Oklahoma City, In the Press.

Discussion in 'Rayo OKC' started by Laramie, Sep 25, 2013.

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  1. Laramie

    Laramie Member

    May 5, 2010
    Oklahoma City, OK
    Club:
    Sporting Kansas City
    On a serious note, the NASL's loss of San Antonio does have concerns. What cities are the NASL prepared to bring in to replace a reputable city like San Antonio. A USL San Antonio entry will really beef up the attendance in the USL Tulsa and Oklahoma City markets.

    Put a winner in Tulsa; you'll see this city explode. The NASL needs a strong proven small market like Tulsa to replace San Antonio.

    MLS is attacking the heart & gut of the NASL cities as they enter the Twin cities market, Atlanta and possibly Miami which is in the proximity of Fort Lauderdale.

    If the NASL talent (not team salaries) can put it in a position to be a solid tier II league in the U.S., above the USL, it could make a real impact.

    Bring back Tulsa to the North American Soccer League and get some kind of TV contract inked. Tulsa use to attract 25,000 to 30,000 fans whenever the New York Cosmos came to town.

    Tulsa is ready; also bring back Rochester, Memphis & St. Louis!
     
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  2. mikehurst21

    mikehurst21 Member

    Oklahoma City Energy FC
    United States
    Nov 6, 2013
    Moore Oklahoma
    Club:
    --other--
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    So in other words just poach the USL markets. Is this really the way to build the pyramid in North America. Look the jury is still out on whether both leagues can survive in Oklahoma City. I for one would like to see both leagues put the health of the sport above their profits and build a healthy stable pyramid and that isn't likely to happen if this poaching continues to happen. At some point some sort of compromise and cooperation will have to work so that the current growth can be sustained and built upon. At least that is my hope of course it doesn't help when you have fans who blindly drink the "soccer wars" koolaid
     
  3. ManuSooner

    ManuSooner Member+

    Nov 15, 2007
    Oklahoma City
    Club:
    Manchester United FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I agree that poaching of cities is terrible. But it is happening at every level. Did you know that there were plans to put Tulsa in the NASL as The Roughnecks? But it was poached by Bob Funk and his group.

    And we all know that OKCFC was supposed to start in NASL last year, and play at Taft. But one of their owners, AND the stadium lease, was poached by Bob Funk and his group.

    IMHO, there HAS to be some kind of working relationship developed between NASL and USL. Whether that is simply a gentlemen's agreement, a working relationship, or full on pro/rel, I don't know. Otherwise they will continue to cannibalize each other, to the detriment of soccer, as a whole. And don't look to MLS to help the situation. MLS cares about one thing; MLS. And I don't see the USSF standing up to them. They are too much in bed together.
     
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  4. ManuSooner

    ManuSooner Member+

    Nov 15, 2007
    Oklahoma City
    Club:
    Manchester United FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
  5. Blando13

    Blando13 Member+

    Dec 4, 2013
    Lee's Summit, MO
    Club:
    Sporting Kansas City
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
  6. ManuSooner

    ManuSooner Member+

    Nov 15, 2007
    Oklahoma City
    Club:
    Manchester United FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Kind of like FCD showing the skyline of Dallas. :)
     
  7. Blando13

    Blando13 Member+

    Dec 4, 2013
    Lee's Summit, MO
    Club:
    Sporting Kansas City
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Agreed ... same as SKC really, although they're offices are right south of downtown, the stadium is in Kansas City Kansas (which isn't where downtown Kansas City is).
     
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  8. Laramie

    Laramie Member

    May 5, 2010
    Oklahoma City, OK
    Club:
    Sporting Kansas City
    The poaching isn't good for any city or league.

    mikehurst21: Who's poaching who?

    You're saying it's OK for the MLS to poach the NASL markets; but that the NASL shouldn't proach the USL markets--what gives?
     
  9. mikehurst21

    mikehurst21 Member

    Oklahoma City Energy FC
    United States
    Nov 6, 2013
    Moore Oklahoma
    Club:
    --other--
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    N
    No I'm saying that poaching done by any league iisn't helping to grow the sport, and that cooperation and ccompromise would better serve the sport. Lets face it the reason we have 2 teams in OKC is because both ownership groups hate each other which might very well prove detrimental to both and has the potential to kill any momentum gained by either side. There is no profit to be made in American lower league soccer but these ownership groups seem to forget why they wanted to start a soccer franchise in the first place, or are they lying to their fan base and are completely delusional about the business side of things. What's even worse fans of certain leagues (which is a great thing) buy into the soccer war narrative and attack anybody with an opposing point of view. I actually want both leagues to grow and succeed. I think we need both. I just don't buy into the dellusional narative that none of the NASL teams have aspirations of joining MLS, that the NASL has the same quality of play as MLS (especially when the facts don't bear them out.) To say that either league is bad or that they don't have their place within the American pyramid is incredibly short sighted and arrogant. Don't you wonder how enjoyable watching soccer would be in this country without all the infighting and name calling I know I do even to the point that I am willing to not buy into it anymore and demand a higher standard from the owners and league officials. I mean here's a novel idea how about we as the american soccer consumer let the leagues and teams know that they work for us and this b.s. they have been feeding us is sub standard and if they want to.succeed they need to elevate the narrative to something that is realistic, sustainable, and puts the sport as a whole into a positive light. This is something that we have never had in North American soccer. In large part because fans has accepted what we have been told by the leagues and have never demanded better.
     
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  10. Laramie

    Laramie Member

    May 5, 2010
    Oklahoma City, OK
    Club:
    Sporting Kansas City
    Very well stated & crafted. We both want USL & NASL to succeed in Oklahoma City; momentum is there. Let's do what we can as fans to support Oklahoma City's entries.
     
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  11. FootySkeptic

    FootySkeptic Member

    Sep 24, 2015
    Club:
    Cardiff City FC
    For the locals: How is the stadium looking so far? Have the started renovations or anything like that?
     
  12. Sam U El

    Sam U El Moderator
    Staff Member

    May 31, 2013
    Seoul Korea
    Club:
    New York Cosmos
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Footy in the 405: The Dramatic Birth of Professional Soccer in Oklahoma City

    A Brief Bit of History

    Those familiar with the Oklahoma City sports community probably know the history behind the names Brad Lund, Express Sports, and the Funk family. Express Sports, founded by Express Services Chairman Bob Funk, Sr., was a mainstay in creating and managing sports teams and events in the Oklahoma City area throughout the 1990’s and 2000’s, bringing successful rodeos, tennis events and minor league hockey to the city. Brad Lund served as CEO of Express Sports from 2001-2008, and was credited for much of the company’s success. One of Lund’s first moves as CEO of Express Sports was appointing the self-proclaimed “Prodigal Son” Bob Funk, Jr. as COO.

    http://midfieldpress.com/2016/05/27...irth-of-professional-soccer-in-oklahoma-city/

     
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  13. USRufnex

    USRufnex Red Card

    Tulsa Athletic / Sheffield United
    United States
    Jul 15, 2000
    Tulsa, OK
    Club:
    --other--
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