Baseball

MSL: Major League Soccer

NFL: National Football League

NHL: National Hockey League

WNBA: Women's National Basketball Association

I feel that Oklahoma City should attempt to lure Major League Soccer. The franchise fee is currently $10-$20 million and we could place a team in Wantland Stadium in Edmond which now has a seating capacity of 12,000. The stadium could be expanded and used until a new soccer-american football specific stadium with a seating capacity in the neighborhood of 25,000 to 50,000 could be built in Oklahoma City.

I feel that Oklahoma City should attempt to lure Major League Soccer. The franchise fee is currently $10-$20 million and we could place a team in Wantland Stadium in Edmond which now has a seating capacity of 12,000. The stadium could be expanded and used until a new soccer-american football specific stadium with a seating capacity in the neighborhood of 25,000 to 50,000 could be built in Oklahoma City.

I agree Laramie, I think it will be awesome if they built a soccer specific stadium down by the Oklahoma River, somewhere in downtown, or even the suburbs like Edmond or Norman.

None of the above

In the far, far, far away future, I would say the NFL

I predict the NFL will come here far sooner than anyone believes...

If were talking about now, maybe major league soccer or WNBA(arena will be empty no matter what, thats just the way it is). I don't see OKC ever having baseball or football not in the next 50 years anyway.

Well,OKC's metro population right now is 1.3 million and the general rule is One pro sport for every One Million people.Based on that and current facilities I'd say OKC cannot support any of the other of the major 3(MLB,NFL,NHL)but MLS is a possiblity,Many college football stadiums in The Metro could host such a sport!Check back in about 10-20 years as OKC's population might be able to atleast host One other of the major four!

I'm not voting because you didn't put 'none of the above' as an option.

^^That would also be a good option!We need to see how OKC supports The Thunder when they have multiple losing seasons!

MLS could work - a few years ago exhibitions were held and were well attended. It is thought that OKC/Edmond was very close to landing a MLS franchise but unfortunately an ownership group did not materialize as expected (Express Sports I think were presumed to have been the leading candidate).

One big advantage is the MLS and NBA seasons do not overlap too badly. The MLS Cup is played about when the NBA regular season begins. Personally my two favorite US leagues are NBA and MLS so I would be in heaven if OKC somehow had both!!

I know OKC can support the NFL, it is not a question of whether OKC given how football crazy the city is. The key is we need an NFL specific stadium to make it happen. I have heard others who have said the same, that the NFL should do an expansion to add LA and 1-3 other spots (to keep the same divisions/leagues); and OKC was mentioned. I think it was on SSC or something, I don't remember, but I do recall thinking - yeah, OKC definitely could support the NFL attendance wise and with the rise of corporate and if the NFL team was owned by Bennett, I definitely think it all could work.

I know there are those who say OKC could support the MLS, which is probably true. But are there really enough foreign transplants, with money, to make MLS a reality? I know OKC area has enough people to support OU, OSU, and NFL; and I believe that the NBA is so different, that the city could continue to do well with it - albeit probably quite stretched to do both majors and the two schools (not to mention OCU, SMU, and UCO).

But MLS is sort of a niche league to me, and while OKC does have a lot of immigrants, do they have money/interest in an OKC futbol team to make it work? not so sure.

I do agree, if OKC can become 1.5M metro, the corporate base continues to expand/get richer, and the ownership of pro teams continues with Bennett and the same club - then NFL is a given as long as the team does not permanently play at OU's Gaylord Family Memorial Stadium. I hope MAPS IV has an NFL 60,000 seat luxury stadium as its signature project, alongside greatly expanded transit (Commuter Rail, Expanded Streetcar, and local and commuter bus).

Better to support one team well than two teams mediocrely. I'd like to have the NFL here, but I'm not sure if Jerry Jones has enough clout to keep that from happening eventually. LA is going to get their team, and we're probably going to have to get in line behind other cities that are growing as fast or faster and don't yet have a second team. Portland and San Antonio come to mind.

I cant see OKC supporting a NFL team and pulling in 50,000 fans or more each week for 16 weeks. Plus a lot here support the cowboys and the chiefs.

