With six games remaining in the regular season, the Barons have not only clinched a playoff spot, but are the champions of their division and are still at the top of the Western Conference (and #2 in the league overall). It should be an exciting playoffs season!

Barons at NewsOK (http://newsok.com/oklahoma-scene-barons-are-west-division-champions/article/3662801?custom_click=rss)

Fantastic game last night! Barons beat the Hamilton Bulldogs 3-0, making it that much more likely they'll finish the regular season winning the conference title, in addition to the division title they've already secured.

two games this weekend at the COX Center!!! if you haven't made it out to see them yet, i would highly recommend it!

It's official; the Barons are the #1 seed in the Western Conference going into the playoffs!

Barons spank Houston in game 1, round 1, by a score of 5-0.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I0z0MO22TOo&feature=player_embedded

I hope a bunch of people are going to try and go to the game on sunday... good grief you can get $10 tickets for the whole upper bowl... i've bought tickets for a bunch of my friends just to guilt them into coming since i already paid for them to go

I hope a bunch of people are going to try and go to the game on sunday... good grief you can get $10 tickets for the whole upper bowl... i've bought tickets for a bunch of my friends just to guilt them into coming since i already paid for them to go

I think I will do the same thing. It would be pretty outrageous to have a team in the playoffs and not go support them.

well... good bye barons the moment they are able to leave.... 2,859 people for the first playoff game of a conference leading team... when this team is taken away from us in a few years (and i know believe it WILL happen no matter how much i hope it won't) at least we will all know why

well... good bye barons the moment they are able to leave.... 2,859 people for the first playoff game of a conference leading team... when this team is taken away from us in a few years (and i know believe it WILL happen no matter how much i hope it won't) at least we will all know why

Yep. My wife and I were there. We had a great time, but commented on how sad it was that so few people were there. I would not be suprised to see a six or seven year hockey drought in this city before a "triumphant" return to the CHL.

It was even a free t-shirt night. Too bad more people weren't there. We were only 15,000 fans shy of a total 'white out'.

well... good bye barons the moment they are able to leave.... 2,859 people for the first playoff game of a conference leading team... when this team is taken away from us in a few years (and i know believe it WILL happen no matter how much i hope it won't) at least we will all know why

minor league playoffs (in all minor league sports) often have worse attendance that the regular season ..

It was even a free t-shirt night. Too bad more people weren't there. We were only 15,000 fans shy of a total 'white out'.

Maybe they should give away the tickets and sell the t-shirts? Had thought about driving up, but Mr. CPAP had other ideas for me late yesterday afternoon. So it dinna happen. On the bright side, it was a really great nap.

well... good bye barons the moment they are able to leave.... 2,859 people for the first playoff game of a conference leading team...

This team has been as good as gone since day 1. No one has ever cared.

I will be attending the game tomorrow night instead of the thunder game. Have no interest watching the terrible kings again

minor league playoffs (in all minor league sports) often have worse attendance that the regular season ..

This is true, but the Barons attendance in the regular season has been just as bad. They had one of the worst averages in the league this season. It's sad, really.

This is true, but the Barons attendance in the regular season has been just as bad. They had one of the worst averages in the league this season. It's sad, really.

Particularly since they've got some of the best talent in the league. But a league is a business, and this can't be very profitable for Edmonton or for Prodigal, so I'm not very confident they'll have a long tenure here in OKC. As a real hockey fan, **** like this really bothers me. It'll be a huge blow if they skip town.

Particularly since they've got some of the best talent in the league. But a league is a business, and this can't be very profitable for Edmonton or for Prodigal, so I'm not very confident they'll have a long tenure here in OKC. As a real hockey fan, **** like this really bothers me. It'll be a huge blow if they skip town.

I think there are a few easily-fixable reasons for attendance being so low and some not-so-fixable.

1) Prodigal has done a terrible job advertising this team. I'm surprised how few people know we have an AHL team. Everyone knows about the RedHawks and the Thunder, but for some reason, outside of sports fanatics, few know we have the Barrons. Further, the team is buried away in Cox. I know that's the only place they can be right now, but it hurts with advertising the team. No one looks at Cox and thinks, "That's the home of the Barrons" or even "that where the Barrons play." It's almost as if AHL if an underground sport that only those in the know get to go to.

2) I went to a couple games last season (or maybe the season before) and was surprised at the ticket prices. I don't know what they are, but for a lower level ticket, it was ridiculous (at least to me--and I'm a Thunder Season Ticket Member). It was even more absurd when you buy the $10 ticket, get in the arena and see it empty in the lower level. If they haven't already, they need to adjust ticket prices to meet the reality of demand. If I was running the front office, I'd make every ticket $10, except for maybe the first three center rows, and simply have general admission.

