Tulsa Writer Slaps Shock
By GRANT ROWL
Special Assignment Writer
ELECTRIC LADYLAND: WNBA’s Tulsa Shock at Tulsa’s BOK Center.
Photo by Daniel C. Cameron for GTR News
Tulsa World sports writer Bill Haisten wrote what some say is the most negative article ever written about a Tulsa sports team. The article appeared in the May 26, 2010 Tulsa World with the headline “The Shock needs much smaller spot to hold court.”
Haisten writes that the Shock should be playing in the Union’s (Union Multipurpose Activity Center) instead of the Center because the Shock drew crowds of less than 5,000 in their past two games. The Shock drew a near 8,000 fan sellout in their May 15 opener. They have played only three home games to date, with an 11:30 a.m. start on Thursday, May 20 that drew nearly 5,000 fans, and a 4,100 fan draw on Wednesday, May 25.
Haisten’s argument seems to be that the smaller crowds would look better in a high school gym. He does not give credit to the Shock playing in the major league , or even that the league is major league, by writing, “But the insists on conducting its contests with super-sized arenas.”
Haisten lambasts the Shock for playing in the 17,839-seat Center “when the entire upper deck is unused (and shrouded by black curtains).” He does not mention the many other events that are held in the Center when the upper deck is closed.
This is the first year for the Tulsa Shock. Attendance will improve with a winning team. Small time thinkers can be a constant problem in Tulsa. Some of them even have the power of the pen.
Updated 05-26-2010
READER COMMENTS
- — Mark Somner May 26, 07:53 PM #
- — Bill Harrington May 27, 01:58 PM #
- — Jon Peterson May 27, 07:25 PM #
- — Mike May 27, 11:43 PM #
- — All Intensive Purposes May 31, 06:24 PM #
