TL;DR: Man with too much time on his hands goes deep down the rabbit hole on a concept this sub already didn’t seem that enthusiastic about. If you really want to skip ahead, CTRL+F “verdict” and it’ll get you there.
Two days ago, u/MrPhillyj2wns made a post asking whether USL should launch a D1 league in order to compete in Concacaf. From the top voted replies, it appears this made a lot of people very angry and has been widely regarded as a bad move.
But I’ve been at home for eight weeks and I am terribly, terribly bored.
So, I present to you this overview of what the USL pyramid might look like if Jake Edwards got a head of steam and attempted to establish a USSF-sanctioned first division. This is by no means an endorsement of such a proposal or even a suggestion that USL SHOULD do such a thing. It is merely an examination of whether they COULD.
Welcome to the ~~Thunderdome~~ USL Premiership
First, there are some base-level assumptions we must make in this exercise, because it makes me feel more scientific and not like a guy who wrote this on Sunday while watching the Belarusian Premier League (Go BATE Borisov!).

All D1 teams must comply with known USSF requirements for D1 leagues (more on that later).
MLS, not liking this move, will immediately remove all directly-owned affiliate clubs from the USL structure (this does not include hybrid ownerships, like San Antonio FC – NYCFC). This removes all MLS2 teams but will not affect Colorado Springs, Reno, RGVFC and San Antonio.
The USL will attempt to maintain both the USL Championship and USL League One, with an eventual mind toward creating the pro/rel paradise that is promised in Relegations 3:16.
All of my research regarding facility size and ownership net worth is correct – this is probably the biggest leap of faith we have to make, since googling “NAME net worth” and “CITY richest people” doesn’t seem guaranteed to return accurate results.
The most a club can increase its available seating capacity to meet D1 requirements in a current stadium is no more than 1,500 seats (10% of the required 15,000). If they need to add more, they’ll need a new facility.
Let’s pretend that people are VERY willing to sell. It’s commonly acknowledged that the USL is a more financially feasible route to owning a soccer club than in MLS (c.f. MLS-Charlotte’s reported $325 million expansion fee) and the USSF has some very strict requirements for D1 sanctioning. It becomes pretty apparent when googling a lot of team’s owners that this requirement isn’t met, so let’s assume everyone that can’t sells to people who meet the requirements.

