Was Oklahoma City ever considered a contender for NHL expansion?

[decepticobra]

A friend told me that during the 1997 NHL expansion that Oklahoma City was a top contender for an NHL expansion team, but because the Ford Center was not completed in time the team we were supposed to get was basically stolen from our grasp by Nashville. Has anyone else heard this?

[borchard]

We WERE in the running for an NHL team at that time. The other conventional wisdom i that the team was going to called the Redhawks, and logos and merchandise had already been created. SO, when we didn't get the NHL, the baseball team as renamed so as not to let all the merch go to waste.

[GaryOKC6]

I actually worked on that. Part of our efforts were getting corporate support lined up in advance. We were very successful in doing that. Although our economy was not as robust at the time, most of our major companies as well as smaller ones committed to buy season tickets and sponsorships. I recall the Coke bought 25 front row tickets. I think there were about 24 cities competing for the teams and we made it to the final 6 cities. I believe that our demographics worked against us at the time. We are so spread out that we don't look good on paper. In other words not enough density. Since then OKC has proved that this model does not mean anything when it comes to us. The thunder and Outlet Mall are prime examples.

[bchris02]

We WERE in the running for an NHL team at that time. The other conventional wisdom i that the team was going to called the Redhawks, and logos and merchandise had already been created. SO, when we didn't get the NHL, the baseball team as renamed so as not to let all the merch go to waste.

I've here more than a few people say the Redhawks logo looked like an NHL logo. There definitely could be truth to that rumor.

[Urbanized]

There is more than "could be" truth to the rumor. And by the way, an early Redhawks logo had stylized hockey sticks in it.

[Jake]

The Oklahoma City Redhawks as a hockey team.....cool!

[bchris02]

It would also explain why originally they were branded as the Oklahoma Redhawks rather than the Oklahoma City Redhawks, despite there being an AAA team in Tulsa. The hockey team would have been branded as the state's rather than the city's.

[Video Expert]

It would also explain why originally they were branded as the Oklahoma Redhawks rather than the Oklahoma City Redhawks, despite there being an AAA team in Tulsa. The hockey team would have been branded as the state's rather than the city's.

Tulsa hasn't had an AAA team in decades. The Drillers are AA.

[Laramie]

1997 NHL (4 team) expansion derby:

Oklahoma City & Houston were among the six finalist.

Oklahoma City's NBA success story rooted in NHL failure

Oklahoma City was among six cities competing for the four slots. Oklahoma City had an arena ready to be built and investors ready to pay an estimated $80 million for a new team. "Oklahoma City was among six cities competing for the four slots. Oklahoma City had an arena ready to be built and investors ready to pay an estimated $80 million for a new team."

Oklahoma City's NBA success story rooted in NHL failure | News OK

[OKCRT]

OKC was very close to getting an NHL franchise. It's been a blessing that it didn't happen.

[kwhey]

I would rather have had the NHL.

[dankrutka]

I would rather have had the NHL.

I wouldn't...

But for the city, a NBA team is a way, way bigger deal. The national and international exposure is way higher. Obviously it hasn't hurt that OKC has one of the most marketable and well known athletes in the world.

[Jake]

I love the NHL but landing the NBA is much, much better for the reasons dankrutka listed. If the city were to have had an NHL team as successful as the Thunder it would've been cool and good for the city but the impact wouldn't have been anywhere near as much as what the Thunder have done for OKC.

[kwhey]

I loathe the NBA. That is my reasoning.

[GoOKC1991]

NHL is way better than the NBA, the NBA has been ruined by flopping, terrible officiating and players teaming up with each other to try and win an easy championship.

The NHL is anybody's league, the playoffs are the best of any sport and guys aren't whining every time they fall down.

[Dave Cook]

I thought I read somewhere about the Chicago Blackhawks protesting the possible use of the name 'Redhawks' in the event the city was awarded a team.

Seems odd to name a team Redhawks when you already have Blackhawks and Red Wings.

(Nevermind the fact the CFL had Ottawa Roughriders and Saskatchewan Roughriders for years)

[Laramie]

I thought I read somewhere about the Chicago Blackhawks protesting the possible use of the name 'Redhawks' in the event the city was awarded a team.

Seems odd to name a team Redhawks when you already have Blackhawks and Red Wings.

(Nevermind the fact the CFL had Ottawa Roughriders and Saskatchewan Roughriders for years)

Kansas City was awarded an NHL expansion franchise in 1974, they originally chose the name Mohawks; Chicago Blackhawks protested that name which was later changed to Scouts.

