OKC Thunder 2014 - 2015

[dankrutka]

Paper reported they open at Portland, didn't say anything about the Clips, but open at home against Denver Nov 1. We'll know at 5:00 pm today though.

The LA game has been reported by multiple sources, including several in LA.

[Bellaboo]

The LA game has been reported by multiple sources, including several in LA.

Well, then we'll just have to go out there and spank them early then.

[Laramie]

Oklahoma City Thunder Preseason Schedule

Friday, Oct 10, 2014:
NBA Preseason - Oklahoma City Thunder at Dallas Mavericks American Airlines Center - TX - Dallas, TX

Friday, Oct 17, 2014 7:00 PM
NBA Preseason - Toronto Raptors at Oklahoma City Thunder Intrust Bank Arena - Wichita, KS

Sunday, Oct 19, 2014 - 6:00 PM
NBA Preseason - Minnesota Timberwolves at Oklahoma City Thunder BOK Center - Tulsa, OK

All three preseason games will be sellouts.

Does anyone have information on where the Thunder will have their annual scrimmage? Moore might be on their agenda...

"Oklahoma City looks oh-so pretty... ...as I get my kicks on Route 66." --Nat King Cole.

[dankrutka]

Where did you see that all the preseason games will be sellouts? Just curious. I guess I'd be surprised if over 20,000 tickets are sold for the Mavs-Thunder game... although that is the night before OU-Texas. Maybe a lot of OU/Thunder fans might make it.

The Thunder scrimmaged at Westmoore last season, but I guess it's possible they go back to Moore Public Schools.

[Laramie]

Where did you see that all the preseason games will be sellouts? Just curious. I guess I'd be surprised if over 20,000 tickets are sold for the Mavs-Thunder game... although that is the night before OU-Texas. Maybe a lot of OU/Thunder fans might make it.

The Thunder scrimmaged at Westmoore last season, but I guess it's possible they go back to Moore Public Schools.

The Thunder sold out preseason games in Wichita and Tulsa last season (2013-14). Dallas hasn't had any concerns about selling out their preseason games.

Example: We're two months from the Thunder's game in Wichita...

A couple of ticket agencies (like StubHub) have few as two with as many as 8, 10, 20, 40 tickets remain in the sections they are selling:

Wichita, Kansas: Oklahoma City Thunder vs Toronto Raptors [10/17/2014] Preseason Tickets on StubHub!

"Oklahoma City looks oh-so pretty... ...as I get my kicks on Route 66." --Nat King Cole.

[Laramie]

Oklahoma City Thunder 2014-15 Regular Season Schedule

Oklahoma City Thunder 2015 Schedule - Thunder Home and Away - ESPN

Full Oklahoma City Thunder 2014-15 Schedule | News OK


"Oklahoma City looks oh-so pretty... ...as I get my kicks on Route 66." --Nat King Cole.

[OKCretro]

Are there any home preseason games at the chk?

[Laramie]

Are there any home preseason games at the chk?

Two:

NBA Preseason: Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Memphis Grizzlies Tuesday, October 14, 2014 at 8:00 PM - Chesapeake Energy Arena

NBA Preseason: Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Utah Jazz Tuesday, October 21, 2014 at 8:00 PM - Chesapeake Energy Arena

OKC Thunder Tickets | Buy Oklahoma City Tickets at Ticket Liquidator

"Oklahoma City looks oh-so pretty... ...as I get my kicks on Route 66." --Nat King Cole.

[OKCretro]

Dang it... Looks like I have two games to sell

[ljbab728]

KD's latest.

[Teo9969]

KD's latest.

And maybe last with Nike?

[codyt]

Looks like Kevin Durant withdrew from Team USA citing mental and physical fatigue, but other sources are saying it was contractual obligations. This is good for OKC but obviously makes things tougher for Team USA's chances. Losing Kevin Durant and Paul George is huge. Hopefully Stephen Curry lights it up and Derek Rose really is back to his all-star self.

Mike Krzyzewski was surprised Kevin Durant left Team USA - ESPN

[Urbanized]

Jerry Colangelo came out and corrected himself later. He said that he was instead thinking of the other Kevin...Kevin Love. That makes sense, because KLove's contract was in the middle of some trade talks.

[Laramie]

Looks like Kevin Durant withdrew from Team USA citing mental and physical fatigue, but other sources are saying it was contractual obligations. This is good for OKC but obviously makes things tougher for Team USA's chances. Losing Kevin Durant and Paul George is huge. Hopefully Stephen Curry lights it up and Derek Rose really is back to his all-star self.

Mike Krzyzewski was surprised Kevin Durant left Team USA - ESPN

Glad he made that decision to withdraw because it was obvious that he had the weight of the Thunder on his shoulders during Westbrook's absence and the ordeal in which his return involved alternate games and a restriction with limited minutes.

Durant went into the Western Conference Finals suffering from acute physical & mental exhaustion. Just when we got Russell back at 85-90%; then came the loss of Ibaka for the first two games in the Alamo City--this was a challenge for K.D.

You can image the devastation players felt to witness the incident that occurred with Paul George. Who would want to put their careers on hold or in jeopardy after the Paul George experience?

"Oklahoma City looks oh-so pretty... ...as I get my kicks on Route 66." --Nat King Cole.

