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Tulsa Oilers appoints new general manager

Journal Record, The (Oklahoma City), May 6, 2008 by Heather Caliendo

In a thick Canadian accent, newly appointed general manager Taylor Hall said what his first order of business is for Tulsa's hockey team.

"We need to at first get back to the winning ways and hopefully make the playoffs - be a contender," he said. "We need to be competing for the championships every year."

The business of hockey is familiar territory for Hall. A former Tulsa player, he helped lead the Oilers to their first Central Hockey League title during the 1992-1993 season. Four of his 12 playing years were spent with the Oilers.

In the early 1990s, the Oilers continually turned in winning seasons, and Hall said attending hockey games was the thing to do on Saturdays. Attendance dwindled when the team failed to continue its winning ways.

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Hall said another factor was the success of the Blazers' games in Oklahoma City.

"You couldn't experience the same event at the Tulsa Convention Center as you could at the Ford Center - but now all of sudden you are going to," he said.

The Oilers will embark on a new era when they leave their home at the Convention Center to start their season in the newly constructed BOK Center.

Hall said the BOK Center is generating more publicity then the team has had in years.

"Here we are with the nicest arena in Oklahoma and we can send the message to people not only in Tulsa, but hopefully people from all over the state," he said. "Having a new building, we have a real opportunity to step it up to the level of Oklahoma City."

Last year the Blazers led the Central Hockey League with an average attendance of 8,713. The Oilers averaged 4,210, still above the league average, according to the CHL Web site.

For their opening game in October, Hall said they are aiming to fill the 18,000-seat BOK Center.

"We would love to set the record, and wouldn't it be great to have the Oklahoma record for largest crowd here?" he said.

After their opening game, most seating will consist of the 8,000 seats on the lower level. Hall said he is confident that number will increase because the new arena will bring in more fans and revenue.

He said at the beginning many people will come for a chance to see the arena who may not want to pay the money for concert tickets.

"With all the technology changes in the world, people are demanding more and more for their entertainment dollar," he said. "With all the food options and light shows, the arena is going to offer all kinds of amenities people haven't experienced here in Tulsa at an arena."

Though on a limited budget, Hall said they are in the midst of a community-centered marketing campaign. He said hosting events with fans and players, plus continually promoting the arena, will help ticket sales.

"It's going to allow people to rediscover how great hockey is to experience," he said. "The BOK Center is going to blow people away and all that it offers is going to make it incredible and exciting."

Business Services Industry

Tulsa Oilers appoints new general manager

Journal Record, The (Oklahoma City), May 6, 2008 by Heather Caliendo

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