That's not their long term stadium. They planned to be in their own stadium in 3 years. Taft is owned by OKCPS.

That's not their long term stadium. They planned to be in their own stadium in 3 years. Taft is owned by OKCPS.

Well, it's still a nice upgrade for OKCPS.

Well, it's still a nice upgrade for OKCPS.

That's fine, and part of my point. I'm wondering when they are going to move into their own for their own sake and so that OKCPS can have full use of their stadium back.

unless the stadium is in Maps 4 or whatever Maps we are on, I doubt we get a soccer stadium built. I wish and hope I am wrong but just don't see someone building a nice 10k outdoor soccer stadium with their own money. And please do not let the idea of getting an MLS team sway you, we wont be getting an expansion team anytime soon (edit- unless oil goes to $120 a barrel). That ship has sailed.

unless the stadium is in Maps 4 or whatever Maps we are on, I doubt we get a soccer stadium built. I wish and hope I am wrong but just don't see someone building a nice 10k outdoor soccer stadium with their own money. And please do not let the idea of getting an MLS team sway you, we wont be getting an expansion team anytime soon (edit- unless oil goes to $120 a barrel). That ship has sailed.

You are correct you probably won't see any private entity building a stadium on their own.

There will be a chance that if USL-Pro soccer does have a bountiful year (2015) there could be a push for a private-public partnership to get some kind of stadium added to the MAPS IV - 2017 initiative.

1990 - MAPS 1 $350 million
2001 - MAPS for KIDS: $700 million
2008 - MAPS for HOOPS: $110 million
2008 - MAPS 3 $777 million

9 items make the cut . Item #10 Football Stadium did not get on the proposal.

MAPS IV initiative could range from $800 million to $1 billion.

Oklahoma City MSA Population 2000-2010 and three year estimates 2010-2013 (66,690) growth (1,319,677 up from 1,252,987):


2000 - 1,095,421
2010 - 1,252,987 (+157,566) 15,757 annual growth
Largest Metropolitan Areas | Fastest Growing Metros | Census 2000 - Census Population Housing Change (http://proximityone.com/metros0010.htm)


2010 - 1,252,987 (Estimates)
2011 - 1,276,416 (+23,429)
2012 - 1,297,397 (+20,981)
2013 - 1,319,677 (+22,280) 22,230 annual growth estimate

Metros 2013 | Largest Metropolitan Areas | Fastest Growing Metros | Metropolitan Area Demographic Economic Characteristics and Change (http://proximityone.com/metros2013.htm)

USL Pro restructure -> United Soccer Leagues (USL) (http://uslpro.uslsoccer.com/home/857836.html)

I'm not sure how I feel about all of the MLS 2 teams. What a generic way to name a development team.

USL Pro restructure -> United Soccer Leagues (USL) (http://uslpro.uslsoccer.com/home/857836.html)

I'm not sure how I feel about all of the MLS 2 teams. What a generic way to name a development team.

MLS will take a page from the Major League Baseball (PCL & IL) and the National Basketball Association (NBADL) farm system playbooks. Regional rivalries should cut down on costs.

OKC Energy FC (Taft Stadium) vs. Tulsa Roughnecks (ONEOK Field) will be a great rivalry (close rival cities) as both will have access to more than 7,500 seats.

https://scontent-a-dfw.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xpf1/t31.0-8/s2048x2048/10945880_1004822689528744_8845546915468098687_o.jp g

2015 USL Preview: OKC Energy FC - United Soccer League (http://www.uslsoccer.com/ViewArticle.dbml?ATCLID=209948390&DB_OEM_ID=32800)

Energy FC (http://www.energyfc.com/index.cfm?fa=news.article&articleID=E531592B-178A-E411-8761-000C296FBAA9)
Breaking News: STATEMENT FROM GENERAL MANAGER JASON HAWKINS

Spendlove cleared of all charges!

PC Neil Doyle trial: Two men guilty of manslaughter - Liverpool Echo (http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/news/pc-neil-doyle-trial-two-9749470)

team not playing next season

https://twitter.com/DylanBuckingham/status/1466808923177066502?s=20

apparently even the players found out via Twitter.

Almost zero teams come back from “hiatus.”

Is this the team we are building a new soccer stadium for....

Is this the team we are building a new soccer stadium for....

