FC Tulsa
- Thread starter drboobay
- Start date
Meh. Been to their games and didn’t enjoy it. I have more fun going to see other local soccer. Playing at a minor league baseball stadium is so bad.
Unless the city is going to help build a soccer only stadium ala OKC then I’m not sure FC Tulsa has many other options.
Agree on playing in a baseball stadium. The show is good though and the fan experience for those games is pretty good.
It's funny how Tulsa is so divided over FC Tulsa vs. Tulsa Athletic...sort of like Man City vs Man United...it's blasphemous to be a fan of both.
This has supposedly been in the works since the Crafts bought the team. Problem is they really can't build downtown in a location to take advantage of everything that has gone up downtown. OneOK has taken all of that and the businesses that followed them in have taken any and all available land really. The Riverwalk in Jenks is really the most logical location moving forward but you risk alienating the fan base who like the downtown location.
Riverwalk would be a good location imo. FC Dallas and Sporting KC both have stadiums in the burbs. Seems to be the trend with mls clubs to locate outside of downtown areas.
FC Dallas is in a great location and Frisco has exploded around it as well. You mention KC and I've heard grumblings that Sporting KC are not happy with their current location but it was the only one offered up. They're now extremely envious of KC Current's downtown location that will soon be bolstered by the Royals also moving downtown, and the Chiefs are exploring different options, one of which is a downtown location.
I think a lot of it depends on the development around the location. If you build it, they (meaning restaurants and bars) will come doesn't always work and there are constraints on if there is space available to add those things. St. Louis is only a couple blocks from downtown but in a highly visible and known entertainment and restaurant district at Union Station. Even the Krafts are looking at a possible downtown Boston (or close enough to downtown) site for the Revolution. I don't think they could do downtown to be honest but Charlestown, near the community college and right on the orange line only a couple stops from the North End and lots of bars would be possible. They have to get out of Gillette.
If the fc Tulsa owners were really invested in Tulsa soccer they’d build their own stadium. Don’t need help from the city
Very few clubs build their own stadiums at least that I’m aware of. They may contribute to the cost but almost all get assistance. I can’t imagine that Jenks wouldn’t help with the cost if it’s built near the River Walk.
And the thought behind building a stadium complex with training grounds, etc. is that it wouldn't just be used for FC Tulsa. I think the College Cup needs to move around and not just be in the Cary, NC complex. We could bring it to Tulsa and have it do very well. Heck, I'd like to see St. Louis bid for it and play it at City Park. St. Louis knows how to host NCAA events. Frozen Four is going there next year (Go BU!) Wrestling was there this year. Tulsa could do all of those events. Wrestling Championships might be the diciest as you've got a ton of people coming from all over so Tulsa may need to up its hotel game, but for the others, we've got more than enough hotel rooms and infrastructure in place to host a 4 team final four.
A stadium out by the Riverwalk would do well...Jenks residents would probably bitch because it would bring more hotels and restaurants to the area meaning more people to work those jobs. I mean they didn't want a regional baseball complex over by the new outlet mall because....kids. And if they do a bond to do a stadium complex then they need to include upgrades to infrastructure and access as well as field and surface improvements to both Titan and Jenks SC and then maybe you can get some regional ECNL tournaments and showcases, high level youth stuff with finals at the stadium. (Think Toyota in Frisco but spread out over 2-3 complexes). QT can slap their name on the complex too.
Speaking of Toyota, their ability to keep those fields in pristine conditions despite the constant training and play is nothing short of amazing. They do rotate the trainings but those fields have hosted tournaments almost nonstop for the past two months. A few show some signs of wear in spots but most are still in perfect condition.
If it's the grass I think it is (one of those TIFF Bermuda hybrids that are used a lot on golf courses but also it's the primary surface at TU's soccer stadium), it is heat and drought tolerant and extremely wear resistant with quick recovery. Of course they also have a timed irrigation system (as does TU). I was a little surprised at how green they were for this time of year as most bermuda grasses are just now coming out of dormancy. I know TU does a heavy rye overseed in the Fall to keep their surface green for their later matches and again in the Spring. I would assume Toyota probably does something similar. Nice thing about rye grass is it is typically a softer single bladed grass and nicer on the body in terms of slide tackles or hitting the ground. The bermuda creepers can be course if you slide on them. The best part about these hybrid bermudas is they're designed to be cut short (think fairways in golf) and still maintain their green and still extremely hardy.
The turf at Toyota looks exactly like what’s at TU. Assume it’s the same stuff. Toyota definately over seeds as those fields were green all winter. They are even mowed in two directions right now to give the look of striping every five or so yards. I have a pic from Saturday I just don’t know how to get it from my phone to my post. I’m old 
I think I saw it on Tulsa Soccer Guy's FB postThe turf at Toyota looks exactly like what’s at TU. Assume it’s the same stuff. Toyota definately over seeds as those fields were green all winter. They are even mowed in two directions right now to give the look of striping every five or so yards. I have a pic from Saturday I just don’t know how to get it from my phone to my post. I’m old
