Does professional soccer have a future in Tulsa?

[TeeDub]

I enjoy to watch it once in a while....   It seems a shame that they can't work something out to get a better venue than the ballpark.

It seems like a great fit for one of the local high schools to make some extra bucks..   or back in the old Skelly stadium as an 80s throwback.

[Laramie]

Tulsa does have a better potential support advantage historically than OKC in that there are currently no major professional sports franchises (like NBA) to compete for the sports dollar.

OKC recently approved on September 12 a bond & MAPS III two year extension initiatives investing more than $1.5 billion (over10 years) in critical infrastructure like streets and sidewalks, including an annual $26 million boost for public safety and other day-to-day operations. Cyber & structural upgrades to The Peake & $27.5 million in funds to expand & renovate ASA Hall of Fame Stadium:  http://newsok.com/voters-decide-bond-sales-tax-measures/article/5563872

See very little public funds support available (next 2 years) for an MLS stadium. Funk Jr., expects MLS to eventually expand to 32 teams.  

Mayor Mick Cornett did indicate that the city would provide some infrastructure & support if an MLS venue were built & an MLS franchise were secured.

[DowntownDan]

Does Skelly Stadium have the same width problem as Taft Stadium?  I would think so.  The latest renovation moved the stands closer to the sidelines. 

Is there really no other alternative for the A's than LaFortune?  Why can't they play at TU?  As a private institution, surely they could sell beer there.  Even the practice field could hold a decent NPSL crowd.  It has tiered berm-like seating that I think is pretty neat. 

Isn't there a way to move the field at ONEOK closer to the stands with a removable pitchers mound?  I thought I read that somewhere.  It's a pricey technology, but since they are doing pretty well with attendance you'd think it would be worth it by now to improve the sight lines.

A soccer-specific stadium would be a boon for downtown, but there seems to be no push at all for it, and it didn't make Visions renewal, so that won't come back up for a long, long time.  Such a shame.  They could hold a high school "game of the week" downtown and make use of it for concerts and other events.

[cannon_fodder]

Does Skelly Stadium have the same width problem as Taft Stadium?  I would think so.  The latest renovation moved the stands closer to the sidelines.

The front wall at HA Chapman stadium is stone and conrete, it was not moved closer during renovations, but it is really close to the field.

Is there really no other alternative for the A's than LaFortune?  Why can't they play at TU?  As a private institution, surely they could sell beer there.  Even the practice field could hold a decent NPSL crowd.  It has tiered berm-like seating that I think is pretty neat. 

The soccer field at TU could certainly sell beer (the football stadium already does).  Obviously it is regulation sized.  However, I don't think TU generally uses their facilities for outside events for a variety of reasons (using it for their soccer games, security/liability risks, overusing fields kills the grass).  Not saying it couldn't or shouldn't happen, just that I'm not aware of TU or most other Universities doing so.

Isn't there a way to move the field at ONEOK closer to the stands with a removable pitchers mound?  I thought I read that somewhere.  It's a pricey technology, but since they are doing pretty well with attendance you'd think it would be worth it by now to improve the sight lines.

Here is a list of stadiums with moveable seating:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Movable_seating

15 stadiums in the world, mostly utilized by professional sports teams.  So the $horot an$wer is nope.

A soccer-specific stadium would be a boon for downtown, but there seems to be no push at all for it, and it didn't make Visions renewal, so that won't come back up for a long, long time.  Such a shame.  They could hold a high school "game of the week" downtown and make use of it for concerts and other events.

The math must not have worked out yet.  Quality soccer stadiums take up a lot of room and cost a lot of money. OKC is spending $25 million plus the cost of the land (probably around $5 million if downtown Tulsa).  I'd love to see UCAT sell land for such a project north of the Tulsa Arts District, but in that it would lesson the use of the Driller's stadium and cost the Roughnecks more money while not being obviously utilized for much else...  it's a tough sell for public money or private investment.

Hope I'm wrong.

[TeeDub]

Isn't there a way to move the field at ONEOK closer to the stands with a removable pitchers mound?  I thought I read that somewhere.  It's a pricey technology, but since they are doing pretty well with attendance you'd think it would be worth it by now to improve the sight lines.

It could happen.   https://www.si.com/soccer/photos/2015/03/16/soccer-baseball-stadiums#19

But what fun is using someone else's stadium when you can get the taxpayers to spend another $20 million for something that sits empty 75% of the time?


You can ignore the "overusing fields kills the grass" for TU's Skelly stadium...   It is astroturf (or whatever the new version is called).

[swake]

You can ignore the "overusing fields kills the grass" for TU's Skelly stadium...   It is astroturf (or whatever the new version is called).

Not the soccer fields.

[TeeDub]

Not the soccer fields.

Did someone mention the soccer fields?     They only hold 2000 and the lowest attendance was in excess of 3000.   Seems moot.