Pretty much. They were to be the anchor tenants for the MAPS 4 Multipurpose Stadium project that had a $37.5 million budget. Maybe the new stadium will be completed for that season.

We can only hope that they’ll sell the franchise rights to someone that will take things more seriously in advance of the new stadium opening. As I don’t see how this particular iteration of the team comes back from this.

Wow. Not good at all.

There are a ton of HS stadiums they could utilize if construction is really the issue. They could even move to Speegle Stadium near Capitol Hill HS, which is also owned by OKCPS.

This sounds like an excuse to stop operations.

Agree. Plus the USL C season goes from April to October while the renovation should go from Mid May to August.

They could work the schedule with the league to have less home games during this period and play few of them somewhere else.

It sounds really fishy. I ll miss them.

I've always been suspicious that Bob Funk, et al. was the right organization to entrust in developing our city's minor league/major league soccer hopes given that they've never been able to sustain a franchise in any sport.

Almost zero teams come back from “hiatus.”

Yep.

You basically have to start all over: new coaches, new staff, all new players.

Stopping even for a season basically destroys everything they've done up to this point.


The multi-purpose stadium is later in the MAPS 4 schedule so there is time to get another team/ownership group lined up.

In a hypothetical situation where the team never comes back, would there be consideration to not build the stadium? Or is it for sure a go?

You would have to think it would be pretty pointless to build a stadium without a team lined up to play in it. But at the same time, the stadium commitment should make the idea of an OKC USL franchise attractive to anyone looking to buy the rights from the current ownership group. Just because they’re idiots who have squandered all positive momentum while the league as a whole has continued to improve, doesn’t mean that someone else can’t make it work. There’s a good soccer culture in this city, it’s just that the people trying to tap into that culture have absolutely no idea what they’re doing. (See also: Slim’s, Skinny)

If the current ownership group does not raise the team from the dead, there will be someone else to step in to either buy the remains or start a new franchise.

OKC is too large of a city to not have at least a minor league soccer team.

And all that would have to take place before they started on a stadium, which is still many years away.

Hopefully this kills off the worst item in Maps 4. They should have never left McGuinness (although I understand why) cause it just never felt the same

The Stadium is still years away and I agree on the fact the metro can support an USL Champ or even an USL L1 team.
Not sure why the stadium would be the worst thing on the last MAPS. Obviously it is needed.

As I said, earlier, it feels like an excuse to shut everything down. So many small stadium, plus UCO or even the Ballpark could have host the Energy for a couple of months.

The stadium wasn't being built specifically for the Energy. There are higher goals aspirations for it.

The stadium wasn't being built specifically for the Energy. There are higher goals aspirations for it.

Aside from concerts, I don’t really see what the purpose would be beyond soccer. The design is cheap to the point where I’ve suggested in multiple previous posts on here that if the Energy’s current ownership group was serious about the club, they’d throw in matching funds to build the more upscale version that they had previously proposed. Obviously I’d be very surprised if that outcome happens now, lmao.

I'm okay with axing the stadium, but we did build a teamless arena in the first maps and that worked out okay.

The stadium wasn't being built specifically for the Energy. There are higher goals aspirations for it.

Agree, the stadium is a multi-purpose venue and Funk Jr., never should have been allowed to chose among the four stadium options.

Should have allowed him 'input.' OKC should have gone with the most expensive venue that would have provided nothing less than 10,000 seats.

Agree, the stadium is a multi-purpose venue and Funk Jr., never should have been allowed to chose among the four stadium options.

Should have allowed him 'input.' OKC should have gone with the most expensive venue that would have provided nothing less than 10,000 seats.

I agree with you, Laramie. The stadium should be AT LEAST 10k seats, probably more. Even IF Funk doesn't bring the Energy back it would be great to have a multi-purpose facility where maybe we could:

1. Go after the FCS Football Championship. Right now it is being held in Frisco, TX every year. That stadium holds ~18k
2. Hold some/most/all State Football/Soccer Championships there. That IMHO would be awesome. It would become like what the State Fair Arena has been for HS Basketball for so many years.
3. Hold concerts, of course
4. Maybe have one-off events like The USWNT playing a game there. Maybe even the USMNT?

City should leave north & south ends open; configuration with the MAPS 4 Multipurpose Stadium:


The stadium site selection/land acquisition is scheduled for 2023 with construction running from mid-2025 through 2026--Journal Record, December 27, 2021..