I don't have a link but their was an article recently about how their are 3 or 4 teams likely move if their were NFL caliber stadiums for them elsewhere, as much as half of small market teams income comes from the NFL's national TV rights anyway and most cities in the top 100 most populated list would not have a problem filling the seats with an average team. Though would be at somewhat of a disadvantage to the bigger market teams like New York, Dallas, Chicago and if LA get a team would have more chances to sell merchandise, squeeze in a few more fans and charge higher prices per ticket.

I cant see OKC supporting a NFL team and pulling in 50,000 fans or more each week for 16 weeks. Plus a lot here support the cowboys and the chiefs.

It's actually 8 home games. I actually don't think we'd have any trouble filling an NFL stadium, although it is possible an NFL team could affect attendance at OU, OSU and Thunder games, especially in down years for any of them. I supported the Mavericks before the Hornets and Thunder came. The minute we had our own team I forgot about the Mavs in a heartbeat. I suspect the same thing would happen with an NFL team. I just think that it's unlikely we get an NFL team anytime in the near future, unless we become the hot new place to live, and I'm not talking about the weather.

MLS by far makes the most sense with the lower cost of entry and the lower attendance expectations. It'd be smart to buy in early as MLS will certainly overtake at least the NHL, and possibly MLB in popularity. NFL makes zero sense in Oklahoma City with the smaller population and proximity of OU and OSU. Honestly, with a population increase, the NFL would make more sense in Tulsa than Oklahoma City.

Lacross would be a natural fit.

Lacross would be a natural fit.

I think we have a lacrosse team, not sure if it ever materialized though

Aside from poor demographics,the current trend is to build ridiculously expensive football stadiums. Oklahoma doesn't have the money to build a stadium that can compete unless someone like Jerry Jones comes to town.

Aside from poor demographics,the current trend is to build ridiculously expensive football stadiums. Oklahoma doesn't have the money to build a stadium that can compete unless someone like Jerry Jones comes to town.

Oklahoma has the money. It's just that those who have that money don't have the same mentality of Jerry Jones. And that could be a good thing. LOL

Baseball - You have to have an average attendance of about 30,000 for 81 home games. Games overlap basketball season. I don't see this happening in the anywhere near future.

Soccer - I don't know enough about to even guess.

Football - Need a new 100,000 seat stadium. Any new stadium anywhere will have to be on par with Jerry-World. You have to keep up with the Jones's (no pun intended). Season would overlap basketball and college football. I don't see this happening in the anywhere near future.

Hockey - Too many NHL teams say they're in trouble. League will contract before it expands.

WNBA - Seriously? It's a miracle the league even exists. The NBA keeps pumping money into something that loses lots of money every year. They'll get tired of that eventually.

I think soccer has exponential potential for the US market. I don't see a lot of overlap in the customer base either. The soccer crowd is very loyal and will drive to see a game. I hope we get a team in the next 8-10 years. I don't see it happening any earlier economically speaking. It would be a bit too far reaching for the city before then unless we see a population boom like Austin, which isn't totally out of the question.......

I think soccer has exponential potential for the US market. I don't see a lot of overlap in the customer base either. The soccer crowd is very loyal and will drive to see a game. I hope we get a team in the next 8-10 years. I don't see it happening any earlier economically speaking. It would be a bit too far reaching for the city before then unless we see a population boom like Austin, which isn't totally out of the question.......


Ture, the NBA season and MLS season aren't in conflict. Salt Lake City which has the same demographics as Oklahoma City is a good example of the MLS working in an NBA market.

If we spent $115 million on a soccer specific stadium in Oklahoma City we could ge more for our bucks than what they built in Utah. A $100 million could build a 30,000 - 35,000 seat stadium here.

Salt Lake City recently built a soccer specific stadium in suburban Sandy Utah:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rio_Tinto_Stadium

Edmond is probably as comparable to Oklahoma City as Sandy is to Salt Lake City.

MLS could work in the Oklahoma City area.

Agree with those who wanted a "None of the above" option.

While I think it actually might be the most likely prospect among those listed, I don't think MLB wouldn't get enough consistent attendance over 81 home dates. Sorry, but I've been hearing about how soccer is going to "explode" in US popularity since I was a kid, and it still isn't there yet. Can't imagine the city sinking $100+ million into a soccer-only facility, so that's a loser, too. No way we'd get the requisite 65K+ seat stadium only three hours away from Jerry World for any NFL consideration, so that's out. NHL is on shaky financial footing and will cut franchises before they expand, and the WNBA is an unqualified joke as a professional sports enterprise.

