OKC Energy Stadium atmosphere

Discussion in 'Oklahoma City Energy FC' started by Brother Badgerjohn, Mar 30, 2014.

  1. The Devil's Architect

    Feb 10, 2000
    The American Steppe
    Club:
    Chicago Fire
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Who is the "Energy Ownership Group" going to partner with? Because they don't remotely have the assets to run an MLS team
     
    ManuSooner repped this.
  2. ManuSooner

    ManuSooner Member+

    Nov 15, 2007
    Oklahoma City
    Club:
    Manchester United FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I agree with you that there is very little chance it will happen. I like Steve Lackmeyer's stories, but this sounds like most "reporting" that comes out of the Daily Disappointment. Statements. No questions. No analysis. Nothing but a parroting of press releases.
    1. ARE they looking to build a stadium?
    2. What stage of planning are they at?
    3. Do they have the financial backing to build a stadium?
    4. What size stadium are they looking to build?
    5. What's their timetable?
    6. If they DO have the money to build a stadium, where are they going to get the $100 million to get into MLS?

    To just say they are "looking" to build a stadium? Every morning when I drive down Broadway I "look" at buying a new Jaguar, too.
     
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  3. crw75

    crw75 Member

    Everton FC
    United States
    Aug 5, 2004
    Oklahoma City
    Club:
    FC Dallas
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Steve wasn't reporting anything other than his own speculation and a rumor that the Energy owners like the co-op location, which is why he said it to a small gathering rather than printing it in the newspaper. I have no idea if it will ever be anything more than a pipe dream, but I thought it was interesting enough to share. Clearly, there are substantial hurdles to overcome to build a soccer-specific stadium, much less an MLS-sized and quality stadium. I don't have any inside info regarding the ownership group or its financial capabilities, but I would assume the infusion of significant amounts of capital would be required to build a stadium and pursue a franchise.
     
  4. The Devil's Architect

    Feb 10, 2000
    The American Steppe
    Club:
    Chicago Fire
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    [QUOTE="crw75, post: 33174714, member: 46198"I would assume the infusion of significant amounts of capital would be required to build a stadium and pursue a franchise.[/QUOTE]

    This is correct | also in question will be the history of Prodigal as it relates to their sketchy history with sports properties...
     
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  5. ManuSooner

    ManuSooner Member+

    Nov 15, 2007
    Oklahoma City
    Club:
    Manchester United FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I don't want to hear Funk (or the NASL owners for that matter) talk about "roads to MLS, blah blah blah..."
    Run your team, and get people excited about coming to that, whether THAT is USL or NASL. Because;
    1.) You are NOT in MLS
    2) You may NEVER be in MLS
    3) Even if you DO get into MLS, it will most likely be a long, long time before that happens.
    4) that type of hype leads people to think what you have NOW isn't worth going to, but when you get to MLS!...
    Thought this was fairly appropos. I got it from Northen Pitch, a Minnesta blog;
     
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  6. Zoidberg

    Zoidberg Member+

    Jun 23, 2006
    Sorry, that blog made me laugh out loud.

    Typical stuff from self proclaimed purists. I found this band before any of you ever heard of them!

    Reminds me of what Billy Joe of Green Day said to similiar purists about his selling out....along the lines of:

    Who the FK wants to be in their mid 30's acting like they were as teenagers? Life is about growing, changing and learning, and those who can't can leave me alone and FK off!

    I guarantee this is the overwhelming minority that think like the guy in the blog. He can always start his own verison of Manc FC, and remain pure. Of course, now the guys who run MFC have more respect for what a business actually is....hard work. Satisfying, but it ain't no fantasy.
     
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  7. The Devil's Architect

    Feb 10, 2000
    The American Steppe
    Club:
    Chicago Fire
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I don't think you're really qualified to make that judgement. Just because something is underground, doesn't make it a storm shelter, particularly when what's above it can collapse into the "basement".
     
    Zoidberg repped this.
  8. C. B.

    C. B. Member

    Sep 6, 2013
    OKC
    Club:
    --other--
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Damn. 558 days ago.
     