(Known) USSF D1 league requirements:
- League must have 12 teams to apply and 14 teams by year three
- Majority owner must have a net worth of $40 million, and the ownership group must have a total net worth of $70 million. The value of an owned stadium is not considered when calculating this value.
- Must have teams located in the Eastern, Central and Pacific time zones
- 75% of league’s teams must be based in markets with at a metro population of at least 1 million people.
- All league stadiums must have a capacity of at least 15,000
The ideal club candidate for the USL Premiership will meet the population and capacity requirements in its current ground, which will have a grass playing surface. Of the USL Championship’s 27 independent/hybrid affiliate clubs, I did not find one club that meets all these criteria as they currently stand.
Regarding turf fields, the USSF does not have a formal policy regarding the ideal playing surface but it is generally acknowledged that grass is superior to turf. 6 of 26 MLS stadiums utilize turf, or roughly 23% of stadiums. We’ll hold a similar restriction for our top flight, so 2-3 of our top flight clubs can have turf fields. Seem fair?
Capacity is going to be the biggest issue, since the disparity between current requirements for the second-tier (5,000) and the first tier (15,000) is a pretty massive gap. Nice club you have there, triple your capacity and you’re onto something. As a result, I have taken the liberty of relocating certain (read: nearly all) clubs to new grounds, trying my utmost to keep those clubs in their current markets and –importantly--, ensure they play on grass surfaces.
So, let’s do a case-by-case evaluation and see if we can put together 12-14 teams that meet the potential requirements, because what else do you have to do?
For each club’s breakdown, anything that represents a chance from what is currently true will be underlined.
Candidate: Birmingham Legion FC
Location (Metro population): Birmingham, Ala. (1,151,801)
Time zone: Central
Stadium (playing surface, capacity): Legion Field (FieldTurf, 71,594)
Potential owner: Stephens Family (reported net worth $4 billion)
Notes: Birmingham has a pretty strong candidacy. Having ditched the 5,000-seater BBVA Field for Legion Field, which sits 2.4 miles away, they’ve tapped into the city’s soccer history. Legion Field hosted portions of both the men’s and women’s tournaments at the 1996 Olympics, including a 3-1 U.S. loss to Argentina that saw 83,183 pack the house. The Harbert family seemed like strong ownership contenders, but since the death of matriarch Marguerite Harbert in 2015, it’s unclear where the wealth in the family is concentrated, so the Stephens seem like a better candidate. The only real knock that I can think of is that we really want to avoid having clubs play on turf, so I’d say they’re on the bubble of our platonic ideal USL Prem.
Candidate: Charleston Battery
Location (Metro population): Charleston, S.C. (713,000)
Time zone: Eastern
Stadium (playing surface, capacity): Johnson Hagood Stadium (Grass, ~14,700)
Potential owner: Anita Zucker (reported net worth $3 billion)
Notes: Charleston’s candidacy isn’t looking great. Already disadvantaged due to its undersized metro population, a move across the Cooper River to Johnson Hagood Stadium is cutting it close in terms of capacity. The stadium, home to The Citadel’s football team, used to seat 21,000, before 9,300 seats on the eastern grandstand were torn down in 2017 to deal with lead paint that had been used in their construction. Renovation plans include adding 3,000 seats back in, which could hit 15,000 if they bumped it to 3,300, but throw in a required sale by HCFC, LLC (led by content-creation platform founder Rob Salvatore) to chemical magnate Anita Zucker, and you’ll see there’s a lot of ifs and ands in this proposal.
Candidate: Charlotte Independence
Location (Metro population): Charlotte, N.C. (2,569, 213)
Time zone: Eastern
Stadium (playing surface, capacity): Jerry Richardson Stadium (Turf, 15,314)
Potential owner: James Goodnight (reported net worth $9.1 billion)
Notes: Charlotte ticks a lot of the boxes. A move from the Sportsplex at Matthews to UNC-Charlotte’s Jerry Richardson stadium meets capacity requirements, but puts them on to the dreaded turf. Regrettably, nearby American Legion Memorial Stadium only seats 10,500, despite a grass playing surface. With a sizeable metro population (sixth-largest in the USL Championship) and a possible owner in software billionaire James Goodnight, you’ve got some options here. The biggest problem likely lies in direct competition for market share against a much better-funded MLS Charlotte side due to join the league in 2021.
Candidate: Hartford Athletic
Location (Metro population): Hartford, Conn. (1,214,295)
Time zone: Eastern
Stadium (playing surface, capacity): Pratt & Whitney Stadium (Grass, 38,066)
Potential owner: Ray Dalio (reported net worth $18.4 billion)
Notes: Okay, I cheated a bit here, having to relocate Hartford to Pratt & Whitney Stadium, which is technically in East Hartford, Conn. I don’t know enough about the area to know if there’s some kind of massive beef between the two cities, but the club has history there, having played seven games in 2019 while Dillon Stadium underwent renovations. If the group of local businessmen that currently own the club manage to attract Dalio to the table, we’re on to something.
Candidate: Indy Eleven
Location (Metro population): Indianapolis, Ind. (2,048,703)
Time zone: Eastern
Stadium (playing surface, capacity): Lucas Oil Stadium (Turf, 62,421)
Potential owner: Jim Irsay (reported net worth of $3 billion)
Notes: Indy Eleven are a club that are SO CLOSE to being an ideal candidate – if it weren’t for Lucas Oil Stadium’s turf playing surface. Still, there’s a lot to like in this bid. I’m not going to lie, I have no idea what current owner and founder Ersal Ozdemir is worth, but it seems like there might be cause for concern. A sale to Irsay, who also owns the NFL Indianapolis (nee Baltimore) Colts, seems likely to keep the franchise there, rather than make a half-mile move to 14,230 capacity Victory Field where the AAA Indianapolis Indians play and expand from there.
Candidate: Louisville City FC
Location (Metro population): Louisville, Ky. (1,297,310)
Time zone: Eastern
Stadium (playing surface, capacity): Lynn Family Stadium (Grass, 14,000, possibly expandable to 20,000)
Potential owner: Wayne Hughes (reported net worth $2.8 billion)
Notes: I’m stretching things a bit here. Lynn Family stadium is currently listed as having 11,700 capacity that’s expandable to 14,000, but they’ve said that the ground could hold as many as 20,000 with additional construction, which might be enough to grant them a temporary waiver from USSF. If the stadium is a no-go, then there’s always Cardinal Stadium, home to the University of Louisville’s football team, which seats 65,000 but is turf. Either way, it seems like a sale to someone like Public Storage founder Wayne Hughes will be necessary to ensure the club has enough capital.
Candidate: Memphis 901 FC
Location (Metro population): Memphis, Tenn. (1,348,260)
Time zone: Central
Stadium (playing surface, capacity): Liberty Bowl Stadium (Turf, 58,325)
Potential owner: Fred Smith (reported net worth $3 billion)
Notes: Unfortunately for Memphis, AutoZone Park’s 10,000 seats won’t cut it at the D1 level. With its urban location, it would likely prove tough to renovate, as well. Liberty Bowl Stadium more than meets the need, but will involve the use of the dreaded turf. As far as an owner goes, FedEx founder Fred Smith seems like a good local option.
Candidate: Miami FC, “The”
Location (Metro population): Miami, Fla. (6,158,824)
Time zone: Eastern
Stadium (playing surface, capacity): Riccardo Silva Stadium (FieldTurf, 20,000)
Potential owner: Riccardo Silva (reported net worth $1 billion)
Notes: Well, well, well, Silva might get his wish for top-flight soccer, after all. He’s got the money, he’s got the metro, and his ground has the capacity. There is the nagging issue of the turf, though. Hard Rock Stadium might present a solution, including a capacity of 64,767 and a grass playing surface. It is worth noting, however, that this is the first profile where I didn’t have to find a new potential owner for a club.
Candidate: North Carolina FC
Location (Metro population): Durham, N.C. (1,214,516 in The Triangle)
Time zone: Eastern
Stadium (playing surface, capacity): Carter-Finley Stadium (Grass/Turf, 57,583)
Potential owner: Steve Malik (precise net worth unknown) / Dennis Gillings (reported net worth of $1.7 billion)
Notes: We have our first “relocation” in North Carolina FC, who were forced to trade Cary’s 10,000-seat WakeMed Soccer Park for Carter-Finley Stadium in Durham, home of the NC State Wolfpack and 57,583 of their closest friends. The move is a whopping 3.1 miles, thanks to the close-knit hub that exists between Cary, Durham and Raleigh. Carter-Finley might be my favorite of the stadium moves in this exercise. The field is grass, but the sidelines are artificial turf. Weird, right? Either way, it was good enough for Juventus to play a friendly against Chivas de Guadalajara there in 2011. Maybe the move would be pushed for by new owner and medical magnate Dennis Gillings, whose British roots might inspire him to get involved in the Beautiful Game. Straight up, though, I couldn’t find a net worth for current owner Steve Malik, though he did sell his company MedFusion for $91 million in 2010, then bought it back for an undisclosed amount and sold it again for $43 million last November. I don’t know if Malik has the juice to meet D1 requirements, but I suspect he’s close.
Candidate: Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC
Location (Metro population): Pittsburgh, Penn. (2,362,453)
Time zone: Eastern
Stadium (playing surface, capacity): Heinz Field (Grass, 64,450)
Potential owner: Henry Hillman (reported net worth $2.5 billion)
Notes: I don’t know a ton about the Riverhounds, but this move in particular feels like depriving a pretty blue-collar club from its roots. Highmark Stadium is a no-go from a seating perspective, but the Steelers’ home stadium at Heinz Field would more than meet the requirements and have a grass surface that was large enough to be sanctioned for a FIFA friendly between the U.S. WNT and Costa Rica in 2015. As for an owner, Tuffy Shallenberger (first ballot owner name HOF) doesn’t seem to fit the USSF bill, but legendary Pittsburgh industrialist Henry Hillman might. I’m sure you’re asking, why not the Rooney Family, if they’ll play at Heinz Field? I’ll tell you: I honestly can’t seem to pin down a value for the family. The Steelers are valued at a little over a billion and rumors persist that Dan Rooney is worth $500 million, but I’m not sure. I guess the Rooneys would work too, but it’s a definite departure from an owner in Shallenberger who was described by one journalist as a guy who “wears boots, jeans, a sweater and a trucker hat.”
Candidate: Saint Louis FC
Location (Metro population): St. Louis, Mo. (2,807,338)
Time zone: Central
Stadium (playing surface, capacity): Busch Stadium (Grass, 45,494)
Potential owner: William DeWitt Jr. (reported net worth $4 billion)
Notes: Saint Louis has some weirdness in making the jump to D1. Current CEO Jim Kavanaugh is an owner of the MLS side that will begin play in 2022. The club’s current ground at West Community Stadium isn’t big enough, but perhaps a timely sale to Cardinals owner William DeWitt Jr. could see the club playing games at Busch Stadium, which has a well established history of hosting other sports like hockey, college football and soccer (most recently a U.S. WNT friendly against New Zealand in 2019). The competition with another MLS franchise wouldn’t be ideal, like Charlotte, but with a big enough population and cross marketing from the Cardinals, maybe there’s a winner here. Wacko idea: If Busch doesn’t pan out, send them to The Dome. Sure, it’s a 60k turf closed-in stadium, but we can go for that retro NASL feel and pay homage to our nation’s soccer history.
Candidate: Tampa Bay Rowdies
Location (Metro population): Tampa, Fla. (3,068,511)
Time zone: Eastern
Stadium (playing surface, capacity): Raymond James Stadium (Grass, 65,518)
Potential owner: Edward DeBartolo Jr. (reported net worth $3 billion)
Notes: This one makes me sad. Despite having never been there, I see Al Lang Stadium as an iconic part of the Rowdies experience. Current owner Bill Edwards proposed an expansion to 18,000 seats in 2016, but the move seems to have stalled out. Frustrated with the city’s lack of action, Edwards sells to one-time San Francisco 49ers owner Edward DeBartolo Jr., who uses his old NFL connections to secure a cushy lease at the home of the Buccaneers in Ray Jay, the site of a 3-1 thrashing of Antigua and Barbuda during the United States’ 2014 World Cup Qualifying campaign.
Breather. Hey, we finished the Eastern Conference teams. Why are you still reading this? Why am I still writing it? Time is a meaningless construct in 2020 my friends, we are adrift in the void, fueled only by brief flashes of what once was and what may yet still be.
Candidate: Austin Bold FC
Location (Metro population): Austin, Texas (2,168,316)
Time zone: Central
Stadium (playing surface, capacity): Darrel K Royal – Texas Memorial Stadium (FieldTurf, 95,594)
Potential owner: Michael Dell (reported net worth of $32.3 billion)
Notes: Anthony Precourt’s Austin FC has some unexpected competition and it comes in the form of tech magnate Michael Dell. Dell, were he to buy the club, would be one of the richest owners on our list and could flash his cash in the new first division. Would he have enough to convince Darrel K Royal – Texas Memorial Stadium (I’m not kidding, that’s its actual name) to go back to a grass surface, like it did from ’96-’08? That’s between Dell and nearly 100,000 UT football fans, but everything can be had for the right price.
Candidate: Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC
Location (Metro population): Colorado Springs, Colo. (738,939)
Time zone: Mountain
Stadium (playing surface, capacity): Falcon Stadium (FieldTurf, 46,692)
Potential owner: Charles Ergen (reported net worth $10.8 billion)
Notes: Welcome to Colorado Springs. We have hurdles. For the first time in 12 candidates, we’re back below the desired 1 million metro population mark. Colorado Springs actually plans to build a $35 million, 8,000 seat venue downtown that will be perfect for soccer, but in our timeline that’s 7,000 seats short. Enter Falcon Stadium, home of the Air Force Academy Falcons football team. Seems perfect except for the turf, right? Well, the tricky thing is that Falcon Stadium is technically on an active military base and is (I believe) government property. Challenges to getting in and out of the ground aside, the military tends to have a pretty grim view of government property being used by for-profit enterprises. Maybe Charles Ergen, founder and chairman of Dish Network, would be able to grease the right wheels, but you can go ahead and throw this into the “doubtful” category. It’s a shame, too. 6,035 feet of elevation is one hell of a home-field advantage.
Candidate: El Paso Locomotive FC
Location: El Paso, Texas
Time zone: Mountain
Stadium (playing surface, capacity): Sun Bowl (FieldTurf, 51,500)
Potential owner: Paul Foster (reported net worth $1.7 billion)
Notes: God bless Texas. When compiling this list, I found so many of the theoretical stadium replacements were nearly serviceable by high school football fields. That’s insane, right? Anyway, Locomotive don’t have to settle for one of those, they’ve got the Sun Bowl, which had its capacity reduced in 2001 to a paltry 51,500 (from 52,000) specifically to accommodate soccer. Sure, it’s a turf surface, but what does new owner Paul Foster (who is only the 1,477th wealthiest man in the world, per Forbes) care, he’s got a team in a top league. Side note: Did you know that the Sun Bowl college football game is officially, through sponsorship, the Tony the Tiger Sun Bowl? Why is it not the Frosted Flakes Sun Bowl? Why is the cereal mascot the promotional name of the football game? What are you doing, Kellogg’s?
Candidate: Las Vegas Lights FC
Location: Las Vegas, Nev. (2,227,053)
Time zone: Pacific
Stadium (playing surface, capacity): Allegiant Stadium (Grass, 61,000)
Potential owner: Sheldon Adelson (reported net worth $37.7 billion)
Notes: Sin City. You had to know that the club that once signed Freddy Adu because “why not” was going to go all out in our flashy hypothetical proposal. Thanks to my narrative control of this whole thing, they have. Adelson is the second-richest owner in the league and has decided to do everything first class. That includes using the new Raiders stadium in nearby unincorporated Paradise, Nevada, and spending boatloads on high profile transfers. Zlatan is coming back to the U.S., confirmed.
Candidate: New Mexico United
Location: Albuquerque, N.M.
Time zone: Mountain
Stadium (playing surface, capacity): Isotopes Park – officially Rio Grande Credit Union Field at Isotopes Park (Grass, 13,500 – 15,000 with expansion)
Potential owner: Maloof Family (reported net worth $1 billion)
Notes: New Mexico from its inception went deep on the community vibe, and I’ve tried to replicate that in this bid. The home field of Rio Grande Cr---I’m not typing out the whole thing—Isotopes Park falls just within the expansion rules we set to make it to 15,000 (weird, right?) and they’ve found a great local ownership group in the Lebanese-American Maloof (formerly Maalouf) family from Las Vegas. The only thing to worry about would be the metro population, but overall, this could be one of the gems of USL Prem.
Candidate: Oklahoma City Energy FC
Location: Oklahoma City, Okla. (1,396,445)
Time zone: Central
Stadium (playing surface, capacity): Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark (Grass, 13,066)
Potential owner: Harold Hamm (reported net worth $14.2 billion)
Notes: There’s a bright golden haze on the meadow and it says it’s time to change stadiums and owners to make it to D1. A sale to oil magnate Harold Hamm would give the club the finances it needs, but Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark (home of the OKC Dodgers) actually falls outside of the boundary of what would meet capacity if 1,500 seats were added. Could the club pull off a move to Gaylord Family Oklahoma Memorial Stadium in Norman, Oklahoma – home of the Oklahoma Sooners? Maybe, but at 20 miles, this would be a reach.
Candidate: Orange County SC
Location: Irvine, Calif. (3,176, 000 in Orange County)
Time zone: Pacific
Stadium (playing surface, capacity): Angels Stadium of Anaheim (Grass, 43,250)
Potential owner: Arte Moreno (reported net worth $3.3 billion)
Notes: You’ll never convince me that Rangers didn’t choose to partner with Orange County based primarily on its name. Either way, a sale to MLB Angels owner Arte Moreno produces a fruitful partnership, with the owner choosing to play his newest club out of the existing Angels stadium in OC. Another baseball conversion, sure, but with a metro population of over 3 million and the closest thing this hypothetical league has to an LA market, who’s complaining?
Candidate: Phoenix Rising FC
Location: Phoenix, Ariz. (4,857,962)
Time zone: Arizona
Stadium (playing surface, capacity): State Farm Stadium (Grass, 63,400)
Potential owner: Ernest Garcia II (reported net worth $5.7 billion)
Notes: We’re keeping it local with new owner and used car guru Ernest Garcia II. His dad owned a liquor store and he dropped out of college, which is making me feel amazing about my life choices right now. Casino Arizona Field is great, but State Farm Stadium is a grass surface that hosted the 2019 Gold Cup semifinal, so it’s a clear winner. Throw in Phoenix’s massive metro population and this one looks like a lock.
Candidate: Reno 1868 FC
Location: Reno, Nev. (425,417)
Time zone: Pacific
Stadium (playing surface, capacity): Mackay Stadium (FieldTurf, 30,000)
Potential owner: Nancy Walton Laurie (reported net worth $7.1 billion)
Notes: The Biggest Little City on Earth has some serious barriers to overcome, thanks to its low metro population. A sale to Walmart heiress Nancy Walton Laurie and 1.6 mile-move to Mackay Stadium to split space with the University of Nevada, Reno makes this bid competitive, but the turf surface is another knock against it.
Candidate: Rio Grande Valley FC
Location: Edinburg, Texas (900,304)
Time zone: Central
Stadium (playing surface, capacity): McAllen Memorial Stadium (FieldTurf, 13,500 – 15,000 with expansion)
Potential owner: Alice Louise Walton (reported net worth $45 billion)
Notes: Yes, I have a second straight Walmart heiress on the list. She was the first thing that popped up when I googled “McAllen Texas richest people.” The family rivalry has spurred Walton to buy a club as well, moving them 10 miles to McAllen Memorial Stadium which, as I alluded to earlier, is a straight up high school football stadium with a full color scoreboard. Toss in an additional 1,500 seats and you’ve met the minimum, despite the turf playing surface.
Candidate: San Antonio FC
Location: San Antonio, Texas (2,550,960)
Time zone: Central
Stadium (playing surface, capacity): Alamodome (FieldTurf, 64,000)
Potential owner: Red McCombs (reported net worth $1.6 billion)
Notes: I wanted to keep SAFC in the Spurs family, since the franchise is valued at $1.8 billion. That said, I didn’t let the Rooneys own the Riverhounds based on the Steelers’ value and it felt wrong to change the rules, so bring on Clear Channel co-founder Red McCombs. Toyota Field isn’t viable in the first division, but for the Alamodome, which was built in 1993 in hopes of attracting an NFL franchise (and never did), San Antonio can finally claim having *a* national football league team in its town (contingent on your definition of football). Now if only we could do something about that turf…
Candidate: San Diego Loyal SC
Location: San Diego, Calif. (3,317,749)
Time zone: Pacific
Stadium (playing surface, capacity): SDCCU Stadium (formerly Qualcomm) (Grass, 70,561)
Potential owner: Phil Mickelson (reported net worth $91 million)
Notes: Yes, golf’s Phil Mickelson. The existing ownership group didn’t seem to have the wherewithal to meet requirements, and Phil seemed to slot right in. As an athlete himself, he might be interesting in the new challenges of a top flight soccer team. Toss in a move to the former home of the chargers and you might have a basis for tremendous community support.
Candidate: FC Tulsa
Location: Tulsa, Okla. (991,561)
Time zone: Central
Stadium (playing surface, capacity): Skelly Field at H.A. Chapman Stadium (FieldTurf, 30,000)
Potential owner: George Kaiser ($10 billion)
Notes: I’m a fan of FC Tulsa’s rebrand, but if they want to make the first division, more changes are necessary. A sale to Tulsa native and one of the 100 richest men in the world George Kaiser means that funding is guaranteed. A move to Chapman Stadium would provide the necessary seats, despite the turf field. While the undersize population might be an issue at first glance, it’s hard to imagine U.S. Soccer not granting a waiver over a less than a 10k miss from the mark.
And that’s it! You made it. Those are all of the independent/hybrid affiliates in the USL Championship, which means that it’s time for our…
VERDICT: As an expert who has studied this issue for almost an entire day now, I am prepared to pronounce which USL Championships could be most ‘ready” for a jump to the USL Prem. A reminder that of the 27 clubs surveyed, 0 of them met our ideal criteria (proper ownership $, metro population, 15,000+ stadium with grass field).
Two of them, however, met almost all of those criteria: Indy Eleven and Miami FC. Those two clubs may use up two of our three available turf fields right from the outset, but the other factors they hit (particularly Silva’s ownership of Miami) makes them difficult, if not impossible to ignore for the top flight.
But who fill in the rest of the slots? Meet the entire 14-team USL Premier League:
Hartford Athletic
Indy Eleven
Louisville City FC
Miami FC
North Carolina FC
Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC
Tampa Bay Rowdies
Saint Louis FC
San Antonio FC
New Mexico United
Phoenix Rising FC
Las Vegas Lights FC
Orange County SC
San Diego Loyal SC
Now, I shall provide my expert rationale for each club’s inclusion/exclusion, which can be roughly broken down into four categories.
Firm “yes”
Hartford Athletic: It’s a good market size with a solid stadium. With a decent investor and good community support, you’ve got potential here.
Indy Eleven: The turf at Lucas Oil Stadium is no reason to turn down a 62,421 venue and a metro population of over 2 million.
Louisville City FC: Why doesn’t the 2017 & 2018 USL Cup champion deserve a crack at the top flight? They have the market size, and with a bit of expansion have the stadium at their own SSS. LCFC, you’re in.
Miami FC, “The”: Our other blue-chip recruit on the basis of ownership value, market size and stadium capacity. Yes, that field is turf, but how could you snub Silva’s chance to claim victory as the first division 1 club soccer team to play in Miami?
Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC: Pittsburgh sacrificed a lot to be here (according to my arbitrary calculations). Their market size and the potential boon of soccer at Heinz Field is an important inclusion to the league.
Saint Louis FC: Willie hears your “Busch League” jokes, Willie don’t care. A huge market size, combined with the absence of an NFL franchise creates opportunity. Competition with the MLS side, sure, but St. Louis has serious soccer history and we’re willing to bet it can support two clubs.
Tampa Bay Rowdies: With a huge population and a massive stadium waiting nearby, Tampa Bay seems like too good of an opportunity to pass up for the USL Prem.
Las Vegas Lights FC: Ostentatious, massive and well-financed, Las Vegas Lights FC is everything that the USL Premier League would need to assert that it didn’t intend to play second fiddle to MLS. Players will need to be kept on a short leash, but this is a hard market to pass up on.
Phoenix Rising FC: Huge population, big grass field available nearby and a solid history of success in recent years. No brainer.
San Diego Loyal SC: New club? Yes, massive population in a market that recently lost an absolutely huge sports presence? Also yes. This could be the USL Prem’s Seattle.
Cautious “yes”
New Mexico United: You have to take a chance on New Mexico United. The club set the league on fire with its social media presence and its weight in the community when it entered the league last season. The market may be slightly under USSF’s desired 1 million, but fervent support (and the ability to continue to use Isotopes Park) shouldn’t be discounted.
North Carolina FC: Carter-Finley’s mixed grass/turf surface is a barrier, to be sure, but the 57,000+ seats it offers (and being enough to offset other fully-turf offerings) is enough to put it in the black.
Orange County SC: It’s a top-tier club playing in a MLB stadium. I know it seems unlikely that USSF would approve something like that, but believe me when I say “it could happen.” Orange County is a massive market and California likely needs two clubs in the top flight.
San Antonio FC: Our third and only voluntary inclusion to the turf fields in the first division, we’re counting on San Antonio’s size and massive potential stadium to see it through.
Cautious “no”
Birmingham Legion FC: The town has solid soccer history and a huge potential venue, but the turf playing surface puts it on the outside looking in.
Memphis 901 FC: Like Birmingham, not much to dislike here outside of the turf playing surface at the larger playing venue.
Austin Bold FC: See the other two above.
FC Tulsa: Everything’s just a little bit off with this one. Market’s slightly too small, stadium has turf. Just not enough to put it over the top.
Firm “no”
Charleston Battery: Small metro and a small potential new stadium? It’s tough to say yes to the risk.
Charlotte Independence: A small new stadium and the possibility of having to compete with an organization that just paid over $300 million to join MLS means it’s best for this club to remain in the USL Championship.
Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC: When a club’s best chance to meet a capacity requirement is to host games at a venue controlled by the military, that doesn’t speak well to a club’s chances.
El Paso Locomotive FC: An undersized market and a turf field that meets capacity requirements is the death knell for this one.
Oklahoma City Energy FC: Having to expand a baseball field to meet requirements is a bad start. Having to potentially play 20 miles away from your main market is even worse.
Reno 1868 FC: Population nearly a half-million short of the federation’s requirements AND a turf field at the hypothetical new stadium makes impossible to say yes to this bid.
Rio Grande Valley FC: All the seat expansions in the world can’t hide the fact that McAllen Memorial Stadium is a high school stadium through and through.
Here’s who’s left in the 11-team Championship:
Birmingham Legion FC
Charleston Battery
Charlotte Independence
Memphis 901 FC
Austin Bold FC
Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC
El Paso Locomotive FC
Oklahoma City Energy FC
Reno 1868 FC
Rio Grande Valley FC
FC Tulsa
With MLS folding the six affiliates it has in USL League One, the league is a little bit thin (especially considering USSF’s requirements for 8 teams for lower level leagues), but seems definitely able to expand up to the necessary numbers with Edwards’ allusions to five new additions this year:
Chattanooga Red Wolves SC
Forward Madison FC
Greenville Triumph SC
Union Omaha
Richmond Kickers
South Georgia Tormenta
FC Tucson
Format of Assorted Leagues – This (like everything in this post) is pure conjecture on my part, but here are my thoughts on how these leagues might function in a first year while waiting for additional expansion.
USL Premier – We’ll steal from the 12-team Scottish Premiership. Each club plays the other 11 clubs 3 times, with either one or two home matches against each side. When each club has played 33 matches, the top six and bottom six separate, with every club playing an additional five matches (against each other team in its group). The top club wins the league. The bottom club is automatically relegated. The second-bottom club will enter a two-legged playoff against someone (see below) from the championship playoffs.
USL Championship -- 11 clubs is a challenge to schedule for. How about every club plays everyone else three times (either one or two home matches against each side)? Top four clubs make the playoffs, which are decided by two-legged playoffs. The winner automatically goes up. I need feedback on the second part – is it better to have the runner-up from the playoffs face the second-bottom club from the Premiership, or should the winner of the third-place match-up get the chance to face them to keep drama going in both playoff series? As for relegation, we can clearly only send down the last place club while the third division is so small.
USL League One – While the league is so small, it doesn’t seem reasonable to have the clubs play as many matches as the higher divisions. Each club could play the other six clubs four times – twice at home and twice away – for a very equitable 24-match regular season, which would help restrict costs and still provide a chance to determine a clear winner. Whoever finishes top of the table goes up.
And there you have it, a hypothetical look at how the USL could build a D1 league right now. All it would take is a new stadium for almost the entire league and new owners for all but one of the 27 clubs, who wouldn’t feel that their property would be massively devalued if they got relegated.
Well that’s our show. I’m curious to see what you think of all of this, especially anything that you think I may have overlooked (I’m sure there’s plenty). Anyway, I hope you’re all staying safe and well.

