OKC Dodgers New Nickname

[jn1780]

They still embraced 89ers hard, including a weekly 89ers night as well as selling merch. I guess I don’t understand why calling them that full time instead of once a week is that big of a deal.

Its a lot easier to stop that promotion temporarily until the heat dies down.

[Laramie]

the ONLY reason to drop OKC Dodgers is if they were going to bring back the OKC 89ers. I could also see the OKC Lightning possibly work but to me it sounds like a pro womens team of sorts (no offense to anyone).

RedHawks was the WORST name for an OKC team. Energy is taken, so why change from the big league if we're not going to resurrect our roots/founding with 89ers??

We had a pro women's football team called the Oklahoma City Lightning: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oklahoma_City_Lightning

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[Dob Hooligan]

I think Baseball is in so much trouble that they are flailing at every issue at the same time in a desperate attempt to stop the free fall. TV ratings are falling so much that they have to put their League Championship Series on secondary cable channels, like FS1. The average viewer is a 63 year old white male. Due to analytics, the games are a 3 hour slog, comprised of strike outs, home runs, and some walks. Pitchers are being forced to damage their elbow ligaments in such a way that they require Tommy John reconstructive surgery at a higher rate than any sports injury on earth. Franchise values, even 10 years ago, were where MLB was close to NFL, and clearly higher than NBA, with NHL following way behind. Now, the MLB "not large-not small" standard bearer Baltimore Orioles (with their prototypical Camden Yards Stadium) sold for $1.3 billion dollars. The comparable Washington Commanders of the NFL sold for $6 billion. The NBA expansion price is $4 billion. And the absolute cheapest, NHL bottom feeder Arizona Coyotes, sold for $1 billion to people that are willing to move it to Salt Lake City as a secondary "winter sports" team.

All of that is to say that the Dodgers name no longer has the legacy value that makes it more important than something like Flycatchers, Space Cowboys, or 89ers.

[April in the Plaza]

I think Baseball is in so much trouble that they are flailing at every issue at the same time in a desperate attempt to stop the free fall. TV ratings are falling so much that they have to put their League Championship Series on secondary cable channels, like FS1. The average viewer is a 63 year old white male. Due to analytics, the games are a 3 hour slog, comprised of strike outs, home runs, and some walks. Pitchers are being forced to damage their elbow ligaments in such a way that they require Tommy John reconstructive surgery at a higher rate than any sports injury on earth. Franchise values, even 10 years ago, were where MLB was close to NFL, and clearly higher than NBA, with NHL following way behind. Now, the MLB "not large-not small" standard bearer Baltimore Orioles (with their prototypical Camden Yards Stadium) sold for $1.3 billion dollars. The comparable Washington Commanders of the NFL sold for $6 billion. The NBA expansion price is $4 billion. And the absolute cheapest, NHL bottom feeder Arizona Coyotes, sold for $1 billion to people that are willing to move it to Salt Lake City as a secondary "winter sports" team.

All of that is to say that the Dodgers name no longer has the legacy value that makes it more important than something like Flycatchers, Space Cowboys, or 89ers.

Yea, i think the game needs more offense, a more consistent strike zone (the strike zone the Yankees get relative to their opponents is absurd), and maybe one or two other tweaks if they are serious about engaging fans for months other than October.

[Boop]

Just for fun, I'll toss "OKC Lightning" into the mix...so you can have Thunder and Lightning.

No, that would be terrible and boring

[Swake]

I think Baseball is in so much trouble that they are flailing at every issue at the same time in a desperate attempt to stop the free fall. TV ratings are falling so much that they have to put their League Championship Series on secondary cable channels, like FS1. The average viewer is a 63 year old white male. Due to analytics, the games are a 3 hour slog, comprised of strike outs, home runs, and some walks.

In 2024 with the pitch clock games are down to 2 hours, 37 minutes on average.
https://www.baseballamerica.com/stor...%20mid%2D1980s.