Minimum seating capacity 10,000 chair back seats--same type of seats in the Bricktown Ballpark, 6,000 temporary bleacher style on the north & south ends.

Capacity to 16,000 would allow you to host more outdoor events. Energy FC could opt to use 10,000 chair back seats--close off bleacher north & south ends.

City could eventually expand & upgrade stadium eliminating temporary seats with 10,000 or more permanent chair back seats.


Funk has the option as anchor tenant to entertain MLS, OKC will have a stadium that could temporarily house MLS and/or XFL (returns 2023 with future expansion) if the option becomes available.

A 16,000 capacity, 10,000 minimum permanent seating stadium would give OKC all kinds of future options with expansion or retrofitting with the option of north & south temporary ends left open.

Any updates on when the Oklahoma City Energy FC will return.

They are still tweeting like they will be back next season. I'll personally believe it when I see the 2023 USL schedule released with them on it.

They aren’t coming back unless they get an arena

They aren’t coming back unless they get an arena

the stadium is already funded and approved

the stadium is already funded and approved

I recall the stadium is in the latest MAPS, but I think it could be 6 years or longer before construction begins.

When you go back through the venues subcommittee agendas for the whole year it's been all downtown arena and fairgrounds colliseum. When you look at the MAPS4 implementation plan, regarding the multipurpose stadium, Q4 2022 is pre-design, 2023-24 is design and site selection, and 2025-26 is construction.

FWIW, if they do come back, I don't believe there's anything preventing them from playing at Taft until the MAPS 4 stadium has been completed. As far as I know they have to pay a fine every game they play at Taft due to the field not being regulation-sized (this is also why they have to play in Norman on the rare occasions that they host U.S. Open Cup matches), but since there are concrete plans/funding for a new stadium, they're not at risk of being booted from the USL.

https://ecp.yusercontent.com/mail?url=https%3A%2F%2Fmcusercontent.com%2F68f9917 c7b302ace4d8b19a56%2Fimages%2Fb5f8ff57-660e-c760-4d1e-b26eeeea6f9a.jpeg&t=1657298266&ymreqid=25fbd58b-0389-fdf5-1c5f-fa0004017100&sig=PZUBLdLBdbOX5sVYN8bfdg--~D

Taft Stadium Update


Link: https://mailchi.mp/energyfc/lovletter-672105?e=3f203ab50b

https://ecp.yusercontent.com/mail?url=https%3A%2F%2Fmcusercontent.com%2F68f9917 c7b302ace4d8b19a56%2Fimages%2Fb5f8ff57-660e-c760-4d1e-b26eeeea6f9a.jpeg&t=1657298266&ymreqid=25fbd58b-0389-fdf5-1c5f-fa0004017100&sig=PZUBLdLBdbOX5sVYN8bfdg--~D

Taft Stadium Update


Link: https://mailchi.mp/energyfc/lovletter-672105?e=3f203ab50b




sweet

FWIW, if they do come back, I don't believe there's anything preventing them from playing at Taft until the MAPS 4 stadium has been completed. As far as I know they have to pay a fine every game they play at Taft due to the field not being regulation-sized (this is also why they have to play in Norman on the rare occasions that they host U.S. Open Cup matches), but since there are concrete plans/funding for a new stadium, they're not at risk of being booted from the USL.

Right, and best case, we are still several years away from a stadium even starting, let alone being ready for business.

This is scheduled for the tail-end of MAPS 4, which means it could easily be 10 years before it could host the Energy or anything else.

Right, and best case, we are still several years away from a stadium even starting, let alone being ready for business.

This is scheduled for the tail-end of MAPS 4, which means it could easily be 10 years before it could host the Energy or anything else.

I’ve also heard rumors that part of the current renovations involve removing the track and moving the track facility to the east side of the high school, north of the current baseball field. This would then allow for a regulation-sized field at Taft. Possibly something to look into, though admittedly they are just rumors from people who are more closely connected to the Energy than myself.

I’ve also heard rumors that part of the current renovations involve removing the track and moving the track facility to the east side of the high school, north of the current baseball field. This would then allow for a regulation-sized field at Taft. Possibly something to look into, though admittedly they are just rumors from people who are more closely connected to the Energy than myself.

I doubt this is going to happen since the whole reason Taft was out of commission this summer was for the installation of a new field and track.

Recent rode by NW Classen and it looked like the track looked new, maybe the taft kids will use that one instead?