18k off a 4k freeroll vs. $800 to $12 to $10k. My first time playing bacc vs. most recent.

My first time playing bacc vs my most recent time (EPIC POLL & INSANE STORY)

What's happening around town (Wed, Feb 26th - Tue, Mar 3rd)

Tulsa's event list.

Wednesday, Feb 26th

♪ Brown Bag It: Donald Ryan (Tulsa Performing Art Center - Tulsa) Start Time: 12:10pm The Brown Bag It free noontime concert series at the Tulsa Performing Arts Center happens the first Wednesday of the month. The series features some of Oklahoma's finest professional musicians performing in the PAC's Westby Pavilion. A commanding and dynamic pianist, Donald Ryan has been called "a music kaleidoscope, sparkling at everything he…
Build a Reader Storytime: Preschool (Owasso Library - Owasso) Start Time: 10:00am The best in children's literature, songs, games, finger plays, rhymes and other reading-related activities are shared with your preschooler. For ages 3-5.
♪ Chris Knight (Mercury Lounge - Tulsa) Start Time: 8:00pm CHRIS KNIGHT Almost Daylight "It's hard to know how people are gonna react," Chris Knight says of Almost Daylight , his ninth album and first new recording in over seven years. "I've written songs about a lot of different things going all the way back to my first record, and some folks still think ‘somebody kills somebody' is all I write…
Dog Play Wednesday presented by AARP Oklahoma (Gathering Place - Tulsa) Start Time: 9:00am Bark your calendars! All day, every Wednesday. But that’s not all! Once a month, Gathering Place will have a special event made just for you and your pup. Keep checking our events schedule to see Pup-coming activities you won’t want to miss. Our tails are wagging just thinking about it! Please note, all dogs must be on a leash. Dogs are not…
🎓 Introduction to Facebook and Social Media (Martin Regional Library - Tulsa) Start Time: 2:00pm Join us for a basic introduction to Facebook. For adults.
🍴 Ladies Night* with Janet Rutland (Oklahoma Jazz Hall of Fame - Tulsa) Start Time: 8:00pm DUET LADIES NIGHT TICKETING INSTRUCTIONS Duet Jazz offer a free ladies night the last Wednesday of every month. Ladies are free and are treated to a free glass of champagne. Gentleman are $10.00 When you get to the Purchase Ticket page here . it will say general admission ticket. Directly above it, click the blue- hyperlink that says PROMO CODE.…
♪ Lee Roy Parnell (Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tulsa - Catoosa) Start Time: 8:00pm
♪ Live on the Patio: Bandelier (Mother Road Market - Tulsa) Start Time: 6:00pm Live on the patio: Bandelier! Bandelier formed in the summer of 2010 in a warehouse in downtown Tulsa. Frontman Ryan Allen, originally hailing from Texas, spent a lifetime exploring the vast roots of American music eventually turning the pianist and composer into a full-fledged songwriter. Today, the band's music can be traced back to those same…
Local Cheese Sampling (Mother Road Market - Tulsa) Start Time: 6:00pm Join us for Foodie Flight Wednesday at the K66 General Store at Mother Road Market for free samples of our original and hot pepper hellim grilling cheese, as well as the best fresh ricotta Oklahoma has to offer.
♪ NGHTMRE - The Portal Tour (Cain's Ballroom - Tulsa) Start Time: 7:00pm Cain's Ballroom welcomes NGHTMRE to Tulsa, OK on February 26, 2020 with Crankdat, WAVEDASH and Black A.M. YOU MUST HAVE A VALID iD TO ENTER! Advance Tier 1 - $20 + fees (limited quantity) Advance Tier 2 - $25 + fees Day of Show - $30 + fees Door - $30 Mezzanine (21+) - $40 + fees No re-entry! No smoking! No refunds! Support acts are subject to…
😂 Rob Little (Loony Bin - Tulsa) Thru Sat, Feb 29th
The Secrets of Sauerkraut (Tulsa Garden Center - Tulsa) Start Time: 6:00pm RESCHEDULED FROM FEBRUARY 5. Lacey Wissen of Dale & Daughter will demonstrate how to prepare cabbage for sauerkraut and will show the tools used while presenting on the process and benefits of fermentation. The presentation will be followed by a flavor sampling, a Q&A, and participants will get to pack their own jars to take home and ferment…
Swan Lake Gentlemen's Society Mid-week Show At The Blackbird (Blackbird On Pearl - Tulsa) Start Time: 7:30pm
🎓 Tom Skinner Science Project (The Colony - Tulsa) Start Time: 8:00pm Science Project 21+ • Tip the Band • Special Guests Weekly
♪ Track 5.: Lee Roy Parnell (Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tulsa - Catoosa) Start Time: 8:00pm Among the elite few who can be identified as a triple threat, multiple Grammy Award nominee Lee Roy Parnell established his career through his impressive guitar offerings, smooth, soul-drenched voice and top-shelf songwriting skills. He heads to Track 5. on Feb. 26 at 8 p.m.
Travels With Tulsans: Antarctica by Way of Argentina (Tulsa Central Library - Zink Study Room - Tulsa) Start Time: 12:10pm Take a trip with us and enjoy travelogues from fascinating locales both near and far.

Thursday, Feb 27th

♪ Caleb Fellenstein (Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tulsa - Catoosa) Start Time: 4:00pm
Daniel Chesser (The Hunt Club - Tulsa)
♪ The Dean DeMerritt Trio (Oklahoma Jazz Hall of Fame - Tulsa) Start Time: 8:00pm Dean DeMerritt with his Jazz trio at Duet! Purchase tickets here.
♪ DJ Queen Jessen (Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tulsa - Catoosa) Start Time: 5:00pm
♪ DJ Whit (Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tulsa - Catoosa) Start Time: 7:00pm
♪ Dueling Pianos (Hyatt Regency Hotel - Tulsa)
Footloose (Broken Arrow Performing Arts Center - Broken Arrow) Day 1 of 2 Start Time: 7:30pm BAHS Drama presents "Footloose" Feb 27 - March 1! Tickets are on sale now. And the best part is you can buy tickets online at https://www.showtix4u.com/events/16313. Limited number of reserved seating available. Buy your tickets today! For more information call our box office at 918-259-5778
♪ The Freshmen (Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tulsa - Catoosa) Start Time: 7:00pm
🎭 Howard Jones Acoustic Trio (The Vanguard - Tulsa) Start Time: 8:00pm
Play in the Fantasy Realm: Imaginary Friends (Oklahoma Center for the Humanities - Tulsa) Start Time: 7:00pm Play in the Fantasy Realm: Young Children's Relationships with Imaginary Companions Join us for an evening with Tracy Gleason, a developmental psychologist studying relationships, real and imagined, with a focus on young children's imaginary companions. Dr. Gleason will talk about the ways in which children interact with imaginary friends and…
😂 Rob Little (Loony Bin - Tulsa) Thru Sat, Feb 29th
♪ Running On Empty (Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tulsa - Catoosa) Start Time: 7:00pm
Story Time (Gathering Place - Tulsa) Start Time: 4:00pm Fall in love with the magic found in children's books! Join us every Thursday at 4 p.m. and every Saturday at 9:30 a.m. in ONEOK Boathouse for Story Time from guest readers.
Guest Reader Schedule Saturday, Jan. 25th - Gathering Place Education Team
February Guest Readers: Saturday, February 1 - Gathering Place Education Team Thursday,…
♪ TCC Music Department Concert (VanTrease PACE - Tulsa) Start Time: 7:00pm Tags: Concert Free Music Southeast Campus VanTrease PACE Share
🎭 William Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream (Chapman Theatre - Tulsa) Day 1 of 2 Start Time: 8:00pm Purchase tickets online at utulsa.edu/tutheatre Adults: $15 Seniors Citizens (55+): $8 Students not from TU: $8 High School Students: 1 free ticket with school ID, otherwise $8 TU Faculty/Staff: $6 TU Students: Free opening night, otherwise $6

Friday, Feb 28th

70s/80s Throwback Night (Dennis R Neill Equality Center - Tulsa) Start Time: 6:30pm Your favorite gay disco is back open. Its time to have a ball. We have so much to learn about our history and such an exciting way to interact with it at OKEQ's Throwback Night: 70s/80s Edition. Join us for this FREE, all ages event with specialty drinks and cocktails, curated music, and all sorts of historical documents from Oklahoma's LGBTQ+…
♪ Aaron Lewis-Acoustic Songs & Stories (Brady Theater - Tulsa) Start Time: 8:00pm Aaron Lewis - Acoustic Songs & Stories 7pm Doors / 8pm Show On Sale Fri 11/1 10am
♪ Andrew Harmon (Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tulsa - Catoosa) Start Time: 5:30pm
♪ Asphalt Cowboys (Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tulsa - Catoosa) Start Time: 8:00pm
Brandon Clark (The Hunt Club - Tulsa)
♪ DJ 2 Legit (Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tulsa - Catoosa) Start Time: 6:30pm
♪ DJ Demko (Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tulsa - Catoosa) Start Time: 6:00pm
♪ DJ Mib (Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tulsa - Catoosa) Start Time: 7:00pm
Footloose (Broken Arrow Performing Arts Center - Broken Arrow) Day 2 of 2 Start Time: 7:30pm BAHS Drama presents "Footloose" Feb 27 - March 1! Tickets are on sale now. And the best part is you can buy tickets online at https://www.showtix4u.com/events/16313. Limited number of reserved seating available. Buy your tickets today! For more information call our box office at 918-259-5778
🍴 Gilcrease After Hours: Memories & Inspiration (FREE Admission) (The Gilcrease Museum - Tulsa) Start Time: 7:00pm Join us for an evening of cocktails and culture in celebration of our exhibition MEMORIES & INSPIRATION: THE KERRY AND C. BETTY DAVIS COLLECTION OF AFRICAN AMERICAN ART. Admission is FREE! Schedule and details to come. This program is funded in part by Oklahoma Humanities (OH) and the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH). Any views,…
🎓 Jake Hertzog Trio (Oklahoma Jazz Hall of Fame - Tulsa) Start Time: 8:00pm Jake Hertzog is a critically acclaimed guitarist, composer and educator whose career to-date has spanned nine albums as bandleader across jazz, rock and classical new music styles. He has toured throughout the U.S., Europe, Latin America, the Middle East and India and performed and recorded with a diverse cadre of artists including Randy…
Long Live Vaporwave with BabyBlue (Bar 46 - Tulsa) Start Time: 9:30pm
Madama Butterfly (Tulsa Performing Art Center - Tulsa) Thru Sun, Mar 1st Giacomo Puccini’s beloved "Madama Butterfly" comes to Tulsa during the Tulsa Opera's 2019-2020 season.…
🎓 Memory Gala 2020 (Cox Business Center - Tulsa) Start Time: 5:30pm Alzheimer’s Association Tulsa presents "Memory Gala" to celebrate the impact and opportunity this milestone presents with a night centered around the Alzheimer's Association's goal to prevent and effectively treat Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias by 2025.
♪ Nightingale - EP Release Show (The Vanguard - Tulsa) Start Time: 7:30pm
🏆 Oral Roberts vs. Incarnate Word (Mabee Center - Tulsa) Start Time: 3:00pm Oral Roberts Golden Eagles vs. Incarnate Word Cardinals First pitch is scheduled for 3:00 p.m. All tickets are buy one get one free. Tickets available online at MabeeCenter.com, over-the-phone at 918-495-6000, or in-person at the Mabee Center Ticket Office.
😂 Rob Little (Loony Bin - Tulsa) 1 day left
Steller Ascent (The Shrine - Tulsa) Start Time: 8:00pm
Tanner Miller & The Contraband (The Colony - Tulsa) Start Time: 10:00pm
🍴 Teacher Happy Hour (Philbrook Downtown - Tulsa) Start Time: 6:00pm Oklahoma teachers are invited to drop in for a happy hour before our Women Who Changed Art (And a BIG Reveal!) event (free for Members, ticket required). Come meet up with other area teachers, talk shop, or just relax and grab a drink. Enjoy food, a cash bar, art, the incomparable Philbrook gardens, and best of all, other teachers. FREE for…
🍴 Vinyl Happy Hour (The Colony - Tulsa) Start Time: 4:00pm Bring your favorite vinyl to spin on our house sound system
♪ Weekend All Stars (Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tulsa - Catoosa) Start Time: 9:00pm
🎭 William Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream (Chapman Theatre - Tulsa) Day 2 of 2 Start Time: 8:00pm Purchase tickets online at utulsa.edu/tutheatre Adults: $15 Seniors Citizens (55+): $8 Students not from TU: $8 High School Students: 1 free ticket with school ID, otherwise $8 TU Faculty/Staff: $6 TU Students: Free opening night, otherwise $6
🎨 Women Who Changed Art (And a BIG Reveal!) (Philbrook Downtown - Tulsa) Start Time: 6:30pm Women have made major contributions to the history of art, and yet are rarely in the spotlight. Join Bridget Quinn (author of "Broad Strokes: 15 Women Who Made Art and Made History") and Philbrook curators as they discuss the significant impact of women artists throughout history and unveil new additions to Philbrook’s collection by women…

Saturday, Feb 29th

Madama Butterfly (Tulsa Performing Art Center - Tulsa) 1 day left Giacomo Puccini’s beloved "Madama Butterfly" comes to Tulsa during the Tulsa Opera's 2019-2020 season.…
😂 Rob Little (Loony Bin - Tulsa) Last Day
Trolls LIVE! (BOK Center - Tulsa) Day 1 of 2 Start Time: 10:00am

Sunday, Mar 1st

😂 Josh And Chuck After Dark (Loony Bin - Tulsa)
Madama Butterfly (Tulsa Performing Art Center - Tulsa) Last Day Giacomo Puccini’s beloved "Madama Butterfly" comes to Tulsa during the Tulsa Opera's 2019-2020 season.…
Trolls LIVE! (BOK Center - Tulsa) Day 2 of 2 Start Time: 10:00am

Monday, Mar 2nd

I was unable to find any published events for Mar 2nd.