3) People don't know where to buy tickets. Of course, thinking people or Barrons fans know to go online or they know exactly where the Box Office is. But for a large group of people who randomly decide to go to a Barrons game on Friday night or whenever, they don't know where to go to get the tickets. This relates to the problem with the team being hidden away in Cox. Even if you aren't a big sports or Thunder fan, if you randomly decide to go to a game for a night of entertainment, you know exactly where to go to get a Thunder ticket. The Barrons need a central, highly visible box office. Reduce all barriers, physical and psychological, to attending the game.

4) Not many people know the rules of hockey and don't understand what is going on out there, except that a bunch of guys are skating around trying to hit the puck in the goal. Like baseball, that can be really boring until you actually understand the rules, positions, and strategy going into each play.

5) They're competing with the Thunder since the schedules overlap. That's self-explanatory.

6) The Cox arena sucks. It's just terrible and gross.

I agree with everything king183 said. I like hockey, but I need a reminder to attend, since my interest is more casual than a fan's. I saw an ad today for tonight's game on the online newsok site and it's the first one I remember seeing. Of course there's a Thunder game tonight and I'm a season ticket holder, or I would definitely go to the Baron's game. What happened to all the Blazers fans? Were they so turned off by losing their team that they won't support the Barons? That's just cutting off your nose to spite your face if you're a hockey fan, IMO.

the blazers "fans" aren't going cause the Barons aren't giving out some 3,000 free tickets per game. Don't get me wrong, there are a lot of people i remember seeing from the blazers games that are at the barons games, and they are the people who even get together for the watch parties and such... but most of the blazers "fans" were free event to go to fans

I just read this and thought it was very interesting as well

http://www.coppernblue.com/2012/4/24/2969944/what-arent-the-oklahoma-city-barons-on-tv-cox-cable

Interesting. And I agree that it would help create new fans for the team. I didn't realize that so many of the attendees at Blazers' games were doing so for free. Next year I think I'll try harder to support the Barons and get my friends to do the same. And, if there are playoff games that don't conflict with Thunder playoff games, it seems crazy not to attend. I'm all for supporting excellence in hometown sports.

I agree about the ticket prices. it should be $15-20 first two rows. then go down a few bucks every few rows as you go up. I paid 36 (after fees) for a ticket a few months ago and saw so many people just move down from the upper levels. It will probabaly happen tonight. What they need to ask themselves is would they rather have one empty $40 seat or four full $10 seats and those four people spend money on concessions. Or maybe a buy one get one free night. JUst to get people in the building to spend on concessions and merchandise as well.

That was an interesting article; thanks for the link. Obviously the team is approaching situation critical, so they'd better heed all the good advice they can get. Televising games would be a major step forward, and could help to save the team.

To be fair, I see Barons commercials on TV pretty often, and I don't even watch TV that much, so advertising saturation has improved vastly this season. There are billboards at several spots all over the city. So the advertising is there, it just seems that people don't have a context in which to place those adverts.

Dropping ticket prices would be a great idea, for sure. As stated, even the seemingly affordable tickets become less attractive once the additional charges are added. They could at least make it a pay-as-shown situation at the box office, even if they can't do so for tickets ordered online and mailed out.

The Oilers own the Barons, but they're managed by Prodigal, and I think Prodigal is really dropping the ball (puck?). Funk Jr. should take a few cues from his ol' papa. Maybe not in giving away thousands of tickets per game, but in making Barons fandom seem less elite and more down to earth and accessible.

1922 for attendance tonight... but atleast a win, hopefully next series will see an increase in attendance if there isn't a conflicting Thunder game

1922? Wow... Thunder game or not, that is embarrassing. I love hockey, I grew up playing it. I loved the Blazers, and I love the Barons. So seeing these numbers makes me very sad. many people want to go to Thunder games but can't because the arena is always sold out. I think that could be used as a marketing tool. Make people realize that they have options. And regardless of what people say, Barons tickets are FAR from outrageous. Sure there are no $10 seats, but it also only costs 30 something to sit up front. Pretty reasonable if you ask me. I don't think lowering the prices would make much difference. The organization simply needs to reach out more. Billboards obviously aren't enough. The fact is, playoff or not, 1922 is getting close to Bricktown Brawlers territory (averaged 1,500 last year). Very embarrassing.

Hmmmm... just as I posted that my wife and I saw a FREAKING SWEET Barons commercial (featuring a Johnny Cash song nonetheless). Apparently, ticket prices dropped for the playoffs "Tickets start at just $10."

