Game thoughts Oneok field

[fotd]

And who is going to pay for that?

Show me the money....

[TheTed]

Being last in the downtown stadium boom really seems to have paid off, as they've taken the best things from a bunch of other new stadiums to make a really cool stadium.

[rwarn17588]

RM, it's not the quantity but the quality. Just fyi.

Said without a trace of irony. 

[Breadburner]

I wonder if there is anything they can do about the scoreboard glare.......

[pfox]

I took pictures from atop the existing Greenwood buildings.  Great view...it's just screaming for some Wrigley-style rooftop seating...

Enjoy!  My fave is seeing the Cain's sign over the top of the pressbox...

http://www.flickr.com/photos/zigzagurban/sets/72157623815830940/

[Cats Cats Cats]

Never pitched a ball before.  Went to Vegas for a trade show about 10 years ago.  At the reception they had a speed cage where us dudes in suits could test our pitching speed.  After several Heinekens it was my turn.  To my amazement I discovered I could throw a 67mph speed ball.  Faster than any of the other guys!!

I also learned that my shoulder comes out.  Kinda makes you want to poop yourself.

You should ask SGrizzle about his speed cage at the old drillers Stadium.

[Cats Cats Cats]

If somebody can get me into the park It would be pretty cool to make a 360 degree gigapan from the field.

Would also like to get a gigapan from the outfield during the game. 

[Conan71]

If somebody can get me into the park It would be pretty cool to make a 360 degree gigapan from the field.

Would also like to get a gigapan from the outfield during the game. 

Call the Driller's front office.  I'd imagine they will take any and all publicity the field can generate.

[PonderInc]

They need either an underpass or overpass like at Cincinnati, Detroit, etc. for Elgin.

Or...a ski lift!  Come to think of it, what happened to the old Bell's Sky Ride?  (Did the fairgrounds buy it?)  How much would it cost to hook that sucker up and run it over the railroad tracks?  I think you need about 25 feet of clearance over railroad tracks. 

A gondola crossing over the railroad?  Why not?  I bet you could charge people to cross b/c it would be fun and weird.  And I bet it would be a lot cheaper than either a pedestrian bridge or the planned (some day, eventually) underpass.  Easy to install, with limited RR interruptions. 



Plus, if we had a "metrocable" crossing the RR tracks, all those rooftop signs in the Blue Dome District would finally make sense!

[DowntownDan]

So capacity is about 8,000.  Most AAA parks are at least 10,000.  Is there just zero interest in trying to upgrade the Drillers to AAA?  The issue never gets discussed and building the stadium smaller appears to be accepting AA status.  Is there a way to add 2000 or so permanent seats if a AAA opportunity arises?  Is there any effort whatsoever to pursue AAA status?

[Hoss]

So capacity is about 8,000.  Most AAA parks are at least 10,000.  Is there just zero interest in trying to upgrade the Drillers to AAA?  The issue never gets discussed and building the stadium smaller appears to be accepting AA status.  Is there a way to add 2000 or so permanent seats if a AAA opportunity arises?  Is there any effort whatsoever to pursue AAA status?

IIRC didn't they say they made the stadium upgradable to have more seats if needed?

[Conan71]

Or...a ski lift!  Come to think of it, what happened to the old Bell's Sky Ride?  (Did the fairgrounds buy it?)  How much would it cost to hook that sucker up and run it over the railroad tracks?  I think you need about 25 feet of clearance over railroad tracks. 

A gondola crossing over the railroad?  Why not?  I bet you could charge people to cross b/c it would be fun and weird.  And I bet it would be a lot cheaper than either a pedestrian bridge or the planned (some day, eventually) underpass.  Easy to install, with limited RR interruptions. 



Plus, if we had a "metrocable" crossing the RR tracks, all those rooftop signs in the Blue Dome District would finally make sense!

Interesting idea, but the visual pollution it creates is almost as bad as billboards to me.  That's just me though, it's a very novel solution and I admire the creative thinking on it.

[Renaissance]

So capacity is about 8,000.  Most AAA parks are at least 10,000.  Is there just zero interest in trying to upgrade the Drillers to AAA?  The issue never gets discussed and building the stadium smaller appears to be accepting AA status.  Is there a way to add 2000 or so permanent seats if a AAA opportunity arises?  Is there any effort whatsoever to pursue AAA status?

The problem is that there are only 30 AAA franchises and we'd basically have to steal one from another city.  I'd say you're right that the size of Oneok Field shows that Lamson is not pursuing this in the near future.

EDIT: If MLB were to ever expand to 32 teams, there would be four available AAA franchises (assuming two new ones and also that the expansion replaced two AAA teams in cities like Memphis or Portland).  Tulsa would probably be in line for one.  This wouldn't be any time soon but could occur in the next 10-15 years.

[TheTed]

Is AAA even considered better? The future MLB stars may or may not spend much time in AAA, but they always spend time in AA. Every AAA game I've attended features way too many Stubby Clapps, the dudes who are career minor leaguers who make brief MLB appearances.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stubby_Clapp

[sgrizzle]

So capacity is about 8,000.  Most AAA parks are at least 10,000.  Is there just zero interest in trying to upgrade the Drillers to AAA?  The issue never gets discussed and building the stadium smaller appears to be accepting AA status.  Is there a way to add 2000 or so permanent seats if a AAA opportunity arises?  Is there any effort whatsoever to pursue AAA status?

Opening day they sold 8,665 tickets. Many AAA fields have a capacity as low as 9,000. Original concepts for ONEOK Field included a second level of suites/part areas and reconfiguration can be done to expand sections, particularly 101 & 102.

Adding suites, party areas, and expanding some seating could add 500 or 1,000 seats if needed.