Can we support the Hornets?

[Patrick]

I personally think we can. If we can get 80,000+ fans at an OU game paying $50+ for tickets, why couldn't we get 15,000 fans at each and every Hornets game?

[okcpulse]

As I said before, Oklahoma City MSA's economy is worth $34 billion annually in total personal income. And that number increases every year. I think we can afford an NBA team.

[swake]

Here is my take on what I have read today on this:

First, this team is NOT going back to New Orleans, right or wrong, and this owner is an ass, this is now OKC's team.

Second, you have a two year try out, if the revenue is decent, you will get a second year. At the end of the second year if the revenue is much better than what he got in New Orleans, the team is yours, if not, then the Sprint Center in Kansas City will be ready and the team will be gone.

Good luck with that, year one will be easy, it’s the second year with a struggling team that will be hard to fill an arena for on a team that may or may not be staying for a third year

[mranderson]

Here is my take on what I have read today on this:

First, this team is NOT going back to New Orleans, right or wrong, and this owner is an ass, this is now OKC's team.

Second, you have a two year try out, if the revenue is decent, you will get a second year. At the end of the second year if the revenue is much better than what he got in New Orleans, the team is yours, if not, then the Sprint Center in Kansas City will be ready and the team will be gone.

Good luck with that, year one will be easy, it’s the second year with a struggling team that will be hard to fill an arena for on a team that may or may not be staying for a third year

At the ticket prices set by the NBA, if we do not draw well, we do not deserve a team. They are the lowest in the league and set to draw the fans.

I hope you are correct, Swake. I have felt something bigger was brewing. My gut instinct has told me that all along.

[MadMonk]

Also, there were originally 40 regular season home games vs what? 4 or 5 OU games? Its a lot easier to fill a stadium only a few times vs 40, especially if its a losing season.

What's the attendance like now at Blazer games? I haven't been in a couple of years.

[BDP]

this owner is an ass

What'd he do?

if the revenue is much better than what he got in New Orleans, the team is yours

Come on, now, it'd be ours. You can come, too.

[mranderson]

Also, there were originally 40 regular season home games vs what? 4 or 5 OU games? Its a lot easier to fill a stadium only a few times vs 40, especially if its a losing season.

What's the attendance like now at Blazer games? I haven't been in a couple of years.

Every team has an occasional "losing" season. Plus, it will take time to build. Maybe there are only four or five home games with that University you are obviously so hot on. However, for the price of one of those tickets, you can go to up to five Hornets games. (maybe more as I do not know, nor care how much those University tickets are, plus the team you are comparing the Hornets and Blazers to is football and not professional)

[Patrick]

Also, there were originally 40 regular season home games vs what? 4 or 5 OU games? Its a lot easier to fill a stadium only a few times vs 40, especially if its a losing season.

What's the attendance like now at Blazer games? I haven't been in a couple of years.

It's hard to compare attendance at minor league teams to that at major league teams. Attendance will always be higher at major league teams. Just look at Nashville. Before they got the Titans, all they had was the Nashville Sounds. They didn't and still don't support them. But, they seem to support the Titans well. The same can be said about San Antonio and their AA baseball team vs the Spurs.

[Patrick]

If the Hornets fail, it will hurt the entire state. So, Tulsa should be hoping the Hornets do well. If they fail, the major leagues will forever ignore OKC just as they will the entire state, Tulsa included.

[BDP]

Also, there were originally 40 regular season home games vs what? 4 or 5 OU games? Its a lot easier to fill a stadium only a few times vs 40, especially if its a losing season.

What's the attendance like now at Blazer games? I haven't been in a couple of years.

The Blazers are relatively insignificant in this discussion. It's very low quality hockey and is a product built on its relative cheapness. Your comparisons to a similar priced product with similar exposure makes more sense. D-1 football and even D-1 basketball is much bigger with more exposure than the CHL. Everyone knows who the Oklahoma Sooners and Oklahoma State Cowboys are. Very few people have heard of the Oklahoma City Blazers or even the CHL.

The key to think about with the OU games, too, is that most people are actually paying more than the face value for those tickets. A great many of them pay a donation on top of that ticket. I think with the ample amount of cheap tickets being made available for this season, the Hornets should draw well. Hopefully, some will skip a couple of bush league hockey games and go to a major league event with world class athletes.

We’ll see, though…

[upisgr8]

Having attended the Press Conference, I came away giddy with enthusiasm. The leadership from Mayor "Nothing But Class" Cornett as well as support from Express Sports with other business and civic leaders really presented OKC in a world class way. We will be honored to be the Hornets home for as long as they would like to stay and the support will be there like over 2000 non-corporate season tickets sold in the first 2 hours they were available this afternoon. When the Hornets return to New Orleans there will be a long line to step in behind them.

[Karried]

Yes, I'm very excited as well. I have heard that many season tickets have already been reserved - at $1000 a pop ( I believe that's what the season tickets will cost), that's pretty good news already.

I want to know when the individual tickets will go on sale... anyone know?

[PUGalicious]

So, have you gotten your season tickets yet, mranderson?

