Barons Update

[kwhey]

For me, at least, it seemed like everything changed. I wasn't a Barons hater, I promise. I went to the first game. I went to several more that year. But every time I went it just didn't feel the same. My wife said the same thing. She wasn't a hockey fan when I met her. But after I took her to only about 2, or 3, Blazers games, she turned to me and asked how much season tickets were.
I asked her why, and she said, "I don't know, maybe we should get some next year. This is fun"
She doesn't want to go to a Barons game now, any more than I do. I didn't just go to games, either. i used to NEVER miss a game on the radio, if at all possible. I went to many away games, as well. I knew all of the players' names, and most of the opposing players. My ex-wife and I once planned a short vacation to Tennessee around the Blazers playing two games there at the same time.
And I am so tired of people who don't know who keeping throwing out "Oh the blazers gave away tickets!"
I can tell you FOR A FACT, as a multi-year Season Ticket Holder, that I NEVER got a free ticket to a Blazers game.

Yeah, you were a season ticket holder. Of course you never got a free ticket. I can tell you for a fact for the last five seasons of the team, I got into nearly half of the games for free. The Blazers counted that as "paid" attendance.


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[Laramie]

I'm hearing about free Blazer tickets. I followed them since 1965 and the resurrection of the CHL in the early 90s and I never ran across free tickets. Would have faithfully used them...

Has anyone noticed how well the RedHawks have done in attendance this year? Much better than when they were being managed by Prodigal. Just wander if a change in ownership of the AHL Barons could make a difference?

Will give Funk and Prodigal credit for the great job they are doing with the Oklahoma City Energy FC soccer.

"Oklahoma City looks oh-so pretty... ...as I get my kicks on Route 66." --Nat King Cole.

[kwhey]

Even though the same entity owned both teams, no mention was given EVER of the Blazers history. All banners removed, etc... It kinda pissed me off

Because it is a completely different franchise. It has no history with the Blazers. Maybe the Thunder should put up banners of the Hornets since they played here first.



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[kwhey]

Do you have to try to break someone else down to make yourself feel better?

If the Funks keep trying to pass off a lie, as if it were true, I guess they hope people will start believing it. Hey, it worked for Hitler.

Well, you just compared Funk to Hitler. Nice job spitting in the face of your own argument. BTW, Blazers gave away tons of free tickets.


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[Richard at Remax]

OILERS AGREE TO TERMS WITH NELSON ON CONTRACT EXTENSION

OKC Barons | The Official Site of The Oklahoma City Barons

[kwhey]

OILERS AGREE TO TERMS WITH NELSON ON CONTRACT EXTENSION

OKC Barons | The Official Site of The Oklahoma City Barons

Great!! He has done a heck of a job with the Barons.


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[borchard]

Because it is a completely different franchise. It has no history with the Blazers. Maybe the Thunder should put up banners of the Hornets since they played here first.

Not a good analogy, at all.
The Blazers and the Barons were owned by the same person. The Blazers, and Stars, and the ORIGINAL Blazers are all part of a very rich hockey history in Oklahoma City.
Using your logic, I guess the Blazers should never have talked about OKC hockey history in their programs, either. You know, since they weren't the same organizations.
For the Funks to not even acknowledge that there WAS hockey before they brought in the Barons, is ludicrous. It's also a bit insulting to all of the Blazers fans. And Stars fans, and original Blazers fans.
But to finish up on your analogy;
The Hornets and Thunder weren't owned by the same person.
The Hornets never took the name "Oklahoma City". They were a guest here.
But, if they HADN'T came and played here for two season, we not have ever gotten the Thunder.
So, yeah, maybe the Thunder SHOULD mention them in their program. Good idea :-)

[NegativeCreep]

So, when does hockey season start anyway?

[OKCretro]

I know the hawks start against Dallas on Thursday night before OU/Texas

[Dubya61]

The AHL generally announces their schedule in August. The Barons website has the third weekend in Sept blocked off for some unspecified future event.

[Richard at Remax]

hopefully its another exhibition game between the oilers and another NHL team

[kwhey]

It won't be the Oilers. They already have their exhibition schedule set and they are not coming to OKC.


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[Richard at Remax]

also, I was looking at the ticket map for the upcoming season and looks like they are capturing more seats in the upper corners with the tarps. probably for the best

and it looks like they are adding glass party suites on the south end of the ice. interesting move. looks like they are really trying to improve atmosphere and fan experience.

http://www.okcbarons.com/index.cfm?fa=seatingmap

[Dubya61]

The AHL generally announces their schedule in August. The Barons website has the third weekend in Sept blocked off for some unspecified future event.

