Thoughts on Tulsa for those that attended

[NormanChad]

Most of the group I was with, have been to multiple finals. They all overwhelmingly thought Tulsa was the worst. They said it was a clean city, and easy to get around, and was fast to get in the arena, but Tulsa was not big enough to handle the amount of people that came in over the three days. They were overwhelmed, and the downtown area around the BOK center, was not big enough to handle all the people. A lot of their bars and restaurants were spread out, that you could not walk to. Also, numerous bars and restaurants were closing at 9PM and 10 PM, right when the tournament would let out for the night, and you would have flocks of people into the downtown, looking for places to go, and they would be closing. Interested to hear anyone else’s thoughts.

 

[watoos]

Daughter, grandson, and I went through Fan Appreciation. We had fantastic seats, in the middle, 3 rows off the floor.

Our paid for food was at a different location, at the Cox Business convention Center nearby, The food was terrible and one day it ran out 30 minutes before it was supposed to. We had fantastic food in Detroit.

We stayed at the Hyatt Regency which was just a brisk walk to the BOK arena. Hotel was fine.

My main complaint with Tulsa was that I paid to go to an athletic competition not to a political stunt, I will never go back to Tulsa again for an athletic event. We were OK because we made arrangements way in advance, even made a reservation at a small restaurant preceding the finals, good thing we did. If we didn't have everything planned out I agree with the original poster, there weren't enough facilities to handle the people.

 

[SRATH]

Most of the group I was with, have been to multiple finals. They all overwhelmingly thought Tulsa was the worst. They said it was a clean city, and easy to get around, and was fast to get in the arena, but Tulsa was not big enough to handle the amount of people that came in over the three days. They were overwhelmed, and the downtown area around the BOK center, was not big enough to handle all the people. A lot of their bars and restaurants were spread out, that you could not walk to. Also, numerous bars and restaurants were closing at 9PM and 10 PM, right when the tournament would let out for the night, and you would have flocks of people into the downtown, looking for places to go, and they would be closing. Interested to hear anyone else’s thoughts.

Stunning except when you look at the Oklahoma presence at the tournament. OSU finished 19th with 28.5 total points. They had a 4th and a 6th placer. Oklahoma was 41st and scored 6 points. Combined, these two titans of the sport would have been 15th, right behind South Dakota State.

Time to stop paying homage to their tattered history and have it someplace where wrestling matters enough for businesses to go out of their way to make a good impression while making a buck.

There were 6 PA school ahead of OU and they squeaked past Drexel by 1.5 points.

 

[NormanChad]

I am perplexed why Tulsa was picked over Oklahoma City??? OKC would have been able to handle all the people.
I was told the NCAA had assurances from the Tulsa Chamber of Commerce , they had all bars/restaurants onboard, and they would extend hours to accommodate the mass of people Thurs-Saturday night. That certainly DID NOT occur.

 

[Jvpool85]

Most of the group I was with, have been to multiple finals. They all overwhelmingly thought Tulsa was the worst. They said it was a clean city, and easy to get around, and was fast to get in the arena, but Tulsa was not big enough to handle the amount of people that came in over the three days. They were overwhelmed, and the downtown area around the BOK center, was not big enough to handle all the people. A lot of their bars and restaurants were spread out, that you could not walk to. Also, numerous bars and restaurants were closing at 9PM and 10 PM, right when the tournament would let out for the night, and you would have flocks of people into the downtown, looking for places to go, and they would be closing. Interested to hear anyone else’s thoughts.

The Tulsa airport was just unacceptable. I ended up having to drive from Dallas and a few others I gave rides. The Tulsa Airport just didn’t have enough options if everything didn’t go as planned, which is going to happen.

I was staying at a hotel very close with all of the wrestlers and families. I watched a girl behind the hotel bar break down and start balling. She was so overwhelmed and was just by herself. That city was nowhere near prepared.

 

[SRATH]

What a shame. The time and expense only to be hosed by the host city.

 

[watoos]

I am perplexed why Tulsa was picked over Oklahoma City??? OKC would have been able to handle all the people.
I was told the NCAA had assurances from the Tulsa Chamber of Commerce , they had all bars/restaurants onboard, and they would extend hours to accommodate the mass of people Thurs-Saturday night. That certainly DID NOT occur.

Yeah, I went to nationals at the Myriad in Oklahoma City and there were plenty of places to eat and drink. I remember having some fantastic ribs there. There were also all kinds of shops underground. Am I remembering right? Think I went to the Cowboy Hall of Fame and was pissed when I went to see Wildfire, a bronc that was never ridden. I got to the spot and Wildfire was nowhere to be seen. Later someone pointed out to me that it was where Wildfire was buried.

 

[watoos]

The Tulsa airport was just unacceptable. I ended up having to drive from Dallas and a few others I gave rides. The Tulsa Airport just didn’t have enough options if everything didn’t go as planned, which is going to happen.

I was staying at a hotel very close with all of the wrestlers and families. I watched a girl behind the hotel bar break down and start balling. She was so overwhelmed and was just by herself. That city was nowhere near prepared.

That would suck. I guess we lucked out with our flight from Dallas to Tulsa. Geez, that must have been like a 4 hour drive wasn't it?

 

[NormanChad]

I also was told, the Tulsa airport as well as OKC airport ran out of rental cars. People had pre-paid for reservations, and when they arrived at the airport, there were no cars for them. They were told to Uber! We flew to OKC and were delayed. Luckily, one guy we were meeting got there early and made sure we had a car. It was dicey. They still almost wouldn't hold it, even though we pre-paid, because my buddy wasn't listed on the reservation. He told them we were coming. It wouldn't be as bad if you got into Tulsa and didn't have a rental car, but if you were in Oklahoma City and didn't have a rental car, it was a 1 hr and 45 minute drive, and I believe an Uber ride one way was $260. A few people we talked to, said they had no choice but to pay the $260 for an Uber. Unacceptable.

