Thunder moving 66ers from Tulsa to Oklahoma City

[RecycleMichael]

http://sports.yahoo.com/news/sources--d-league-president-resigns-to-take-job-with-facebook-132712586.html

[DTowner]

Not even a blip on the local sports radar so not a big deal to lose.  But why the contrived "can't find a facility" excuse?  The old convention center arena and Expo pavilion could host them.  Any of the new high school gyms could host them too considering the attendance numbers.  I just don't get the excuse.  If attendance stinks, just say attendance stinks.  TU and even ORU do better than the NBDL.  They even get to play on TV sometimes.

Tulsa World article stated that Cox Convention Center could not accommodate the requested office and practice space, etc.  I suppose it is possible the team had such space at the Spirit Bank center since so little was going on there, but it sounded like a new "requirement" designed to deep six all potential Tulsa locations.

[Weatherdemon]

Not even a blip on the local sports radar so not a big deal to lose.  But why the contrived "can't find a facility" excuse?  The old convention center arena and Expo pavilion could host them.  Any of the new high school gyms could host them too considering the attendance numbers.  I just don't get the excuse.  If attendance stinks, just say attendance stinks.  TU and even ORU do better than the NBDL.  They even get to play on TV sometimes.

They played in the Pavilion for a couple of years. Their crowds are < 1,000 so finding a place to play would be easy.

I loved this:
The minor-league team's move to Oklahoma City doesn't reflect a change in the Thunder's commitment to Tulsa or northeast Oklahoma, Mahoney said.
"This doesn't change that at all," said Dan Mahoney, the Thunder's vice president for communications and community relations, in a telephone interview. "We had no choice. We would have loved to stay in Bixby."
Mahoney said Thunder officials have not decided whether the D-League team's name will be changed.

So, we'll only play one preseason game a year in Tulsa, we're moving the Tulsa 66'er's farm team out of Tulsa, and considering a name change for the farm team, but our committment is unchanged.

I would agree. The commitment to not give a crap about Tulsa has not been changed.
I don't know many that go to those games so It's not a loss but more of a statement of OKC being OKC and Tulsa being that placed up the turnpike.

[RecycleMichael]

So, we'll only play one preseason game a year in Tulsa, we're moving the Tulsa 66'er's farm team out of Tulsa, and considering a name change for the farm team, but our committment is unchanged.

I would agree. The commitment to not give a crap about Tulsa has not been changed.
I don't know many that go to those games so It's not a loss but more of a statement of OKC being OKC and Tulsa being that placed up the turnpike.

Well said.

[DolfanBob]

http://sports.yahoo.com/news/sources--d-league-president-resigns-to-take-job-with-facebook-132712586.html

I hope he's not over 40 years old. Cause he won't be there long.

[Townsend]

I hope he's not over 40 years old. Cause he won't be there long.

Not so sure.  Not many people under 40 using FB anymore.