Comments on: The fall of the Blazers… http://blog.newsok.com/blazers/2009/07/03/the-fall-of-the-blazers/ The hottest action on the ice Mon, 16 Nov 2009 08:32:57 -0600 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: Scott Ellis http://blog.newsok.com/blazers/2009/07/03/the-fall-of-the-blazers/comment-page-1/#comment-1232 Scott Ellis Sat, 04 Jul 2009 15:57:08 +0000 http://blog.newsok.com/blazers/?p=697#comment-1232 It is partly the Mayor's fault! He is the one who showed up to a game. And asked the audience to support the Ford Center renovations. Which we all knew was just a ploy, just to make the necessary improvements just for the thunder. Mayor Mick never explained how this would benefit the Blazers. So in other words, the Blazers got screwed since the Hornets show up on the scene. And the AHL will NOT play in the Ford Center. If you look at the Letter of Intent that the City Council will vote on Tuesday morning from AHL Hockey Club, LLC. It describes what is laid out, that the AHL team wants to play in the Myriad(a.k.a Cox Center). They want the dates that will be most beneficial to getting the maximum amount of fans. Also the AHL team won't have to worry about filling as many seats in the Myriad. It's all about the economics of the situation. And if Mayor Mick is TRULY a hockey fan. He and the City Council should vote to accept the Letter of Intent from AHL Hockey Club, LLC. It is partly the Mayor’s fault! He is the one who showed up to a game. And asked the audience to support the Ford Center renovations. Which we all knew was just a ploy, just to make the necessary improvements just for the thunder. Mayor Mick never explained how this would benefit the Blazers. So in other words, the Blazers got screwed since the Hornets show up on the scene. And the AHL will NOT play in the Ford Center. If you look at the Letter of Intent that the City Council will vote on Tuesday morning from AHL Hockey Club, LLC. It describes what is laid out, that the AHL team wants to play in the Myriad(a.k.a Cox Center). They want the dates that will be most beneficial to getting the maximum amount of fans. Also the AHL team won’t have to worry about filling as many seats in the Myriad. It’s all about the economics of the situation. And if Mayor Mick is TRULY a hockey fan. He and the City Council should vote to accept the Letter of Intent from AHL Hockey Club, LLC.

]]> By: Mark http://blog.newsok.com/blazers/2009/07/03/the-fall-of-the-blazers/comment-page-1/#comment-1231 Mark Sat, 04 Jul 2009 14:43:05 +0000 http://blog.newsok.com/blazers/?p=697#comment-1231 This is not the mayors fault. The Blazers were losing at least $600,000 in advertising money compard to last season. If Devon Energy advertises with the Thunder then the Blazers could not be paid one red cent for advertising. This season the Thunder became the primary tenant of the Ford Center- blame this on Brad. The Blazers were already operating in the red- how could they sign the Ford Center lease? I know we are all upset about this but the mayor or the city is not at fault. How could the city justify spending over a million dollars to repair the ice at the Cox Center only to use the ice for one season of hockey? The AHL will play in the Ford Center. This is not the mayors fault. The Blazers were losing at least $600,000 in advertising money compard to last season. If Devon Energy advertises with the Thunder then the Blazers could not be paid one red cent for advertising. This season the Thunder became the primary tenant of the Ford Center- blame this on Brad. The Blazers were already operating in the red- how could they sign the Ford Center lease?
I know we are all upset about this but the mayor or the city is not at fault.
How could the city justify spending over a million dollars to repair the ice at the Cox Center only to use the ice for one season of hockey? The AHL will play in the Ford Center.

]]> By: Bob http://blog.newsok.com/blazers/2009/07/03/the-fall-of-the-blazers/comment-page-1/#comment-1230 Bob Sat, 04 Jul 2009 13:44:49 +0000 http://blog.newsok.com/blazers/?p=697#comment-1230 I concur -- seems like the Oklahoman and the City has seem to forget about the old CHL and the almost 20 years of fan and city support to this great league of the 60's, 70s and early 80s -- THAT is the model and caliber of play which will come with an AHL franchise and the fans WILL LOVE THE PLAY AND THE PLAYERS AND CHEER WHEN THEY make it to the show. OKC city govt/mayor; Bricktown business association; Chamber of Commerce and Conv and Visitors Bureau -- where is your voice -- where is your voice to "OKC is a Hockey Town -- Keep Hockey in OKC!".... Any investor knows a successful key is to diversify. The City of OKC and the SPORTS fan base of OKC had better get their thinking caps on this week and get moving out on a plan and develop/find an owmership group to incentivise (with a nice Myriad lease) to get a franchise here to this outstanding minor league hockey market. It is critical to diversify for long term economic interests, the sports fan and the business' and tourism of downtown OKC. This is a "civic" priority -- I hope Mayor Mick and former mayors will rally around "Keep Hockey in OKC"" as much as they were worried about the "future canal system". Notice I refered to "sports fans"...this is not about Blazers fans vs Thunder fans which too many times people tend to talk about. I am season tickets to both events -- I travel into downtown OKC easily over 120 times a year to spend money on the OKC downtown tax base....that little gas station on the corner of Reno is doing very well thank you along with many eating establishments. I concur — seems like the Oklahoman and the City has seem to forget about the old CHL and the almost 20 years of fan and city support to this great league of the 60’s, 70s and early 80s — THAT is the model and caliber of play which will come with an AHL franchise and the fans WILL LOVE THE PLAY AND THE PLAYERS AND CHEER WHEN THEY make it to the show.
OKC city govt/mayor; Bricktown business association; Chamber of Commerce and Conv and Visitors Bureau — where is your voice — where is your voice to “OKC is a Hockey Town — Keep Hockey in OKC!”….

