OKC Barons to cease operations after the 2014-2015 season

[GoOKC1991]

JSportsnet Hearing that the Oilers are not renewing their agreement in OKC in the AHL.

http://Twitter.com/JSportsnet

[Urbanized]

Goes beyond that...

Oklahoma City Barons hockey team to cease operations after season | News OK

[GoOKC1991]

Goes beyond that...

Oklahoma City Barons hockey team to cease operations after season | News OK

I knew what it meant, hadn't seen the official announcement yet

[OKCretro]

maybe they can do the same thing the OKC Calvary did back in the 1990's win the championship and fold the next day

[borchard]

[QUOTE=OKCretro;852206]maybe they can do the same thing the OKC Calvary did back in the 1990's win the championship and fold the next day[/QUOTE

But to be just like the Cavalry they will have to move out of the Cox Center and play the championship game at Arctic Edge in front of about 200 people. Not really that many less than they have now

[SoonerDave]

[QUOTE=borchard;852267]

maybe they can do the same thing the OKC Calvary did back in the 1990's win the championship and fold the next day[/QUOTE

But to be just like the Cavalry they will have to move out of the Cox Center and play the championship game at Arctic Edge in front of about 200 people. Not really that many less than they have now

The success of the old Blazers hockey club back in the day had as much or more to do with the Blazers as an organization as it did with hockey. Always thought the "hockey-first" notion trying to succeed here was a bit of a red herring.

[borchard]

[QUOTE=SoonerDave;852270]

The success of the old Blazers hockey club back in the day had as much or more to do with the Blazers as an organization as it did with hockey. Always thought the "hockey-first" notion trying to succeed here was a bit of a red herring.

Holy crap! I couldn't agree more! I was never as big of a hockey fan as I was a Blazers fan. And I'm not sorry at all to the 7 hockey purists in OKC for saying that. My wife and I loved the Blazers. I've traveled to Nashville, Memphis, San Antonio, Tulsa, and Wichita for away games in the past. I haven't driven the 5 miles to the Cox Center for a Barons game in over two years.

[OKCisOK4me]

Oh darn.... I never went to a game.

[Dave Cook]

[QUOTE=borchard;852275]

Holy crap! I couldn't agree more! I was never as big of a hockey fan as I was a Blazers fan. And I'm not sorry at all to the 7 hockey purists in OKC for saying that. My wife and I loved the Blazers. I've traveled to Nashville, Memphis, San Antonio, Tulsa, and Wichita for away games in the past. I haven't driven the 5 miles to the Cox Center for a Barons game in over two years.

You really hit the nail on the head. Oklahoma City has always been a very strange hockey town with only a segment of fans truly understanding the game. Most would prefer a bunch of puck pushing and fisticuffs over quality players. Says quite a bit. Reminds me of the fans in Quad Cities who always preferred the Mallards over the Flames. Strange.

But it works both ways. I remember talking to friends back in the mid-90's about going to Blazers games. They said the level was awful and would only support the NHL or AHL/IHL. Now we have the AHL and I never see these people a the games. Then I've seen countless Blazers fans that wouldn't step foot at a Barons game. I've never understood this mentality. They're clearly not hockey fans....just Blazer fans.

This simply isn't a hockey town.

[Filthy]

[Dustin]

OKC never has and never will embrace ice hockey like it does other sports.

[Dave Cook]

Speaking of how badly the fans suck in this state........how do the Tulsa Oilers hang on? I've been to a few games in the last few years and they look like open practices. Just awful.

As much as I hate to admit it.....Wichita knows how to support a hockey team.

By the way, the Texas Stars in Austin just announced a new 10-year lease on their arena today.

[Jersey Boss]

Speaking of how badly the fans suck in this state........how do the Tulsa Oilers hang on? I've been to a few games in the last few years and they look like open practices. Just awful.

As much as I hate to admit it.....Wichita knows how to support a hockey team.

By the way, the Texas Stars in Austin just announced a new 10-year lease on their arena today.