Tuesday, Mar 3rd

🏆 Tulsa Oilers vs. Allen Americans (BOK Center - Tulsa) Start Time: 7:05pm

continuing
As I was picking myself up off the shooter’s shack floor, I glanced over to the TV.
The ballplayers were all wandering around the field, looking skyward. Evidently, there was this hellacious explosion…even the television sports commentators were speculating as to what happened.
Whoops.
I looked out into the quarry. The wall that I had charged had receded some 75 feet.
There was rather a large amount of shattered, blasted dolomitic limestone now in the quarry. Enough, I found out later, for a full month’s worth of orders.
We never did find the blasting mats. I think they sort of evaporated.
Luckily, the quarry is essentially an open amphitheater in plan view; basically a big hole in the ground with vertical limestone walls. The shockwave of the blast that didn’t spend itself shattering the limestone into which it was housed, blew out laterally, hit the opposite quarry wall, rebounded, and then dispersed, rather energetically, vertically upward.
I set off car alarms for a 20 block radius.
There were no broken home windows, as the lion’s share of the shock wave was redirected upward.
Good thing there were no low flying zeppelins or dirigibles in the area...
I waited the requisite time to allow for any loafers. There were none, so I jumped into the nearest wheel loader and began clearing the quarry floor. Hell, I had to so I could open the front gate.
As I was clearing the floor, making pile number eight of the loose rock I had liberated, I heard the characteristic whoop-whoop of emergency vehicles.
I parked the wheel loader, opened the front gate, and raised the green flag. That was enough blasting for one day.
A few minutes later, three police cars zoom into the site. Two were local city cops, and one was a state trooper.
“Hi, guys!” I waved, “Nice day, innit?”
“Doctor Rock! We should have known.” One of the local boys groaned.
“Hey, I did call you beforehand, as per procedure,” I said.
Polack the cop walks up, just knowing I was responsible. “Yeah, but we didn’t figure on you terrorizing the entire city.”
“Polack! How goes it?” I asked.
The other local cop and the state trooper look to Polack, “You know this maniac?”
“Oh, hell yeah. For years. Don’t worry, the good doctor is mostly harmless.” He chuckles.
“Damn. OK. I guess everything’s OK. Just no more shooting today, please, Doctor. It’s going to take hours to calm everyone down.” He laments.
“Yes, sir. I’m done for the day.” I reply, snickering slightly.
The one local and state trooper depart, shaking their heads in amazement. This left Polack to follow me over to the shooter’s shack to mooch a cigar and whatever else he can find.
“Jesus Hula-Dancing Christ, Rock. What the hell was that? I was all the way out in Whitewatosa and heard you.” He asks as he sneakily snakes a smoke out of my case.
“Just some common chemicals in the proper proportions.” I snicker.
“Which were?” he asks.
I go in the back of the shed and toss him an empty container of one of the parts of the binaries I used. He catches it, reads the label, and drops it like a live grenade.
“Binaries? Fuck! Like what you used at the tower?” he asks.
“Yep. I used just a little more.” I reply.
“Little more? Damn, as I said, we’ve been briefed on the stuff. This shit’s nasty.” He shakes his head.
“Yeah. Fun, too.” I reply.
Polack grabs a Sprechler’s Cream Soda out of the fridge as I opt for a cold Cream Ale and shot of potato juice. Hell, I was done for the day, so…
We sit around and have a chat, just shooting the shit, as it were. Manly topics, so the conversation eventually steered over to guns.
“Hey!” Polack remembers, “That’s right! You fucking owe me. Let me borrow that fucking cannon you carry. I want to show the chief a thing or two.”
“Yeah, that’s right”, I agree, “When do you need it?”
“This Friday, after shift. It’s the monthly qualifiers for us.” He notes.
“Are pyromaniacs allowed in?” I ask.
“To observe? Sure. To shoot? Nope. Insurance regulations.” He says.
“What time?” I continue.
“1800 hours.” He tells me.
“I’ll be there. I’ll bring my gun and an assortment of loads. Hey, this could be fun!” I evilly smile.
“Doctor. You’re doing that thing again. You’re grinnin’ like a shithouse rat. You know how much that scares me. Stop it.” He pleads.
“No worries. Friday at 1800 hours.” I reply, grinning.
Polack slurps down his Sprechlers, snitches another stogie, and squeals out of the quarry in a cloud of dense dolomitic dust.
I arrive back at our flat, after stopping for two frozen custard Turtle Sundaes, to go. I give one to an appreciative wife and I ask her about her day.
“Oh, went shopping with Oma. Got the cutest shoes, and a new purse, and…oh well, never mind. You’ll see.”
Between bites of Turtle Sundae, she asks how my day went.
“Oh, my dear. I had a real blast.” I replied, not lying in the least.
Monday, after my first classes, I’m back in the faculty lounge, savoring a Greenland Coffee.
There was the usual instructor chatter when Dean Vermiculari walks in.
“Good morning, Dean!” I say. “Care for a sit-down and a coffee?”
“Good morning, Doctor Rock. Yes, please to both.” He replies.
I fix us both a fresh Greenland Coffee and return to our table. I hand him one and sit down to savor my soupçon.
“How was your weekend?” I ask the Dean of the College.
“Oh, very nice. Had a fine time catching some perch and crappie out on Lake Genever. I see you had a victorious weekend as well. Twice.” He smiles.
“Twice?” I asked.
“Well, your handling of the tower demolition made all the papers. Very, very well done, Doctor. I congratulate you.” He smiles.
“Thank you, Dean. That means a lot. Just doing what I can with what I’ve got. But twice?” I replied.
“It wasn’t front-page news, but I saw there was some, well, let us just say, ‘energetic activity’ out at the Silurian reef limestone quarry yesterday.” He grinned.
“Oh, yes. I had a job to do and well, as I always say: ‘Nothing succeeds like excess.” I smile back.
“Quite. This beverage you’ve created is really rather extraordinary, Doctor. Again, I thank you.” He tips his mug my direction in the age-old Midwestern salute.
“It’s a little recipe I picked up on my last expedition to the northlands. I grew rather fond of the concoction.” I replied.
“Ah, I see. Marvelous.” He smiles.
“Thank you, Dean. High praise indeed.” I reply.
“Which leads me to…ah, Doctor Rock. I have another favor to impose upon you.” He says, all serious.
“Yes, Dean? How can I be of service?” I ask.
“We, as you no doubt know, have many, many fine extractive mineral company connections. We actually receive quite a large amount of funding and endowments from them. They recruit here extensively for our young geoscientists. Now, since Dr. Pataariki has left for industry himself, I would like to appoint you as the College of Natural Sciences corporate liaison.” He explains.
“Indeed?” I replied, too stunned for words for once.
“Yes, indeed.” He continues, “It will require travel, mostly domestic, and delivering symposia at various companies on differing extractive geological subjects. You will also serve as host and university coordinator when they are present on recruiting tours. There will, of course, be additional remuneration to accompany the added responsibilities.”
I slurped my coffee, thinking furiously.
“Could I please first discuss it with my wife before I answer?” I ask.
“Oh, Doctor. Of course, of course. Take your time. I will not require a reply until… tomorrow.” He smiles, finishes his coffee, thanks me again, and toddles out.
“Yow, Es!” I exclaim, “This is one hell of an opportunity. It’s never before been offered to a junior professor. This will cement my tenure-track. It’s going to be a bitch with time, though. What do you think I should do?”
“Well, Rock, honey, I think you should do…” Es begins.
“No! None of that ‘do what you think is best’ stuff. I want your own thoughts, just like when I decided to go after my doctorate.” I explained.
“OK, then.” Esme looks all serious like she’s going to deliver a bipartisan political speech.
“Yes.” She says, firmly
“That’s it?” I ask.
“Yep. You asked I answered. We’ll make it work. We always do. You can’t let the Dean down. You will accept tomorrow without fear or qualms of your wife’s hesitations, of which I harbor none.” Esme proclaims.
“Did I ever tell you of the myriad reasons I love you so?” I ask.
The next morning I meet with Dean Vermiculari. He’s pleased that I accept and hands over to me the charter. Then the lists of company representatives, their contact information, and some other secret stuff that I can’t divulge right yet.
A raft of oil companies will be coming in the late spring semester, so I need to contact each and every one to solidify dates, times and positions for which they’re recruiting. But that’s for then, I have something more proximal for now.
I have a Friday appointment with Polack the cop at the town police shooting range.
I arrive spot on time with my Casull .454 Magnum pistol, in its carry bag, along with a small duffel crammed with Pyrodex, Tannerite, and selection of specialty loads I had Herman the German, the inveterate gunsmith, create.
Herman the German, his actual sobriquet, was this incredible gunsmith, craftsman, and all-around artillery specialist. Have any sort of problem with a rifle, shotgun, or pistol? See Herman. Gun holding too high? See Herman. Barrel warped? See Herman. Need solid gold projectiles for a certain one-off job? See Herman.
Herman the German can sort it out.
Just never ask him: “How?”
“Ach! I’ve lived so long to learn, and you want it free? I’ll fix it, you pay, but I am only one knowing how!”
Herman was a cranky old Kraut, and has lived here for as long as anyone can remember. Even my Grandfather had deferred to Herman when he had some particularly delicate machining operation that need special attention and was unique.
As far as anyone knew, Herman had no family, but was never at a loss for friends. He was one of the most popular, and well known, but still oddly really unknown, kind of mysterious, old bastards in the entire community.
Herman the German liked me because I could obtain for him certain high-energy things he couldn’t. All were entirely legal, but some were sort of out there in the gray zone.
He also liked that I was educated, as he held education in the highest esteem. He also liked that I was of German extraction myself.
I often made it a point to drop by with odd and unusual high-octane potables while never expecting anything in return other than a story or a shared cigar.
Herman created some special loads for my .454 Magnum, which he prized.
“I like your gun, Doctor Rock, it is so big! I can still see well enough to build things for it.” He told me one day over cheroots and Schnapps.
Herman was a character to be certain. It must have been the pixie in him to dream up some of the specialty rounds he created for me to share with the local constabulary.
He lived out in the county by himself in an old farmhouse. He had a full machine shop in his basement, complete with forge, metal handling equipment, and a firing test range.
He handed back my .454, rather solemnly.
“Doctor, I am afraid to say I couldn’t test all the special rounds I’ve created for you. I need to patch the hole in the cinder blocks in the downstairs range. Your gun punched right through the back…” he apologized.
Now, Herman does all sorts of work on the local’s deer rifles, the police’s ordinance and has even worked some with the Baja Canada National Guard. Some of the little novelties he’s dreamed up for me are the first to escape his homemade basement test range.
I felt oddly honored.
After proving who I was to the nice range officer, I looked around trying to find Polack.
“It’s 1550. Where the hell is Polack? I wondered.
“Rock! Over here.” Polack calls to me.
He motions me outside to the police department’s tactical outdoor range. I had thought all along he was referring to the indoors police target range. This might pose some problems.
The tactical range was a series of clapboard shacks, all setup and designed to represent some downtrodden urban inter-city landscape. There were a couple of junked cars, broken sidewalks, storefronts, houses, bus stops…in short, all things necessary to replicate the seediest sections of a settlement where malefactors live and breed.
The cops all run around this range, shooting at bad guy pop-up cut-outs and avoid the not-bad-guy pop-up cut-outs. They’ve got music blaring, firecrackers going off, all trying to re-create a shady deeply urban environment. Points are awarded by the accuracy of fire on the run, time to maneuver the course, and the ability of not gunning down innocent bystanders.
It is not the best place to test a .454 Cusall. This hand cannon recoils like a fundamentalist Christian being solicited for donations to Anton LaVey, shoots flames and incandescent gasses like Smaug after a hard night of drinking and a stop at the Taco Bell buffet, is louder than a dime-store Karen demanding to see a Manager, and more powerful than a Ghost Pepper suppository.
To quote Joe Piscopo: “It shoots through schools.” Especially faux-schools made of plywood.
A .32 or .38 cop special is the correct weapon here; even a 9mm is a little heavy. Enough power to make a serious dent, easy on control, light on the recoil…a good tactical weapon.
But, nothing succeeds like excess.
Polack’s Chief is running around, capping off his ‘big ol’ .44 Magnum, and making the valley echo. He punches considerable holes in the pop-up cut-outs, but has such a hard time handling the recoil, his score is barely passable.
Polack runs his test with his standard 9mm sidearm and qualifies easily. However, he’s nowhere near done with his Chief yet.
I suggest to Polack we have a shoot-off. And since a .44 Magnum bullet ‘is so close to a .454 Magnum’, which it isn’t…the .454 Casull generates nearly 85% more recoil energy than the .44 Magnum; that we’d need something other than holes punched in plywood to judge the efficacy of each.
We are literally just down the road from Max Yazzer’s farm and market. They’re the place you go for your Halloween jack-o-lantern. However, now, he has a surplus of melons.
I think you can see where this is headed…
I borrow Polack’s personal conveyance and run down to Max’s farm. I return with a trunk-load of elderly, overripe, cheap as chips, melons. Watermelons, Honeydews, Musks, and Casabas.
We place them in strategic areas on the course, five for the Chief to find, and five for Polack.
A .44 vs. a .454 melon-wise results in pretty much the same sort of mess: high-velocity fruit spatter. Although, the Chief was very impressed by the report of the .454. So, after running the tactical-melon course, clear demarcation of a winner was elusive.
OK, OK, clever dicks. How about this? A standing shoot-off? We’ll set up 3 melons each at 30, 20, and 10 yards. Beginning at 30 yards, your time will be until you take out all three melons. But, they’re not going to be in a straight line, we’re going to make them somewhat camouflaged. You will stand in one small demarcated area, hunt those miscreant melons, and bring them to justice. Fastest time and greatest display wins, as determined by the Police Peanut Gallery.
Polack and the Chief agree.
The Chief goes first and dispatches the melons, with a fair amount of spatter, in 15.3 seconds.
Not bad.
Polack is next. He wipes out all the melons and creates some thoroughly impressive displays with Herman’s ‘special’ rounds. Normal ballistics for the .454 are, for a 250 grain (16 g) bullet, a muzzle velocity of over 2,400 feet per second, developing up to 2,800 ft-lb of energy.
Herman’s hot loads are double that.
Polack wins the day on impressive high-velocity melon distribution, but misses, so close, with a time of 17.0 seconds.
Recoil’s a bitch.
Then there are Herman’s ‘specialties’.
The Chief is duly impressed and even comments that his ears are ringing even with the ear protectors. He asks to inspect the weapon. He is even more than duly impressed.
Polack knows what’s up and asks the Chief if he’d like to give a whirl.
Of course, the Chief can’t back down.
Polack loads the .454 with 5 of Herman’s specialties: hollow-point rounds loaded hot, compressed, and tipped with alkaline earth metals, like metallic sodium and metallic potassium…
We set up the nastiest, glorpiest, just barely-holding-together, overripe, laced with Tannerite (an impact-actuated low-explosive) watermelon at the ‘Concealed Carry’ distance of 5 meters.
We slowly fade back into the distance to avoid the inevitable ‘Gallagher reaction’.
The Chief fires one, and just nicks the top of the melon. Don’t laugh, with the type of recoil and heft of the sidearm, and tensing up in anticipation, it’s easy to be off the mark initially.
The second round impacts dead-center. Now, alkaline earth metals and water don’t get along really well. In fact, their relationship is explosive. Especially explosive when delivered at 2,900 feet per second.
The Chief catches a huge smattering of vitamin-packed watermelony back blast goo.
He’s not entirely happy. He looks positively grisly with all that blown-up melon schmoo on his nice, neat uniform.
He returns my gun and bans me from ever showing up at the police range again.
Polack is on traffic duty for the next month.
He figures it was well worth it.
Back at the flat, Esme is shaking her head and wondering if I’ll ever grow up.
“I may grow old, but I’ll never grow up.” I reply.
I see I have several missed phone calls. Ah, me; no rest for the weary. Back to company-university liaison duties.
After I had contacted these companies, I receive no less than 12 requests for symposia, talks, and seminars to be given to various level of industrial scientific employees in their respective companies.
I am now slated to give academic conferences on stratigraphy, sedimentology, and seismic structural geology to different companies in Houston, Oklahoma City, Denver, Casper, Corpus Christi, New Orleans, and Tulsa. In the next 12 weeks, I’ll be giving no less than 8 talks in seven cities.
I speak with Dean Vermiculari on how best to handle the situation. He understands and appoints two graduate student teaching assistants to handle my classes while I’m on the road. That relieves me of being physically there, but I still have to grade papers, compose lesson plans, and keep things running smoothly until finals.