Sorry to sound like a "Debbie Downer," but I'm trying to be honest....I think an NFL franchise would be awesome in OKC, but I just don't see it ever happening.

I think that a "one-off" sporting events would do well in OKC. I mean sports that wouldn't have a full slate of games in one location but contests that move around taking the whole spectacle from place to place.

I would have said NASCAR but that was before Dallas and Kansas got their tracks. Also that sport is not growing any more. NASCAR could have been huge here in OKC.

The Indy car race could be huge in OKC. It would be a "one-off" event, one day per year. It would require minimal investment from the city (15-20 million which is a far cry from the hundred of millions to build a new stadium). There wouldn't have to be a local owner because the teams are individually owned and the races are put on by the league. Sponsors would have to be found but I don't see that as too big of a problem. Fans wouldn't have the expense of season tickets. Just buy a ticket to the race. The race could take place in the summer giving Oklahomans "something to do". Also having the race in the summer would be after the NBA and college BB season's are over but before OU and OSU football starts. It could even be before the NFL training camps open.

Agree with those who wanted a "None of the above" option.

While I think it actually might be the most likely prospect among those listed, I don't think MLB wouldn't get enough consistent attendance over 81 home dates. Sorry, but I've been hearing about how soccer is going to "explode" in US popularity since I was a kid, and it still isn't there yet. Can't imagine the city sinking $100+ million into a soccer-only facility, so that's a loser, too. No way we'd get the requisite 65K+ seat stadium only three hours away from Jerry World for any NFL consideration, so that's out. NHL is on shaky financial footing and will cut franchises before they expand, and the WNBA is an unqualified joke as a professional sports enterprise.

Sorry to sound like a "Debbie Downer," but I'm trying to be honest....I think an NFL franchise would be awesome in OKC, but I just don't see it ever happening.



A soccer-specific facility could also accommodate american football.

Oklahoma City does not have a decent facility to hold the state high school playoffs or some possible college or university (non conference) games which could be brought to this area.

Remember when we built the Oklahoma City Arena it was built to accommodate a number of events and not just for sports.

The OKC Arena was constructed to NHL specifications back when the conventional wisdom held that we should be pursuing an NHL franchise. When we realized that the NHL was playing us for leverage against another city, and apparently wasn't seriously considering us, we opted to build the arena anyway. The later tweaks to the arena were to modify it to NBA specifications.

Hosting Oklahoma high school football championships isn't going to justify the expense of a $100 milliion-plus facility, especially in light of the fact that host sites for those games rotates between east and west sites. That means you only have a revenue opportunity every other year. Beyond that, there's no way OU or OSU is going to sacrifice a home date just to give an OKC facility some exposure. OU is already behind the curve among power programs having only six home dates per year, and that's because they in effect give away one home date every other year by playing Texas in Dallas, so you'd sooner get a kiss from a skunk before you'd get OU to sacrifice a *second* home date. OSU is arguably more likely to be in a position to offer a date, but they'd be doing so at the expense of losing a home date in their newly rebuilt facility. So I think that's a non-starter too.

The NFL just isn't going to happen here, either. To begin with, pretending Jerry World doesn't exist, even talking about an NFL franchise here means you're looking at a $1 billion pricetag, considering facility and franchise costs, and I frankly don't think that kind of money exists in either the private or public sector. I think the window of opportunity for OKC to have done something like that was wide open about 15 years ago, but there was simply no public sentiment for it then.

Just wish they'd build a new dirt track somewhere to replace the SFS. In his solemen statement at the time of the deed Mick said he'd be working tirelessly to fill the void caused by the destruction of the SFS. He wasn't talking about a Gran Prix race was he. yeah, European style street racing, hear poeple talking that up all the time around here. Know there's ben fledgling efforts to get it done(new track)- has anyone heard lately. I haven't. btw, can anyone pour salt into a wound- was the destruction of SFS accomplished with maps3 funds.? Mick forgot to mention that in all those smarmy ads.

