Major League Soccer in Tulsa?

[mcheiss]

What do you guys think about a Major League Soccer Team coming to Tulsa?

Professional basketball is in Oklahoma. And, talks have surfaced again about major league soccer coming to Tulsa. You may think you've heard talk about an MLS team coming to town. And you have, back in 2003. But now, the talks with potential investors are a lot more serious.

14,000 people turned out to see professional soccer at Tulsa's Skelly Stadium in 2003. It was a test for two Major League Soccer Teams; the Kansas City Wizards and the Dallas Burn; and it was a test for Tulsa.

The MLS says a certain percentage of the team has to be locally owned. And, apparently, there is a lot of interest from locals. There's certainly a lot of interest in the sport.

And the place to play is a huge hurdle. When Skelly Stadium was considered in 2003, it was done so with plans to modify. It's a simple question of dimensions, a soccer field is wider than a football field. Those would still have to be done.

The current owner of the Kansas City Wizards is trying to sell his team. But, there is no word on if it would stay in Kansas City. Mayor LaFortune says there is nothing to talk about there. But, Tulsa does need to get its act together. With an MSA of 900,000, what do you think?

[fromdust]

i remember them trying to get the mls in edmond a few years ago, but nothing happend. could tulsa support it? those stadiums seem really big?

[eastsider]

The San Jose Earthquakes are looking to move and Tulsa has been mentioned as a possibility, along with Houston, Philadelphia, Atlanta, and a couple other cities. Their supposed to make a decision within a month.

[mcheiss]

The San Jose Earthquakes are looking to move and Tulsa has been mentioned as a possibility, along with Houston, Philadelphia, Atlanta, and a couple other cities. Their supposed to make a decision within a month.

Thanks for the update eastsider.

It's good to hear that more than one team is looking at Tulsa.

[Mith242]

Tulsa has had some pro soccer teams in the past. I don't remember what the name of the league was back I think in the 70's. The one that Pele played in after he was pretty old. I don't know how long they had it but there was a team in Tulsa at one point.

[swake]

Tulsa has had some pro soccer teams in the past. I don't remember what the name of the league was back I think in the 70's. The one that Pele played in after he was pretty old. I don't know how long they had it but there was a team in Tulsa at one point.

The league was the NASL and the team was the Roughnecks, they won the NASL championship in the early eighties I think before the league folded. Tulsa is a soccer town, there is no doubt, the Roughnecks even lasted a year or two beyond the NASL, they played as an independant team against international teams and such waiting for a new league to form, but they died before the MLS came around. They played at Skelly Stadium and would get 30,000 to 40,000 people for big games, and if anything soccer is bigger now in town that it was then.

[fromdust]

The league was the NASL and the team was the Roughnecks, they won the NASL championship in the early eighties I think before the league folded. Tulsa is a soccer town, there is no doubt, the Roughnecks even lasted a year or two beyond the NASL, they played as an independant team against international teams and such waiting for a new league to form, but they died before the MLS came around. They played at Skelly Stadium and would get 30,000 to 40,000 people for big games, and if anything soccer is bigger now in town that it was then.

if tulsa does get a soccer team that would be cool. i dont like soccer but i would see a mls game. it would give me a reson to go to tulsa. man i havent been there in ages!!

[Mith242]

I'm a pretty big soccer fan and I would really like for Tulsa to get a team. They have a history of it and I wouldn't mind a close team to root for and maybe even consider trying to go to some games.

[jbrown84]

The league was the NASL and the team was the Roughnecks, they won the NASL championship in the early eighties I think before the league folded. Tulsa is a soccer town, there is no doubt, the Roughnecks even lasted a year or two beyond the NASL, they played as an independant team against international teams and such waiting for a new league to form, but they died before the MLS came around. They played at Skelly Stadium and would get 30,000 to 40,000 people for big games, and if anything soccer is bigger now in town that it was then.

Sounds like you guys could support them, although your demographics are not quite what they were then. Still, I think it would be great for the whole state and I'd much rather you guys go for that than try to compete with OKC for NBA or something like that. We'll take the NBA and you guys can have MLS and we can go to Tulsa when we're in the mood for soccer and you guys can come down here for major-league basketball. Everyone wins.

[mcheiss]

Sounds like you guys could support them, although your demographics are not quite what they were then. Still, I think it would be great for the whole state and I'd much rather you guys go for that than try to compete with OKC for NBA or something like that. We'll take the NBA and you guys can have MLS and we can go to Tulsa when we're in the mood for soccer and you guys can come down here for major-league basketball. Everyone wins.

Tulsa already has a minor league Basketball team, so the odds of them getting a Pro-Team are extremly slim. I think the MLS would work out very well in Tulsa. I know I'd go see a game or two sometime if they played in Tulsa.

[Mith242]

Tulsa already has a minor league Basketball team, so the odds of them getting a Pro-Team are extremly slim. I think the MLS would work out very well in Tulsa. I know I'd go see a game or two sometime if they played in Tulsa.

Yeah I would also consider going to a game over there if they got a MLS team there.

[johnnydr87]

MLS is pretty cool. I've played soccer most of my life (ok, well I stopped in sophomore year for school). Say, Little Rock could use an MLS team :-)

[mcheiss]

MLS is pretty cool. I've played soccer most of my life (ok, well I stopped in sophomore year for school). Say, Little Rock could use an MLS team :-)

Well in that case, NWA needs an MLS Soccer Team.

[Mith242]

Well in that case, NWA needs an MLS Soccer Team.

While I would like one in NWA I don't think we're big enough to support one. For that matter I'm not sure Little Rock is either. Soccer isn't the biggest sport by far here in the US. I just have a hard time seeing smaller cities being able to support a team.

[swake]

The talk in Tulsa is very serious, a DC based company, Global Development Partners, wants to take a 40 acre section of the East Village area of downtown and build a Soccer Stadium and mixed use (retail/residential) development around the stadium. This company is also the owner of DC United, DC

[mcheiss]

Anybody know of any teams interested?