Tulsa was third in the CHL last year in attendance. The Oilers avg. was 4986. The 7 team CHL folded in Oct. of this year and the teams will be folded into the ECHL.

[Jake]

Went to an Oilers game last night. Crowd was about 5,000 or so. It was fun. Wish more people liked hockey in Oklahoma, but people can like (or not like) whatever they want.


The Thunder probably didn't help the Barons attendance. I'd much rather save up to see Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook play than watch 5 Barons games.

[Pete]

Attendance used to be better.

Even in the old days the State Fairgrounds Arena was often packed, and that seats 8,000.

Given the city is much bigger now than then, I'm not sure the reason for the drop-off.

[Laramie]

Those of you who were familiar with Brad Lund former Blazers' GM; you have to admit, he knows the Oklahoma City hockey market. He was quick to proclaim that Oklahoma City was not a 'hockey town' but a Blazers' town.

[Edgar]

Would have helped in Funk Jr didn't seem to have a disdain for who the actual hockey fan is in OKC. Get back in the league with natural rivals Wichita and Tulsa and revive the beloved Blazers logo and the party is back on, and don't let Funk have anything to do with it. You could take a nap at a Barons' game.

[Jersey Boss]

It was easy for the Blazers to be successful as there was no Thunder or as many options to spend the entertainment dollar.

[Dave Cook]

I get a kick out of Okies complaining about the ticket prices.

Jonathan Cheechoo, Taylor Hall, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Jordan Eberle, Justin Schultz....vs......Joe Burton, Tyler Fleck, Marty Standish and Alan Perry.

I wonder if Okies go to KD's restaurant and complain that the food is higher than what they serve at Taco Bell?

[Dustin]

You type with a little bit of contempt towards Okies. Need to get something bigger off your chest?

[OkieHornet]

Would have helped in Funk Jr didn't seem to have a disdain for who the actual hockey fan is in OKC. Get back in the league with natural rivals Wichita and Tulsa and revive the beloved Blazers logo and the party is back on, and don't let Funk have anything to do with it. You could take a nap at a Barons' game.

well, the blazers are back. kind of. some junior hockey league:
OKC Blazers Hockey - Junior A Western States Hockey League

[dankrutka]

This simply isn't a hockey town.

With only a few exceptions (due to long term success of a franchise of strong cultural connections), I really don't think there are hockey, basketball, baseball, or football towns. People gravitate towards the best product. Simply put, the Blazers were the top show in town. Since the arrival of the Thunder, hockey is an afterthought. Is OKC a basketball town now? Nope. But basketball is the best product so there is tremendous support. OKC is not particular to any sport, just the best product. If a successful NFL team moved to town and had a ton of success and the Thunder struggled then Thunder attendance would likely struggle too (Of course, multiple pro teams can survive in larger markets, but that's a result of population - a city requires approximately a million people for each pro team). All this holds true for most American cities.

[BigTulsa]

As a fan of the Tulsa Oilers since about 1997, I'm pretty sure that there are MANY hockey fans from both towns that know the game. The Oilers have been around since 1928 in one form or another. As much as I despised the Blazers (what true Oiler fan didn't and vice-versa) I also realized it was a great rivalry that always brought out the top game from players on both teams, even if the talent level wasn't NHL. The games were fun and affordable. I came to MANY road trips to the Myriad and then finally two at the Ford Center the last seasons the Blazers were there. I always thought the Ford Center kind of did the Blazers in, even if it was coincidental with Funk and Express Personnel taking over the team from Chen.

What would be ideal is if the Bakersfield ECHL club could relocate to OKC since it's a foregone conclusion that the AHL franchise for Edmonton will be located there next season. It appears that hockey is trying to work towards a true 30/30/30 farm situation.

[OKCretro]

Does echl bus or travel by plane?

[borchard]

Attendance used to be better.

Even in the old days the State Fairgrounds Arena was often packed, and that seats 8,000.

Given the city is much bigger now than then, I'm not sure the reason for the drop-off.

Oh, but don't you know? All those seats were given away for free. EVERYBODY knows that!...