Besides giving the talks, there’s travel to oil fields, production facilitates, manufacturing plants, hotels, restaurants while I’m in town…the pace is excruciating. I’m gone more than I am at university. Plus in my time back home, I’m still the ad hoc master blaster for the limestone quarry.
Then, there’s the companies arriving on campus, and the roles are reversed. Now I’m the welcome wagon and have to sort out the logistics of receiving the company representatives. I need to set up the colloquia to introduce the companies to the prospective students, arrange lodging, arrange passes for the university, transportation, “Meet-and-Greet’s, ad infinitum.
I knew this was having a bit of effect on me when I came back to the flat after one particularly grueling ordeal of canceled flights, full hotels, missed connections and lukewarm reception by the company workers.
“Hello”, I said, as I walked in the flat, “I believe you have a reservation for…”
Esme just stood there, wondering if I was having a laugh.
No, I wasn’t. I was completely hallucinating from road weariness, lack of sleep, jet lag, and total disorientation. This continued on for the next approximately 18 months.
Esme was beginning to have second thoughts about all this.
My teaching load was diminished by one whole introductory course. However, I was still flying hither and yon, delivering symposia, meeting with young geoscientists and getting to know the ins-and-outs of the Oil Industry.
I found it particularly fascinating.
Time marched on and it was once again it was the recruiting season. We had no less than eight oil companies visiting the university in their quest to swell the roster of their junior scientists.
I’m still busier than a one-armed paperhanger in a windstorm, but have settled into a groove of sorts. I know the company recruiters and they now know me. I’ve actually struck up friendships with several. Particularly since I take them to the best local restaurants and bars after their recruiting duties are finished.
I’ve met with recruiting representatives of Shrill Petrol, Mexxon, Nobil, Nocono Oil, Flug, Geddy, Brutish Petroleum, and Qexaco.
The recruiting season is winding down and I find myself with Red (not Adair), of Nocono Oil.
“Well, Doctor Rock”, Red states, “Another fine recruiting run. We’ve snagged two of your young geologists and one geophysicist. I’d say it was almost a perfect score.”
We’re sitting in the Norton’s Steakhouse. After a couple of prime pink porterhouses, we’re working on the post-dinner double vodka and bitter lemon for me, and Lagavulin for Red.
“Almost perfect?” I ask.
“Yeah. There’s been this one small nagging concern from our company higher-ups.” Red continues.
“What’s that?” I ask.
“We need some more senior people. For one thing, we’ve recently opened a new petroleum laboratory down in our Houston office. Going to need some serious talent to run that show.” Red says.
“I see”, I reply, “And…?”
“We need mentors. Those with varied and far-flung knowledge. They must be well educated, global in experience and stature, with an [ahem] diverse set of skills.” Red notes.
“Whew”, I agree, “That’s a tall order. You want my help with names of possible candidates? Is that it?”
“Not as such, Doctor.” Red drains his drink, motions for me to do the same, and orders another round.
Our drinks arrive and Red downs half his in one gulp.
“Well, then”, I continue, “How can I help?”
Red chuckles, “For someone so educated, you can really be thick as two short planks at times.”
I sit back, and sip my Old Thought Provoker.
The mercury-vapors light off.
“No!” I say, incredulously.
“Oh, yes.” Red smiles.
“No?” I ask, slowly taking in the possible effects of what he’s hinting at…
“OK, Doctor Rocknocker”, Red gets all serious and corporate, “We’d like to offer you a position at Nocono Oil as Senior Laboratory Manager and Head of Corporate Continuing Education.”
You could have knocked me over with a grenade. I was stunned. I fumbled with my drink.
“Red, you old con artist” I reply, “Is this a set-up?”
Red, serious as a heart attack, looks directly at me and replies, “Doctor Rock, absolutely not, it’s a genuine offer.”
He slides over a folder with some papers inside. “Here are the particulars.”
Reeling, I accept the folder. I open it and right after the corporate logos and legal bullshit, I see a tall figure with a whole raft of zeros trailing behind it.
I read furiously. The job would be both interesting and challenging. It would be in Houston, with travel and teaching at all other company outposts on a regular basis. I reexamine that figure from before and verify that I’m not now hallucinating.
The job comes with furnished, corporate-paid housing, incredible benefits, loads of opportunity for advancement, more opportunity to travel, really generous vacation time…
“Right. On the level?” I ask again.
“Yep.” Red bluntly says.
“Well”, I gulp, “you know I have to discuss this with Esme”, whom he’s met several times previous.
“Of course, and you probably want to finish out the semester, correct?” red asks.
“Oh, yes.” I reply. There would be a monsoon of paperwork and other grunt work I’d need to conclude or hand over if I were to accept this offer.
“OK, then”, Red finishes his drink, motions for me to do the same, a real rarity; but I was in another dimension at this point. He orders another round and sits back, waiting on a refill.
“You have two weeks to reply” Red states.
“I know that’s not a terribly long time, but we need to fill this position ASAP. Can I ask for that? Your answer, yea, or nay, within a fortnight?” Red demands.
“Yes”, I reply. “I at least owe you that.”
And that was the end of the discussion for the night about me joining the private sector. We stayed a few more hours, chatting, smoking my cigars, and discussing everything but the lumbering elephant in the room.
We part outside as I need to head back to our flat. Red wants to go downtown to one of those “Gentleman’s Clubs” he’s heard were so famous at the time.
I was flummoxed the whole cab ride home.
It was late when I returned, but I simply had to wake Es with the news.
“Rock, for pity’s sake, its 2 o’clock in the morning!” Es protests. “Can’t this wait until later?”
“Sorry, my dear” I reply, probably as serious as I ever had with Esme. “This is a potential game-changer.”
“What is it? Are you OK?” Esme trembles.
“Oh, I’m fine. Better than fine.” I reply.
She’s relieved.
“Then what’s so important?” she asks.
“Um…how would you like to move to Houston?” I ask.
“You going to teach at Cougar High (University of Houston)?” she inquires.
“Nope. Brace yourself. I’ve been offered a job with Nocono Oil.” I finally spill the beans.
Esme is slightly stunned and sits down.
I go to the wet bar, fix me a bracing potato juice and citrus and Esme a stiff white Zinfandel.
I hand her the wine and she is still semi-dazed and digesting the information.
I slurp a good portion of my drink, retrieve her Sobranjes and me a cigar from my Turkmenistan humidor.
I sit on the couch next to her and hug her soundly.
“Esme? Es? Earth to Es? You in there?” I joke.
“Oh, Yeah. Rock. Really? Hang on”, she leaves, returning with her housecoat as this might take a little time.
“So?” I ask, “Your thoughts. Now! Immediately! Initial reaction!” I try to jar her back into reality.
“Well, what do you want?” she asks.
“C’mon, my dearest. You know I hate that. No, what do you think? What do you honestly think?” I reply.
We both fire up our smokes, and I refresh our drinks. We return to the dinner table where Red’s folder lies.
“Es, here. Look at this.” I say, sliding the portfolio over to her.
She reads like a hungry man at a Vegas casino buffet. I can tell where she was stopped by something extraordinary.
“This is for real?” she asks, “Red’s not pulling a fast one?”
“Nope. It’s the genuine article”, I tell her, “He needs my reply within two weeks.”
“Rock, Rock…I just don’t know. It’s a lot to process at 0230 in the morning. Let’s go to bed and have a think in the morning. You have the luxury of at least that amount of time.” She notes.
“Right again, as usual”, I say, “Stuff it. It can wait.” We toddle off to bed.
The next morning, over Cuban omelets and Greenland Coffees, we sort through the particulars.
“Rock, it’s an extraordinary offer. But, do you want to leave teaching? I remember how you got all animated by Dean Vermiculari giving you the corporate liaison job and how that would improve your shot at tenure.” She notes.
“I just don’t know. I’m still shell-shocked.” I tell her. “Let me go to school and we’ll pick this up tonight. We both have work to do no matter what. Oh, bloody hell. I hadn’t considered your job. Another wrinkle in the mess.”
“Don’t you worry about that”, Esme smiles. “One catastrophe at a time.”
“I do so love you.” I hug her soundly. “Think I should mention this offer to anyone at school?”
“No. Definitely not.” Esme shakes her head. “Let’s figure this out on our own.”
“I agree”, I say, kiss her and depart for school once again.
The next week was a blur. Recruiting duties were dragging and I was being preoccupied.
Even my students noted the lack of in-room explosions lately.
I spend the next Saturday at the quarry, doing some small amount of blasting. I quiz the quarry owners about their progress in acquiring a new master for the quarry’s operation.
“Oh, Doctor Rock” they gush, “You’re doing such a fine job, we haven’t really looked. Why do you ask?”
“No particular reason at this time, I reply, “But perhaps you might want to begin looking”
The chinks in my armor were finally starting to show.
Sunday was spent out on Sliver Lake, with Esme and me chasing the elusive crappie, perch, and bucketmouth bass. It also gave us a chance to clear our heads from work, school and other such intrusions. We both needed a bit of downtime.
Later that night, after a meal of beer-battered fillet of crappie and perch on the barbie, we sit down at the dinner table.
The portfolio sits there, taunting us.
I get up, makes us both our drinks, sit down and declare that this is it.
“Es, darling” I say, “its nut-cuttin’ time. We need to make our decision.”
“You’re right.” Es agrees, “Time for risk-reward analysis. Get some paper and some pencils.”
We spend the next few hours listing the pros and cons of accepting the Houston position or staying here and pursuing my tenured professorship.
After several hours, I stretch, stand, and go to the fridge. I retrieve the bottle of Bollinger Les Vieilles Vignes Francaises I had purchased the other day.
I return to the table with the wine and the glasses, pop the cork and pour us both a glass of high-brow bubble water.
I hug and kiss Esme like I had just returned from a long, solo expedition.
“Esme, my darling. I’d like to propose a toast. First to us. Hа здоровый!”
“Cheers!” Esme replies.
“Secondly to Red, Dean Vermiculari, the quarry guys, Polack the Cop, and all the others that makes our life weird around here.”
“Seconded”, Es echoes.
“Finally: to Houston, Texas. Our new home!” I finally add.
The next morning, Dean Vermiculari peers over the top of his pince-nez glasses. He’s not looking overly happy with me right now.
“Why is it, Doctor, that everyone that receives the job of corporate liaison ends up going with corporate?” he asks.
“Perhaps it’s just the exposure to another world that exists beyond academia.” I reply, truthfully.
“Doctor Rocknocker,” the Dean gravely states, “I am not at all happy about your decision. We had great hopes for you here and you were riding right up the tenure track. Another five years and it would have been assured.”
“Five years is a long time, Dean”, I state the obvious.
“Yes, indeed.” The Dean replies frostily. “However, you are young. Perhaps you need to get this private sector nonsense out of your system, then you can return to academia where you belong.”
“Perhaps, perhaps”, I reply.
“Please, do consider this option down the road. You and your antics will be missed here, by students and faculty alike.” He says.
“I will, Dean, I promise.” I reply “However, for now, it’s time for my boot heels to be wanderin’.”
“Doctor, I will miss your strange and unique way of looking at life. I reluctantly accept your resignation at the end of the current semester and wish you all the best in your newest endeavors. Please remember us when corporate support for academia is mentioned in your new company.” he says.
“I promise you, Dean, I will not forget what I’ve learned here and what you’ve taught. It’s the least I can do,” I reply. “I will never forget my roots.”
“All I can ask”, he concludes. He stands to shake my hand. We shake and my audience is over.
I resign from the quarry a week later. They haven’t found a new blaster but wish me well on my new journey. I tell them I’m here until the end of the semester, so I won’t leave them high and dry.
I tell Polack the Cop about all the goings-on.
“Who the hell can I roust for beer and cigars now?” He whines. “Let me know when you get to Texas if they need any cops. I wouldn’t mind trying’ that. Hell, maybe a Texas Ranger!”
“A Cheesehead Ranger…?” I assure him I will and pass a box of cigars to him as a parting gift. He gives me a mayoral-signed get-out-of-jail-free card.
“Now you can drive that old Harley just as crazy as you want.” He chuckles.
“Thanks, Polack.” I say, shaking his hand. I didn’t have the heart to tell him I sold my bike a week earlier.
Red was very chuffed with the news.
“Snagged me a big one this time!’ He laughed, over the phone.
There was enough paperwork, considerations and decisions to be made to last the remaining time Esme and I had in-state until our move. Already, a moving company had arrived, done inventory, and was preparing for our move to Houston.
Esme resigned her position and decided she wanted to take some time off. She wanted to be a housewife, a colleague, and not have to work for once at an outside job. My new position allowed for that in spades. Besides with her credentials, anytime when she wants to re-join the workforce, there are myriad opportunities in the Bayou City.
We made the choice of housing out west of town, in Katy, Texas. We could have chosen Sugarland, Addicks, Greenspoint, Greenway, or the Memorial area. However, these west Houston company properties were closest to the job and largest in square footage.
My students got wind of my resignation and relocation. They threw me an unexpected farewell party at the Gast Haus. It was nickel-beer night and since they were footing the bill, it all worked out just fine.
I would miss the old place. The camaraderie, the seasons, the university; hell my home these last many years. I’ve been on many, many expeditions, but I always returned home.
Now, home was moving and was awaiting our arrival.
Esme and I said our farewells to our families as well. We were the first through college, the first ones to travel international, the first Doctor in the family, and the first to leave the state.
That’s a lot of familial firsts.
I had to keep reminding everyone it wouldn’t be the last. Hell, we’re just moving to Texas, it’s not like we’re off to Greenland or Mongolia…
[Gasp]
We saddled up Es’s old Chevy Nova, took one last, lingering look in the rearview mirror, and said fare thee well to our previous lives.
“We’ll be back. Someday. I promise” I told the city of our youth and young married adulthood.
We decided to drive to Houston because we had the luxury of a bit of time. We needed the stretch to chew over some interpersonal and private things on the way to the next chapter in our lives. Besides, the weather was good, the roads ahead open and clear, and Texas had no ‘Open Container’ law, yet.
We pointed the old Nova south and hit the gas.
A week later, we’re wandering around our new house in Katy, Texas. Our belongings, scant though they may be, arrived the day after we did. Esme and I spent the next couple of day rearranging the house, buying necessary domestic bits and pieces, and getting to know our new neighborhood.
First thing, though, Esme wanted to replace the old Nova. I concurred, but insisted we keep it as a second car and went out to purchase our first new car as a couple.
I wanted a Land Rover. We ended up with a glossy black Toyota 4-Runner. Close enough.
I was scheduled to show up at my new job the next Monday.
I had my own parking spot, complete with “Reserved for Dr. Rock” painted on the bumper block. I was shown my new lab and was introduced to my seven laboratory assistants. I was shown the catalogs I could use to order what I needed and went over the requisition procedures.
I was trotted around to meet the company CEO, CFO, CIO, VPs and many, many more company executives and managers. I’ve met with presidents and heads of state, I was impressed but not overly. They seemed like a more or less nice bunch of chaps.
Almost exactly five weeks to the day from our arrival in Houston, I come home, yelling “Darling, I’m home!”
Esme comes to greet me with a rib-rearranging hug. She tells me to sit at the dinner table, where my long hard day at the office drink, cigar, ashtray, and lighter are already set.
“How was work, dear?” she asks, sitting down with her Perrier water.
“Oh, it’s going great. The knotheads let me have an open-ended budget until I get the labs sorted just the way I want it. These guys pay their bills on time and I have carte blanche at Wards Scientific, and other supply houses. My crew is great, no interpersonal crapola, and hard workers. I can smoke in my office and no one dares give me shit about my cigars. I’m getting to know the exploration department quite well. They’re really interested in our expeditions and are more interested in my opinions of their new exploration directives.”
Esme just smiles and sips her water.
“Odd”, I thought.
“That’s great, dear.” She says. “I am so glad to hear it.”
“Me too”, I say, “How are you holding up after all these weeks alone?”
“Oh, I’m getting used to it.” She smiles.
And smiles. Beatifically. Glowing.
“What?” I ask.
“Remember what we talked about in the car on the way down here?” She asks.
“We talked about a lot of things…” I say, suddenly my eyes grew very, very wide indeed.
“Yes. You’re going to be a father. I’m pregnant, Rock.” Esme smiles.