The Kansas City franchise was to be called the Kansas City Mohawks, since the Kansas City metropolitan area includes portions of Missouri and Kansas.[2] The name would have combined Missouri's postal abbreviation (MO) and the Kansas nickname of "Jayhawkers." However, the Chicago Black Hawks objected because "Mohawks" sounded too much like "Black Hawks."

Kansas City Scouts - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The name 'RedHawks' would have been protested as well if OKC had obtained that 4th NHL expansion franchise in 1997.

[puga203]

Because baseball doesn't have the Red Sox and the White Sox.....one of which just so happens to be in Chicago...

[Dubya61]

OKC was very close to getting an NHL franchise. It's been a blessing that it didn't happen.

I would rather have had the NHL.

I wouldn't...
But for the city, a NBA team is a way, way bigger deal. The national and international exposure is way higher. Obviously it hasn't hurt that OKC has one of the most marketable and well known athletes in the world.

I love hockey in every incarnation, but I was / am not in favor of the NHL expanding here in OKC. I can't afford NHL prices and like to sit just a bit above the glass. Apparently I was one of the stupid ones, but I had season tix to the Blazers and LOVED the whole experience. I also like going to as many Baron's games as possible. There's just no way I can feed my hockey addiction with good seats at NHL prices.

I loathe the NBA. That is my reasoning.

Don't know quite what you mean here, but if it's the organization and league management you mean, I would be hard-pressed to find a better sports management / promotion organization than the NBA (and a worse one than the NHL). I'm no fan of the game, but the league management is one of the best, IMO.

NHL is way better than the NBA, the NBA has been ruined by flopping, terrible officiating and players teaming up with each other to try and win an easy championship.

The NHL is anybody's league, the playoffs are the best of any sport and guys aren't whining every time they fall down.

Like my previous comments, I assume you're talking about the play of the game, and not the league management. I don't know about that. I don't watch basketball and can't say much about your criticism, but I agree wholeheartedly about enjoying the playoffs. The NHL league management, however ... Well, suffice it to say that I hope ice hockey can survive the league.

[dankrutka]

I loathe the NBA. That is my reasoning.

Well, that's fine, but it's national and international popularity far outpaces the NHL. And I absolutely love the NBA product.

NHL is way better than the NBA, the NBA has been ruined by flopping, terrible officiating and players teaming up with each other to try and win an easy championship.

The NHL is anybody's league, the playoffs are the best of any sport and guys aren't whining every time they fall down.

First, the NBA certainly hasn't been "ruined" by flopping. It's a problem, but a minor one that the league has addressed and there is noticeably less flopping now. The problem with flopping in soccer is ten times what it is in the NBA. Second, how are NBA officials worse than in any other sport? People can't wrap their heads around the fact that officiating will never be perfect. I actually think NBA officials are fine and their replay system has helped to shore up critical bad calls. Name one sport where the officials are considered good. Lol. Finally, have you been paying attention to these superteams? The Heat won two titles and had to work hard to get them. The Nets superteam was a complete failure. The Cavs superteam is mediocre so far. The Rockets superteam is in the middle of the Western race. And the Spurs and Mavs both have recent titles without any semblance of a superteam. There are probably 10 teams that could legitemately win a title this season with almost none of them being superteams - the race is wide open. In short, I don't agree with any of your reasons that the NBA is "ruined."

[Laramie]

Indoor major professional sports leagues. *

National Basketball Association vs. National Hockey League

Attendance averages for the last five years.

NBA is a better long-term fit for Oklahoma City than the NHL.

Selected cities of the NBA & the NHL:

Cities	2014 MSA Population	2014-15	2013-14	2012-13	2011-12	2010-11
NBA Portland	2,314,000	19,491	19,746	19,824	20,496	20,530
NBA San Antonio	2,278,000	18,685	18,415	18,341	18,396	18,314
NBA Orlando	2,268,000	16,853	16,245	17,545	18,898	18,971
NBA Sacramento	2,216,000	16,324	16,291	13,749	14,508	13,890
NHL Columbus	1,968,000	15,618	14,698	14,564	14,460	13,658
NHL San Jose	1,920,000	17,385	17,133	17,561	17,562	17,562
NBA Memphis	1,342,000	17,212	16,718	16,624	15,517	14,650
NBA Oklahoma City	1,320,000	18,203	18,203	18,203	18,203	18,148
NHL Raleigh	1,215,000	12,456	15,483	17,558	16,042	16,415
NBA Salt Lake City	1,140,000	18,548	18,175	18,680	19,306	19,511

* Ten U. S. Cities with only one major league franchise (MLB, NFL, NBA, NHL).
Note: The NBA & the NHL teams play an 82 game schedule (41 home/41 away).