Pitchers are being forced to damage their elbow ligaments in such a way that they require Tommy John reconstructive surgery at a higher rate than any sports injury on earth. Franchise values, even 10 years ago, were where MLB was close to NFL, and clearly higher than NBA, with NHL following way behind. Now, the MLB "not large-not small" standard bearer Baltimore Orioles (with their prototypical Camden Yards Stadium) sold for $1.3 billion dollars. The comparable Washington Commanders of the NFL sold for $6 billion. The NBA expansion price is $4 billion. And the absolute cheapest, NHL bottom feeder Arizona Coyotes, sold for $1 billion to people that are willing to move it to Salt Lake City as a secondary "winter sports" team.

This is inaccurate. A controlling interest (40%) in the Orioles was sold for $1.725 billion valuing the team at $4.3 billion or 72% of the Commanders.
https://www.cbsnews.com/baltimore/ne...wners-approve/

All of that is to say that the Dodgers name no longer has the legacy value that makes it more important than something like Flycatchers, Space Cowboys, or 89ers.

The Dodgers are the second most valuable team in Baseball and in the World Series, being affiliated with them is a good thing.
https://www.forbes.com/teams/los-angeles-dodgers/

[BoulderSooner]

In 2024 with the pitch clock games are down to 2 hours, 37 minutes on average.
https://www.baseballamerica.com/stor...%20mid%2D1980s.


This is inaccurate. A controlling interest (40%) in the Orioles was sold for $1.725 billion valuing the team at $4.3 billion or 72% of the Commanders.
https://www.cbsnews.com/baltimore/ne...wners-approve/



The Dodgers are the second most valuable team in Baseball and in the World Series, being affiliated with them is a good thing.
https://www.forbes.com/teams/los-angeles-dodgers/

correct on all fronts ..

also FS1 is in no way a secondary cable channel ..

[Dob Hooligan]

In 2024 with the pitch clock games are down to 2 hours, 37 minutes on average.
https://www.baseballamerica.com/stor...%20mid%2D1980s.


This is inaccurate. A controlling interest (40%) in the Orioles was sold for $1.725 billion valuing the team at $4.3 billion or 72% of the Commanders.
https://www.cbsnews.com/baltimore/ne...wners-approve/



The Dodgers are the second most valuable team in Baseball and in the World Series, being affiliated with them is a good thing.
https://www.forbes.com/teams/los-angeles-dodgers/

I'm not finding the $4.3 billion number being used in the story linked. I googled Orioles sale price and found a Sports Business Journal story from May 2024 that suggested David Rubenstein wound up owning 97% of the team. The only number in that story was $1.725 billion.

I also googled Nationals asking price and found Washington Post (and others) stories that say the Lerner family have been asking $2 billion-ish for a couple years without a taker. However, Wizards and Capitols owner Ted Leonsis says he is very interested and has told the Lerner's that many times.

I fully agree that the Dodgers name should be a positive. I just don't think the world agrees as much as it used to. And, to be fair, the Dodgers took the name back. OKC did not toss it aside, or give it up. OKC had to let it go.

I never have learned how to link. I do not mean to be evasive, or a post and run without proof person. Just haven't figured out how, yet. And probably spend more time this way than if I had figured it out.

[Swake]

I'm not finding the $4.3 billion number being used in the story linked. I googled Orioles sale price and found a Sports Business Journal story from May 2024 that suggested David Rubenstein wound up owning 97% of the team. The only number in that story was $1.725 billion.

I also googled Nationals asking price and found Washington Post (and others) stories that say the Lerner family have been asking $2 billion-ish for a couple years without a taker. However, Wizards and Capitols owner Ted Leonsis says he is very interested and has told the Lerner's that many times.

I fully agree that the Dodgers name should be a positive. I just don't think the world agrees as much as it used to. And, to be fair, the Dodgers took the name back. OKC did not toss it aside, or give it up. OKC had to let it go.

