East Coast Hockey League (ECHL)

[amocore]

Echl would by far draw more fans than the usl energy. The problem with the Barons was the management. Echl would draw over 5000 fans per game.

Non-sense.
I can not talk about the Barons ownership and management but the team was a very competitive team in the AHL. It is one the best league in the world and much better than the ECHL.
Despite of that and fairly price tickets the team fail.
I do not see any hockey team dragging 5000 people a game.

[Dob Hooligan]

I did a quick search this morning and found some site that said average attendance in 2019-20 for the ECHL teams in Kansas City, Wichita, Tulsa and Dallas (Allen) are all in the 4,000-5,000 range. Makes me think that OKC could fall into that range. Maybe on the lower end.

I would think that it would just about have to be at the new Fairgrounds Arena. I don't think SMG, the city, or the Thunder want hockey at the 'Peake or The Incomparable Myriad.

[jedicurt]

I don't think SMG, the city, or the Thunder want hockey at the 'Peake or The Incomparable Myriad.

this is 100% accurate

[mugofbeer]

I fondly remember cheap tickets to things. Not too many years ago “old” bands like Kansas, REO Speedwagon, Doobie Bros, etc. would play local venues and tickets were $20 to $40. Now the same bands are $80 to $100 or more. Way more increase than inflation would merit.

Lol, l saw Kansas at a local outdoor venue 3 years ago on a whim one Sunday afternoon for $20 walk up price. That certainly brought back memories.

[Laramie]

Memories & footage...

Oklahoma City clinched the title with an 8-4 win at the Tulsa Assembly Center. The team bus was met at the Turner Turnpike's south toll gate by a motorcade. It escorted the Blazers to State Fair Arena, where 500 fans were waiting when the team arrived at 1 a.m.--Scott Munn
Published: Sun, April 27, 1997 12:00 AM

Oklahoma City ice hockey fans were very passionate about the Blazers in the 6os. The Tulsa Icers (later Ice Oilers) made the rivalry between Oklahoma two largest cities intense. The Golden triangle that involved Wichita, Tulsa & Oklahoma City drew the largest gatherings among three cities that had no love for one another.

Central Hockey League was sometimes described as a 'Goon League' that attracted fans that liked ice hockey on a different level comprised of a mixture of player skills & finesse, 3 triangle cities and geography that permitted inexpensive travel via charter buses. Opposing team fans traveled in loud groups ranging from 50 to 500 on any given night; they caught the attention of the home team fans.

[Laramie]

ECHL: Tulsa vs. Wichita, November 8th 2019

Both Wichita (Intrust Bank Arena) & Tulsa (BOK Center) play in newer arenas.

Wichita Intrust Bank Arena

Tulsa BOK Center

Gone are the days of two antiquated venues: Wichita Kansas Coliseum & the Tulsa Civic Assembly Center.

[Laramie]

Interesting ECHL game between the Tulsa Oilers and the Allen Americans from the BOK Center in Tulsa--Telecast on Cox Cable Channel 3 Oklahoma City. Lower bowl in use for ECHL games. Tulsa lead 4-1 with 14:30 remaining in the 2nd period.

[Miracle121]

Echl Hockey is a step up from the old Chl blazers. Many nights the Myraid would be full, 13,999, as I remenber when we played the Tulsa Oiler. If Bob Funk Jr. had operated the Barons in the Ahl, the way they should have been operated they would still be here. Poor management was the problem with the OKC Barons of the AHL (triple A league), the same problem that the OKC Energy of the USL has now. If hockey or soccer ever returns let us hope they have a different ownership group. With proper ownership a ECHL would draw at least 5,000 to 6,000 fans per game. We need a building to play hockey in with ice making equipment. New state fair arena would be nice for professional ice hockey at the Echl level. I have nothing against the horse business, but what we need is a people place instead of a horse place.
The Myraid arena would have been a good place for hockey, but the city said they were going to tear it down and now they have a movie studio in it, with no plans to tear it down. All major arenas in the country have hockey and basketball in them with no problems, why not the Paycom center?

[Laramie]

Miracle121

Agree 100%

The Funks' track record for everything they have operated in Oklahoma City had been met with subpar management.

The Paycom Center will seat 15,152 comfortable for ice hockey which is comparable to:

Wichita's Intrust Bank Arena Ice Hockey: 13,450

Tulsa's BOK Center Arena Ice Hockey: 17,096

Oklahoma City should carve out the Great Arena inside the Prairie Surf Media Studio for ECHL Ice Hockey--use $3 million to upgrade seats and spruce up the place with a separate entrance. There's already parking under the arena and a new convention center parking garage available. This would benefit Bricktown Restaurants and make spillover space available for the new convention center

OR build a larger State Fair Coliseum (15,000 permanent seats) to accommodate basketball and ice hockey. Fund the new coliseum, make it $150 million venue 15,000 seat coliseum with a lower bowl seating 5,000 that can be used for horse shows where the upper bowl seats are separate when not in use.

Tulsa and Wichita would undoubtedly draw 7,000 - 13,399 for games against rivals Tulsa & Wichita or larger crowds if you had a State Fair Coliseum seating 15,000.

The new State Fair Coliseum is too important to not be used year round for multiple events.

.

[HockeyHound]

Looks like we've got some old school hockey fans in this thread.

If you're an OLD hockey fan in Oklahoma City, you're welcome to check out the Blazers/Stars history site. The more memories and stories, the better.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/473834234931442