Nascar

Just wish they'd build a new dirt track somewhere to replace the SFS. In his solemen statement at the time of the deed Mick said he'd be working tirelessly to fill the void caused by the destruction of the SFS. He wasn't talking about a Gran Prix race was he. yeah, European style street racing, hear poeple talking that up all the time around here. Know there's ben fledgling efforts to get it done(new track)- has anyone heard lately. I haven't. btw, can anyone pour salt into a wound- was the destruction of SFS accomplished with maps3 funds.? Mick forgot to mention that in all those smarmy ads.

I don't know what you consider to be recent. This came out two months ago.

http://www.newsok.com/article/3564829?highlight=%5B%22le%22%2C%22mans%22%5D

To my knowlege there have no expenditures of Map3 funds to date so your worries about the Mayor's smarmy ads for that reason may be misplaced.

The contract for the demolition was for $425,000.00.

I don't know what you consider to be recent. This came out two months ago.

http://www.newsok.com/article/3564829?highlight=%5B%22le%22%2C%22mans%22%5D

Got fired up to click on the link thinking a new dirk track going in somewhere nearby and I somehow missed it. The prospect of a Le Mans race makes me yawn, as it does most around here. Fine if the city wants to put one on, just don't make my 78 year mom and all the homekless mental patients wearting paths at stoplights help pay for it. Thought we had plenty of rich oil barons around here. Happens whenever thee's a surge in the energy sector, the ollies get all high brow and try make OKC into something it isn't. Tulsa's a peer city, not fricken Monaco. Aren't these races generally $ losers?

To my knowlege there have no expenditures of Map3 funds to date so your worries about the Mayor's smarmy ads for that reason may be misplaced.

The contract for the demolition was for $425,000.00.
A local electric co offered to bring the SFS up to code gratis, and were politly rebuffed. All their justifications were bunkum. They wanted it gone, and couldn't wait to do the deed. Now we have zero motorsports in OKC. How is that momentum?

A local electric co offered to bring the SFS up to code gratis, and were politly rebuffed. All their justifications were bunkum. They wanted it gone, and couldn't wait to do the deed. Now we have zero motorsports in OKC. How is that momentum?

Bingo. I think the fairgrounds (as evidenced by the speedway in particular and the destruction of our fairgrounds in general) is viewed quite disdainfully by our current power structure. Anyone who followed that story knew the Speedway didn't magically become unusable overnight, and that the excuses for its closure were nothing but thinly veiled elitist politics.

Yo! I-44 Speedway has races: http://www.i44speedway.com/

go carts- eh, mean no disrespect.

Nascar

Kansas speedway to the North and Texas motor speedway to the South!OKC will NOT get a Nascar track,atleast for a few decades!There just isnt enough of a population base for it and also being sandwiched inbetween two larger markets that have tracks!

OKC needs to focus on a multi purpose facility that will draw drivers regionally ala SFS before the half mile got mothballed. I miss racing so much. Get a twinge when I see a trailor going down the highway to race somewhere. Did the SFS really need to come down? What was the point? Flying back into town, two fine tracks sit there idle. doesn't look like any grand plans for the land. So far our former sports anchor mayor has killed motorsports and hockey in the town- momentum!

OKC needs to focus on a multi purpose facility that will draw drivers regionally ala SFS before the half mile got mothballed. I miss racing so much. Get a twinge when I see a trailer going down the highway to race somewhere. Did the SFS really need to come down? What was the point? Flying back into town, two fine tracks sit there idle. doesn't look like any grand plans for the land. So far our former sports anchor mayor has killed motorsports and hockey in the town- momentum!

No, SFS did not need to come down. The point was, and is, that the State Fair Board wants the Fairgrounds to be one big horse show venue. There are plans to make a "Grand Entrance" where SFS was. Search on here and somewhere the plans were posted not too long ago.

And as far as hockey our mayor has done a GREAT thing. I was a big Blazers fan and was totally torqued when the Blazers folded. I boycotted the Barons until one night my daughter (who I was patching up years of not talking to so I would do anything she asked) and her husband talked my wife and I into going. Now we're season ticket holders. This is REAL hockey. I didn't realize how minor league the CHL was. The attendance isn't what the Blazers was (4500 average for the Barons vs 6500 for the Blazers) but I think that will improve as ticked off Blazers fans like myself give in and start attending. 6500 would put us in the upper teams of the AHL.