I never have learned how to link. I do not mean to be evasive, or a post and run without proof person. Just haven't figured out how, yet. And probably spend more time this way than if I had figured it out.

The control stake of the team -- along with its related assets, including its stake in the Mid-Atlantic Sports Network -- was sold for $1.725 billion to Rubenstein, a Baltimore native and the co-founder/co-chairman of The Carlyle Group.

Rubenstein has reportedly purchased a 40% stake of the team. According to a report by The Athletic, he and his ownership group will soon acquire the remainder of the Angelos family’s 70% stake.
https://www.mlb.com/news/david-ruben...rship-approved

The MLB announcement.

[jn1780]

Yea, i think the game needs more offense, a more consistent strike zone (the strike zone the Yankees get relative to their opponents is absurd), and maybe one or two other tweaks if they are serious about engaging fans for months other than October.

Change the game too much and it's not baseball anymore.

[Wild]

Change the game too much and it's not baseball anymore.

The NBA and NFL make substantial rule changes every year and they have increased popularity. Older baseball fans love tradition and it's killing the sport.

[Bill Robertson]

The NBA and NFL make substantial rule changes every year and they have increased popularity. Older baseball fans love tradition and it's killing the sport.

Guilty as charged. I don't have anything against time limits between innings, between pitches, mound visits, pitcher warm-ups, etc. Anything that doesn't change the game but eliminates dead time. But some of the suggestions that have been brought up lately to create more scoring. Like moving the mound further away again or even starting each inning with a designated runner on base are sacrilegious. Baseball is supposed to be a game of chess played on a field. Each batter/hitter showdown thought out. Hit placement/runner coordination planned. I would rather it go away than become a weak shadow of what it was designed to be.

[mugofbeer]

I agree. Those rule change proposals sound like USSSA softball-esque.

[Boop]

I think it will be called Oklahoma City Twisters

[Nhampson]

I think it will be called Oklahoma City Twisters

Meh. Could be worse I guess.

[caaokc]

Real bummer that they’re not going back to the 89ers

[Hollywood]

Real bummer that they’re not going back to the 89ers

Huge missed opportunity to reclaim some tradition and a name that is truly unique to the metro. If the rumored name is true, it sounds like a summer league team.

[amocore]

I feel the 89ers name hasn’t aged well.
I moved to okc 17 years ago and it was already Redhawks which is fine with me and can even come back.
I think the 89ers name is really not appealing to a lot and doesn’t generate as much nostalgia as some may think.

Get us something fresh !

[Boop]

I feel the 89ers name hasn’t aged well.
I moved to okc 17 years ago and it was already Redhawks which is fine with me and can even come back.
I think the 89ers name is really not appealing to a lot and doesn’t generate as much nostalgia as some may think.

Get us something fresh !

Redhawks are a boring name

[Nhampson]

I feel the 89ers name hasn’t aged well.
I moved to okc 17 years ago and it was already Redhawks which is fine with me and can even come back.
I think the 89ers name is really not appealing to a lot and doesn’t generate as much nostalgia as some may think.

Get us something fresh !

Well of course it doesn’t generate nostalgia for you, you didn’t live here when they were the 89ers.

[amocore]

That is my point ! If the 89ers name biggest value is the nostalgia argument, it is lame.
This name was discontinued almost 30 years ago. If you consider the population movement in a metropolis over this time period, it is just nostalgic for few 50 to + years old at best, and I’m nice.
I dont think that is a strategy a team would use for its rebranding.

[Swake]

The Dodgers had a big night last night. Down 3-2 in the 10th, walk-off grand slam to win the game. First walk off slam in World Series history. Cool game.

[Boop]

The new name will be announced at 7 pm tonight, it is going to be interesting to see what is the new name will be

[PhiAlpha]

The OKC Comets LOLOL. WTF does that have to do with OKC?

Edit: Apparently it’s a reference to Mickey Mantle. Still dumb

[PhiAlpha]

They’re overthinking things per usual

Called it LOL.