17,096

[Needschat]

I've been wandering around the internet, looking for logos for my son for his Art class project - to draw logos for a fictional soccer league. This morning, I came across the BOK (Bank Of Oklahoma) Center in Tulsa, OK. It seats 17,096 fannies for hockey. So my question is: Why hasn't Tulsa been talked about with the relocations of the Coyotes, Panthers, and Thrashers?

[BBTV]

The Tulsa metro area has only 905,755 residents, making it the 55th largest market. That's not a ton of people to draw from or market to, and certainly not a number that would garner a lot of local TV / Radio revenue.

Major sports are failing in markets much bigger than Tulsa.

[Saintsfan]

Does Oklahoma have any kind of Hockey tradition at all? Just because the arena is there doesn't mean people want hockey to be played there. 'Build it and they will come' only works in the movies!

[Brass]

My friend goes to school in Tulsa and from what he's told me, they get pretty decent crowds. I'm not talking NHL-sized crowds, obviously, but they're still drawing better than some AHL teams 'round these parts (New England).

[rams80]

Does Oklahoma have any kind of Hockey tradition at all? Just because the arena is there doesn't mean people want hockey to be played there. 'Build it and they will come' only works in the movies!

Both the Oklahoma City Blazers and the Tulsa Oilers are typically among the upper level of minor league teams attendance wise. Both markets were also mainstays of the old CHL during the 70s onward, in addition to its current incarnation. Oklahoma City is also strongly rumored to be getting Edmonton's AHL franchise after next season.

[Saintsfan]

Does Oklahoma have any kind of Hockey tradition at all? Just because the arena is there doesn't mean people want hockey to be played there. 'Build it and they will come' only works in the movies!

Both the Oklahoma City Blazers and the Tulsa Oilers are typically among the upper level of minor league teams attendance wise. Both markets were also mainstays of the old CHL during the 70s onward, in addition to its current incarnation. Oklahoma City is also strongly rumored to be getting Edmonton's AHL franchise after next season.

Without wishing to seem down on Tulsa, the one slight rider I would suggest is that its easier perhaps to support a succesful minor league outfit, than a losing big league franchise. (Especially if thats the only live hockey you have near you.) I am not saying Tulsa wouldn't work as a hockey town, just it might well be that there are better locations to move a struggling NHL team to in order to get it to perform.

[NJTank]

Lets see cities that deserve a NHL team before Tulsa

1. Hamilton

2. Winnipeg

3. Salt Lake

4. Kansas City

5. Seattle

6. Portland

7. Milwaukee

8. Cleveland

9. Houston

10. and OKC, just to show I am not picking on Oklahoma

Tulsa just is not a Major League City

[rams80]

Does Oklahoma have any kind of Hockey tradition at all? Just because the arena is there doesn't mean people want hockey to be played there. 'Build it and they will come' only works in the movies!

Both the Oklahoma City Blazers and the Tulsa Oilers are typically among the upper level of minor league teams attendance wise. Both markets were also mainstays of the old CHL during the 70s onward, in addition to its current incarnation. Oklahoma City is also strongly rumored to be getting Edmonton's AHL franchise after next season.

Without wishing to seem down on Tulsa, the one slight rider I would suggest is that its easier perhaps to support a succesful minor league outfit, than a losing big league franchise. (Especially if thats the only live hockey you have near you.) I am not saying Tulsa wouldn't work as a hockey town, just it might well be that there are better locations to move a struggling NHL team to in order to get it to perform.

I don't think they should get a team either. I was just pointing out that yes, the State of Oklahoma does have something of a hockey tradition.

[Viper]

Well, there are now two NLL teams looking for a new home (and possibly as many as four, if the erstwhile Arizona and/or Chicago franchises get resurrected as has been rumored). Indoor lacrosse in Tulsa, anyone?

[Your Name Here]

Lets see cities that deserve a NHL team before Tulsa

1. Hamilton

2. Winnipeg

3. Salt Lake

4. Kansas City

5. Seattle

6. Portland

7. Milwaukee

8. Cleveland

9. Houston

10. and OKC, just to show I am not picking on Oklahoma

Tulsa just is not a Major League City

Ha!

[BBTV]

Lets see cities that deserve a NHL team before Tulsa

1. Hamilton

2. Winnipeg

3. Salt Lake

4. Kansas City

5. Seattle

6. Portland

7. Milwaukee

8. Cleveland

9. Houston

10. and OKC, just to show I am not picking on Oklahoma

Tulsa just is not a Major League City

Ha!

