According to Patrick James' article in Travel Light, the Thunder has many advantages being located in Oklahoma City were there are no NBA teams in neighboring Kansas, Missouri & Arkansas; the Thunder enjoys this region.

http://www.dailythunder.com/2012/02/travel-light-the-thunders-geographic-advantage/#more-18627

Now we know why Dallas Mavericks' owner Mark Cuban voted against relocation of the Supersonics from Seattle to OKC.

I don't know how February 3rd was so crazy that I missed that article!

The two that voted against relocation seemed to have fairly clear reasons even if they don't admit it. Mark Cuban was the most likely to have any loss of fans and Paul Allen has significant ties to Seattle.

The two that voted against relocation seemed to have fairly clear reasons even if they don't admit it. Mark Cuban was the most likely to have any loss of fans and Paul Allen has significant ties to Seattle.

Paul Allen owns the Portland Trailblazers, Seattle Seahawks and part ownership in the MLS Seattle Sounders. He didn't want to create any controversy against himself especially since he lives in Seattle. Mark Cuban on the otherhand wanted all of Oklahoma, Missouri & Kansas as Maverick territory. The Oklahoma City Thunder could very well take many of his Dallas followers since there's estimated that approximately 600,000 okies now call the Metroplex home.

Paul Allen owns the Portland Trailblazers, Seattle Seahawks and part ownership in the MLS Seattle Sounders. He didn't want to create any controversy against himself especially since he lives in Seattle. Mark Cuban on the otherhand wanted all of Oklahoma, Missouri & Kansas as Maverick territory. The Oklahoma City Thunder could very well take many of his Dallas followers since there's estimated that approximately 600,000 okies now call the Metroplex home.

Most marooned Okies in DFW have jumped on the Thunder bandwagon, or at least it seemed last time I was down there.

Considering that the Mavs have pretty much imploded, and will sadly probably be crap the next 2 or 3 seasons, you may see a lot of native DFWers do the same.

The Thunder have already scheduled preseason games in Tulsa and Wichita. Given what I know about the number of Thunder fans up there, they might want to consider a preseason game in Kansas City.

Given what I know about the number of Thunder fans up there, they might want to consider a preseason game in Kansas City.

Didn't the Thunder play the Heat in Kansas City in LeBron's first season in Miami, for a preseason game?

Yes they did. I have friends in Missouri that went to that game...although they were rooting for Miami. Losers ;-)

Yes they did. I have friends in Missouri that went to that game...although they were rooting for Miami. Losers ;-)

Kill them. LOL

Yes they did. I have friends in Missouri that went to that game...although they were rooting for Miami. Losers ;-)

The preseason game the Thunder played in Kansas City was one of Miami's preseason games. The Thunder would be better off playing preseason games in Tulsa, Wichita and St. Louis. Do we need need any preseason games here? Kansas City fans are still disappointed that Mr. Bennett & PBC passed up KC for OKC. They (Kansas City) offered free-rent to the first NBA or NHL team who would occupy the Sprint Center. The Thunder didn't take the bait. Kansas City does not have the population base or income to support NFL, MLB & NBA.

Recent studies show that Kansas City is the 5th most overextended market in the United States: http://www.bizjournals.com/bizjournals/on-numbers/scott-thomas/2011/08/denver-is-most-overextended-market.html?ana=twt

The preseason game the Thunder played in Kansas City was one of Miami's preseason games. The Thunder would be better off playing preseason games in Tulsa, Wichita and St. Louis. Do we need need any preseason games here? Kansas City fans are still disappointed that Mr. Bennett & PBC passed up KC for OKC.
I don't know Laramie. I'm in the KC area a lot and I hear nothing but excitement about the Thunder. The Kansas City Star has covered them well and SB Nation/Kansas City fronts the Thunder all the time. If anything, I hear them say, "Look what OKC has done - we can be the next NBA team. We're arena-ready and ready to go." I never hear any problems with OKC over KC or anything like that. I think the exhibitions are smart considering geography. Though I agree with you about Wichita, they'd love that.

I don't know Laramie. I'm in the KC area a lot and I hear nothing but excitement about the Thunder. The Kansas City Star has covered them well and SB Nation/Kansas City fronts the Thunder all the time. If anything, I hear them say, "Look what OKC has done - we can be the next NBA team. We're arena-ready and ready to go." I never hear any problems with OKC over KC or anything like that. I think the exhibitions are smart considering geography. Though I agree with you about Wichita, they'd love that.

Thanks Mike, I needed to hear that. My cousin in Overland Park, KS paints a different picture. He's a long-time NBA fan and it killed him when the Kings went west to Sacramento.

The preseason game the Thunder played in Kansas City was one of Miami's preseason games. The Thunder would be better off playing preseason games in Tulsa, Wichita and St. Louis. Do we need need any preseason games here? Kansas City fans are still disappointed that Mr. Bennett & PBC passed up KC for OKC. They (Kansas City) offered free-rent to the first NBA or NHL team who would occupy the Sprint Center. The Thunder didn't take the bait. Kansas City does not have the population base or income to support NFL, MLB & NBA.

Recent studies show that Kansas City is the 5th most overextended market in the United States: http://www.bizjournals.com/bizjournals/on-numbers/scott-thomas/2011/08/denver-is-most-overextended-market.html?ana=twt

They were dreaming if they thought that the team would be moving to a market that would be overextended at three teams verses the city/metro area of every member of the ownership group, which does have a population large enough to support a pro team. I could see how some fans might hope that but it seems like anyone who knew much about basketball or looked at statements the ownership group had made would know it was not going to happen.

They were dreaming if they thought that the team would be moving to a market that would be overextended at three teams verses the city/metro area of every member of the ownership group, which does have a population large enough to support a pro team. I could see how some fans might hope that but it seems like anyone who knew much about basketball or looked at statements the ownership group had made would know it was not going to happen.

This ^^^ is Kansas City's problem right here. I know many who think that the NBA would be different in KC than the NFL and (especially) MLB, but that's an awfully big risk considering there's not a lot to back them up.

Thanks Mike, I needed to hear that. My cousin in Overland Park, KS paints a different picture. He's a long-time NBA fan and it killed him when the Kings went west to Sacramento.

The Kings were originally an Omaha team and then made a Kansas City team before they left there for Sacramento, IIRC. He must enjoy the historical quality of it all ;-)

The Kings were originally an Omaha team and then made a Kansas City team before they left there for Sacramento, IIRC. He must enjoy the historical quality of it all ;-)

I was thinking they were originally somewhere else so I looked up the history. The kings were originally from Rochester, New York. Then moved to Cincinnati. Then moved to Kansas City and Omaha the same year, from the way it was written it sounded mostly moved to Kansas City with a smaller portion of home games in Omaha.

I was thinking they were originally somewhere else so I looked up the history. The kings were originally from Rochester, New York. Then moved to Cincinnati. Then moved to Kansas City and Omaha the same year, from the way it was written it sounded mostly moved to Kansas City with a smaller portion of home games in Omaha.

They were a split team... the "Kansas City-Omaha Kings." After a couple years, they left the Omaha market and were just the "KC Kings" before moving to Sacramento in 1985. They were the Royals before KC but the (newer) baseball Royals forced a name change.

I was in a mall in Wichita last week and they had a Thunder shirt selling next to Chiefs gear. I thought that was a good sign. There's definitely a decent following here. This might be in part to Fox Sports picking up Thunder games until the Royals season starts. I'm pumped about the preseason game with the Mavs.