They've had $10 tickets at every game, since early in the first season. They land you in the armpit of the arena and can only be bought at the door. They're also somehow exempt from the ticket surcharges that the other seating areas are subject to.

They've had $10 tickets at every game, since early in the first season. They land you in the armpit of the arena and can only be bought at the door. They're also somehow exempt from the ticket surcharges that the other seating areas are subject to.

no they aren't... when you get the ticket, it says that it's actually $8 plus $2 in fees. or atleast mine did for the playoff game on sunday (wasn't able to make it tonight and had to listen on the radio)

My mistake - I suppose I didn't pay much mind after buying them.

Does this look like 1,922 fans? Worst crowd I've ever seen at an Oklahoma City hockey game that didn't involve an ice or snow storm.

https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/306106_10150830030877165_577992164_12259118_123868 0899_n.jpg

I often wonder how they get their official head count. That just looks to me like a few hundred people.

fI got a phone call today from the Baron's office asking me about my experience since I bought tickets to a playoff game. That was a nice touch, I thought. And, I thought the banners on newsok.com yesterday were attractive and hard to miss. Maybe they'll intensify their marketing efforts. I'm going to try to go to at least one playoff game in the next series, but since I'm a Thunder season ticket holder, if there are conflicts, I'm going to the Thunder game.

$11 Tickets and $1 BEER for next Thursdays opening game of Round 2

http://okcbarons.com/index.cfm?fa=pressreleases&ra=showarticle&guid=5b334bfb-1bf0-4da1-9773-297cca9469c2

Boss is letting me off early so the wife and I can go... very much looking forward to it.

2833 for attendance for the terrible ending game tonight... we played two great periods offensively, and ok defensively, and then just terrible all around in the 3rd... don't know what Yann's problem was tonight...

but still trying to figure out the 2833 attendance number... looking around i was guessing only about 1800.... maybe just all the empty seats made me lower my estimate

Maybe they count tickets distributed instead of bodies arrived?

Maybe they count tickets distributed instead of bodies arrived?

or i was thinking last night... do they maybe count all the people working concessions and things like that?

sad that again on sat they play the same time as the thunder .. poor planning .. even a 430 start would help them sell tickets

sad that again on sat they play the same time as the thunder .. poor planning .. even a 430 start would help them sell tickets

The Thunder hurts when the Thunder is at home, but this was an away game for them, and the crowd was close to the same as it was for round one game 3, and the Thunder wasn't playing at all for that game.

That said, it really does have alot to do with the Thunder (yes, I realize it sounds like I'm arguing with myself, but hear me out for a second). What I'm trying to say is that it doesn't matter if the Thunder is away or not playing at all, when they are home it hurts a little more (about 30% more), the problem is that having the Thunder here renders EVERYTHING else unnecessary. The fact is that this city sadly doesn't care at all about anything but the Thunder. Don't get me wrong, I love the Thunder too, but there SOULD BE (and is) room in this city for more, but the fact is most people just don't care. We already lost the Yard Dawgz/Brawlers, and we're about to lose the Barons (I think they'll give it one more season). Hell, even if we lost the Redhawks a few might be sad because of the long standing baseball tradition in this city, but they would ultimately go out with a wimper... just like everything else.

As long as the Thunder is here... no one's going to care. Again, NOT trying to demonize the Thunder... I love the Thunder too, and I think the Thunder is the best thing to happen (as far as sports go) in this ENTIRE state... I'm just trying to make a point

I know this won't happen but after watching some highlights of the barons playing in san antonio, why not move the games over to the chk arena in a year or two (if the team is still around) and put the curtain up around the top level. they do this at the att center where the spurs place. that way it would seat just about the same as the cox center, provide a better building with better amenities and atmosphere and not a run down looking arena. plus the suites would be open and generate more revenue. problem is I don't know if they installed ice in the chk arena when it was built since we didn't get an expansion nhl team. plus it would mean they play games not on thunder home nights, hopefully drawing more in.

The Blazers used the Ford before the Thunder came, and shared it during their final season of play. There was a lot of conflict, with the Blazers monopolizing Saturday games, if I remember correctly, so Clay Bennett himself actually helped pay for the Myriad's renovations in preparation for the Barons' arrival so he could have the Ford/Chesapeake for the Thunder full time.

I thought the several million in improvements to the old Myriad to prep for the Barons came from moving some city funds from acct. a to acct. b. I know I recall a news report or two along those lines. So Clay B kicked in over and above that?

I thought the several million in improvements to the old Myriad to prep for the Barons came from moving some city funds from acct. a to acct. b. I know I recall a news report or two along those lines. So Clay B kicked in over and above that?