Never mind.

You have to realize that no actual "thought" was probably put into that list. Just cities that are currently in the news, and other cities that have a team or two in major sports - even if they were awarded those teams decades ago, and would never qualify as "major league" based on their current conditions.

[HedleyLamarr]

Does Tulsa still have that "Roy D. Mercer" prank-calling radio show?

[DG_ThenNowForever]

Lets see cities that deserve a NHL team before Tulsa

1. Hamilton

2. Winnipeg

3. Salt Lake

4. Kansas City

5. Seattle

6. Portland

7. Milwaukee

8. Cleveland

9. Houston

10. and OKC, just to show I am not picking on Oklahoma

Tulsa just is not a Major League City

Ha!

Never mind.

You have to realize that no actual "thought" was probably put into that list. Just cities that are currently in the news, and other cities that have a team or two in major sports - even if they were awarded those teams decades ago, and would never qualify as "major league" based on their current conditions.

And if there had been, Seattle wouldn't be on the list. I think people think Seattle is a big-time sports city -- and it is -- but it just doesn't have the facilities for NHL hockey and unless the economy swings up fast, it won't for a very, very long time.

There is no city or state leadership in Seattle to build an arena, and in point of fact, the state legislature just pissed away an opportunity for $30 million of Clay Bennett's money because they were too timid to do the right thing.

Anyway, play Reel Line Mint with any number of cities, but keep Seattle out of it for indoor arena sports. It's just not happening.

[Saintsfan]

Does Oklahoma have any kind of Hockey tradition at all? Just because the arena is there doesn't mean people want hockey to be played there. 'Build it and they will come' only works in the movies!

Both the Oklahoma City Blazers and the Tulsa Oilers are typically among the upper level of minor league teams attendance wise. Both markets were also mainstays of the old CHL during the 70s onward, in addition to its current incarnation. Oklahoma City is also strongly rumored to be getting Edmonton's AHL franchise after next season.

Without wishing to seem down on Tulsa, the one slight rider I would suggest is that its easier perhaps to support a succesful minor league outfit, than a losing big league franchise. (Especially if thats the only live hockey you have near you.) I am not saying Tulsa wouldn't work as a hockey town, just it might well be that there are better locations to move a struggling NHL team to in order to get it to perform.

I don't think they should get a team either. I was just pointing out that yes, the State of Oklahoma does have something of a hockey tradition.

I didn't mean to jump on you. I think as far as Oklahoma State is concerned, I would want to see the Thunder working in the NBA before any more expansion to the state.

Incidentally I am glad that noone pointed out the Oxford, MS (Is that the right state?) called itself Oxford to get the state university. It worked. Build it and they will come only works in the Movies and Mississippi.

[gueman]

The Tulsa metro area has only 905,755 residents, making it the 55th largest market. That's not a ton of people to draw from or market to, and certainly not a number that would garner a lot of local TV / Radio revenue.

Major sports are failing in markets much bigger than Tulsa.

But if you are the only show in town 900K is good number. Also how much does hockey count on local TV/Radio cash? I ask because I don't know. But if you were going to move a team I would rather go to a place that has little or no sports dollar competition, the Hurricanes have seemed to make it work. Plus I feel smaller markets have more civic pride than the mega markets that are struggling, and civic pride has a lot to do with how teams survive the ups and downs of the market. Green Bay is a perfect example of that. I would much rather have the only show in town like a NHL in Tulsa than have a NHL team in Hamilton that has Buffalo an hour or so to the south and Toronto an hour or so to the north. There is only so much money to go around for tickets, ad revenue, and all the other sources of income a team needs.

[Viola73]

The Tulsa metro area has only 905,755 residents, making it the 55th largest market. That's not a ton of people to draw from or market to, and certainly not a number that would garner a lot of local TV / Radio revenue.

Major sports are failing in markets much bigger than Tulsa.

But if you are the only show in town 900K is good number. Also how much does hockey count on local TV/Radio cash? I ask because I don't know. But if you were going to move a team I would rather go to a place that has little or no sports dollar competition, the Hurricanes have seemed to make it work. Plus I feel smaller markets have more civic pride than the mega markets that are struggling, and civic pride has a lot to do with how teams survive the ups and downs of the market. Green Bay is a perfect example of that. I would much rather have the only show in town like a NHL in Tulsa than have a NHL team in Hamilton that has Buffalo an hour or so to the south and Toronto an hour or so to the north. There is only so much money to go around for tickets, ad revenue, and all the other sources of income a team needs.

