Tulsa mentioned in possible NHL move

[perspicuity85]

quote:Originally posted by deinstein
That guy fed you a spoon full of poop.

No one here really cares about hockey, except a few of us geeks who like superior sports.

There are actually 5 area high schools that have club hockey teams.  (They can't be school sponsored because of Title IX).

[RecycleMichael]

My father and I have season tickets for the Tulsa Ice Oilers. He goes to every game.

I go to a handful a year and he takes my kid or a nephew to a handful.

We love hockey and I am amazed at how many people I know at the games. I see the police chief, my former city councilor, neighbors, even people I used to work with at every game.

I love baseball because of the strategy and constant adjustments. I love football because of the physical pounding of fighting for every inch of real estate. But I love hockey because it is a breathtaking spiral of constant action.

The intricate patterns and weaves of players for position and the speed of the breakaway shot is so exciting. Watching the players make precision timing to attack without being offsides is wonderful. There is nothing better than a perfectly executed power play where the puck goes to every corner with skaters flying by the net distracting the goalie.

And they occasionally drop their gloves and fight like they really mean it.  

Hockey is great.

[USRufnex]

Compare Tulsa's hockey attendance stats to OKC's...

http://www.mib.org/~lennier/hockey/leagueatt.cgi?league=CHL

[perspicuity85]

quote:Originally posted by USRufnex

Compare Tulsa's hockey attendance stats to OKC's...

http://www.mib.org/~lennier/hockey/leagueatt.cgi?league=CHL

I'm not saying that Tulsa will outpace OKC, but the two figures will likely be a lot closer together when the arena is finished?  When it comes to pro sports, part of the product is the facility the team plays in.  No matter what the event is, people would rather go to the BOk Ctr. than the Convention Ctr.

[swake]

quote:Originally posted by perspicuity85

quote:Originally posted by USRufnex

Compare Tulsa's hockey attendance stats to OKC's...

http://www.mib.org/~lennier/hockey/leagueatt.cgi?league=CHL

I'm not saying that Tulsa will outpace OKC, but the two figures will likely be a lot closer together when the arena is finished?  When it comes to pro sports, part of the product is the facility the team plays in.  No matter what the event is, people would rather go to the BOk Ctr. than the Convention Ctr.

And Tulsa has finished at or near the bottom of it's division more often than not for most of the last ten years. I think Tulsa has only made the playoffs once in the last five years? OKC nearly always finished in first.

[USRufnex]

The Ford Center was constructed in 2002... the Oklahoma City Blazers attendance at the Myriad compared to Tulsa's...

1998-99 CHL Average per game Attendance
Oklahoma City   8,779
Tulsa           4,640

1999-00 CHL Attendance
Oklahoma City   9,413
Tulsa           5,319

2000-01 CHL Attendance
Oklahoma City   9,097
Tulsa           4,809

2001-02 CHL Attendance
Oklahoma City   8,849
Tulsa           4,333

The only thing this NHL in Tulsa talk is about is Express Sports's collective ego...

And I grew up with the Ice Oilers and the Drillers/Oilers...

[deinstein]

Like I said, very few care about hockey here.

And even less care about an MLS expansion team.

[}:)]

[USRufnex]

Excuse me... when, exactly... did YOU prove this... because I beg to differ.

When has Tulsa hosted an NHL exhibition game and how many fans did it draw?  The last NHL exhibition game in Kansas City drew 12,686 at Kemper Arena... still LESS than what TULSA drew for its MLS exhibition game...

Express Sports tried to lure MLS to OKC/Edmond... they hosted TWO exhibition games... the first one at Wantland Stadium in Edmond, played the last week of March 2003, drew 9300 fans on a Saturday night... Tulsa's game sponsored by Winnercomm and the Tulsa World drew 14,000 the following Saturday afternoon... the second MLS exhibition game in Edmond a year later only drew about 7500 fans...

WE SOCCER FANS are HERE... in Tulsa... whether you choose to believe it or not...

State high school soccer... clean sweep... Jenks, Kelly, Cascia... girls and boys...

Like I say... you told us you were leaving Tulsa a few weeks ago... move along little doggy... [}:)]

[Breadburner]

quote:Originally posted by USRufnex

The Ford Center was constructed in 2002... the Oklahoma City Blazers attendance at the Myriad compared to Tulsa's...

1998-99 CHL Average per game Attendance
Oklahoma City   8,779
Tulsa           4,640

1999-00 CHL Attendance
Oklahoma City   9,413
Tulsa           5,319

2000-01 CHL Attendance
Oklahoma City   9,097
Tulsa           4,809

2001-02 CHL Attendance
Oklahoma City   8,849
Tulsa           4,333

The only thing this NHL in Tulsa talk is about is Express Sports's collective ego...

And I grew up with the Ice Oilers and the Drillers/Oilers...

Those Okc numbers are severely padded.....

[USRufnex]

Seems unlikely since Express Sports runs both teams?

quote:"We have very successful [Central Hockey League] operations in Tulsa. Our operations over there are doing very well and they have been for a long time."

OKC's Express Sports and the Oilers have a partnership with the Professional Bull Riders... Tulsa's Winnercomm has promoted the  Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association's (PRCA) Xtreme Bulls Tour... former mayor LaFortune was intensely criticized for giving a sweetheart deal that would benefit Tulsa's Winnercomm... so Express Sports pushed for the city to match that deal for the PBR...

http://pbrnow.com/media/press/release.cfm?ID=827
http://sports.espn.go.com/prorodeo/xtremebulls/news/story?page=x_news_Winnercomm_TakesOver_051208

If OKC's numbers were padded in an effort to appeal to the NHL, I wouldn't be shocked.  But it frankly doesn't sound like something Express Sports would do... they didn't pad attendance for exhibition games for NHL and MLS...

But if we want to talk about padding attendance...

http://www.signonsandiego.com/uniontrib/20060514/news_lz1s14zeig.html

And this eye-opening article on attendance padding at MLS makes Tulsa's crowd of 14,000 in 2003 look even more impressive...
http://www.signonsandiego.com/sports/soccer/20060927-9999-lz1s27goal.html

Follow the money...

[Breadburner]

Express Sports does not run the Tulsa franchise.....

[Renaissance]

Would you guys please stop baiting the soccer guy?  AJ, I'm looking in YOUR direction.  These debates they're just so moot, and so tiring.

[deinstein]

Hey, anyone want to go play some soccer? Fake some injuries, etc. It'd be fun.

MLS for life!

[}:)]

[RecycleMichael]

I like the debates.

The soccer guy has done a great job selling soccer and doing his research.

I am still totally in favor of baseball stadium versus soccer stadium downtown, but he makes good, well-thought out arguments.

Keep up the discourse.

[AVERAGE JOE]

quote:Originally posted by Floyd

Would you guys please stop baiting the soccer guy?  AJ, I'm looking in YOUR direction.  These debates they're just so moot, and so tiring.

What did I do?? I haven't even posted in this thread! [:O]