OKC Dodgers

[HangryHippo]

With the Dodgers coming in and mixing things up, is there any chance we see the Coach's space revamped and brought back to life?

[OkieHornet]

We don't change the name, the owners do. Such is the life of a minor league affiliate. OKC Stars, Blazers, now Barons, eh? While one poster laments the fact that the name "Dodgers" has no local relevance, how much relevance does the name "Jazz" have to the NBA franchise in SLC? Or the relevance of "Lakers" to Los Angeles? The product on the field and not the name of the club is what puts azzes in the seats.

okc stars were an affiliate of the minnesota north stars, hence the name. and barons is a take on "oil barons" which has relevance to edmonton's oilers, who they're affiliated with. i'm sure they would've loved to name okc "oilers" but that was already taken by tulsa.

jazz and lakers are different animals - they just didn't change their names when they moved from new orleans and minneapolis, where the names meant something to the area.

somewhat of a lazy move to name okc "dodgers" but being part of the dodgers brand is pretty special - it carries a lot of weight in the baseball world.

[Paseofreak]

With the Dodgers coming in and mixing things up, is there any chance we see the Coach's space revamped and brought back to life?

Yes, I heard from a food service manager with the company contracted by the RedHawks (they also service The Dodger's Stadium and many more pro sports facilities) that plans are in the works to renovate and re-open the Coaches space.

[Motley]

Will they have Dodger Dogs????

[Paseofreak]

I think so, based on my conversation with the manager. They'd be foolish not to cash in on that.

[Zuplar]

Will they have Dodger Dogs????

It was discussed early or in another thread, but they already had Dodger Dogs. I didn't know this myself until someone mentioned it.

The Dodger Dog is also served at Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark in Oklahoma City, OK, the home of the Dodgers AAA affiliate Oklahoma City Dodgers. A concession area called the "Dog Pound" serves hot dogs from stadiums around the country including the Fenway Frank, Cincinnati Cheese Coney, Milwaukee Brat, and The Red Hot Chicago Dog.

[Motley]

Would be cool and then put an OK spin on it with a topping to have the OK Dodger dog.

[ljbab728]

It sounded like left because they said something about home run alley. Also group outing rentals for the entire section.

OKC?s Pro Baseball Team is the Dodgers | KFOR.com

The OKC Dodgers also plan to make a few improvements to the ballpark, with a new left field deck for parties of up to 150 people, new areas dedicated to children, and a possible new tenant for the vacant restaurant space down the left field line.

[Plutonic Panda]

OKC?s Pro Baseball Team is the Dodgers | KFOR.com

I agree!

[AP]

A perk that no one has really mentioned here, I believe. Added support from LA.

[Pete]

Putting in a new picnic area in left field:

[Zuplar]

That's a big time upgrade. Most major league parks have something similar.

[DocThunder]

I like it !!!! I can't wait to see it .

[Zuplar]

I think if the Dodgers pump some money in this, which they already are, do some good marketing, and maybe give away some free stuff (everyone likes free stuff), I think they could really turn around some naysayers.

[Pete]

I strongly believe the Dodger affiliation and everything that comes with it will be a tremendous positive for OKC.

The Dodgers are not only one of the best brands in all of sports, but they know how to market.

[theparkman81]

Putting in a new picnic area in left field:

That looks great, man they are doing a good job updating the ballpark.

[Zuplar]

I strongly believe the Dodger affiliation and everything that comes with it will be a tremendous positive for OKC.

The Dodgers are not only one of the best brands in all of sports, but they know how to market.

I think the affiliation may have been one of those things you didn't know you wanted until you got it.

I've always been a Rangers fan. When the Redhawks lost out on that affiliation and switch the the Astros I was very 'meh' about the whole situation. Granted I wanted to support my local team, at the same time it lost it's luster some, because I really just dislike Houston. So when I heard rumors the Redhawks were looking to get dumped by the Astros I was very happy, hoping my Rangers would pick the team up again. But then as the Rangers started to get rid of players I like, and Washington left I started having a real love loss with the Rangers. Part of it is I'm not a big Texas (as in the state) fan.