Any investor knows a successful key is to diversify. The City of OKC and the SPORTS fan base of OKC had better get their thinking caps on this week and get moving out on a plan and develop/find an owmership group to incentivise (with a nice Myriad lease) to get a franchise here to this outstanding minor league hockey market. It is critical to diversify for long term economic interests, the sports fan and the business’ and tourism of downtown OKC.
This is a “civic” priority — I hope Mayor Mick and former mayors will rally around “Keep Hockey in OKC”" as much as they were worried about the “future canal system”.

Notice I refered to “sports fans”…this is not about Blazers fans vs Thunder fans which too many times people tend to talk about. I am season tickets to both events — I travel into downtown OKC easily over 120 times a year to spend money on the OKC downtown tax base….that little gas station on the corner of Reno is doing very well thank you along with many eating establishments.

]]> By: Keith Burgdoff http://blog.newsok.com/blazers/2009/07/03/the-fall-of-the-blazers/comment-page-1/#comment-1229 Keith Burgdoff Sat, 04 Jul 2009 03:10:51 +0000 http://blog.newsok.com/blazers/?p=697#comment-1229 I'd love to see the terms of the new 3 year lease that was offered to the Blazers compared to what it was before the Thunder showed up. Then we'll see if it's "baseless" Mayor Douche! I’d love to see the terms of the new 3 year lease that was offered to the Blazers compared to what it was before the Thunder showed up. Then we’ll see if it’s “baseless” Mayor Douche!

]]> By: Steve http://blog.newsok.com/blazers/2009/07/03/the-fall-of-the-blazers/comment-page-1/#comment-1228 Steve Sat, 04 Jul 2009 02:56:46 +0000 http://blog.newsok.com/blazers/?p=697#comment-1228 Sorry, I made a mistake, I was saying "Mick WASN'T transparent about his desire to bring an AHL team as seriously as he has shown in recent days." Sorry, I made a mistake, I was saying “Mick WASN’T transparent about his desire to bring an AHL team as seriously as he has shown in recent days.”

]]> By: Steve http://blog.newsok.com/blazers/2009/07/03/the-fall-of-the-blazers/comment-page-1/#comment-1227 Steve Sat, 04 Jul 2009 02:54:56 +0000 http://blog.newsok.com/blazers/?p=697#comment-1227 I think the AHL coming will be a big boost for hockey here in OKC. I was even checking ticket prices for Grand Rapids and Springfield and the ticket prices are similar to what we pay now for Blazer games $30 next to the glass. So I don't think it will be that much more expensive either maybe another $100 for season ticket. Plus the caliber of hockey will be better too. In my personal opinion, I feel that the backlash against Mick, all pertains to the fact that he was transparent about his desire to bring an AHL team as seriously as he was. Had he held a news conference to say he was tempted to not resign the Blazers in an effort to bring better Hockey here there might have been less of a feeling of betrayal. But it's like it was all done under the table without the fans knowing his intentions or asking what we thought. Secondly, the biggest complaint I had was that now we have no hockey for year, when we don't even have an AHL team lined up. Just like I don't quit a job, without having another job lined up. I wouldn't have punted the Blazers without knowing an AHL team was coming. But I guess I am not mayor, so there you go. I think the AHL coming will be a big boost for hockey here in OKC. I was even checking ticket prices for Grand Rapids and Springfield and the ticket prices are similar to what we pay now for Blazer games $30 next to the glass. So I don’t think it will be that much more expensive either maybe another $100 for season ticket.

Plus the caliber of hockey will be better too.
In my personal opinion, I feel that the backlash against Mick, all pertains to the fact that he was transparent about his desire to bring an AHL team as seriously as he was. Had he held a news conference to say he was tempted to not resign the Blazers in an effort to bring better Hockey here there might have been less of a feeling of betrayal. But it’s like it was all done under the table without the fans knowing his intentions or asking what we thought.

Secondly, the biggest complaint I had was that now we have no hockey for year, when we don’t even have an AHL team lined up. Just like I don’t quit a job, without having another job lined up. I wouldn’t have punted the Blazers without knowing an AHL team was coming. But I guess I am not mayor, so there you go.

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