Current state of affairs in Oklahoma gaming dispute roundup: Casinos are open for business

What's happening around town (Wed, Mar 4th - Tue, Mar 10th)

Tulsa's event list.

Wednesday, Mar 4th

😂 Brendan Eyre (Loony Bin - Tulsa) Thru Sat, Mar 7th
♪ Brown Bag It: Finnegans Awake (Tulsa Performing Art Center - Tulsa) Start Time: 12:10pm The Brown Bag It free noontime concert series at the Tulsa Performing Arts Center happens the first Wednesday of the month. The series features some of Oklahoma’s finest professional musicians performing in the PAC's Westby Pavilion. This month is local band Finnegans Awake.
Build A Reader: Stay and Play (Owasso Library - Owasso) Start Time: 11:00am Playing is learning! Join us for games, toys and activities that foster critical early literacy skills. For ages birth-5.
Build A Reader: Stay and Play (Zarrow Regional Library - Tulsa) Start Time: 11:00am For babies, toddlers and preschoolers, playing is learning! Join us for games, toys and activities that foster critical early literacy skills.
Build A Reader Storytime: Babies & Toddlers (Tulsa City County Library - Tulsa) Start Time: 10:00am Ready, set, READ! This beginning storytime focuses on helping your baby or toddler develop important literacy skills while emphasizing the fun of reading.
Build A Reader Storytime: Babies & Toddlers (Zarrow Regional Library - Tulsa) Start Time: 10:30am Bring your babies for bubbles and books, and your toddlers for trikes and tales! Our songs, stories, games and activities will aid in developing your child's early literacy skills.
Build A Reader Storytime: Family (Jenks, OK - Jenks) Start Time: 10:30am Bring the whole family for this 0-to-5 storytime! Thereâs something for everyone â simple songs and books for the little ones, more interactive stories and activities for your older children.
Build a Reader Storytime: Preschool (Owasso Library - Owasso) Start Time: 10:00am The best in children's literature, songs, games, finger plays, rhymes and other reading-related activities are shared with your preschooler. For ages 3-5.
Build A Reader Storytime: Toddlers (Hardesty Library - Tulsa) Start Time: 10:00am Join us for songs, stories and movements geared to your toddler.
C.J. Box - Master of the Modern Western (IDL Ballroom - Tulsa) Start Time: 7:00pm Magic City Books is proud to welcome bestselling author C.J. Box in celebration of his 20th novel in the Joe Pickett series, Long Range. This is a ticketed event, each ticket includes one (1) copy of Long Range and one (1) seat at the event on Wednesday March 4 at IDL Ballroom (230 East First Street). There is a limit of four (4) tickets per…
🎓 Tulsa Collegiate Career Fair - Tulsa Collegiate Career Fair (Donald Reynolds Center - Tulsa) Start Time: 1:00pm Held annually, the Tulsa Collegiate Career Fair is a multi-university event for students and alumni seeking a full-time job, summer internship, or part-time experience in a variety of industries. Recent graduates and alumni of the consortium schools are encouraged to attend. A career fair is an opportunity for you to present yourself…
Dog Play Wednesday presented by AARP Oklahoma (Gathering Place - Tulsa) Start Time: 9:00am Bark your calendars! All day, every Wednesday. But that’s not all! Once a month, Gathering Place will have a special event made just for you and your pup. Keep checking our events schedule to see Pup-coming activities you won’t want to miss. Our tails are wagging just thinking about it! Please note, all dogs must be on a leash. Dogs are not…
♪ Eicher Wednesday featuring Annie Ellicott and Scott McQuade (Oklahoma Jazz Hall of Fame - Tulsa) Start Time: 7:00pm listening room jazz. $10
🎨 Homeschool Art: Ages 5-8 (Philbrook Museum of Art - Tulsa) Start Time: 1:00pm Members: $10 per class $45 for the Spring 2020 Semester Package (all 5 classes) Not-Yet-Members: $15 per class $65 for the Spring 2020 Semester Package (all 5 classes) Join Today NEW THIS YEAR: Both Members & Not-Yet-Members welcome! Homeschool art experiences at Philbrook are specifically designed to provide opportunities for social interaction…
Introduction to Finding Grants (Hardesty Library - Tulsa) Start Time: 10:00am Are you new to the field of grant seeking? Discover what funders are looking for in nonprofits seeking grants and how to find potential funders in this introductory course. Registration is required.
🎓 Intro to Microsoft Excel: Basics of Excel 2016 (Martin Regional Library - Tulsa) Start Time: 2:00pm Learn to create, format, edit, save and print documents in Excel. Starting with the basic tools, weâll cover ways to make documents that not only are functional but appealing.
LitWits' Book Club (Hardesty Library - Tulsa) Start Time: 6:30pm Join fellow book enthusiasts to discuss "Cherokee America" by Margaret Verble and discover similar authors and titles you may enjoy. For adults.
🎭 Open Auditions for Cast (Tulsa Spotlight Theatre - Tulsa) Start Time: 6:30pm Open Auditions first Wednesday of every month. 6:30pm
♪ Open Session with host Clark Gibson- All Ages (Oklahoma Jazz Hall of Fame - Tulsa) Start Time: 8:00pm Clark Gibson Director of jazz studies hosts our Open Session. Basic back line is provided. House Yamaha grand piano, jazz drum kit. (Must provide own cymbals and amps). RSVP tickets here
Tulsa Performing Arts Center (Tulsa Performing Art Center - Tulsa) Start Time: 12:00pm Tulsa PAC Brown Bag It series
🎭 Speaking Of Which A Spoken Word Open Mic (Gypsy Coffee House & Cyber Cafe - Tulsa) Start Time: 8:00pm Every Wednesday evening we open our doors to poets, prophets, raconteurs, wordsmiths, and bards, so they may share their original art with the fine people of this city. Sign ups for the open mic portion with be at 7:30pm, the show starts at 8pm
Success with Sourdough (Tulsa Garden Center - Tulsa) Start Time: 6:00pm Join us with our friends from Dale & Daughter to learn the what, why, & how of creating a successful sourdough starter. In this class by Lacey Wissen, participants will learn about the necessary tools and steps for making bread in addition to the variables that can affect the outcome of bread-making. Everyone will take home their own starter, a…
SUSTO / Molly Parden (Mercury Lounge - Tulsa) Start Time: 8:00pm
🎓 Teen Tech Month: Spheros (Rudisill Reginal Library - Tulsa) Start Time: 4:00pm Use code to control Sphero robots and get them through a maze.
🎓 Tom Skinner Science Project (The Colony - Tulsa) Start Time: 8:00pm Science Project 21+ • Tip the Band • Special Guests Weekly
Young @ Heart Book Club for Adults (Helmerich Library - Tulsa) Start Time: 4:00pm This month's book is "After the Shot Drops" by Randy Ribay from the 2020 Intermediate and High School Sequoyah lists.