Could have taken a nap in the place game I went to. Yes, the skill level noticablly higher, but no one seemed to much care. people aren't even using the comp tix apparently comparing actual attendace with announced. what a flop. AHL always a dicey proposition, be shortlived in OKC.

No, SFS did not need to come down. The point was, and is, that the State Fair Board wants the Fairgrounds to be one big horse show venue. There are plans to make a "Grand Entrance" where SFS was. Search on here and somewhere the plans were posted not too long ago.

And as far as hockey our mayor has done a GREAT thing. I was a big Blazers fan and was totally torqued when the Blazers folded. I boycotted the Barons until one night my daughter (who I was patching up years of not talking to so I would do anything she asked) and her husband talked my wife and I into going. Now we're season ticket holders. This is REAL hockey. I didn't realize how minor league the CHL was. The attendance isn't what the Blazers was (4500 average for the Barons vs 6500 for the Blazers) but I think that will improve as ticked off Blazers fans like myself give in and start attending. 6500 would put us in the upper teams of the AHL.
The Blazers at one point in time led all of North America in Minor league hockey attendance!I think if I recall correctly that The Blazers gave out like 2-3k seats for free to each game!

Barons gave out tix as well, no one much used them apparently.

Edgar, AHL dicey? The stats don't say so. The league and it's teams have been quite stable since 1980 when it did almost go under. Also. the average attendance for the Barons was around 3900 in February and improved to a season average of about 4500 by the end of the season. Meaning that attendance must have been well over 4500 average the last half of the season. I think they'll be just fine. I take it you're either not a hockey fan or a still bitter Blazers fan?

OKC will never get NFL or MLB franchises.

How about noodling?

A local electric co offered to bring the SFS up to code gratis, and were politly rebuffed. All their justifications were bunkum. They wanted it gone, and couldn't wait to do the deed. Now we have zero motorsports in OKC. How is that momentum?

I don't think I mentioned anything in support of the demolition of the SFS. I was not in favor of that in the least.

Great way to sabatoge a Thread; thanks fellows, I get the message...

For MLS to work here, it needs its own stadium. The key to any professional sporting event is to host one massive party where a game breaks out. Sound, food & beer are keys to every party. We can't do that with our current available/potential stadiums. Building one should never be considered too much spending on a soccer stadium, because its not. An outdoor mid-sized stadium is great venue that can be used for a ridiculous amount of various events. Especially for musicians who can sell more than arenas hold, but couldn't sell out full size stadiums. This also serves a need for city. Since we got the Thunder we started getting passed over by many, many different artists. If our arena is available during the dates near when an artist does Tulsa or Dallas, then we get the artist. If the Thunder is in the place, we miss out. A multi-functional facility of this nature would be awesome for our city and it would give MLS a fighting chance.

I don't understanding the nay-sayers regarding the NFL. Jerry Jones won't be able to stop a team here, any more than Mark Cuban did (1 of 2 no votes against the Thunder). NFL owners want money. If they see it here, they won't give a d### if Jerry is losing fans, while the league on a whole is gaining more (and more money). I don't understand the concept that we can't build a jumanji stadium like Jerry. (holy little brother syndrome...) Didn't Jerry make his money doing the same thing as many our financial leaders? I can't help but notice that a few of those guys got together and bought a basketball team. Oklahoma is a football rich state with respect to fans, the ultimate asset for the NFL. We have fans who know the sport, love the sport and want nothing but the sport of football. Adding more football is not a dilution issue, its adding gasoline to the fire.

OKC is too small for the NFL!Right now at only 1.3 Million people OKC is where it needs to be with ONE pro franchise,let's see how OKC can support the Thunder after multiple losing seasons!

As already noted elsewhere in this thread, existing, established MLS franchises in larger cities (with one exception) do well to draw something on the order of 15-20K fans. That can't possibly draw the revenue needed to justify the cost of building a stadium sized even *just* for that number, let alone anything larger. It is too much to spend for that sport.

What kind of "ridiculous events" do you expect this "mid-sized" stadium to draw that wouldn't be more interested in going to a larger venue in a city with higher population and greater disposable income, eg Jerry World in Dallas, which, like it or not, is designed to be used as a multi-purpose facility - not just football.

