It's obvious this is a possibility, but this article paints a very positive picture of that becoming a reality... Let's hope OKC really gets behind this team and proves to the nation we are big-time!






Major-league status may be here to stay



By Berry Tramel
The Oklahoman

You knew it had really happened when you spotted the man mountain in the sharp suit. He looked familiar. About the right age. Right size. Might it be, could it actually be...


Willis Reed?

All that talk about NBA superstars coming to town if the Hornets hung their hats at the Ford Center? Garnett and Iverson and Shaq and Dirk and Yao and Duncan? We wanted to believe it, wanted to embrace it, but sometimes you don’t dare dream so big, lest it wake you to reality.

But dreams became truth Wednesday, when our sleepy pioneer burg finally scaled the major-league mountain. All the dreamers through all the years, not just Mayor Mick and commerce magnate Clay Bennett, but their forerunners in politics and business, the visionaries who pushed for not just the Ford Center but the Myriad and State Fair Arena before it.

And there was Reed, the New York Knickerbocker legend, now the Hornet vice president, and you didn’t have to pinch yourself. Those NBA stars are on their way, because here was one now.

Oklahoma City. Major league.

Cornett called Wednesday not so much a celebration as validation, saying we are a faith-based community that works hard and dreams big.

That hard work and those big dreams have led to this faith: this is no temporary status, this elevation of Oklahoma City to the fraternity of New York and Chicago and Phoenix and LA and Dallas.

We are here to stay, if we so desire.

“This team will never leave,” said an OKC leader who helped broker the deal.

The Hornets are ours, if we want them. If we show up at the Ford Center - and why wouldn’t we with the sweetheart ticket prices announced Wednesday? - we will make Hornets owner George Shinn want to call this home.

Everyone from the NBA to the Hornets to Oklahoma City officials is very sensitive to the plight of New Orleans, and no one wants to come across as a franchise thief. But the truth is: New Orleans is years away, if ever, from returning to major-league status.

There were a couple of hints Wednesday that the Hornets know they aren’t going back.

When asked about possibly playing games late in the season in the New Orleans Arena, Shinn asked the reasonable question if there would be any people in the city, much less those interested in going to a basketball game.

And the Hornets’ brass was adamant with the schedule-makers that Oklahoma City get to host every NBA franchise this season, much to the chagrin of Baton Rouge, La., which will host six games but not the Miami Heat, who feature LSU’s own Shaquille O’Neal. That’s a sign the Hornets are interested in making this an Oklahoma City audition.

Make no mistake, pro basketball is gone from New Orleans. So sometime next year, Shinn must decide the future of his franchise, and why not Oklahoma City?

“We’re going to prove to the world that Oklahoma City is a major-league city,” Shinn said. “The potential and everything’s here to make that happen.”

Shinn already did it once, in Charlotte, N.C., now a certified Southern metropolis but once questioned as a major-league prospect. Shinn’s Hornets promptly led the NBA in attendance seven straight years before the honeymoon ended because of the NBA lockout, the arrival of the NFL Panthers and Shinn’s personal behavior, which scandalized the city in a sexual-harassment trial.

Shinn, just like all the Hornets personnel, was charming and unassuming Wednesday. No prima donnas. Not Reed, not Shinn, not coach Byron Scott, not anyone.

That kind of attitude will go a long way. But not as far as the great timing.

Oklahoma City gets an NBA franchise in a year when OU football is down, so sports spenders might be looking for new avenues. And with oil prices still high, our corporate economy is strong.

Expect the business community to come through.

“I told a Hornets executive, ‘You won’t fail in Oklahoma City,’” said Brad Lund of Express Sports, whose company runs the minor-league Blazers and RedHawks and has helped the Hornets make the transition to OKC.

“The community and corporate pride in this metro area is No. 1 in the country for a midsize city.”

Lund referred to the other events the Ford Center has wrought.

“Paul McCartney didn’t fail,” Lund said. “Britney Spears didn’t fail. NCAA regionals didn’t fail.”

If corporate Oklahoma City comes through, that leaves it to the average fan. Typical NBA prices make OKC a stretch, but these prices - 7,500 tickets at $20 under, affordable season tickets - leave us no excuses.

If we want to be major-league, we can be major-league. Our choice.

The NBA works in this model. Since 1965, the league has gone into 10 cities that had no major-league franchise. It has left only one of those cities, Charlotte, and soon after Shinn’s departure, the NBA placed an expansion team in Charlotte.

“This city’s got a golden opportunity to prove itself by helping us, and we want to do everything we can to help the city,” Shinn said. “So it’s a win-win situation for both of us in this critical time.”

Critical time, maybe. Validation, maybe. But no doubt a celebration day, too.

Oklahoma City went major-league Wednesday. I say we’re never going back.

Of course the Oklahoman would publish this.

Purely speculation.

I think the article is very acurate, this is OKC team to lose, and year two will be the make or break season.

Humm. I think this is what I have been saying all along.:numchucks

You know what is strange about all this? When Tulsa gets a new arena and invites other teams to play there, I know that we will all be supportive of your new endeavor.

I know we won't be hoping that you fail.

This is a great opportunity to shine as a state, not just a city.

You know what is strange about all this? When Tulsa gets a new arena and invites other teams to play there, I know that we will all be supportive of your new endeavor.

I know we won't be hoping that you fail.

This is a great opportunity to shine as a state, not just a city.

I'm actually looking forward to seeing this Cesar Pelli creation come to life.

In yesterday's noon press conference, NBA attorney Joel Litvin indicated that the league's website references to the Hornets would reference the dual city names, New Orleans/Oklahoma City.