I’ve also heard rumors that part of the current renovations involve removing the track and moving the track facility to the east side of the high school, north of the current baseball field. This would then allow for a regulation-sized field at Taft. Possibly something to look into, though admittedly they are just rumors from people who are more closely connected to the Energy than myself.

I Doubt it because OKCPS use Taft Stadium for Track Meets and NW Classen doesn't have a stadium on campus.

Someone more connected than me should do some actual digging but from what I’m hearing this team is not coming back in 2023.

Someone more connected than me should do some actual digging but from what I’m hearing this team is not coming back in 2023.

If Energy FC doesn't return in 2023, let's face it--its not going to return. Many of us posters predicted when he sat out 2022, he had no plans to return.

Sad that he was asked his input on selection of the MAPS 4 Multipurpose Stadium. Bob Funk Jr., acknowledged that he wanted the least expensive stadium--he made that selection because he knew the Energy FC was through.

All the talk about moving Energy FC to MLS; what a disappointment for soccer fans.

Every sports endeavor the Funks' have been involved with have never exceeded the lowest bar of expectations.

https://www.energyfc.com/news_article/show/1248298

wont return for 2023, or anytime until the new stadium is built.

DIdnt this owner promise to bring a MLS team in if a new stadium was built? i wouldnt hold your breath.

There really isn't a single venue in all of OKC that cant host them? its a shame that the Energy probably won't ever return

I mean FC Tulsa plays on their minor league baseball field. There has to be something

Huge bummer.

I think the ownership is not trying too hard either. The Bricktown ballpark can work for a couple years as it is the case in several cities. (Tulsa, St Pete and El Paso)

Hopefully they will sell the Franchise and someone can have it restarted in USL championship or even USL 1.

That release says a stadium won't be ready until 2026. That seems very optimistic considering the related MAPS 4 committee hasn't even met, let alone selected a site.

They can build a temporary facility (there was a plan at Chisholm Creek which they dropped) they have just chosen not to.

So a semi pro football team or what ever that is called can put a stadium in a mall parking lot but the FC Energy can't or work with the ball park. How bid is Yukon football stadium? Like others have said what is wrong with bricktown ballpark.

Death rattle.

Forgive me if I’m wrong, but didn’t the same owners also help usher in the end of minor league hockey in OKC?

Funny how they completely folded their tent not long after taxpayers became obligated to pay $37 million toward a new stadium.

Now, they can just go on hiatus until they get something the citizens are paying for. And you can bet there will be a lot more than $37 million of public money spent on this project.

This feels very wrong to me.


But hey, Bob Funk Jr. was just profiled by the Oklahoman as a Gen Xer "rising up as next wave of civic leaders guiding OKC's future aspirations". When Lackmeyer writes a ridiculous puff piece like that, you can be sure the subject is playing him in order to get out ahead of some bad news and/or to help lobby for something they want from taxpayers.

Also, when you put out a press release late on Friday afternoon, you are purposely trying to bury news while at the same time giving the appearance of being forthright.

This whole thing stinks.

Can we all agree the Funks should never attempt to run a sports team ever again?

Can we all agree the Funks should never attempt to run a sports team ever again?

Their track record speaks for itself. Doesn't seem like they are willing to make the long-term commitment to sustain a franchise and invest in building the fan base for the OKC soccer community.

Funks should put the franchise up for sale.

https://www.okctalk.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=8138&d=1402590197

This was a layout that Bouchard used showing that Bricktown Ballpark could be used as a temporary solution because it has the regulation
dimensions for USL with chair back seats.

Using this model, much like Tulsa has done with ONEOK Field, riser-type seating could be constructed from the left outfield
giving fans a closer view with a nice seating capacity closer to 10,000 or more.

Access to Bricktown Entertainment District would offer fans restaurant amenities and better parking than you have
at Taft Stadium.

https://www.okctalk.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=8138&d=1402590197

This was a layout that Bouchard used showing that Bricktown Ballpark could be used as a temporary solution because it has the regulation
dimensions for USL with chair back seats.

Using this model, much like Tulsa has done with ONEOK Field, riser-type seating could be constructed from the left outfield
giving fans a closer view with a nice seating capacity closer to 10,000 or more.

Access to Bricktown Entertainment District would offer fans restaurant amenities and better parking than you have
at Taft Stadium.


This seems like an obvious solution to this whole thing.