  9. The One X

    The One X Member+

    Sep 9, 2014
    Indiana
    Club:
    Indy Eleven
    Are you sure this is true? I feel like using MLS as a marketing point would have the opposite affect. Personally, unless you have good reason to believe you will be in MLS in the near future (5 years) you shouldn't be using MLS as a marketing ploy. It might get people excited about your team in the short term, but if it doesn't happen people will start to feel disenfranchised with the team.
     
  10. ManuSooner

    ManuSooner Member+

    Nov 15, 2007
    Oklahoma City
    Club:
    Manchester United FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I absolutely believe it. And it makes me sick to see these teams sell USL (and NASL soccer) to people as the stepping stone to what you know you REALLY want; MLS
    One of the great success stories the last few years has been Sacramento. But I remember seeing the press conference where they announced Preki as the coach. The FIRST words out of his mouth were, "ARE YOU READY TO GO TO MLS??!!?" This was before a ball was kicked, a player was signed, anything. IF Sac doesn't get to MLS I just hope it doesn't hurt the fan base, like I think it did in Rochester.
    I watched John Harkes on a Cincinnati FC video say,
    (paraphrase)"If we can get 10,000 people to come to out and support us, we'll be put on a list as a candidate city for MLS"?!?
    WTH?
    If you start a team in USL, then damn it, sell how great that is.
    If you start a team in NASL, talk THAT up.
    Maybe I'm alone, I might be, but it just pisses me off when any owner (even my team) starts spouting the "We're looking at building an MLS-sized stadium"... AND YOU CANT EVEN GET 5K PEOPLE TO COME SEE YOU NOW?
     
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  11. Macsen

    Macsen Moderator
    Staff Member

    Nov 5, 2007
    Orlando
    Club:
    Orlando City SC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Ambition is never a bad thing if there is a concrete plan attached to it.
     
  12. The One X

    The One X Member+

    Sep 9, 2014
    Indiana
    Club:
    Indy Eleven
    So you agree with the Indy Eleven approach of only saying they want to build a D1 quality team, without name dropping MLS. I agree, it is a much stronger long term marketing strategy if MLS doesn't happen. I strongly suspect if Sacramento didn't push MLS so hard they wouldn't get the numbers they do.
     
  13. bnyc

    bnyc Member

    Jan 20, 2015
    New York
    Club:
    New York Cosmos
    One X, that could change. SA, Indy, and Rochester all have experienced declines to various degrees and I'm sure they all thought they never would.
     
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  14. ManuSooner

    ManuSooner Member+

    Nov 15, 2007
    Oklahoma City
    Club:
    Manchester United FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I agree about Indy. As far as i know they haven't spouted the "We're On Our way To MLS!" crap. They have done an outstanding job so far, with a team that has not been all that successful on the field.
    I love what is going on in Sac, but I also fear that when/if the MLS train doesn't come into the station that there may be some fans that develop a sense of disappointment. I hoe that doesn't happen.
    You want to know the one reason I hate hearing the MLS talk in/about OKC soccer? Becasue IMHO, it is NEVER going to happen. Sorry if I seem negative. I'm really not. But I don't think Oklahoma City will ever get to MLS. We had a chance in 2001-02 when the entry fee was $10 million, and there weren't a ton of others clamoring to get in. Bob Funk Sr. decided INSTEAD to buy the local minor league baseball team.
    Now, the fee is upwards of $100 million, and you have NFL owners wanting to get in.
    Here's another sobering thought for those of the OKC to MLS crowd; OKC, I believe, is the smallest market in NASL!
     
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  15. FootySkeptic

    FootySkeptic Member

    Sep 24, 2015
    Club:
    Cardiff City FC
    I feel it won't be long before the MLS starts asking for a $10 million non-refundable application fee just to line their pockets and grease the wheels to even bee considered by the other groups that they'll then take +$100m expansion fee as well.

    (not an anti-mls post btw, just the nature of business)
    MLS is getting there.
     
  16. Brother Badgerjohn

    Oct 16, 2000
    Okie City
    Club:
    --other--
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Salt Lake has a smaller metro, but it's close.
     

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