I was wrong! It's the third weekend in OCTOBER that was blocked off: Oct 17 and 18.

[Dubya61]

also, I was looking at the ticket map for the upcoming season and looks like they are capturing more seats in the upper corners with the tarps. probably for the best

and it looks like they are adding glass party suites on the south end of the ice. interesting move. looks like they are really trying to improve atmosphere and fan experience.

OKC Barons | The Official Site of The Oklahoma City Barons

I think this is where they need to go. Work hard to make the fan experience more of a party and less of a civic center conference / religious mass. Changing the configuration or uses of some sections will go far in this effort.

[kwhey]

I was wrong! It's the third weekend in OCTOBER that was blocked off: Oct 17 and 18.

That is opening weekend.


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[Mel]

I bet these guys would boost attendance. Warning potty mouth language. Prolly NSFW.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5i_D6oQO6b8

[kwhey]

I bet these guys would boost attendance. Warning potty mouth language. Prolly NSFW.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5i_D6oQO6b8

Looks like a Blazers/Thunder game. No thanks.


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[kwhey]

The new alignment for the AHL was released today. Iowa slides into the spot vacated by Abbotsford. So it is OKC, Texas, San Antonio, , Charlotte and Iowa in the West Division of the Western Conference. Interestingly enough, Adirondack (formerly Abbotsford) is still in the Western Conference.


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[bombermwc]

also, I was looking at the ticket map for the upcoming season and looks like they are capturing more seats in the upper corners with the tarps. probably for the best

and it looks like they are adding glass party suites on the south end of the ice. interesting move. looks like they are really trying to improve atmosphere and fan experience.

OKC Barons | The Official Site of The Oklahoma City Barons

The seating capacity has been sort of a problem in the place once it wasn't the primary arena. It was always the largest in the CHL, but we always kept it pretty heavily filled. It's still a good 5k seats larger than it really NEEDS to be for the class of sporting events it houses nowadays. There's not much you can do about it other than take out seating and try to put in some boxes...which is what the Leouge (sp?) boxes were doing. Cant really slide a suite in after-the-fact, but you can do SOME things. I don't know what the structure can support, but you could pull out a few rows of seats at the top and put in some real boxes. The first problem with those would be that they're so high and when you pay for a box, you don't want it high. But you can't cut out chunks of concrete support to put it in any lower. Rock and a hard place.

Solution - Its curtains I tell you, curtains. Seems to work for the Redhawks too < - although when you do that it's sad because it means you consistently couldn't fill the seats.

[ahlokc]

The 2014-15 season officially got started for the Barons yesterday on the road at San Antonio. Barons lost 3-2 in OT. Next 3 games are home on Oct 17, 18, and 24 against Texas and San Antonio.

As I have been doing for all the Barons Seasons, I have started my goolge docs stat sheet this year. Here is the link to the stats sheet.

[Richard at Remax]

Barons join Keep it Local OK

OKC Barons | Keep It Local OK

[bradh]

looking forward to taking the fam to Friday's game

[BigTulsa]

I hate to bring this up, but isn't this the last season of the agreement between the OKC franchise and the Edmonton parent club? Reason I say this is that there are rumblings about that Edmonton wanting to move their AHL afflliate to Stockton CA as part of some big Western AHL setup. IF that were to happen, that could leave OKC in the position of fielding an ECHL club to replace the loss of the Stockton team, and now that the CHL has folded and all remaining member teams are now expansion to the ECHL, there would be instant rivalries again with OKC and Wichita.

How I miss the OKC/Tulsa turnpike rivalry. Almost always guaranteed to entertain.

[Laramie]

I hate to bring this up, but isn't this the last season of the agreement between the OKC franchise and the Edmonton parent club? Reason I say this is that there are rumblings about that Edmonton wanting to move their AHL afflliate to Stockton CA as part of some big Western AHL setup. IF that were to happen, that could leave OKC in the position of fielding an ECHL club to replace the loss of the Stockton team, and now that the CHL has folded and all remaining member teams are now expansion to the ECHL, there would be instant rivalries again with OKC and Wichita.

How I miss the OKC/Tulsa turnpike rivalry. Almost always guaranteed to entertain.

Good point BigTulsa:

Those rivalries with Tulsa & Wichita made a big difference. We looked forward to joining San Antonio in the AHL for many years; then the NBA took OKC by storm.

The new ECHL-CHL setup will be a better fit for OKC; let's hope this occurs. We just don't have the numbers for the AHL especially when you look at their ticket structure--that was a real turn off from the get go.