As far as the NFL goes, it isn't about Jerry Jones stopping it. It's about the fact that there are limited corporate financial resources in Oklahoma compared to Dallas - hate to say it, but it's true. Many of those resources have been, as it were, "tapped out" to sponsor/support the Thunder. Understand that acquiring an NFL franchise, assuming the league were even interested, would be an expense these days hovering somewhere around the $1 billion mark. What possible rationale would there be for building a second "jumanji" stadium with one already in existence in a major metropolitan market only three hours south? What possible drawing card would make a similar facility in OKC more attractive?

This isn't about "little brother" syndrome. It's about realizing where we are as a state financially. The NFL is an objective of an entirely different order of magnitude in expense than the NBA. Yeah, Oklahoma is a great football state, but its a great college football state. While I would love to have the NFL in OKlahoma City, I also realize the practical impossibility of such a goal. We had a chance to pursue such an objective about 30 years ago, but didn't pursue it, and given the cost of such a facility, I can't fathom a speculative venture of that magnitude would make sense on anyone's balance sheet. It most certainly IS a dilution issue, not of football in particular, but professional and amateur sports in general, and there are so many discretionary ticket dollars available in this state.

I remember a few years ago there was a hue and cry for Oklahoma to pursue an Arena football league, and ol Dean Blevins was among one of the interested parties. He eventually backed out, and was on the radio saying "we ran the numbers every way we could, and there's no way it can work financially in this market." Well, someone else tried it, and guess what - it failed.

I read once that a metropolitan area can generally think about supporting one pro sports franchise per one million residents. OKC's greater metro area includes just over that number, IIRC. And we've got the NBA in our hip pockets. It's great to dream, but we've got to temper it with reality. The NFL is outside that reality.

For MLS to work here, it needs its own stadium. The key to any professional sporting event is to host one massive party where a game breaks out. Sound, food & beer are keys to every party. We can't do that with our current available/potential stadiums. Building one should never be considered too much spending on a soccer stadium, because its not. An outdoor mid-sized stadium is great venue that can be used for a ridiculous amount of various events. Especially for musicians who can sell more than arenas hold, but couldn't sell out full size stadiums. This also serves a need for city. Since we got the Thunder we started getting passed over by many, many different artists. If our arena is available during the dates near when an artist does Tulsa or Dallas, then we get the artist. If the Thunder is in the place, we miss out. A multi-functional facility of this nature would be awesome for our city and it would give MLS a fighting chance.

I don't understanding the nay-sayers regarding the NFL. Jerry Jones won't be able to stop a team here, any more than Mark Cuban did (1 of 2 no votes against the Thunder). NFL owners want money. If they see it here, they won't give a d### if Jerry is losing fans, while the league on a whole is gaining more (and more money). I don't understand the concept that we can't build a jumanji stadium like Jerry. (holy little brother syndrome...) Didn't Jerry make his money doing the same thing as many our financial leaders? I can't help but notice that a few of those guys got together and bought a basketball team. Oklahoma is a football rich state with respect to fans, the ultimate asset for the NFL. We have fans who know the sport, love the sport and want nothing but the sport of football. Adding more football is not a dilution issue, its adding gasoline to the fire.



An MSL specific stadium can be used for american football as well as other events.

There is no doubt that Oklahoma City is capable of supporting NFL. Look for that type of serious talk not to happen until 2015 thru 2020.

The biggest problem you have with NFL football invading this area would be Oklahoma University football. There is no doubt that an NFL team would draw from the Sooner fan base.

Oklahoma is a football state and the corporate support would be there.

We do need to concentrate on our first love among the Fab Four (NBA, NHL, NFL, MLB) Sports before trying to lure an NFL team which has a season that interlocks with NBA and college football.

The last NFL expansion franchise was the Houston Texans and they paid $1 billion to enter the league.

Our best bet would be to be in a position to get a relocation franchise. That would mean having a decent stadium in place which could be expanded and brought up to NFL-ready standards.

Remember what happened when the USFL's Oklahoma Outlaws attempted to use then 75,000-seat Oklahoma Memorial Stadium(?); the University didn't say no; however, they wanted outrages rent and 60% of concession revenues. They made it clear that potential major professional football team was not going to get comfortable using their stadium.