Thursday, Mar 5th

🎨 Advance Screening: Emma (Circle Cinema - Tulsa) Start Time: 7:00pm Join us at Circle Cinema on Thursday, March 5th at 7:00pm for an advance screening of "EMMA," based on Jane Austen's beloved romantic comedy. Tickets are on sale now. (Regular engagement of Emma at Circle Cinema begins Friday, March 6th - Thursday, March 12th.) About the film: In 1800s England, a well meaning but selfish young woman meddles in…
Tulsa Area Daylily Society - March Meeting (Tulsa Garden Center - Tulsa) Start Time: 6:30pm Our first meeting of the year will feature Dr. Todd Lasseigne, President & CEO of the Tulsa Botanic Garden. Our members will be bringing their favorite dishes to share, so join us at 6:30 for food and fellowship, and Dr. Lasseigne's presentation will start at 7.
♪ Ben Neikirk (Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tulsa - Catoosa) Start Time: 5:00pm
♪ Bounce'n Beethovens (Owasso Library - Owasso) Start Time: 6:30pm Ages 0-5 and parents explore music through movement and instruments as they play with egg shakers, bells, rhythm sticks, drums and maracas in this fun, interactive program. Registration is required. Register online or call 918-549-7323. Please register for only one Bounce'n Beethovens session per month. Register here for Thursday, March 5,…
😂 Brendan Eyre (Loony Bin - Tulsa) Thru Sat, Mar 7th
Build A Reader: Bilingual Baby Storytime (Martin Regional Library - Tulsa) Start Time: 11:00am Join Ms. Emily for stories, rhymes and songs in English and Spanish that help your baby or toddler develop important early literacy skills.
Build A Reader: Stay and Play (Nathan Hale Library - Tulsa) Start Time: 11:00am For babies, toddlers and preschoolers, playing is learning! Join us for games, toys and activities that foster critical early literacy skills.
Build A Reader Storytime: Family (Hardesty Library - Tulsa) Start Time: 6:30pm Bring the whole family for this 0-to-5 storytime! Thereâs something for everyone â simple songs and books for the little ones, more interactive stories and activities for your older children.
Build A Reader Storytime: Family (Nathan Hale Library - Tulsa) Start Time: 10:30am Bring the whole family for this 0-to-5 storytime! Thereâs something for everyone â simple songs and books for the little ones, more interactive stories and activities for your older children.
Cacti Soil Workshop by Tulsa Cacti and Succulent Society (Tulsa Garden Center - Tulsa) Start Time: 7:00pm RESCHEDULED FROM FEBRUARY 6. Join us as we learn about components of a good cactus and succulent soil mix! Participants will make their own soil mix with provided materials, and we will compare some top selling pre-bagged soil mixes as well. Let's get our hands dirty and have a great time! Click here to register:…
Celebrate Life (Cox Business Center - Tulsa) Start Time: 6:00pm LIFE Senior Services presents "Celebrate LIFE" and an evening with complimentary valet and cocktail reception, a gourmet dinner by Chef Devin Levine, CEC, Live and Silent Auctions, Mystery Boxes, Raffle, and musical entertainment by Ayngel and John. The evening's emcee is KJRH Chief Meteorologist Mike Collier. Tickets on sale now.
🎓 D&D Character Creation Workshop Series: Clerics (Zarrow Regional Library - Tulsa) Start Time: 6:00pm Making player characters is big part of D&D (Dungeons & Dragons). This series guides you through creating the different types of classes in the Player's Handbook (5th ed.) and possibly beyond!
♪ DJ Demko (Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tulsa - Catoosa) Start Time: 5:00pm
♪ DJ Vector (Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tulsa - Catoosa) Start Time: 6:00pm
♪ DJ Whit (Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tulsa - Catoosa) Start Time: 7:00pm
🎡 OK Electric Festival feat Inbal Segev + David Broome Band (Oklahoma Jazz Hall of Fame - Tulsa) Start Time: 8:00pm Living Arts of Tulsa's annual OK Electric will feature two sets of music for acoustic instruments together with electronic elements. 2020 guest artist is international cello soloist Inbal Segev. Segev will perform works for cello and electronics by composers Missy Mazzoli, Anna Clyne, Gity Razaz, and Dan Cooper, with a world premiere by Noam…
♪ Exile (Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tulsa - Catoosa) Start Time: 8:00pm
🎨 First Thursday Art Show (Dennis R Neill Equality Center - Tulsa) Start Time: 6:00pm Shawna Chisholm is a two-spirit or Transgender Native American woman who has spent her life defending and fighting for the things she believes in; her family, her country, and spreading the ideals of her Native American heritage. She has spent over 30 years in military services and is currently a Warrant Officer in the United States Army, and…
Gaming in the Digital Lounge (Hardesty Library - Tulsa) Start Time: 6:00pm PS4, Wii, Nintendo Switch and Xbox One â¦ which one will it be? Search through our gaming library in the Digital Lounge and play a few games on a first-come-first-serve basis. For ages 12-18.
Girls Night Out the Show (Hyatt Regency Hotel - Tulsa) Start Time: 8:00pm Girls Night Out, the #1 Ladies Night Event Is Coming to Thursday March 5th! Tickets available through Osage Casino! Get ready for the BEST GIRLS NIGHT EVER! Whether you’re celebrating a Birthday, Bachelorette Party, Divorce, Dirty Thirty or your Sheer Awesome Self; You will meet your party match with “GIRLS NIGHT OUT THE SHOW”! Purchase…
Hands-on Storytime (Tulsa Central Library - Zink Study Room - Tulsa) Start Time: 10:30am Busy hands, busy brain! Preschoolers learn through hands-on activities. We will explore, experiment and create. Be ready to get messy! For ages 3-5 and their caregivers.
Mystery Readers Book Club (Tulsa City County Library - Tulsa) Start Time: 2:00pm Join us for a discussion of our favorite mysteries! We do things a little differently â no special book to read each month. Simply discuss what you've been reading and get suggestions from others.
🍴 Pearl Party-Women of the Year-Pinnacle Awards (Tulsa) Start Time: 5:00pm
Pop Up Shop with CM Customs (Mother Road Market - Tulsa) Start Time: 11:00am We’re going to be setting up in The Vault at Mother Road Market for just one day! We will be selling wood and leather earrings, farmhouse home decor, along with Tulsa and Oklahoma items. You’re going to love the selection of items we have. Here’s a little background on CM Customs. We’re a husband and wife ran home based business in…
🎓 Spring Infusion Class (Inner Circle Vodka Bar - Tulsa) Start Time: 6:00pm Our seasonal Infusion class is here with some delicious spring themed infused liquors. This class only happens 4 times a year and it is a really fun way to learn to make your own infused cocktails at home. The class starts at 6 pm on Thursday, March 5th. Price includes a chance to taste the infusions, try cocktails based on the infusion, put…
Story Time (Gathering Place - Tulsa) Start Time: 4:00pm Fall in love with the magic found in children's books! Join us every Thursday at 4 p.m. and every Saturday at 9:30 a.m. in ONEOK Boathouse for Story Time from guest readers.
Guest Reader Schedule Saturday, Jan. 25th - Gathering Place Education Team
February Guest Readers: Saturday, February 1 - Gathering Place Education Team Thursday,…
♪ TCC Music Department Concert (VanTrease PACE - Tulsa) Start Time: 7:00pm Tags: Concert Free Music Southeast Campus VanTrease PACE Share
🎓 Teen Leadership Club: Teen Advisory Board (Nathan Hale Library - Tulsa) Start Time: 4:00pm Whether you're looking for volunteer hours for school, scouts, or just like to work on cool projects, eat and have fun, the Teen Leadership Club is the place to be! For ages 13-18.
🎨 Teen Tech Month: Teen Photo Lab (Martin Regional Library - Tulsa) Start Time: 3:30pm Use some props, a computer and an iPhone with a photo app to create funny and interesting photos. It is the next step to learning animation. For ages 10-18.

Friday, Mar 6th

😂 Brendan Eyre (Loony Bin - Tulsa) 1 day left

Saturday, Mar 7th

🏆 2020 Big 12 Wrestling Championships Session 1 (BOK Center - Tulsa) Start Time: 11:00am
🏆 2020 Big 12 Wrestling Championships Session 2 (BOK Center - Tulsa) Start Time: 5:00pm
😂 Brendan Eyre (Loony Bin - Tulsa) Last Day
🏃 Health Zone Kids (Mini) Triathlon (Health Zone at Saint Francis - Tulsa) When you sign up your little athlete for this fitness event, you both help other kids, as all proceeds benefit The Children's Hospital at St. Francis.
Distances 10-13 age group: Swim 100 yards;Bike 1 mile; Run 1/2 mile
Distances 6-9 age group: Swim 50 yards;Bike 1/2 mile; Run 1/4 mile

Sunday, Mar 8th

🏆 2020 Big 12 Wrestling Championships Session 3 (BOK Center - Tulsa) Start Time: 11:00am
🏆 2020 Big 12 Wrestling Championships Session 4 (BOK Center - Tulsa) Start Time: 6:00pm
😂 Desi Banks (Loony Bin - Tulsa)
🏃 The Snake Run - 3 Hour or Six Hour Trail Race (Turkey Mountain - Tulsa) Join us for the 2020 Snake Run where everyone has the same finishing time. You run as many loops as you can in Six or Three Hours.
The course is a flat and sandy single-track trail named the Snake Trail, located on the upper west section of Turkey Mountain. The Snake Trail is one of the smoothest, rock and root-free trails on Turkey Mountain. …

Monday, Mar 9th

I was unable to find any published events for Mar 9th.

Tuesday, Mar 10th

I was unable to find any published events for Mar 10th.