According to the word on the old Blazers forum, yes. I don't have any citations to back it up, so you can take it with a grain of salt. I just remember the hockey community thinking it was pretty cool that he was willing to help prep the Cox in exchange for getting the Ford all to himself.

The Blazers used the Ford before the Thunder came, and shared it during their final season of play. There was a lot of conflict, with the Blazers monopolizing Saturday games, if I remember correctly, so Clay Bennett himself actually helped pay for the Myriad's renovations in preparation for the Barons' arrival so he could have the Ford/Chesapeake for the Thunder full time.

the blazers had their schedule set before the thunders move to okc ... thus in year 1 the thunder had to schedule around the blazers ... this would not have happened in year 2 3 ... ect

The Barons beat San Antonio this evening, thus advancing to the Western Conference finals vs. the Toronto Marlies!

The Barons beat San Antonio this evening, thus advancing to the Western Conference finals vs. the Toronto Marlies!

Excuse me for being dumb, but what in the world is a Marlie?

The Barons beat San Antonio this evening, thus advancing to the Western Conference finals vs. the Toronto Marlies!

Around a year or so ago I wasn't to hip on the Barons because I didn't know much about them (how much was there to know? LOL) but for some reason I've gotten Baron fever as of late... Like, I would honestly go out and buy NHL 12 just to play as the Oklahoma City Barons but I'm waiting for NHL 13. =)

Did I mention I'm not even a hockey fan?

Excuse me for being dumb, but what in the world is a Marlie?

I believe it's a dog that dies.

More importantly, what is a team based in Toronto doing playing in the Western Conference? It defies all logic. LOL

I believe it's a dog that dies.

More importantly, what is a team based in Toronto doing playing in the Western Conference? It defies all logic. LOL

OK, so you name your team after a dog that dies? I guess.

OK, so you name your team after a dog that dies? I guess.

Marlie \m(a)-rlie, mar-lie\ is a variant of the female names Marlee (English) and Marlene (German), and the meaning of Marlie is "marshy meadow".

Marlie \m(a)-rlie, mar-lie\ is a variant of the female names Marlee (English) and Marlene (German), and the meaning of Marlie is "marshy meadow".

So the team is a marshy meadow? I think I like a dead dog better? LOL

So the team is a mashy meadow? I think I like a dead dog better? LOL

Couldn't agree more. LOL

Maybe they were at one point located in Germany and it was an all-womens hockey team that decided to move overseas to Toronto and they wanted their name to be something iconic yet nostalgic at the same time while also not being the actual name of something/someone (i.e. Seattle SuperSonics referring to the presence of Boeing in Seattle at the time of their incarnation but not specifically saying "Boeing" in any advertisement)? Food for thought, I suppose... LOL

It could also go with why their geography is so screwed up, because to Germany, Toronto is west and they're playing in the Western Conference when they clearly should be playing in the Eastern Conference. You're welcome. =)

I believe it's a dog that dies.

More importantly, what is a team based in Toronto doing playing in the Western Conference? It defies all logic. LOL

Most of the teams are in the north east sections of the US and south east-ish of Canadian

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/b9/American_Hockey_League_2011-12_map_zoomed.svg/500px-American_Hockey_League_2011-12_map_zoomed.svg.png

Most of the teams are in the north east sections of the US and south east-ish of Canadian

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/b9/American_Hockey_League_2011-12_map_zoomed.svg/500px-American_Hockey_League_2011-12_map_zoomed.svg.png

Ahh, it makes perfect sense now. I feel bad for Abbotsford, B.C. all the way out there by themselves. =(

Per Wikipedia:

The team is named after the former Toronto Marlboros junior hockey team, but the abbreviated "Marlies" name was chosen to avoid any potential association with the similarly named cigarette brand.

Ahh, it makes perfect sense now. I feel bad for Abbotsford, B.C. all the way out there by themselves. =(

It sucks for their travel requirements for sure; but they're Calgary's farm team, so they don't have far to go if they get called up.

Per Wikipedia:

The team is named after the former Toronto Marlboros junior hockey team, but the abbreviated "Marlies" name was chosen to avoid any potential association with the similarly named cigarette brand.

Well, neither name is exactly ideal so I guess just go with the one that doesn't get you sued a crapload of money. LOL

True that. It's not like they have to worry about infringing on any other team called the Marlies.

Here's hoping we take them down and advance to the cup finals!

Here's hoping we take them down and advance to the cup finals!

:cheersmf:

The Fox 25 sports guy mentioned the subject of "what is a Marlie?" last night. He reads these forums perhaps?