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Thread: Major League Baseball or Major League Soccer in OKC 2026

  1. #26
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    Thunder Re: Major League Baseball or Major League Soccer in OKC 2026


  2. #27

    Default Re: Major League Baseball or Major League Soccer in OKC 2026

    Quote Originally Posted by kukblue1 View Post
    Couldn't sell my tickets last night and couldn't even find someone to take them. According to ESPN we are 4th from last in attendance but also shows an average of 14,494 which is no way happening. http://www.espn.com/nba/attendance I would put the number closer to probably say about 9,000 or less.
    Bingo

  3. #28

    Default Re: Major League Baseball or Major League Soccer in OKC 2026

    I appreciate the pandemic, the rebuilding year, and all of that. But if OKC is seen as a market that struggles to support one professional team, there is no chance of getting a second one.

  4. Default Re: Major League Baseball or Major League Soccer in OKC 2026

    Quote Originally Posted by stlokc View Post
    I appreciate the pandemic, the rebuilding year, and all of that. But if OKC is seen as a market that struggles to support one professional team, there is no chance of getting a second one.
    Even when my beloved OU Sooners football team sucked we went to every home game. But the stands were half full pretty often.

  5. Default Re: Major League Baseball or Major League Soccer in OKC 2026

    Amazing, really, that Milwaukee (MLB, NBA), New Orleans (NBA, NFL (!)), and SLC (MLS, MLB) have two professional teams given their size. Milwaukee is 40th in metro size in the nation, and we are 41st. New Orleans and SLC are below us. Must be things like Fortune 500 companies and income per capita that makes it possible in those smaller or similar sized markets.

  6. #31
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    Default Re: Major League Baseball or Major League Soccer in OKC 2026

    TV markets presumably

  7. #32

    Default Re: Major League Baseball or Major League Soccer in OKC 2026

    The Denver Broncos are for sale and are expected to set a record for largest price tag in North American sports history. Maybe we can set up an OKCTalk fantasy gofundme and purchase them, then they can become the Oklahoma City Broncos.

  8. #33

    Default Re: Major League Baseball or Major League Soccer in OKC 2026

    There’s a litany of reasons why OKC probably won’t get a 2nd professional sports franchise but it won’t be because the Thunder have poor attendance in a tanking season. OKC is like virtually every other market in that people don’t go to games when the team sucks. It’d be weird and unprecedented if the arena was packed every night.

    A lot of teams routinely lie about attendance in almost every professional league so I wouldn’t read too much into things.

  9. #34

    Default Re: Major League Baseball or Major League Soccer in OKC 2026

    Quote Originally Posted by kukblue1 View Post
    Couldn't sell my tickets last night and couldn't even find someone to take them. According to ESPN we are 4th from last in attendance but also shows an average of 14,494 which is no way happening. http://www.espn.com/nba/attendance I would put the number closer to probably say about 9,000 or less.
    Here again, it's paid attendance not those that just happen to show up.

  10. #35

    Default Re: Major League Baseball or Major League Soccer in OKC 2026

    These OKC-can't-even-support the Thunder takes are ignoring a lot of context. First, the Thunder are bad. Most bad teams in the NBA have low attendance. I've been to a number of near empty NBA arenas. It's not uncommon. Second, we're still in a pandemic that has caused both COVID cautious (uncomfortable/unsafe) and COVID reckless (no vaccine/wouldn't test) fans to stay away from games this season. I've personally missed at least 5 home games because of COVID. All these factors are very good reasons for poor attendance. I expect crowds to improve as COVID fades as an issue and the team improves. How quickly do we forget that OKC had not only top 10-15 attendance for its first decade, but also the crowd was known for its enthusiasm.

    On top of that, OKC is a well run organization so it's easier to stick with the team even when rebuilding. This isn't the Kings. And the ownership is committed to OKC and that means there's really no reason to think the team isn't in OKC for the long haul.

    As to other pro sports teams, I could see a soccer team as viable if OKC had a really ambitious ownership group with the means to do it. It seems unlikely any time soon. I don't see the other major sports, including baseball, as particularly viable in the market.

  11. #36

    Default Re: Major League Baseball or Major League Soccer in OKC 2026

    Quote Originally Posted by dankrutka View Post
    These OKC-can't-even-support the Thunder takes are ignoring a lot of context. First, the Thunder are bad. Most bad teams in the NBA have low attendance. I've been to a number of near empty NBA arenas. It's not uncommon. Second, we're still in a pandemic that has caused both COVID cautious (uncomfortable/unsafe) and COVID reckless (no vaccine/wouldn't test) fans to stay away from games this season. I've personally missed at least 5 home games because of COVID. All these factors are very good reasons for poor attendance. I expect crowds to improve as COVID fades as an issue and the team improves. How quickly do we forget that OKC had not only top 10-15 attendance for its first decade, but also the crowd was known for its enthusiasm.

    On top of that, OKC is a well run organization so it's easier to stick with the team even when rebuilding. This isn't the Kings. And the ownership is committed to OKC and that means there's really no reason to think the team isn't in OKC for the long haul.

