This is a dead season for TU sports.

[TUMe]

I have joked about this more than I have been serious. But let me bring up the taboo subject. Baseball. Since we aren't talking about much of anything else but the best left handed freethrow shooter or the worst recruiting class why the heck can't we talk about baseball. TU finsihed second in the nation in baseball and then dropped it. There is good baseball in Oklahoma, always has been. Before we spend a bizillion dollars on an indoor practice field which we have done without forever, can't we at least consider a sport that we were once a power in?

We want more Tulsans to be interested in TU sports and then withdraw from the field for the Spring. We want to be taken seriously in moving up but ignore what was once the national passtime. I know, we don't talk about it. It's been talked about too much and the answer is no. Maybe we could rethink the answer. If you want people to know you exist, you don't disappear for several months.

I'll shut up now.

 

[HuffyCane]

The answer has never been no. The answer has always been cost. If TU Baseball was sustainable, it would be back tomorrow. $6 million is the figure. Just gotta find the folks who will give it.

 

[TUjake19]

6 million for a baseball program?????

That seems a lot higher than it should be


Tulsa softball has been a good substitute for our lack of a baseball team

 

[goldfan83]

Will this talk ever die? Baseball is a dying sport and thank god.

 

[Li'l Eric Coley]

This is all the more reason why I think college soccer should be a spring sport, where it doesn't get overshadowed obviously by football. I think you'd see more attendance across the board. I know I don't get to many TU soccer games b/c it's in the fall and there's just a lot going on already.

 

[TUMe]

First, there is no reason for talk about a sport to die on a sports board. As far as baseball dieing, try getting tickets for some of the MLB rivalry games or any game played at Wrigley Field without paying a premium. Look at the length of the Royals thread that is the longerst running and most viewed thread in ITS history.

Second, to LEC: I think you have a great idea on Soccer in the Spring. I think it would be good for the TU team and good for the fans. We don't need a dead season. It's a long way from March to September. That's not to knock any other TU sports played during that time.

 

[Li'l Eric Coley]

When I'm flipping around my cox cable dial every day the past few weeks, I see a handful of college baseball games on. There's one on every channel around the 260s or 270s. It would be nice to see that many college soccer games offered on the ole' boobtube as well.

I have no idea if the NCAA has ever discussed moving soccer to spring or not, but I'm not real keen on watching meaningful TU games late in the season or NCAA tournament with cold beer in a freezing rain. I'd rather work on my tan and enjoy my cold beer even more.

 

['Cane-man]

"Stop saying soccer!" --- Pete Dunham from "Green Street Hooligans"

This post was edited on 5/17 6:33 PM by 'Cane-man

 

[lawpoke87]

I have never seen this many college baseball games on TV. There are no less than 4 or 5 games on every night and even more on the weekends. Every game of the Big12 tourney is being broadcast and I heard ESPN plans to televise every regional game. Both OU and OSU have had well over 20 games televised already and will likely have over 30 when all is said and done. I realize there are more cable channels and assume they need programming. However, it sure appears Fox, CBS and ESPN are really pushing the sport.

 

[TUMe]

Things change and a sport can go up or down in popularity. With baseball on the rise in TV, what does it say to a conference that we don't have a baseball team?

 

[Chris Harmon]

Originally posted by 'Cane-man:
"Stop saying soccer!" --- Pete Dunham from "Green Street Hooligans"


This post was edited on 5/17 6:33 PM by 'Cane-man

Is that a good movie? I've had it forever but haven't watched it.

 

[Chris Harmon]

If Tulsa had a baseball team, they'd be in much better position with Monte Harrision. Shaq's little brother said recently he'd like to play both baseball and football in college. Although, he still is on track to be a very high pick in the MLB draft.

 

[TUMU]

I brought up the possibility of baseball a couple of years ago when I spoke to Upham one afternoon at DFW. I don't recall his exact words but he pretty much said it wasn't a dead issue but that the timing needed to be right.

 

[lawpoke87]

Cost is always going to be the sticking point with adding baseball at TU. OU and OSU chose baseball over men's soccer. TU would be adding baseball in addition to men's soccer. One positive with baseball in addition to the great exposure cable is now providing for the sport is that the added TV revenue does help offset the costs of the program. Still...I don't see TU seriously considering the addition anytime soon.

 

[Li'l Eric Coley]

Originally posted by Chris Harmon:

Originally posted by 'Cane-man:
"Stop saying soccer!" --- Pete Dunham from "Green Street Hooligans"


This post was edited on 5/17 6:33 PM by 'Cane-man

Is that a good movie? I've had it forever but haven't watched it.

Hell yeah it's a good movie, as long as you can get past the little turd from Wilfred who's the main character. I never can remember his name. He was one of the hobbits too.

 

[HuffyCane]

Not as good as this one ...

Hot Shot

 

[TulsaEye]

They should seriously consider moving soccer from fall to spring. Is very much overshadowed by football. And maybe basketball too.

 

[lawpoke87]

TulsaEye posted on 5/31/2013...

They should seriously consider moving soccer from fall to spring. Is very much overshadowed by football. And maybe basketball too.
_________________________________________________________________

Agree. College baseball is getting so much TV coverage because the cable outlets need sports programming to fill the football and basketball void. While I don't believe soccer would be as widely covered as college baseball it would certainly have a better opportunity for TV coverage against baseball than football and basketball. College baseball regionals start today and will be televised from 11am to midnight on various cable outlets.

 

[TUMe]

Originally posted by lawpoke87:

TulsaEye posted on 5/31/2013...


They should seriously consider moving soccer from fall to spring. Is very much overshadowed by football. And maybe basketball too.
_________________________________________________________________

Agree. College baseball is getting so much TV coverage because the cable outlets need sports programming to fill the football and basketball void. While I don't believe soccer would be as widely covered as college baseball it would certainly have a better opportunity for TV coverage against baseball than football and basketball. College baseball regionals start today and will be televised from 11am to midnight on various cable outlets.

Soccer's move to Spring is unlikely anytime soon. We could just add the sport that's growing in TV coverage. I don't get why it's wrtten in stone that we can't have baseball. It seems to be taboo even to mention it.

 

[TUcandoit]

Correct me if I am wrong but if we added baseball wouldnt we have to add another womens sport? Something about having to have the same amount of athletic scholarships for women as men.

As far as baseball being a dying sport. It still is the second most favorite sport in the US. Has it been in decline? Yes and no. The gap between #1 is getting bigger but its not so much because baseball is declining as it is a whole bunch of others are and Football is receiving the benefits of it.

http://www.sportsbusinessdaily.com/Daily/Issues/2012/01/26/Research-and-Ratings/Harris-Poll.aspx

 

[goldfan83]

Originally posted by TUcandoit:

Correct me if I am wrong but if we added baseball wouldnt we have to add another womens sport? Something about having to have the same amount of athletic scholarships for women as men.

As far as baseball being a dying sport. It still is the second most favorite sport in the US. Has it been in decline? Yes and no. The gap between #1 is getting bigger but its not so much because baseball is declining as it is a whole bunch of others are and Football is receiving the benefits of it.

http://www.sportsbusinessdaily.com/Daily/Issues/2012/01/26/Research-and-Ratings/Harris-Poll.aspx

That is quite possibly the worst poll I have ever seen. Swimming is ahead of golf and soccer. Soccer has 3 point slide in one year? What happened? Nothing. This poll is POS.