More Than a Scoreboard
By: J. David Chapman, PhD, / June 26, 2026
Recently, I attended the OKC Chamber Forum, Beyond the Game: The Economic Impact of Sports in OKC. The discussion featured leaders from our hospitality, tourism, and sports industries. While the conversation focused on athletics, the message was much bigger than sports.
Sports can create identity for a city.
People often think about the Thunder, softball, or major tournaments as isolated events. In reality, sports are catalysts. Fans may come for a game, but they also stay in hotels, eat in restaurants, visit the zoo, shop in local stores, and experience our city. The event becomes an invitation to discover OKC.
Several panelists emphasized that successful venues are about much more than the building itself. Great facilities require supporting infrastructure, transportation, hotels, restaurants, and community partnerships. Building the venue is only part of the equation. Building the experience is what matters.
One comment particularly resonated with me: "Be a tourist in your own city."
Cities with strong identities create shared experiences. Thunder fans celebrating together, families attending youth sports tournaments, visitors walking through Bricktown, and residents gathering for community events all contribute to a sense of belonging.
As I continue writing my upcoming book, Landlord! Balancing Profit, Property, and People, I am reminded that real estate has never been just about buildings. Property owners succeed when they create places where people want to live, work, gather, and make memories. Successful communities do the same thing.
Communities cannot succeed in silos. Sports organizations, hotels, restaurants, attractions, transportation providers, and local businesses all depend on one another. Competition between cities is real, but within a city, collaboration matters more.
Perhaps the greatest lesson was that hospitality is everyone's job. Visitors remember how they are treated. Small touches matter. A welcome sign in a storefront window, restaurant employees prepared for larger crowds, or businesses extending hours during major events all contribute to the memories people take home.
Every event that comes to a city is an audition for the next, larger event.
Sports are not just entertainment. They are economic development. The new NBA arena, our world-class softball facilities, and the growing number of events hosted throughout the city represent investments in OKC's future. But the true value lies beyond the scoreboard. Sports create shared identity, strengthen community pride, and give people reasons to gather.
In the end, the game may last only a few hours. The memories, relationships, and sense of community can last much longer.
Dr. J. David Chapman is Chair of Finance & Professor of Real Estate at The University of Central Oklahoma (jchapman7@uco.edu)