    As to other pro sports teams, I could see a soccer team as viable if OKC had a really ambitious ownership group with the means to do it. It seems unlikely any time soon. I don't see the other major sports, including baseball, as particularly viable in the market.
    Agreed. These hot takes about the city not being able to support the Thunder ignore every bit of relevant context. I’ve been a season ticket holder for 10 years and I typically attend every home game I can. This year, I’ve attended only 1 game because of COVID. Once the case rates go back down, I’ll be back. For now, I’m watching every game on TV. We’re also in the middle of a bad season. Prior to COVID, I attended NBA games in several other cities and more often than not the arena was either half empty or filled halfway with opposing teams fans.

  12. Default Re: Major League Baseball or Major League Soccer in OKC 2026

    ^^^^^^^^
    Yep. I’m in a similar situation. Been eating my tickets all year due to stupid-high COVID numbers and a lack of desire to be in the same room with thousands of screaming people. I’ve been doing the same with concert tickets I bought aggressively in early 2021. Made it to one Thunder game so far this season (a win vs Lakers), but I’m not going anywhere as a 14-year season ticket holder (and two year Hornets season ticket holder before that).

  13. #38
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    Default Re: Major League Baseball or Major League Soccer in OKC 2026

    Quote Originally Posted by Urbanized View Post
    ^^^^^^^^
    Yep. I’m in a similar situation. Been eating my tickets all year due to stupid-high COVID numbers and a lack of desire to be in the same room with thousands of screaming people. I’ve been doing the same with concert tickets I bought aggressively in early 2021. Made it to one Thunder game so far this season (a win vs Lakers), but I’m not going anywhere as a 14-year season ticket holder (and two year Hornets season ticket holder before that).
    ^^^ I'm with you, Urbanized.

    This is what is hurting attendance throughout the NBA especially among small markets. OKC is doing exceptionally well during this down year in rebuilding the roster.

    Myself, I'm taking every precaution not to get infected with Covid. Taken all the recommended necessary shots but until there's a break in the mutation of Covid and its variances--staying away from large indoor gatherings.

    Noticed the consistency when they discover a new mutation has reached the U.S., you can bet it's already here in Oklahoma.

    My brother and I have tried our very best to convince relatives and friends of the benefits of getting vaccinated, purchased almost a hundred of N95s. Got one relative (Anti-vaxxer) in Tennessee in the ICU in Nashville, her chances of recovery doesn't look good. The upside of this, those who have been close to her are getting tested, scheduling and getting the vaccine.

  14. #39

    Default Re: Major League Baseball or Major League Soccer in OKC 2026

    IMO, the best case scenario for pro sports in OKC currently would be for the Energy to magically develop into a flagship USL franchise. Phoenix, Louisville, Tampa Bay, Colorado Springs, and ABQ are all USL markets that have done a very good job of becoming relevant in their respective cities. Detroit will most likely join that list this year. I don't have any confidence that the current Energy ownership group is up for the task - in fact, I'd put it at no better than 50/50 odds that the Energy even come back from their hiatus in 2023. But that doesn't mean that another ownership group won't get it done someday. The Energy sold out Taft for a Conference Final back in 2015 when the USL wasn't nearly as well-known as it is now, and when the Thunder were still contending for NBA titles. It's entirely possible to make that sort of momentum happen again (especially if/when the MAPS 4 stadium gets built) but I have no confidence that the current ownership group is up for the task.

  15. #40
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    Default Re: Major League Baseball or Major League Soccer in OKC 2026

    TV Market [1,308,320], as with the Oklahoma City Thunder, Oklahoma City (755,340) - Tulsa - (552,980) is considered one NBA TV market (Selling point made by former OKC Mayor Mick Cornett).

    Source: https://oaaa.org/Portals/0/Public%20...s%20Report.pdf

    Our current USL ownership group, Prodigal LLC of which a few posters don't think are coming back from USL Energy FC's Hiatus, name something in metro OKC sports where they have been successful.

  16. #41
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    Default Re: Major League Baseball or Major League Soccer in OKC 2026

    Population:

    Oklahoma experienced 0.6 percent population growth over the year. . . An estimated 24,608 people from July 2020 to July 2021. Of that total, 24,687 people were added through domestic migration from other states while 1,523 were added from international migration. December 22, 2021.

    How much of that raw increase migrated to the Oklahoma City area . . .

    Construction & jobs:

    Okana Resort opens the jobs market:

    “Undoubtedly, an entertainment and lodging complex of this magnitude will add significantly to the exciting progress going on in Oklahoma City. Initially, the resort is projected to employ 400 people and the annualized economic impact year one is projected to be $97 million. Additionally, estimates for the 10-year economic impact of this development are projected to exceed $1 billion, with full-time employment expanding to approximately 700-800.”--October 21, 2021, Press Release.

    MAPS 4 projects:

    MAPS 4 projects (2022-2029) Now, the first project has been bumped up to start in the third quarter of 2024, which according to the project's consulting firm, ADG, will move the entire youth center schedule up by 21 months with the final center being completed in November 2029. . .

    MAPS 4, passed by voters in 2019, contains 16 projects that address things like homelessness, post-incarceration programming, youth and senior well-being, along with traditional MAPS projects like the fairgrounds coliseum, updates to the NBA Thunder's arena and a multipurpose stadium.

    The coliseum and arena updates will be the first to begin construction, while 12 other projects will receive money by the end of 2022 for things like design, site acquisition and planning.--Oklahoman, Hogan Gore, September 8, 2021.

    Looks like Oklahoma City will be experience a decade's high boom.

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