Then come along the Dodgers, a team that, for me anyways, has always been a likable big name team. Throwing money at the Redhawks, then giving them a new name new look, and saying hey, we really want to be here, we really want to improve AAA baseball in OKC. For me, it kind of gave me a warm fuzzy feeling inside, something neither the Rangers or Astros really ever did. They just kind of ran the show behind the scenes and never really treated it like it could be something. And I saw that because my sister-in-law worked for them, while the Astros ran the show. She left halfway through the season after they offered her a promotion, because she thought it was going nowhere. After the Dodgers came to town she is beating herself up, because the people she knows there say these people are 1st class and willing to make the necessary changes.

So to that I say welcome. I'll be a Dodgers fan, both LA and OKC. So far they act like they want to be here, and are putting their money where their mouth is. I expect them to draw bigger crowds, if not for the simple fact people want to see what's changed.

[harp23]

Maybe when Fresno comes to town in late May we can have some good fights in the parking lot just like the parent clubs.

[Pete]

Their on-line shop is now up and running:

OKLAHOMA CITY DODGERS TEAM STORE

[gopokes88]

I strongly believe the Dodger affiliation and everything that comes with it will be a tremendous positive for OKC.

The Dodgers are not only one of the best brands in all of sports, but they know how to market.

Talked to a ticket rep the other day, says it is 10X easier selling Dodger tickets then Redhawk tickets. The overall reaction once the logos and marketing was revealed flipped from negative to positive overnight.

[Prunepicker]

I've been a Dodger fan since the 50's, I remember Yogi jumping on Larsen. I have
a friend who played in the Dodger-White Sox World series in 1959.

I bleed blue.

We moved from California 2 years before the Dodgers moved to Los Angeles.

[JohnH_in_OKC]

Yesterday, I was at Walmart & in the men's department, they had 2 different OKC Dodger blue T-shirts.

I bought one.

PS: I too bleed Dodger Blue, having lived in Manhattan Beach and Hermosa Beach for 2 years each, and I loved going to Dodger games during the Steve Garvey years.

[zookeeper]

Season Tickets are outrageous. The 2nd highest in the league. I was pumped about season tickets and couldn't believe they want almost a thousand dollars for all the games. Only Sacramento is higher, by $150 or so. Hey, this is Oklahoma City. Most all the other teams have a middle tier that falls in the $500-$700 range. We have those X number of games packages, but that's no replacement for season tickets. I'm disappointed, I'll probably go ahead and buy, but I know somebody who was going to and was really let down. They are probably looking at the Thunder and thinking they can get some of those high rollers to pay the big ticket price. Dodger name or not (which I like), it's still minor league baseball and $996 a year is way too high for Oklahoma City. Why not reopen the section that was closed and sell season tickets for $500? Single game tix for $5? If they are "The Dodgers" then expect an oversell - open 'er back up. Make baseball affordable. Love the many way the majors are doing that - where are the owners of the minor league teams on this? If you're the Dodgers organization, you can afford to sell quantity as well as quality and make it win-win. That section full at $5 or $500 a season is better than tarp.

[borchard]

Season Tickets are outrageous. The 2nd highest in the league. I was pumped about season tickets and couldn't believe they want almost a thousand dollars for all the games. Only Sacramento is higher, by $150 or so. Hey, this is Oklahoma City. Most all the other teams have a middle tier that falls in the $500-$700 range. We have those X number of games packages, but that's no replacement for season tickets. I'm disappointed, I'll probably go ahead and buy, but I know somebody who was going to and was really let down. They are probably looking at the Thunder and thinking they can get some of those high rollers to pay the big ticket price. Dodger name or not (which I like), it's still minor league baseball and $996 a year is way too high for Oklahoma City. Why not reopen the section that was closed and sell season tickets for $500? Single game tix for $5? If they are "The Dodgers" then expect an oversell - open 'er back up. Make baseball affordable. Love the many way the majors are doing that - where are the owners of the minor league teams on this? If you're the Dodgers organization, you can afford to sell quantity as well as quality and make it win-win. That section full at $5 or $500 a season is better than tarp.

I guess I don't understand. For the past several years, attendance has been crap. They have even tarped off the upper deck because it was so empty. So what do the new owners do? Raise tickets prices? Are you freaking kidding?!?!

[BoulderSooner]

996 for what 70 games. Doesn't sound very high