Has it helped or hurt Oklahoma City’s minor league teams having the NBA in town?
Cook: [It] has definitely not hurt our franchise. We work with the philosophy that a rising tide raises all ships. Having a major league franchise in our city definitely raises the tide. We are still compiling feedback from the ’09 season, but based on the findings so far, our drop in attendance can be primarily attributed to our home schedule — we had four home games within the first five weeks of the season — and the overall downturn of the economy. Pruitt: We feel like we can coexist very well. It is an acknowledgment of the city as a strong sports market with enthusiastic fans, the corporate base and the teams. The momentum is there, and we contributed to it. The facilities are some of the best in the country, and there is an excitement that exists among the fans for all the teams. How has the sports business climate evolved for your club? Cook: I don’t feel that the sports business climate has changed significantly for our franchise with the arrival of the Thunder. The New Orleans
