Big 12 baseball tournament reportedly moving to ONEOK Field in Tulsa in 2015

[warreng88]

From the Tulsa World:

Sources: Big 12 baseball tournament coming to Tulsa in 2015

By ERIC BAILEY
World Sports Writer on Sep 26, 2013, at 9:02 AM
Updated on 9/26/13 at 9:19 AM

The Big 12 Conference Baseball Tournament will move to ONEOK Field in 2015, multiple sources told the Tulsa World.

Details are expected to be announced at a noon press conference held today at ONEOK Field.

Tulsa Sports Commission Senior Vice President Roy Hoyt declined to comment on the subject of the press conference.

A three-year contract with Oklahoma City’s Bricktown Ballpark will conclude following the 2014 season.

The Big 12 has annually held its baseball tournament in Oklahoma City since the league’s birth in 1997. The only exceptions were 2002 and 2004, when it was played in Arlington, Texas.

Oklahoma City also had been the traditional home for the Big Eight Tournament dating back to the 1970s.

Gaining the baseball tournament would be considered a coup for the city. It was an event targeted by the Tulsa Sports Commission and the Tulsa Drillers when ONEOK Field was being constructed in 2010.

“We couldn’t (bid for the Big 12 tournament) until we had this ballpark,” Mike Dodson, former executive director of the Tulsa Sports Commission, said during a 2010 interview. “We now have a ballpark that can match anything out there near a major hotel and entertainment district in downtown Tulsa. Now is the time to go after this.”

This is the second time a bid has been placed by Tulsa, which tried to lure the 2012, 2013 and 2014 Big 12 Tournaments to town.

College baseball is having a revival in the city. Earlier this month, the Drillers announced ONEOK Field would host two of the three-game Big 12 Bedlam games between Oklahoma and Oklahoma State in 2014.

Sellout crowds were considered a main reason for Tulsa wresting a third game from Oklahoma City, which had hosted two of three Bedlam games since 1991.

In 2014, Oklahoma City will entertain a May 15 game (Thursday) with ONEOK Field hosting games on May 16 and May 17.

The five-day Big 12 tournament is typically scheduled for mid- to late May. The double-elimination event begins on Wednesday and leads up to a Sunday championship game.

The 2014 championship will be held May 21-25 in Oklahoma City.

Oklahoma defeated Kansas 7-2 to capture the 2013 Big 12 championship.

Sources: Big 12 baseball tournament coming to Tulsa in 2015 | Tulsa World

[OKCisOK4me]

Tulsa isn't even Big XII territory. Horrible!

[warreng88]

The contract for the Big 12 Men's championship being held in KC is up at the same time. I am curious if OKC could host it for a couple of years in 2015 and 2016?

[BoulderSooner]

Tulsa isn't even Big XII territory. Horrible!

how? all of Oklahoma - is big 12 territory

[bradh]

I know Round Rock, TX really wanted the baseball tourney.

My friend is in the SID for Baylor, and he has always told me how much he loved coming here, and he didn't want to see it move.

However, if we get the hoops tourney, that'd be a huge coup away from KC.

[warreng88]

I know Round Rock, TX really wanted the baseball tourney.

My friend is in the SID for Baylor, and he has always told me how much he loved coming here, and he didn't want to see it move.

However, if we get the hoops tourney, that'd be a huge coup away from KC.

True. The Thunder would have to adjust their schedule, but I think we could make it work.

[HangryHippo]

I know Round Rock, TX really wanted the baseball tourney.

My friend is in the SID for Baylor, and he has always told me how much he loved coming here, and he didn't want to see it move.

However, if we get the hoops tourney, that'd be a huge coup away from KC.

I can't imagine we'll get the hoops tourney, but I agree, it would be a big coup! I'm sad to see baseball do this though. At least it didn't pack up for somewhere in Texas though.

[bradh]

If San Antonio can do the "Rodeo Roadtrip" every year and not miss a beat, I think the Thunder could handle it.

[john60]

If San Antonio can do the "Rodeo Roadtrip" every year and not miss a beat, I think the Thunder could handle it.

And Staples has hosted the Pac-12, United Center has hosted the Big 10, MSG has hosted Big East, etc. Definitely doable.

[SoonerDave]

Is this a permanent, long-term contractual move, or a one-year stop?

If the former, its a very disappointing loss for OKC in general and the Bricktown area in particular. We took that tourney in twenty years ago when no one wanted it, and made it into a successful offering. Now, I fear its a sacrificial lamb among other priorities.

Very disappointing.

[adaniel]

Considering the conference awards its tournament in 3+ year increments, I doubt this is permanent. They probably just want to try out a new stadium. Of course that's not to say they won't move it in the future.

I wouldn't read too much into this. Rather, just take it as a slight nudge that other cities are improving themselves as are we, and we should strive to make sure we keep up to offer the best package.

[HangryHippo]

Is this a permanent, long-term contractual move, or a one-year stop?

If the former, its a very disappointing loss for OKC in general and the Bricktown area in particular. We took that tourney in twenty years ago when no one wanted it, and made it into a successful offering. Now, I fear its a sacrificial lamb among other priorities.

Very disappointing.

As adaniel said, should this be true, it's for a 3 year increment beginning in 2015. So, we need to strive to make continued improvements. Other cities aren't resting...

[Bellaboo]

I remember how Arlington was such a failure, nobody attended, they (Big 12) couldn't wait to leave. I think Tulsa would actually support this well, knowing it would be their chance to make a good impression. If not, it'll be back.

