What league should OKC go after next?

[Patrick]

nm

[okcpulse]

Oklahoma City can only support one franchise at this time, however, ten years from now should Oklahoma City's MSA reach 2 million or more (may not be likely, but let's say) then I believe MLB will be our next bet. NHL experiences too much volatility, MLS doesn't hold a lot of ground, the NFL is just too expensive unless we hit 3 million MSA residents.

[mranderson]

Oklahoma City can only support one franchise at this time, however, ten years from now should Oklahoma City's MSA reach 2 million or more (may not be likely, but let's say) then I believe MLB will be our next bet. NHL experiences too much volatility, MLS doesn't hold a lot of ground, the NFL is just too expensive unless we hit 3 million MSA residents.

Try telling this to the NFL. Although Los Angeles will get the next team, the league is looking at Oklahoma City very seriously for expansion. We have been a finalist twice. Once in 1968 for the Buffalo Bills who stayed after getting a new stadium, and the other when the Cardinals moved to Arizona. The team wanted to move here, however, the team and OU would not agree to leasing terms for the stadium.

[okcpulse]

Why am I just now finding this out?

[metro]

Why don't you think MLS would be viable here. It almost happened before and COULD be supported. Not to mention the exploding Hispanic population here that would also support it. I think it is more realistic than any other league, more than MLB or NFL.

[Doug Loudenback]

Patrick, I didn't vote since NBA was not a choice. I fully expect the Hornets to return to NOLA after next season. As for me, I'd prefer to "hold out" for some NBA team, Hornets or other, since I'm not inclined to be interested in the other choices that you offered. That's just me.

[Luke]

MLS or NFL I think would fly here. And yes, I think an NFL team in OKC would have a following much like the Hornets and OU have... passionate. Oklahoma loves their sports teams.

Development should focus on downtown and the river. With all the land by the river, a stadium (MLS or NFL) would be a great addition. How fun would that be!?

[metro]

Keep in mind for the naysayers of MLS, the Hispanic population is the fastest growing and already the biggest minority in the US. In 5-10 years this will be a significant portion of the population. Hispanics and the rest of the world are avid soccer(futbol') fans.

[traxx]

Hispanics may be big soccer fans and a growing population, but for the most part they don't have the income to purchase tickets, especially season tickets for a professional sport. I'm not saying all hispanics are poor so don't play the race card. It's just been my experience that most the hispanics that I come in contact with cannot afford it. The ones I come in contact with have jobs (hotel cleaning, grounds crew, restuarant work, etc.) that barely afford them a living wage let alone a disposable income for season tickets. When they're on WIC and programs like that, they have more pressing issues with money than supporting a pro team.

And I don't see the rest of OKC supporting a major league soccer team either. Soccer here has a niche fan base at best. In Oklahoma (and I'm going to go out on a limb here and include the whole US) soccer will only be a niche sport. And don't come at me with a bunch of stats and "me and everyone I know loves soccer" statements. I think the evidence is clear. If Americans had that big of an interest in soccer then, the MLS league would have caught on by now, it's been around long enough now. The majority of Americans don't get soccer and they don't want to get it.

[Midtowner]

MLS or NFL I think would fly here. And yes, I think an NFL team in OKC would have a following much like the Hornets and OU have... passionate. Oklahoma loves their sports teams.

Development should focus on downtown and the river. With all the land by the river, a stadium (MLS or NFL) would be a great addition. How fun would that be!?

Boren (Pres. @ OU) would never allow this to occur. He has a lot of influence in state politics. The football program at OU generates an amazing amount of revenue for the university, and you had better believe an NFL team would dip into that market share.

Once Boren retires, maybe you can talk, but that guy could be around for another 20 years.

[mranderson]

Boren (Pres. @ OU) would never allow this to occur. He has a lot of influence in state politics. The football program at OU generates an amazing amount of revenue for the university, and you had better believe an NFL team would dip into that market share.

Once Boren retires, maybe you can talk, but that guy could be around for another 20 years.

It amazes me the number of people who think they can predict the future until the end of time. Never is a long time.

Oh. By the way. These are the same people who said Oklahoma City will "never" support major league sports... Of ANY kind.

There IS another stadium not a great distance away in a small village known as Stillwater.

The NFL is looking at Oklahoma City for future expansion. A team WILL work here, and if one locates here, Boren will NOT be able to stop it. He is NOT God, people.

[PUGalicious]

It amazes me the number of people who think they can predict the future until the end of time.

Yes, it is amazing indeed. Incredible (as in, UNcredible) in fact.

[Nixon7]

do we have the population to support an NFL team? I like the idea of a stadium on the river, but I'd hate to see it half empty most of the time

[mranderson]

do we have the population to support an NFL team? I like the idea of a stadium on the river, but I'd hate to see it half empty most of the time

After factoring in all of Oklahoma and most of the surrounding area through Wichita, Albuqurque, and some other areas, then the answer is yes. That makes at least five million.