[BDP]

I want to know when the individual tickets will go on sale... anyone know?

I heard October 1, but I got the sense that my source was speculating.

$1000 a pop

Which really is an amazing value given the product. We are getting a unique opportunity to see top level sports entertainment at a significant discount.

[Karried]

Significant discount? Wanna buy me a discount ticket - ha,ha!

I know what you mean though but I think I'll have to stick with individual tickets - a family of four is a nice chunk of change..

[BDP]

I'll have to stick with individual tickets - a family of four is a nice chunk of change..

I hear you.

I heard that the season ticket price is actually 46% off the regular price.

[MadMonk]

Every team has an occasional "losing" season. Plus, it will take time to build. Maybe there are only four or five home games with that University you are obviously so hot on. However, for the price of one of those tickets, you can go to up to five Hornets games. (maybe more as I do not know, nor care how much those University tickets are, plus the team you are comparing the Hornets and Blazers to is football and not professional)

Obviously so hot on? I was just using them as a comparison because they are probably the biggest sports draw this city has. Sheesh! WTF is your problem Anderson? I gather you are not so hot on OU. So what? Substitute OSU for them if it makes you happy. Just because I'm not jumping up and down with Hornet pom-poms doesn't mean I'm against the team.

Anyway, my point is that when the Blazers started up there were a ton of people at the games. Now, I'd guess that they don't even sell half their tickets. No, they aren't a big-time team. I just hope the city doesn't have a downward slide with the NBA as they did with a minor-league team after the novelty of having the team wears off. I heard on the radio today that some of the tickets could be as low as $20. Thats pretty darn reasonable IMO so maybe (hopefully) I'm wrong.

[flyingcowz]

I was reading on the NOLA discussion board, and I came away with a feeling that the whole state of Oklahoma looks bad.

This one guy said "Texas took 250,000 evacuees, some other state took 35,000, but the leaders in Oklahoma said they don't want very many, yet, they are more than happy to take our basketball team. How nice."

I don't want us to have that stigma.

[Karried]

Whatever. That's BS. We have evacuees in Gruber, Yukon & Tulsa where people are bending over backwards to help them out.

The Baptist church was so generously sponsoring the evacuees in Falls Creek. Volunteers were turned away because there were too many people there to help. Keith personally got many donations from this board alone and their church bought a big screen TV and tons of supplies and hundreds of people volunteered to help ..... The camp was set up to welcome thousands. We later learned after so much hard work that the evacuees didn't want to come ... People in this state have donated so much. So they can think what they want, we know who we are...

[Karried]

I was reading on the NOLA discussion board, and I came away with a feeling that the whole state of Oklahoma looks bad.

This one guy said "Texas took 250,000 evacuees, some other state took 35,000, but the leaders in Oklahoma said they don't want very many, yet, they are more than happy to take our basketball team. How nice."

I don't want us to have that stigma.

That is a total fabrication. I found the board you are referring to.

There is only ONE post by by ONE jerk on ONE New Orlean's board that I found. There are replies defending OK with the same discussion I posted above. We tried to help and we tried to take in as many evacuees that we could take. They wanted to stay near relatives in Texas.

I personally think you are trying to make OKC feel bad since you are out of Tulsa but like I said before -

Whatever.

[Luke]

I would think Tulsans would be more optimistic, but if I remember correctly swake and I guess flyingcowz, two Tulsans, seem to be down on this.

Oh well.

By the way, the cheapest tickets will be $10.

[Patrick]

I heard October 1, but I got the sense that my source was speculating.



Which really is an amazing value given the product. We are getting a unique opportunity to see top level sports entertainment at a significant discount.

I agree. For 36 games, $1,000 really isn't bad for major league basketball. I was actually shocked when I heard season tickets were that affordable.

[Patrick]

Tulsans better be up on us, because if this fails, it will forever ruin the state's (yes, Tulsa included) chance of ever getting another major league team.

[flyingcowz]

I'm not against it, and I don't think swake is either. I just have concern that people from other places will think we are oppurtunistic. (A point that has been raised from the begining.) You can say, "Oh, it's one dude on one board who thinks that.", but there are more people than just him that are thinking that, and you know it. I don't want to be known as the state who took adavantage of New Orleans, even though it was OKC, it will still make the entire state look bad, even Tulsa.

I also noticed the places you listed: Camp Gruber, Yukon, Tulsa. Where is OKC on that list? Oh yeah, they went out for a minute to steal the basketball team first.

Fabrication? How so? You saw the same post I did.

[okcpulse]

Plenty of OKC organizations helped out many victims of Katrina. But you, sir would be the first to jump our city for stealing the basketball team. But since we have to defend our every move around you AND the city of Tulsa, we'll stamp 'NO HARM INTENDED' on our foreheads before we step out the front door.

But thanks to you, I'm not even enthusiastic anymore. Anything else you want to accuse us of?

It doesn't matter what Oklahoma City, or Oklahoma does, someone in this state is afraid we'll 'look bad'. Anyone else want the basketball team? Because apparently now, we're thieves.