Well, it's already been done. See http://www.nba.com/hornets/ and related pages and notice the graphic at the top, "The Official Site of the New Orleans/Oklahoma City Hornets".

The temptation, of course, will be to keep in mind that we are, at this point, being good hosts for a temporarily displaced team, and not appear to be OR BE greedy.

In that respect, I think that the Mayor has acquitted himself very well and with grace. None of those in the press conference yesterday can reasonably be said to have been anything other than graceful and understanding of the totality of the unfortunate circumstances that made such a press conference (in Okc or, were facts different, in some other city).

If the Hornets stay here turns out to be temporary, I'm hoping that we will say, "Thanks, New Orleans guys, we enjoyed your visit ... glad that we could help and thanks for helping us out, too ... we'll not forget you", and gracefully let them go from whence they came ... with class, like Mayor Cornett's display of that quality yesterday.

If it turns out not to be "temporary" over the long haul, then that will take care of itself. That will be for "then", but not for "today".

But, in this interim period, I don't think it does Oklahoma City any discredit to be partially associated, in name, with the Hornets. After all, a lot of "people" (local and state government and businesss) are fronting a ****-load of money for the mutual interests of the team, and the city & state. Might as well get some recognition for doing so. I mean, the "Ford Center" (among other facilities) isn't called the "Ford Center" for nothing. Even if it turns out, as expected, to be on a temporary basis, it seems fair to me that some degree of name association is not a bad thing, but is altogether appropriate.

In yesterday's noon press conference, NBA attorney Joel Litvin indicated that the league's website references to the Hornets would reference the dual city names, New Orleans/Oklahoma City.

Well, it's already been done. See http://www.nba.com/hornets/ and related pages and notice the graphic at the top, "The Official Site of the New Orleans/Oklahoma City Hornets".

In fact, the name change was added to the website minutes after the city council approved the contract. KOCO and KWTV also added a special section to their websites as well.

The also said their jerseys will say "Hornets" at home and "New Orleans" on the road, but with an OKC patch.

Their current jerseys both say "New Orleans" home and away...

I'm sure once they get the new ones ready for their on-line store, they will sell a ton of the in Oklahoma.


I've lost interest in the NBA in recent years but I'm really excited about this and look forward to taking in a game when I next visit.

"The also said their jerseys will say "Hornets" at home and "New Orleans" on the road, but with an OKC patch.

Their current jerseys both say "New Orleans" home and away..."

It is only fair to add the reason for the patch. The names New Orleans and Oklahoma City are too big for the jersey. That is the only reason for the patch.

I'm excited, too, but this should be read in context with my other general remarks, above.

Truth is, basketball is probably the most ideally suited major league professional sport for Oklahoma City (and, or course, for the facility involved). I have serious doubt that big league hockey would (or would have) succeeded here ... despite the Blazer's loyal following, if you took a poll of those living in Central Oklahoma, how many of them do you think would say they are "hockey fans". I'm guessing that the number would be generally small.

Basketball? I think that basketball, as a generally attractive sport, has made major strides in Oklahoma with the good success of OSU & OU, as well as, occasionally, TU and ORU, and that the sport has a much stronger base. It is something that more people will be willing to support, just because they enjoy the sport. Roots begin in secondary sports, if not earlier. And, I cannot see that having an NBA team in the state will detract from the collegiate enthusiasm and attendance ... might even enhance the same. I think that basketball is the perfect match for a top-league professional sport for Okc. As for me, though I'm glad the Blazers have been successful, I've never attended one game. I'm just not a hockey fan. But, I'll surely be glad to attend some Hornets games, if I can get tickets!

I'm expecting to have that kind of a problem.

If we do nothing other than being a good temporary host, Okc's "point" that it's been unsuccessful in making for quite a while will be established, and, if not the Hornet's, we'll eventually get "our" team because we will have established our credentials as a city in which a major league basketball team can and will have financial success.

Of course the Oklahoman would publish this.

Purely speculation.

I have to say that I agree with you on this one. I'm shocked that Barry wrote this article. I generally enjoy his articles but I think some of the lines in this article may be going a little too far. It's needless speculation in my eyes. The only thing that I could see that might justify it partly in Barry's eyes is that it will create more interest in the team and possibly equate to more tickets/merchandise sales. Just my opinion.

Berry Tramel is a featured columnist not a reporter.

As such, it's his job to provide his own perspective, which is what he does pretty much every day.

This article is no different and he doesn't say it will happen, just states the facts and then adds his own point of view which happens to hopeful.


Believe me, he and other columnists often write pieces that are far less positive and optimistic.

Berry Tramel is a featured columnist not a reporter.

As such, it's his job to provide his own perspective, which is what he does pretty much every day.

This article is no different and he doesn't say it will happen, just states the facts and then adds his own point of view which happens to hopeful.


Believe me, he and other columnists often write pieces that are far less positive and optimistic.

Funny how a very large number of people from the media are also saying the Hornets are here to stay. Think about that.

Funny how a very large number of people from the media are also saying the Hornets are here to stay. Think about that.

It sells papers and gets you to tune in to your TV/radio. Think about that. :wink:

It sells papers and gets you to tune in to your TV/radio. Think about that. :wink:

I would rather trust instinct taught by business people which supports the media.

The article is probably a bit too quick to jump on the "they are here to stay" train yet...but who knows. I think it is positive that OKC has sold over 5000 season tickets already, but who is to say this will last if they stay? I can see them staying a second year, and they'll do that to really see how the market acts.


Humm. I think this is what I have been saying all along.:numchucks

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