[HOT ROD]

I still think OKC should let the 66ers play in Wichita, they are really deserving a carrot for stepping up and arguably being a better secondary market than Tulsa (who shunned the 66ers, IMO). I say if TUL don't want the WNBA anymore and if OKC couldn't get it to work - send it to Wichita. I think it would be a hit up there, as they'd finally have 'something' or somebody throwing them a bone. ...

Also, I think we should work out a scheme where Little Rock, KC, and Omaha get pre-season games - even if they are an away OKC game. This would help solidify the tertiary market, with for sure preseason games in Wichita and Tulsa and a rotating pre-season game between LIT, KC, and OMA. LIT could really benefit being between OKC and MEM in that they could have a game each year, being OKC vs. MEM.

[Urbanized]

Totally agree it would be a great fit for Wichita.

[dankrutka]

I still think OKC should let the 66ers play in Wichita, they are really deserving a carrot for stepping up and arguably being a better secondary market than Tulsa (who shunned the 66ers, IMO).

What are you basing these statements on? I lived in Wichita for two years & I rarely saw a Thunder shirt or much NBA interest at all. On the other hand, I constantly see Thunder gear in Tulsa. I suspect Tulsans support the Thunder far better than Wichitans. I can't think of any reason Wichita would support the 66ers better. Besides, I think hardcore OKC fans will actually support the team the best and it will be far more convenient for actual basketball purposes.

[Urbanized]

What I mean when I say it would be a good fit is that it would be good for the Thunder, good for the 66ers and good for Wichita. It would help build NBA/Thunder interest in a good regional city (with a fantastic new arena).

Wichita is not miffed that OKC has an NBA club the way Tulsa is. I think Tulsa fans found repugnant the idea that they were hosting a farm club to an OKC major league franchise. They would rather hold their nose and drive to OKC to see the NBA product than be reduced to watching scraps from the OKC hoops table.

Wichita doesn't harbor the same anti-OKC syndrome, and I think they would appreciate having a high level of bball call their city home, which again might whet their appetite for an even higher level of play and result in more 316 support for the Thunder.

[dankrutka]

I think you're overestimating Tulsa's anti-OKC sentiment in regards to the Thunder/66ers (doesn't Tulsa's vigorous support of the team kind of discount this argument?) and underestimating how little Wichitans care about the Thunder or the NBA. I've watched huge Thunder playoff games at sports bars in Wichita (literally no one cared) and Tulsa (it was just like watching it in OKC).

D-League attendance and enthusiasm are pretty low everywhere anyway. I think OKC will get more people than Wichita would and I think it makes way more sense for players and the team.

[Urbanized]

I think Tulsa generally likes the Thunder - with many of them probably preferring to think of them as a state team - but I think they rejected the idea of hosting OKC's farm club. There's a difference. And I think Wichita would respond more to the Thunder if they hosted their own high-level hoops team, with ties to the OKC club. I think it would cultivate interest, which is why I say it would be good for the Thunder. As you point out, Tulsans are already interested...in THUNDER basketball, not D-League.

By the way, I have talked to plenty of people from Wichita down here for games, especially when former Kansas college stars are making NBA appearances here.

[ljbab728]

An interesting perspective on the upcoming season's NBA TV schedule.

Thunder most attractive team to TV executives | News OK

[dankrutka]

I hear you, but as an avid sports fan who wore Thunder gear all the time when I lived in Wichita, I saw extremely little enthusiasm for the NBA or Thunder. Anyway, maybe I'm wrong, but it doesn't look like we'll find out.

[Urbanized]

I don't think you're wrong that there isn't much interest up there right now. I'm saying putting the 66ers up there would be a way to build NBA interest in a regional market the Thunder deems important to long-term success.

[Laramie]

I still think OKC should let the 66ers play in Wichita, they are really deserving a carrot for stepping up and arguably being a better secondary market than Tulsa (who shunned the 66ers, IMO). I say if TUL don't want the WNBA anymore and if OKC couldn't get it to work - send it to Wichita. I think it would be a hit up there, as they'd finally have 'something' or somebody throwing them a bone. ...

Also, I think we should work out a scheme where Little Rock, KC, and Omaha get pre-season games - even if they are an away OKC game. This would help solidify the tertiary market, with for sure preseason games in Wichita and Tulsa and a rotating pre-season game between LIT, KC, and OMA. LIT could really benefit being between OKC and MEM in that they could have a game each year, being OKC vs. MEM.

Wichita could be a great fit for the 66ers and the WNBA Shock. Wichita doesn't aspire to be a major league market like Tulsa.

Tulsa does have a point--if Oklahoma City can, we can. Consider the Shock's record over the past five years, Tulsa has been a great host for the WNBA. They have finished in the top ten in WNBA attendance with a steady average of 5,500. Their black community has really rallied behind the Shock.

My concerns with Wichita centers around the consistently great local college national contender (Wichita State) which may be a challenge for the 66ers or the Shock to overcome.

Keep the 66ers in Oklahoma. Enid is not given enough credit for the small but vocal basketball town she has become especially with the history of the Price family. Enid has the facilities in place (3,000-seat Enid Events Center & 6,000-seat Chisholm Trail Expo Arena).

The City of Enid continues to grow despite the loss of their largest employer, Continental Resources to Oklahoma City.

"Oklahoma City looks oh-so pretty... ...as I get my kicks on Route 66." --Nat King Cole.

[ljbab728]

KD has a BIGGGG decision to make now and what he decides could have a big impact on the Thunder in a couple of years.

Kevin Durant offered massive deal by Under Armour; Nike has right to match - ESPN