[swake]

Did someone mention the soccer fields?     They only hold 2000 and the lowest attendance was in excess of 3000.   Seems moot.

Yes, both DowntownDan and Cannon mentioned the TU soccer fields and cannon mentioned overuse and the impact on the grass.

[DowntownDan]

It could happen.   https://www.si.com/soccer/photos/2015/03/16/soccer-baseball-stadiums#19

But what fun is using someone else's stadium when you can get the taxpayers to spend another $20 million for something that sits empty 75% of the time?


You can ignore the "overusing fields kills the grass" for TU's Skelly stadium...   It is astroturf (or whatever the new version is called).

Yeah, I'm not talking about moving seats, but the pitchers mound so that you can position the field right along the third base stands.  The ONEOK setup avoids having to flatten the mound, and it causes the bad sightlines.  That one change could make a world of difference.

Did someone mention the soccer fields?     They only hold 2000 and the lowest attendance was in excess of 3000.   Seems moot.

I'm talking about the A's for TU, not the Roughnecks.  I don't think the A's crowds are as large.

[cannon_fodder]

Yeah, the A's for Tulsa's soccer stadium is what I was thinking.  Skelly might work for the Roughnecks, but not if they want a regulation pitch (and other issues with trying to use someone else's facilities).

Also, I misread the movable stands thing.  Moving the mound seems like a much simpler solution, but it would move everyone further away from the lawn.  Of course, you could add bleaches in the "outfield" to make it seem much more like a soccer stadium.  Poor, poor groundskeepers. 

In my opinion, baseball stadiums just struggle to make good soccer stadiums.  Then again, $20mil is a lot of money...

[RecycleMichael]

I have paid monthly dues for now eight plus years for two kids to play soccer. They have played for TSC, Blitz, Nationals, and WSA. The overwhelming majority of kids who play competitive soccer live in south Tulsa, Jenks, Bixby, or Broken Arrow.

Why do we only consider downtown locations for a new stadium?

There are struggling shopping centers on two corners of 71st and Memorial. The area is packed with everything needed for a stadium to work. Hotels, transit, parking, and restaurants to get money out of fans before and after games.

Tell me why this isn't a better choice for a soccer stadium than downtown.

[cannon_fodder]

A downtown soccer stadium makes sense for all the same reasons you pointed out for the downtown baseball stadium...

(I had a longer post no one was going to read, simplified it)

[TeeDub]

Seems like it would be a perfect partnership for an existing stadium (college or high school)

Maybe someone can talk TCC into building a stadium at their southeast campus.

[Laramie]

Oklahoma has two USL franchises (Roughnecks FC & Energy FC); USL wants all of its franchises in soccer specific stadium by 2020.  USL announced in May 2015 a multi-year partnership with the global design, architecture, engineering and planning firm HOK with an eye toward housing all 24 of their clubs in soccer-specific stadiums by the end of the decade.  

Has anyone seen any plans for soccer specific stadium in Tulsa or OKC?

Will the USL allow soccer clubs to retrofit or modify baseball stadiums to accommodate soccer franchises?


Chukchansi Park (capacity 12,500), formerly Grizzlies Stadium was completed in 2002' it's a city-owned baseball stadium located in Fresno, California, home for the PCL's Grizzlies.
(Looks similar to Tulsa's ONEOK Park).

Fresno (2018) and Birmingham (2019) will be the next franchises to join the United Soccer League.  Can soccer fans find happiness inside a baseball park? Fresno's new USL club says yes:  http://www.fresnobee.com/sports/spt-columns-blogs/marek-warszawski/article176312111.html

USL Rio Grande Valley -RGV-FC (Toros) new 9,500 seat soccer stadium in Edinburg, Texas

Estimated cost: $36 million. The venue includes a full-service restaurant, sports bar, practice fields, executive lounges, a sports bar & 33 suites.

[Laramie]

Oklahoma City dismantling the Producers Cooperative Mill:

Clearing & cleaning up this clinking, clanking, clattering collection of collagenous junk; then some real development can begin. TIF (Tax Increment Financing): Council approves plan for as many as six districts near downtown OKC.

By: Brian Brus The Journal Record   September 17, 2015
As many as six tax increment finance districts could be triggered near downtown Oklahoma City over the next 10 years



Oklahoma City voters approve $967 million bonds and sales tax package measures: http://okcfox.com/news/local/oklahoma-city-voters-approve-bonds-and-sales-tax-measures

The bond propositions are comprised of a 10-year, $967 million package. The money will go to streets, police and fire facilities, parks and other basic needs. Voters also approved a temporary continuation of an expiring MAPS 3 penny sales tax to raise $240 million to fund street resurfacing, streetscapes, trails, sidewalks and more. The last tax measure creates a permanent 1/4 sales tax to provide funding for police and fire. The tax rates kick in January 1, 2018