[bradh]

It's going to be really hard to lure the hoops tourney away from KC again, now that they have the Sprint Center and KU and KSU hoops are solid (although the loss of Mizzou to the SEC certainly didn't help).

[BrettM2]

It's going to be really hard to lure the hoops tourney away from KC again, now that they have the Sprint Center and KU and KSU hoops are solid (although the loss of Mizzou to the SEC certainly didn't help).

Location may factor in as it's only ISU/KU/KSU up there anymore (having lost Mizzou and Nebraska). I'd like to see OKC get it; hopefully city folks are working with the Big XII.

[OKCisOK4me]

how? all of Oklahoma - is big 12 territory

Meaning TU is in Conference USA... come on now.

I don't really care either way. A) It's baseball...boring B) Even though the tourney draws more people than Redhawks games I truly believe Tulsa has a better shot a drawing a better crowd. C) Someone obviously needs the tax money more than we do.

[adaniel]

IMO the WCWS is a FAR bigger deal to OKC than the Big XII tourney. I know the All-Sports Association has been bending over backwards for them as of late, as they should. Most people who go to the Big XII tourney are locals anyway.

No doubt that OKC is by far the superior sports town, but I believe this will be attended well up there.

[Richard at Remax]

OKC has already hosted big 12 basketball championship while the thunder were here. They can do it again.

[SoonerDave]

IMO the WCWS is a FAR bigger deal to OKC than the Big XII tourney. I know the All-Sports Association has been bending over backwards for them as of late, as they should. Most people who go to the Big XII tourney are locals anyway.

No doubt that OKC is by far the superior sports town, but I believe this will be attended well up there.

I was thinking about this very thing, and in particular how big the WCWS has become. I know that they floated (or have floated) some rather grand proposals to keep it here, including some substantial stadium upgrades/expansion and general facility improvements, and I guess its hard to argue that's a bigger deal right now in OKC than the Big 12-2 Baseball tourney.

I just remember back in the days of the old four-team, double-elimination Big 8 tourney that used to be hosted out at One Sport Stadium, and how OU and OSU typically dominated the thing in front of huge crowds. Not so much these days, I s'pose. And I think it has a much greater chance of success up in Tulsa than it ever did in Arlington - that was just a goofy choice to make those two years.

See, this is also one of the reasons why I hate Mandalay's current management of the Brick...The place is now old enough for us to start thinking in terms of what might be an appropriate update for the park, keep it current/relevant, but it's so hard to sell anything like that when you've got those stinking tarps covering the first-base upper deck. It just looks so cheesy and second rate.

[OKVision4U]

OK, this is NOT what we need. This is a must to keep. Tulsa "baseball elite" have pushed really hard to sway the Big 12. We need to get this back ( ASAP ) .

This is just not the "trend" we need to have. ....OU.... OSU, ...Big 12. Tulsa has ORU ( not the big 12, ??? hmmm).

[HangryHippo]

I was thinking about this very thing, and in particular how big the WCWS has become. I know that they floated (or have floated) some rather grand proposals to keep it here, including some substantial stadium upgrades/expansion and general facility improvements, and I guess its hard to argue that's a bigger deal right now in OKC than the Big 12-2 Baseball tourney.

I just remember back in the days of the old four-team, double-elimination Big 8 tourney that used to be hosted out at One Sport Stadium, and how OU and OSU typically dominated the thing in front of huge crowds. Not so much these days, I s'pose. And I think it has a much greater chance of success up in Tulsa than it ever did in Arlington - that was just a goofy choice to make those two years.

See, this is also one of the reasons why I hate Mandalay's current management of the Brick...The place is now old enough for us to start thinking in terms of what might be an appropriate update for the park, keep it current/relevant, but it's so hard to sell anything like that when you've got those stinking tarps covering the first-base upper deck. It just looks so cheesy and second rate.

Serious question - do you really believe that the tarps on the upper deck had much to do with this decision or prevents the park from hosting events?

[adaniel]

OK, this is NOT what we need. This is a must to keep. Tulsa "baseball elite" have pushed really hard to sway the Big 12. We need to get this back ( ASAP ) .

This is just not the "trend" we need to have. ....OU.... OSU, ...Big 12. Tulsa has ORU ( not the big 12, ??? hmmm).

FWIW the tourney comes back to OKC in 2016. Ironically enough, the streetcar will be close to complete.

[SoonerDave]

Serious question - do you really believe that the tarps on the upper deck had much to do with this decision or prevents the park from hosting events?

Oh, no, its just a perception thing on my part that I just think looks crappy. Kinda like carports. More generally, I just don't think Mandalay has broken its neck to really promote the team that much. Perhaps I'm wrong, and evidence might show they've been very aggressive, but I just don't think its been a very high priority for them.

[catcherinthewry]

FWIW the tourney comes back to OKC in 2016. Ironically enough, the streetcar will be close to complete.

I'm sure Tulsa will do great attendance-wise in 2015 due to the novelty factor so we (OKC) need to really step up our support in 2016 to show the Big 12 that we're serious about keeping the tournament here.

[adaniel]

Agree. But I will say until this year, the tournament has had at least decent attendance. Maybe not what it was in the past considering Thunder are usually in the thick of playoffs by that time. But still alright.

As far as this year, I know attendance was awful. But you have to consider that a) the Moore tornado simultaneously kept a lot of out of towners away while diverting locals' attentions and b) the weather overall was just dreadful, lots and lots of rain delays. I wonder if this year might have freaked out the Big XII big wigs a bit?

I trust the All-Sports Association to keep it here, but I have to say I've noticed a big drop off in advertising over the past few years. Lots of people simply don't know its going on, I don't think a reminder would hurt.