Clay Bennett Has Bought The 66ers

ballerblogger · Post #1 » by **ballerblogger** » Thu Jul 31, 2008 8:25 pm

http://www.ridiculousupside.com/2008/7/31/583642/tulsa-66ers-to-move-to-okl

Post #2 » by **wizkid27** » Thu Jul 31, 2008 9:23 pm

very interesting... I wonder if the league will move for more of a push to be like baseball, where teams have very direct relations with a minor league team?

Post #3 » by **Devin 1L** » Thu Jul 31, 2008 11:37 pm

Someone just called and told me this. Wow.

I think this is a great move, and now puts OKC along with the Lakers and Spurs as the only franchises who own their own NBDL team.

It's a perfect location to have a developmental team as well, being only an hour and a half away.

Edit:

Official Announcement

NEW YORK, July 31, 2008 – The National Basketball Association announced today that the Professional Basketball Club, LLC, owner of the Oklahoma City NBA franchise, has reached an agreement in principle to purchase the Tulsa 66ers of the NBA Development League from Southwest Basketball, LLC. Oklahoma City becomes the third NBA team to purchase an NBA D-League affiliate, joining the Los Angeles Lakers (L.A. D-Fenders) and the San Antonio Spurs (Austin Toros) as sole owners of their affiliates.

“As owners of the Tulsa 66ers, we will be able to oversee the team's business operations and provide a valuable developmental vehicle for some of our young players,” said Clay Bennett, chairman of Professional Basketball Club, LLC. “We have received tremendous support from Tulsa for our NBA team in Oklahoma City and we are excited to be a part of the NBA D-League in the Tulsa area. It’s going to be a great partnership.”

Oklahoma City will oversee all aspects of the organization, including implementing the offensive and defensive systems the 66ers run in practices and games, and hiring all business and basketball staff. Oklahoma City will also have exclusive rights to assign its players with one or two years of NBA experience to the 66ers. The 66ers will play their home games in the new SpiritBank Event Center in Bixby, OK.

Post #4 » by **wizkid27** » Fri Aug 1, 2008 2:48 am

I totally agree. By no means am I saying that the OKCers are in the Lakers and Spurs vicinity at this point, but to me this echos the sentaments expressed by ownership at one point when they said that the main goal was to get the highest level of bbal to OKC and 2nd to that comes making a profit.

Hopefully this will be a small step in helping OKC become a solid NBA franchise.

ljp24 · Post #5 » by **ljp24** » Sat Aug 2, 2008 11:58 am

If only we could put PJ in the minor league and get a decent coach.

JO_CB_FTW · Post #6 » by **JO_CB_FTW** » Sun Aug 3, 2008 12:01 am

I want to own a team too. I wish I was rich man..

Post #7 » by **Devin 1L** » Sun Aug 3, 2008 1:29 am

JO_CB_FTW wrote:I want to own a team too. I wish I was rich man..

Is that your blog in your sig?

JO_CB_FTW · Post #8 » by **JO_CB_FTW** » Mon Aug 4, 2008 2:30 am

Great · Post #9 » by **Great** » Mon Aug 4, 2008 5:45 pm

Sounds like they are looking to market to the whole state.

Were the 66ers very popular?

mnWI · Post #10 » by **mnWI** » Wed Aug 6, 2008 7:55 pm

66ers were middle of the pack in D-League in terms of attendance. The Oklahoma City front office fired the 66ers head coach Joey Meyer recently, and are in the process of interviewing to hire their own coach. A couple current NBA assistants are in the running for the job, and the final decision should be made within two weeks.