Jimmy,
Great article and thank you for taking the time to discuss the Sonic relocation from the Tulsa perspective. (NO MORE SEATTLE AP ARTICLES PLEASE)

If the owners truly believe they need Tulsa to succeed you will see a few games a year played at the BOK center. From the responses to your article, most Tulsans do not care. Furthermore, if you listen to George Shinn of the Hornets, their study shows less than 3% of the Hornets season tickets were sold from Tulsa and the overall gate for the two years was less than 10% from Tulsa.

So, this can be successful without Tulsa fully embracing the team. However, smart business says you need to market to Tulsa because the more support the better.

I think the long term success of this team will be more determined by the near 1.5 million that live in OKC and surrounding. Edmond, Norman, Midwest City, Del City, Moore, Mustang, and Yukon will be crucial to its success.

Bottom line. Its called OKC because of the local effort there to get the team and as many of your posters have indicatd "wothless team for a worthless city", the team being called OKC will certainly help the city's image locally and nationally.

Sounds like sour grapes on Tulsa's part.

The reporting in your paper has been a lot more balanced than it has in that shameless shill called The Oklahoman. But you do say "when" the Sonics relocate...

After all the lies Bennett and his cronies have told the state of Washington; the city and people of Seattle; after all the double-dealing is finally heard in courts in the multiple lawsuits against these scammers, OKC will be very lucky IF it gets a team.

And if by some miracle Clay Bennett can swim through the legal cesspool in Seattle and still survive with the Sonics dry in his pocket, I'm sorry your state is going to be stuck with ownership group that hasn't a clue about ethical business practices. Be careful what you wish for.

I don't think it's sour grapes at all. It's simple math that the Sonics will need support from the Tulsa market to succeed. If you have any doubt about that, look at the ends that the ownership group went to paint Tulsa's involvement. Fans may come out of curiosity, but for a team that looks like it will be down for a few years, there are serious reasons to doubt that Tulsa will support the team without some gestures like playing games. Heck, Tulsa's tax dollars went for this thing . . .