I have had several people from those areas tell me they would come to Oklahoma City to see major league sports before cities such as Kansas City and Denver.

[Midtowner]

Boren will NOT be able to stop it. He is NOT God, people.

Please tell him this. Maybe he'll believe you.

[traxx]

After factoring in all of Oklahoma and most of the surrounding area through Wichita, Albuqurque, and some other areas, then the answer is yes. That makes at least five million.

I have had several people from those areas tell me they would come to Oklahoma City to see major league sports before cities such as Kansas City and Denver.

I'm not saying I wouldn't want people from these areas to come to OKC and watch pro sports, but I guess I doubt that this would happen. I'm sure some people have told you this, but it would have to be more than a handfull of people to make an impact. BTW what is their reason to want to come to OKC to see pro sports rather than KC, Denver, Dallas, etc.?

I would love to see pro football here, but I think we're still a long way off before that happens. And I've heard nothing about us being looked at for NFL expansion (not that I have connections for that kind of info anyway).

[mranderson]

I'm not saying I wouldn't want people from these areas to come to OKC and watch pro sports, but I guess I doubt that this would happen. I'm sure some people have told you this, but it would have to be more than a handfull of people to make an impact. BTW what is their reason to want to come to OKC to see pro sports rather than KC, Denver, Dallas, etc.?

I would love to see pro football here, but I think we're still a long way off before that happens. And I've heard nothing about us being looked at for NFL expansion (not that I have connections for that kind of info anyway).

Same song and dance we heard pre nba. Guess what. Those nay sayers were quite incorrect.

Think about that.

[metro]

But you can't just go off that assumption alone mranderson. You have to look at the hard facts, numbers. The NBA requires far more realistic numbers to work with than the NFL or MLB. Look at the number of games, populations of MSA's, income levels, etc. of cities when they first got their NFL or MLB teams, they were still way above where we are at today. We have a large enough population base to support NBA or NHL despite what the naysayers said, they never used statistical data. I never have heard/seen the commissioner of MLB or NFL even mention OKC as a prospect. On the other hand, the NHL, MLS and NBA have been on the record about OKC as a prospect before we received the Hornets. Why? Because the numbers proved it could support it. I'm a total optimist and knew we could support an NBA team years ago and fully believe we could support the NHL or MLS right now as well. Show me numbers proving MLB and NFL and I'll be a believer.

[Easy180]

Real big possible on NFL, but a big no way on MLB

Biggest thing working for us on the NFL is there are only 10 or so games (compared to 81 games w/ baseball) that we would need to sell out...Still... selling 70,000 tickets at high prices is a longshot even though we are a bigtime college football city

Many of the OU and OSU fanatics may not be willing or able to purchase season tix to both

[mranderson]

But you can't just go off that assumption alone mranderson. You have to look at the hard facts, numbers. The NBA requires far more realistic numbers to work with than the NFL or MLB. Look at the number of games, populations of MSA's, income levels, etc. of cities when they first got their NFL or MLB teams, they were still way above where we are at today. We have a large enough population base to support NBA or NHL despite what the naysayers said, they never used statistical data. I never have heard/seen the commissioner of MLB or NFL even mention OKC as a prospect. On the other hand, the NHL, MLS and NBA have been on the record about OKC as a prospect before we received the Hornets. Why? Because the numbers proved it could support it. I'm a total optimist and knew we could support an NBA team years ago and fully believe we could support the NHL or MLS right now as well. Show me numbers proving MLB and NFL and I'll be a believer.

I am also relying on information given to me personally by some league commisioners. Plus. I never "assume."

[Nixon7]

ill believe it when i see it

[Midtowner]

I am also relying on information given to me personally by some league commisioners. Plus. I never "assume."

Which league commissioners do you have correspondence with?

What specifics have they given you? I find it interesting, if not a little unbelievable that a league commissioner would correspond with someone who has no real stake other than casual interest in any of these developments.

[traxx]

Same song and dance we heard pre nba. Guess what. Those nay sayers were quite incorrect.

Think about that.

Agreed. But I guess I'm just asking for some firm evidence, something to back up those claims. I'm not trying to be a naysayer, if you'll re-read my post you'll see that I'm all for pro sports here. I think pro sports is a sign that our city has really arrived, but on the flip side, I don't want a pro team just because we can get one and then have the stadium not fill up and the tix not sell. I do believe that we are able to support the nba right now. As far as NFL, I think it will be some time. But if you disagree, give me some reasons and facts to back it up. I'll be more than happy to come over to your side of view.

[Nixon7]

http://newsok.com/article/2843213

Any hope that we could support nba AND nhl? I would hate to have JUST the nhl

[Midtowner]

Anderson, come on, which league commissioners correspond with you?