Louisville is an example of a city that may not have major league sports (or the expenses associated with that) but for far less money they have an identity because of the Ky Derby followed by UL Basketball followed by Breeders Cup and PGA events followed by UL Football that keeps it in the ‘headlines’ pretty regularly.

Plently of examples have been cited of cities preforming poorly who have pro sports teams. Still that proves no cause and effect – or rather disproves a cause and effect. Cities with under appreciated product can increase exposure and attract business and residents partially via the sports team. The effort would have to be organized and planned, not just a “build it and they will come approach” – a sure fire no ROI. Other cities may forgo professional sports and seak to accomplish the same goals via other avenues; universities, museums, outdoor recreation, etc. Pro sports still seams like the more expensive approach.

And I’m pretty sure that if you ask every company that’s moved its headquarters to Manchester or Liverpool why it’s done so, none of those companies will say it was because of the local soccer clubs. The Manchester United and Liverpool FC brands are powerful globally, but they’ve done nothing to improve the Manchester and Liverpool brands.

Anon 7:48, OKC is in the same part of the “league tables” as Jacksonville, Memphis, Buffalo, New Orleans, Salt Lake…which is to say, at the bottom of “major leagues” but still in the top 50 US Metros. Its MSA is 1.2 million.

Trying to impress someone, like me, with the fact that your city has an NBA team, _just like Oklahoma City_ would strike me as pathetic.

And maybe that special case even explains the absence of the NFL from LA, since they have USC.