To add to this the scope of Americas population is shifting for the traditional mega cities to the to more medium to large cities. Cleveland use to be huge now it's probably no bigger than Toledo in metro population. In fact I believe Columbus is now the biggest city in Ohio right now in terms of population. So places like Tulsa and Okla City are getting bigger with this change.

[Gothamite]

The Mega-cities are still growing. New York gets bigger every year, as does Chicago, as does Los Angeles.

Yes, some traditionally larger cities are losing population, and smaller cities are growing (FWIW, the entire country is becoming more urban).

Columbus is almost twice as large as Cleveland proper, but metro Cleveland and greater Cincy are both bigger than metro Columbus.

[coggs]

Does Oklahoma have any kind of Hockey tradition at all? Just because the arena is there doesn't mean people want hockey to be played there. 'Build it and they will come' only works in the movies!

Both the Oklahoma City Blazers and the Tulsa Oilers are typically among the upper level of minor league teams attendance wise. Both markets were also mainstays of the old CHL during the 70s onward, in addition to its current incarnation. Oklahoma City is also strongly rumored to be getting Edmonton's AHL franchise after next season.

Without wishing to seem down on Tulsa, the one slight rider I would suggest is that its easier perhaps to support a succesful minor league outfit, than a losing big league franchise. (Especially if thats the only live hockey you have near you.) I am not saying Tulsa wouldn't work as a hockey town, just it might well be that there are better locations to move a struggling NHL team to in order to get it to perform.

more importantly, minor league tickets are generally A LOT cheaper than big league tickets. Being able to support a team when the most expensive seats are $10-$20 is one thing. Supporting at NHL price levels is another.

[McCall]

Does Oklahoma have any kind of Hockey tradition at all? Just because the arena is there doesn't mean people want hockey to be played there. 'Build it and they will come' only works in the movies!

Both the Oklahoma City Blazers and the Tulsa Oilers are typically among the upper level of minor league teams attendance wise. Both markets were also mainstays of the old CHL during the 70s onward, in addition to its current incarnation. Oklahoma City is also strongly rumored to be getting Edmonton's AHL franchise after next season.

Without wishing to seem down on Tulsa, the one slight rider I would suggest is that its easier perhaps to support a succesful minor league outfit, than a losing big league franchise. (Especially if thats the only live hockey you have near you.) I am not saying Tulsa wouldn't work as a hockey town, just it might well be that there are better locations to move a struggling NHL team to in order to get it to perform.

more importantly, minor league tickets are generally A LOT cheaper than big league tickets. Being able to support a team when the most expensive seats are $10-$20 is one thing. Supporting at NHL price levels is another.

Not to mention with Minor Leagues, the parent club is paying the approximate $30,000 salaries, as where with an NHL club, the team itself is paying the multi-million dollar salaries, and sorry, but there's no way they're gonna be able to generate enough revenue in that small of a market to afford that.

[rams80]

Does Oklahoma have any kind of Hockey tradition at all? Just because the arena is there doesn't mean people want hockey to be played there. 'Build it and they will come' only works in the movies!

Both the Oklahoma City Blazers and the Tulsa Oilers are typically among the upper level of minor league teams attendance wise. Both markets were also mainstays of the old CHL during the 70s onward, in addition to its current incarnation. Oklahoma City is also strongly rumored to be getting Edmonton's AHL franchise after next season.

Without wishing to seem down on Tulsa, the one slight rider I would suggest is that its easier perhaps to support a succesful minor league outfit, than a losing big league franchise. (Especially if thats the only live hockey you have near you.) I am not saying Tulsa wouldn't work as a hockey town, just it might well be that there are better locations to move a struggling NHL team to in order to get it to perform.

more importantly, minor league tickets are generally A LOT cheaper than big league tickets. Being able to support a team when the most expensive seats are $10-$20 is one thing. Supporting at NHL price levels is another.

Not to mention with Minor Leagues, the parent club is paying the approximate $30,000 salaries, as where with an NHL club, the team itself is paying the multi-million dollar salaries, and sorry, but there's no way they're gonna be able to generate enough revenue in that small of a market to afford that.

Well...IIRC the parent club doesn't typically pay the salaries in the CHL. Because there typically aren't parent clubs.