When and if the Seattle Supersonic come to OKC; Why not (?) move the WNBA team to Tulsa!

Tulsa's new BOK center will seat 18,041 for basketball.

Arena Camera Looking East (http://www.vision2025.info/camera.php?camera=arenacamera)

Having a WNBA basketball franchise in Tulsa should create some excitement for our sister city.

What are your thoughts?

I've always thought that was a great idea, and a great way to involve Tulsa in the franchise. I don't know if it would cut down on the number of Tulsa season ticket holders for the men's team though.

I've also thought leaving the Storm in Seattle might be a bargaining chip with the city of Seattle to help decrease damages owed to the city. Since the Key is just find for Storm games, it decreases the number of nights the Key is dark and lessens the financial hit for the arena and surrounding businesses.

And what a great and appropriate name for a Tulsa team!


Now... what are the odds that Tulsa can support a WNBA franchise for the long term? What kind of marketing and media push would have to be generated (and sustained) for this to be a success?

If the Storm are doing well in Seattle (?), why move them? If they are barely breaking even, then perhaps a move south to Tulsa would be good for them. But they would need a big, huge, extraordinary marketing hook to get the interest up and keep it there...

Assuming that the Sonics don't stay in Seattle, they choose Oklahoma City, no one else tries to move to Oklahoma City, etc... I guess it's an okay idea.

That's assuming an awful lot though.

I'm not convinced that we couldn't support both teams though. There's a pretty extraordinary following for Sooner womens' hoops in this city. I don't see why that wouldn't extend to a WNBA franchise.

In Oklahoma City, we seem to have an annoying habit of, as President Bush would say, "misunderestimating" the ability of this city to support professional sports, retail, etc. Considering how things have been going over the last few years, I'd think most would be bullish as to the prospects of ANY professional franchise succeeding here.

I don't think there would be a problem with OKC supporting the Storm for the reasons you outlined above. But I do think to make this franchise profitablen, involving the entire state might be a good thing. And putting the Storm in Tulsa might make the people there feel like part of the franchise, not to mention giving them a major league team for their new arena.

But I also think, even though I really like women's basketball and think most people would be amazed at the level of play in the WNBA, that if keeping the Storm in Seattle helps Clay get out of the lease or get out more cheaply, it might be a good idea to leave the Storm in Seattle, where they are beloved.

I have no problem giving Tulsa a team in a league which isn't important and is destined for failure. The WNBA is absolutely worthless.

This NBA thing doesn't need the whole state to be successful. By that I mean, nothing out of OKC needs to be done. Just bring the NBA to OKC permanently and people will drive in from Clinton, Lawton, Tulsa, Wichita, etc., to see games on weekends. OKC doesn't need help from outlying cities. But we definitely won't turn away people from those cities wanting to view a product they can't see at home.

I agree with JWil.

Just because OKC is getting an NBA team doesn't mean we have to share anything with Tulsa. How much you wanna bet that if the shoes were turned that Tulsa would share anything with OKC?

Naah, OKC will do just fine hosting the NBA and WNBA by itself, just like JWil said - people will drive in from all over the region - especially to see the talent the Sonics are getting.

Having said that tho, I do think the Sonics/Storm needs to have exhibition games in Tulsa (and prob Little Rock and even Wichita/KC) to help establish and solidify the market. We will need the regional market to become a long-time success - nothing wrong with sending the exhibition games to regional cities. I would even support having a regular season game (just one tho) in Tulsa.

but other than that, there is NO reason for OKC to have to share any major league franchise.

All we need to do is develop a relationship with Tulsa's NBA D-League team (and perhaps Lawton's CBA and Enid's USBL teams) along with OU, OSU, OCU, and UT - keep talent in state all the way through the basketball food chain - that will keep fans coming, along with a heavy hitting national player every now and then!

So, other than pre-season exhibition (and perhaps ONE regular season game on a double booked night in OKC for example), I don't see the need for OKC's NBA team to be Oklahoma's team in order to be successful.

Oklahoma will support OKC's team no matter if Tulsa has a game there or not - just the nature of being the big city in your state.

I haven't read every message in this thread so it may have been mentioned, but with the OU women garnering major support, I can see the WNBA getting more support in OKC rather than Tulsa because it's closer to Norman.

yep Luke, I have mentioned the above, that with the Paris twins and the rest of OU Women's Basketball taking off - OKC might actually be a larger market than even Seattle (where the Storm currently have a strong following).

Just imagine if those OU players go to the OKC based Storm. .... It would probably be almost AS successful as the Sonics.

Talk about a synergy of fan support.

I could even see a Sooner/Storm club being formed or something like that.

Storm's best player Lauren Jackson has said she will not leave Seattle.
Storm's star pg Sue Bird is a free agent next year. What kind of team will
The Storm have without those two?