 

[watoos]

I forgot about this; my daughter reserved 2 rooms at the Hyatt 11 months ahead of time. 1 month before nationals they tried to cancel our rooms, my daughter demanded to talk to the manager and we got to keep our rooms.

 

[Tgar]

Sounds like it was a **** show. Sorry for everyone that had a less than excellent experience. We have been to Pittsburgh, Cleveland and NYC and all were a blast.

Next season for us it’s the Big 10 Championship at Maryland and we will wait until Philly in 2025 to attend Nationals again.

 

[NormanChad]

Sounds like it was a **** show. Sorry for everyone that had a less than excellent experience. We have been to Pittsburgh, Cleveland and NYC and all were a blast.

Next season for us it’s the Big 10 Championship at Maryland and we will wait until Philly in 2025 to attend Nationals again.

We are already on planning on Kansas City for next year.

 

[SleepyLion]

I had a good experience with my dad going. It was our 3rd time at nationals (Cleveland and Pittsburgh). We were very lucky and got a hotel room within walking distance of BOK. The hotel also had a free shuttle if we chose to use it. The Tulsa chapter of OSU alumni had booked many of the rooms and they were good hosts to us. We are not drinkers, so not having a bar open at 11pm was not an issue.
However, in general Tulsa was like the apocalypse. Everything was closed. If was difficult to find a restaurant that was open. We did have food at the Cox center and it was okay to poor.
On Sunday a person, who said they were part of the planning committee from the OSU alumni association, said they had trouble convincing the bars and restaurants to stay open "late". It was obvious that the bars didn't get the message.

 

[Tgar]

I had a good experience with my dad going. It was our 3rd time at nationals (Cleveland and Pittsburgh). We were very lucky and got a hotel room within walking distance of BOK. The hotel also had a free shuttle if we chose to use it. The Tulsa chapter of OSU alumni had booked many of the rooms and they were good hosts to us. We are not drinkers, so not having a bar open at 11pm was not an issue.
However, in general Tulsa was like the apocalypse. Everything was closed. If was difficult to find a restaurant that was open. We did have food at the Cox center and it was okay to poor.
On Sunday a person, who said they were part of the planning committee from the OSU alumni association, said they had trouble convincing the bars and restaurants to stay open "late". It was obvious that the bars didn't get the message.

Possibly for many of the bar and restaurant owners downtown they viewed it as a staffing nightmare. When go time came, they resorted to their everyday playbook.


Kansas City will most likely be very good and Philly will as well.

Did they sell beers / alcohol in the arena?

 

[NormanChad]

Possibly for many of the bar and restaurant owners downtown they viewed it as a staffing nightmare. When go time came, they resorted to their everyday playbook.


Kansas City will most likely be very good and Philly will as well.

Did they sell beers / alcohol in the arena?

Yes.

 

[Yewdell123]

Tulsa was not equipped for an event like this.
‘The arena was dated… our seats,8 rows up,from the mats,were ripped, the food choices were limited and not Good.
Worse was the situation with On Location. We pay a fortune for great seats but in the past this came with a separate area right behind the seats where we had breakfast and dinner before the matches. Tulsa arena couldn’t handle this so you had to go to the Cox business Center outside the arena and the food was awful.
Shame on On Location.
Wrestling was great….Tulsa…not so much.

 

[NormanChad]

Tulsa was not equipped for an event like this.
‘The arena was dated… our seats,8 rows up,from the mats,were ripped, the food choices were limited and not Good.
Worse was the situation with On Location. We pay a fortune for great seats but in the past this came with a separate area right behind the seats where we had breakfast and dinner before the matches. Tulsa arena couldn’t handle this so you had to go to the Cox business Center outside the arena and the food was awful.
Shame on On Location.
Wrestling was great….Tulsa…not so much.

With Oklahoma City only 1 hr 30 mins away, a better airport, bigger city, and Ok St as a host, I am just shocked that they felt Tulsa would be better. I think they had to know there was going to be big problems. I wish someone from Oklahoma had insight as to why Tulsa was picked over OKC.

 

[Jvpool85]

Tulsa was not equipped for an event like this.
‘The arena was dated… our seats,8 rows up,from the mats,were ripped, the food choices were limited and not Good.
Worse was the situation with On Location. We pay a fortune for great seats but in the past this came with a separate area right behind the seats where we had breakfast and dinner before the matches. Tulsa arena couldn’t handle this so you had to go to the Cox business Center outside the arena and the food was awful.
Shame on On Location.
Wrestling was great….Tulsa…not so much.

Our seats were through on location as well. It was a total scam this year. It started when they just took our seats back from us about a month ago and moved us back 8 rows. We fought and got a few $100 back but it was just such a **** show. Then the Cox fiasco and having to walk down there to a big cafeteria and a tiny bar on the side. It was an absolute disaster. Completely opposite experience that we had in Detroit.

 

[watoos]

Tulsa was not equipped for an event like this.
‘The arena was dated… our seats,8 rows up,from the mats,were ripped, the food choices were limited and not Good.
Worse was the situation with On Location. We pay a fortune for great seats but in the past this came with a separate area right behind the seats where we had breakfast and dinner before the matches. Tulsa arena couldn’t handle this so you had to go to the Cox business Center outside the arena and the food was awful.
Shame on On Location.
Wrestling was great….Tulsa…not so much.

We were sec. 110, G, 7 rows up.

 

[Jvpool85]

2023 NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships

Take this survey powered by surveymonkey.com. Create your own surveys for free.

www.surveymonkey.com

Please take the time to let them know