The Oklahoma City Thunder organization is embarking on a 12 city tour across the state this summer. It will be a "series of basketball events", although I don't know if any players will appear. The stops include Chickasha, Weatherford, Guymon, Woodward, Shawnee...you get the idea. All of the dates are in western and central Oklahoma (assuming my geography is accurate) with the sole exception of Tulsa, the final stop of the Summer Caravan. Many of the stops are in small western towns, but none in Bartlesville, Muskogee, McAlester, Wilburton, Miami or any other eastern Oklahoma town outside of Tulsa.
I know that many here don't like the team, but I consider myself a Thunder fan. Unfortunately, they must not be too interested in building a significant fan base here in the eastern part of the state. On the other hand, I suppose very few people travel from eastern Oklahoma to Thunder home games.
Thunder Summer Caravan
June 27, 2009 Oklahoma City
July 11 Chickasha and Anadarko
July 18 Weatherford and Cordell
July 24 Guymon
July 25 Woodward
August 8 Shawnee and Midwest City
August 15 Yukon and El Reno
August 22 Tulsa
OKC Thunder Roll Through Oklahoma
http://www.ktul.com/news/stories/0609/630417.html
I've seen maybe 2 or 3 Thunder hats or Jerseys worn by people in Tulsa. I haven't seen a single billboard, radio or TV ad for them. No buses running to their games, no local coverage of their games, basically about as much Thunder coverage and advertising in Tulsa as there is Redhawk.
Tulsa was needed in order to sell OKC as a viable market and to help subsidize the players salaries with tax money, beyond that they have shown little interest in Tulsa. And I have little interest in the Thunder. I hope they do well in OKC, but it will probably be without my support.
Not a huge NBA fan anymore anyway.
Quote from: cannon_fodder on June 11, 2009, 08:21:18 AM
I've seen maybe 2 or 3 Thunder hats or Jerseys worn by people in Tulsa. I haven't seen a single billboard, radio or TV ad for them. No buses running to their games, no local coverage of their games, basically about as much Thunder coverage and advertising in Tulsa as there is Redhawk.
Tulsa was needed in order to sell OKC as a viable market and to help subsidize the players salaries with tax money, beyond that they have shown little interest in Tulsa. And I have little interest in the Thunder. I hope they do well in OKC, but it will probably be without my support.
Not a huge NBA fan anymore anyway.
Only thing I heard was when they were trading tickets for bodily fluids at Expo Square. OKC has some of the top ticket sales in the NBA apparently (and one of the worst teams). I will go to a game only to see Lebron, I would go to more games if they actually picked him up next year.
I hate Oklahoma City. They don't share with Tulsa.