Ranking - Event - Location @ Venue - Attendance

1 - UFC 193: Rousey vs. Holm - Melbourne @ Etihad Stadium - 56,214
2 - UFC 129: GSP vs. Shields - Toronto @ Rogers Centre - 55,724
3 - UFC 198: Werdum vs. Miocic - Curitiba @ Arena da Baixada - 45,207
4 - UFC on Fox: Gustafsson vs. Johnson - Stockholm @ Tele2 Arena - 30,000
5 - UFC 124: GSP vs. Koscheck 2 - Montreal @ Bell Centre - 23,152
6 - UFC FN: Hunt vs. Oleinik - Moscow @ Olimpiyskiy Stadium - 22,603
7 - UFC 97: Redemption - Montreal @ Bell Centre - 21,451
8 - UFC 83: Serra vs. GSP 2 - Montreal @ Bell Centre - 21,390
9 - UFC 188: Velasquez vs. Werdum - Mexico City @ Arena Ciudad - 21,036
10 - UFC 180: Werdum vs. Hunt - Mexico City @ Arena Ciudad - 21,000
11 - UFC 144: Edgar vs. Bendo - Saitama @ Saitama Super Arena - 21,000
12 - UFC 205: Alvarez vs. McGregor - New York City @ MSG - 20,427
13 - UFC 158: GSP vs. Diaz - Montreal @ Bell Centre - 20,145
14 - UFC 229: Khabib vs. McGregor - Las Vegas @ T-Mobile Arena - 20,034
15 - UFC 171: Hendricks vs. Lawler - Dallas @ Ameri Airlines Center - 19,324
16 - UFC 68: The Uprising - Columbus @ Nationwide Arena - 19,079
17 - UFC 231: Holloway vs. Ortega - Toronto @ Scotiabank Arena - 19,039
18 - UFC 203: Miocic vs. Overeem - Cleveland @ Quicken Loans Arena - 18,875
19 - UFC 207: Nunes vs. Rousey - Las Vegas @ T-Mobile Arena - 18,533
20 - UFC 140: Jones vs. Machida - Toronto @ Air Canada Centre - 18,303
21 - UFC 200: Tate vs. Nunes - Las Vegas @ T-Mobile Arena - 18,202
22 - UFC 217: Bisping vs. GSP - New York City @ MSG - 18,201
23 - UFC 127: Penn vs. Fitch - Sydney @ Acer Arena - 18,186
24 - UFC 225: Whittaker vs. Romero 2 - Chicago @ United Center - 18,117
25 - UFC 206: Holloway vs. Pettis - Toronto @ Air Canada Centre - 18,057
26 - UFC 211: Miocic vs. JDS 2 - Dallas @ American Air Center - 17,834
27 - UFC 110: Nogueira vs. Velasquez - Sydney @ Acer Arena - 17,831
28 - UFC 227: Dillashaw vs. Cody 2 - Los Angeles @ Staples Center - 17,794
29 - UFC 115: Liddell vs. Franklin - Vancouver @ General Motors Place - 17,669
30 - UFC 184: Rousey vs. Zingano - Los Angeles @ Staples Center - 17,654
31 - UFC 113: Machida vs. Shogun 2 - Montreal @ Bell Centre - 17,647
32 - UFC 218: Holloway vs. Aldo 2 - Detroit @ Little Caesars Arena - 17,587
33 - UFC 226: Miocic vs. Cormier - Las Vegas @ T-Mobile Arena - 17,464
34 - UFC 103: Franklin vs. Belfort - Dallas @ American Air Center - 17,428
35 - UFC 101: Declaration - Philadelphia @ Wachovia Center - 17,411
36 - UFC 154: GSP vs. Condit - Montreal @ Bell Centre - 17,249
37 - UFC 166: Velasquez vs. JDS III - Houston @ Toyota Center - 17,238
38 - UFC 185: Pettis vs. RDA - Dallas @ American Air Center - 17,160
39 - UFC 120: Bisping vs. Akiyama - London @ The O2 arena - 17,133
40 - UFC 210: Cormier vs. Johnson 2 - Buffalo @ KeyBank Center - 17,110
41 - UFC 96: Jackson vs. Jardine - Columbus @ Nationwide Arena - 17,033
42 - UFC 223: Khabib vs. Iaquinta - Brooklyn @ Barclays Center - 17,026
43 - UFC 230: Cormier vs. Lewis - New York City @ MSG - 17,011
44 - UFC on Fox: Werdum vs. Browne - Orlando @ Amway Center - 17,000
45 - UFC 111: GSP vs. Hardy - Newark @ Prudential Center - 17,000
46 - UFC on Fox: Evans vs. Davis - Chicago @ United Center - 16,963
47 - UFC 153: Silva vs. Bonnar - Rio de Janeiro @ HSBC Arena - 16,844
48 - UFC 152: Jones vs. Belfort - Toronto @ Air Canada Centre - 16,800
49 - UFC FN: Silva vs. Bisping - London @ The O2 Arena - 16,734
50 - UFC 105: Couture vs. Vera - Manchester @ Evening News Arena - 16,693
51 - UFC 147: Silva vs. Franklin II - Belo Horizonte @ Mineirinho Arena - 16,643
52 - UFC 214: Cormier vs. Jones 2 - Anaheim @ Honda Center - 16,610
53 - UFC 194: Aldo vs. McGregor - Las Vegas @ MGM Garden Arena - 16,516
54 - UFC 82: Pride of a Champion - Columbus @ Nationwide Arena - 16,431
55 - UFC 123: Rampage vs. Machida - Auburn Hills @ The Palace - 16,404
56 - UFC 135: Jones vs. Rampage - Denver @ Pepsi Center - 16,344
57 - UFC FN: Werdum vs. Volkov - London @ The O2 Arena - 16,274
58 - UFC 75: Champion vs. Champion - London @ The O2 arena - 16,235
59 - UFC 215: Nunes vs. Shevchenko 2 - Edmonton @ Rogers Place - 16,232
60 - UFC 136: Edgar vs. Maynard III - Houston @ Toyota Center - 16,164
61 - UFC on Fox: DJ vs. Dodson - Chicago @ United Center - 16,091
62 - UFC 149: Faber vs. Barão - Calgary @ Scotiabank Saddledome - 16,089
63 - UFC 102: Couture vs. Nogueira - Portland @ Rose Garden - 16,088
64 - UFC on Fox: Shogun vs. Vera - Los Angeles @ Staples Center - 16,080
65 - UFC 77: Hostile Territory - Cincinnati @ U.S. Bank Arena - 16,054
66 - UFC 189: Mendes vs. McGregor - Las Vegas @ MGM Garden Arena - 16,019
67 - UFC 220: Miocic vs. Ngannou - Boston @ TD Garden - 16,015
68 - UFC 204: Bisping vs. Hendo 2 - Manchester @ Manchester Arena - 16,000
69 - UFC 232: Jones vs. Gustafsson 2 - Inglewood @ The Forum - 15,862
70 - UFC 119: Mir vs. Cro Cop - Indianapolis @ Conseco Fieldhouse - 15,811
71 - UFC FN: Manuwa vs. Anderson - London @ The O2 Arena - 15,761
72 - UFC 168: Weidman vs. Silva 2 - Las Vegas @ MGM Garden Arena - 15,650
73 - UFC 208: Holm vs. de Randamie - Brooklyn @ Barclays Center - 15,628
74 - UFC 199: Rockhold vs. Bisping 2 - Inglewood @ The Forum - 15,587
75 - UFC 145: Jones vs. Evans - Atlanta @ Philips Arena - 15,545
76 - UFC 202: Diaz vs. McGregor 2 - Las Vegas @ T-Mobile Arena - 15,539
77 - UFC 165: Jones vs. Gus - Toronto @ Air Canada Centre - 15,504
78 - UFC on Fuel TV: Gus vs. Silva - Stockholm @ Ericsson Globe - 15,428
79 - UFC 212: Aldo vs. Holloway - Rio de Janeiro @ Jeunesse Arena - 15,412
80 - UFC 90: Silva vs. Côté - Rosemont @ Allstate Arena - 15,359
81 - UFC 85: Bedlam - London @ The O2 arena - 15,327
82 - UFC on Fox: JDS vs. Miocic - Phoenix @ Talking Stick Resort Arena - 15,300
83 - UFC 69: Shootout - Houston @ Toyota Center - 15,269
84 - UFC 159: Jones vs. Sonnen - Newark @ Prudential Center - 15,227
85 - UFC FN: Bisping vs. Gastelum - Shanghai @ Mercedes-Benz Arena - 15,128
86 - UFC 70: Nations Collide - Manchester @ Evening News Arena - 15,114
87 - UFC 148: Silva vs. Sonnen II - Las Vegas @ MGM Garden Arena - 15,104
88 - UFC 87: Seek and Destroy - Minneapolis @ Target Center - 15,087
89 - UFC 114: Rampage vs. Evans - Las Vegas @ MGM Garden Arena - 14,996
90 - UFC 196: McGregor vs. Diaz - Las Vegas @ MGM Garden Arena - 14,898
91 - UFC 104: Machida vs. Shogun - Los Angeles @ Staples Center - 14,892
92 - UFC 94: St-Pierre vs. Penn 2 - Las Vegas @ MGM Garden Arena - 14,885
93 - UFC 167: GSP vs. Hendricks - Las Vegas @ MGM Garden Arena - 14,856
94 - UFC 121: Lesnar vs. Velasquez - Anaheim @ Honda Center - 14,856
95 - UFC 84: Ill Will - Las Vegas @ MGM Garden Arena - 14,773
96 - UFC 60: Hughes vs. Gracie - Los Angeles @ Staples Center - 14,765
97 - UFC 161: Evans vs. Hendo - Winnipeg @ MTS Centre - 14,754
98 - UFC 88: Breakthrough - Atlanta @ Philips Arena - 14,736
99 - UFC 71: Liddell vs. Jackson - Las Vegas @ MGM Garden Arena - 14,728
100 - UFC 190: Rousey vs. Correia - Rio de Janeiro @ HSBC Arena - 14,723
101 - UFC 131: JDS vs. Carwin - Vancouver @ Rogers Arena - 14,685
102 - UFC on Fuel TV: Silva vs. Stann - Saitama @ Super Arena - 14,682
103 - UFC 146: JDS vs. Mir - Las Vegas @ MGM Garden Arena - 14,674
104 - UFC 65: Bad Intentions - Sacramento @ ARCO Arena - 14,666
105 - UFC 192: Cormier vs. Gustafsson - Houston @ Toyota Center - 14,622
106 - UFC FN: Gustafsson vs. Manuwa - London @ The O2 Arena - 14,604
107 - UFC 52: Couture vs. Liddell - Las Vegas @ MGM Garden Arena - 14,562
108 - UFC on FX: Alves vs. Kampmann - Sydney @ Allphones Arena - 14,537
109 - UFC on Fuel TV: Mousasi vs. Latifi - Stockholm @ Ericsson Globe - 14,506
110 - UFC on Fox: RDA vs. Cerrone 2 - Orlando @ Amway Center - 14,459
111 - UFC on Fox: Bendo vs. Diaz - Seattle @ KeyArena - 14,387
112 - UFC 169: Barão vs. Faber II - Newark @ Prudential Center - 14,308
113 - UFC 91: Couture vs. Lesnar - Las Vegas @ MGM Garden Arena - 14,272
114 - UFC FN: Shogun vs. Sonnen - Boston @ TD Garden - 14,181
115 - UFC 118: Edgar vs. Penn 2 - Boston @ TD Garden - 14,168
116 - UFC 92: The Ultimate 2008 - Las Vegas @ MGM Garden Arena - 14,166
117 - UFC 228: Woodley vs. Till - Dallas @ American Air Center - 14,073
118 - UFC 78: Validation - Newark @ Prudential Center - 14,071
119 - UFC FN: Belfort vs. Gastelum - Fortaleza @ Olímpica do Nordeste - 14,069
120 - UFC 134: Silva vs. Okami - Rio de Janeiro @ HSBC Arena - 14,000
121 - UFC 107: Penn vs. Sanchez - Memphis @ FedExForum - 13,896
122 - UFC 163: Aldo vs. Zombie - Rio de Janeiro @ HSBC Arena - 13,873
123 - UFC 139: Shogun vs. Hendo - San Jose @ HP Pavilion - 13,832
124 - UFC FN: McGregor vs. Siver - Boston @ TD Garden - 13,828
125 - UFC 59: Reality Check - Anaheim @ Arrowhead Pond - 13,814
126 - UFC 141: Lesnar vs. Overeem - Las Vegas @ MGM Garden Arena - 13,793
127 - UFC 76: Knockout - Anaheim @ Honda Center - 13,770
128 - UFC 40: Vendetta - Las Vegas @ MGM Garden Arena - 13,770
129 - UFC FN: Nogueira vs. Davis - Seattle @ KeyArena - 13,741
130 - UFC FN: Whittaker vs. Brunson - Melbourne @ Rod Laver Arena - 13,721
131 - UFC 66: Liddell vs. Ortiz - Las Vegas @ MGM Garden Arena - 13,671
132 - UFC 219: Cyborg vs. Holm - Las Vegas @ T-Mobile Arena - 13,561
133 - UFC 155: JDS vs. Velasquez 2 - Las Vegas @ MGM Garden Arena - 13,561
134 - UFC 108: Evans vs. Silva - Las Vegas @ MGM Garden Arena - 13,529
135 - UFC 54: Boiling Point - Las Vegas @ MGM Garden Arena - 13,520
136 - UFC 174: DJ vs. Bagautinov - Vancouver @ Rogers Arena - 13,506
137 - UFC on Fox: Bendo vs. Melendez - San Jose @ HP Pavilion - 13,506
138 - UFC 172: Jones vs. Teixeira - Baltimore @ Baltimore Arena - 13,485
139 - UFC FN: Edgar vs. Faber - Pasay @ Mall of Asia Arena - 13,446
140 - UFC on Fox: Machida vs. Rockhold - Newark @ Prudential Center - 13,306
141 - UFC 95: Sanchez vs. Stevenson - London @ The O2 arena - 13,268
142 - UFC 157: Rousey vs. Carmouche - Anaheim @ Honda Center - 13,257
143 - UFC on Fox: Shevchenko vs. Peña - Denver @ Pepsi Center - 13,233
144 - UFC 73: Stacked - Sacramento @ ARCO Arena - 13,183
145 - UFC FN: Rothwell vs. JDS - Zagreb @ Arena Zagreb - 13,177
146 - UFC 209: Woodley vs. Thompson 2 - Vegas @ T-Mobile Arena - 13,150
147 - UFC on Fox: PVZ vs. Waterson - Sacramento @ Golden 1 Center - 13,136
148 - UFC 183: Silva vs. Diaz - Las Vegas @ MGM Garden Arena - 13,114
149 - UFC 132: Cruz vs. Faber - Las Vegas @ MGM Garden Arena - 13,109
150 - UFC 150: Bendo vs. Edgar II - Denver @ Pepsi Center - 13,027
151 - UFC 8: David vs. Goliath - Bayamón @ Coliseo Rubén Rodríguez - 13,000
152 - UFC 117: Silva vs. Sonnen - Oakland @ Oracle Arena - 12,971
153 - UFC 162: Silva vs. Weidman - Las Vegas @ MGM Garden Arena - 12,964
154 - UFC 125: Resolution - Las Vegas @ MGM Garden Arena - 12,874
155 - UFC 99: The Comeback - Cologne @ Lanxess Arena - 12,854
156 - UFC 213: Romero vs. Whittaker - Las Vegas @ T-Mobile Arena - 12,834
157 - UFC 130: Rampage vs. Hamill - Las Vegas @ MGM Garden Arena - 12,753
158 - UFC 116: Lesnar vs. Carwin - Las Vegas @ MGM Garden Arena - 12,740
159 - UFC FN: Gustafsson vs. Teixeira - Stockholm @ Ericsson Globe - 12,668
160 - UFC 128: Shogun vs. Jones - Newark @ Prudential Center - 12,619
161 - UFC 187: Johnson vs. Cormier - Las Vegas @ MGM Garden Arena - 12,615
162 - UFC 98: Evans vs. Machida - Las Vegas @ MGM Garden Arena - 12,606
163 - UFC 63: Hughes vs. Penn - Anaheim @ Arrowhead Pond - 12,604
164 - UFC 32: Meadowlands - East Rutherford @ Continental Airlines Arena - 12,500
165 - UFC 221: Romero vs. Rockhold - Perth @ Perth Arena - 12,437
166 - UFC FN: Hunt vs. Nelson - Saitama @ Saitama Super Arena - 12,395
167 - UFC 160: Velasquez vs. Bigfoot 2 - Las Vegas @ MGM Garden Arena - 12,380
168 - UFC on Fox: DJ vs. Reis - Kansas City @ Sprint Center - 12,171
169 - UFC FN: Bendo vs. Masvidal - Seoul @ Olympic Gymnastics Arena - 12,156
170 - UFC FN: Cejudo vs. Dillashaw - Brooklyn @ Barclays Center - 12,152
171 - UFC 49: Unfinished Business - Las Vegas @ MGM Garden Arena - 12,100
172 - UFC 222: Cyborg vs. Kunitskaya - Las Vegas @ T-Mobile Arena - 12,041
173 - UFC FN: Dillashaw vs. Cruz - Boston @ TD Garden - 12,022
174 - UFC 56: Full Force - Las Vegas @ MGM Garden Arena - 12,000
175 - UFC 53: Heavy Hitters - Atlantic City @ Boardwalk Hall - 12,000
176 - UFC FN: Arlovski vs. Barnett - Hamburg @ Barclaycard Arena - 11,763
177 - UFC 41: Onslaught - Atlantic City @ Boardwalk Hall - 11,707
178 - UFC on Fox: Dillashaw vs. Barão 2 - Chicago @ United Center - 11,663
179 - UFC on Fox: Velasquez vs. JDS - Anaheim @ Honda Center - 11,607
180 - UFC FN: Rodríguez vs. Penn - Phoenix @ Talking Stick Resort Arena - 11,589
181 - UFC 133: Evans vs. Ortiz - Philadelphia @ Wells Fargo Center - 11,583
182 - UFC 182: Jones vs. Cormier - Las Vegas @ MGM Garden Arena - 11,575
183 - UFC on Fox: DJ vs. Benavidez 2 - Sacramento @ Sleep Train Arena - 11,573
184 - UFC on Fox: Lawler vs. Brown - San Jose @ SAP Center - 11,482
185 - TUF Latin 3: RDA vs. Ferguson - Mexico City @ Arena Ciudad - 11,460
186 - UFC 47: It's On! - Las Vegas @ Mandalay Bay Events - 11,437
187 - UFC FN: Zombie vs. Rodríguez - Denver @ Pepsi Center - 11,426
188 - UFC 179: Aldo vs. Mendes 2 - Rio de Janeiro @ Maracanãzinho - 11,415
189 - UFC FN: Hunt vs. Bigfoot - Brisbane @ Brisbane Entertainment Centre - 11,393
190 - UFC on Fox: Poirier vs. Gaethje - Glendale @ Gila River Arena - 11,382
191 - UFC 197: Jones vs. OSP - Las Vegas @ MGM Garden Arena - 11,352
192 - UFC on Fox: Teixeira vs. Evans - Tampa @ Amalie Arena - 11,273
193 - UFC on Fox: Weidman vs. Gastelum - Uniondale @ Nassau Coliseum - 11,198
194 - UFC 61: Bitter Rivals - Las Vegas @ Mandalay Bay Events - 11,167
195 - UFC FN: Cowboy vs. Till - Gdańsk @ Ergo Arena - 11,138
196 - UFC 177: Dillashaw vs. Soto - Sacramento @ Sleep Train Arena - 11,100
197 - UFC FN: Maia vs. Usman - Santiago @ Movistar Arena - 11,082
198 - UFC 79: Nemesis - Las Vegas @ Mandalay Bay Events - 11,075
199 - UFC 51: Super Saturday - Las Vegas @ Mandalay Bay Events - 11,072
200 - UFC 74: Respect - Las Vegas @ Mandalay Bay Events - 11,065
201 - UFC 173: Barão vs. Dillashaw - Las Vegas @ MGM Garden Arena - 11,036
202 - UFC 112: Invincible - Abu Dhabi @ Yas Island - 11,008
203 - UFC 86: Jackson vs. Griffin - Las Vegas @ Mandalay Bay Events - 10,990
204 - UFC on Fox: Bendo vs. Thomson - Chicago @ United Center - 10,895
205 - UFC 126: Silva vs. Belfort - Las Vegas @ Mandalay Bay Events - 10,893
206 - UFC 191: DJ vs. Dodson 2 - Las Vegas @ MGM Garden Arena - 10,873
207 - UFC 100 - Las Vegas @ Mandalay Bay Events - 10,871
208 - UFC 138: Leben vs. Muñoz - Birmingham @ LG Arena - 10,823
209 - UFC on Fox: Diaz vs. Miller - East Rutherford @ IZOD Center - 10,788
210 - UFC 67: All or Nothing - Las Vegas @ Mandalay Bay Events - 10,787
211 - UFC FN: MacDonald vs. Saffiedine - Halifax @ Scotiabank Centre - 10,782
212 - UFC 109: Relentless - Las Vegas @ Mandalay Bay Events - 10,753
213 - UFC 46: Supernatural - Las Vegas @ Mandalay Bay Events - 10,700
214 - UFC 224: Nunes vs. Pennington - Rio de Janeiro @ Jeunesse Arena - 10,696
215 - UFC 57: Liddell vs. Couture 3 - Las Vegas @ Mandalay Bay Events - 10,659
216 - UFC 216: Ferguson vs. Lee - Las Vegas @ T-Mobile Arena - 10,638
217 - UFC FN: Belfort vs. Hendo 3 - São Paulo @ do Ibirapuera - 10,628
218 - UFC 142: Aldo vs. Mendes - Rio de Janeiro @ HSBC Arena - 10,605
219 - UFC on Fox: Alvarez vs. Poirier 2 - Calgary @ Scotiabank Saddledome - 10,603
220 - UFC FN: Nelson vs. Ponzinibbio - Glasgow @ The SSE Hydro - 10,589
221 - UFC 81: Breaking Point - Las Vegas @ Mandalay Bay Events - 10,583
222 - UFC FN: Belfort vs. Hendo - Goiânia @ Goiânia Arena - 10,565
223 - UFC on Fox: Johnson vs. Bader - Newark @ Prudential Center - 10,555
224 - UFC 178: DJ vs. Cariaso - Las Vegas @ MGM Garden Arena - 10,544
225 - UFC on Fox: Maia vs. Condit - Vancouver @ Rogers Arena - 10,533
226 - UFC 106: Ortiz vs. Griffin 2 - Las Vegas @ Mandalay Bay Events - 10,529
227 - UFC 62: Liddell vs. Sobral - Las Vegas @ Mandalay Bay Events - 10,503
228 - UFC FN: Cowboy vs. Medeiros - Austin @ Frank Erwin Center - 10,502
229 - UFC FN: MacDonald vs. Thompson - Ottawa @ TD Place Arena - 10,490
230 - UFC FN: Bisping vs. Leites - Glasgow @ The SSE Hydro - 10,451
231 - UFC FN: Overeem vs. Arlovski - Rotterdam @ Ahoy Rotterdam - 10,421
232 - TUF Latin 2: Magny vs. Kelvin - Monterrey @ Arena Monterrey - 10,410
233 - UFC 44: Undisputed - Las Vegas @ Mandalay Bay Events - 10,400
234 - UFC FN: Machida vs. Muñoz - Manchester @ Phones 4u Arena - 10,355
235 - UFC on Fuel TV: Barão vs. McDonald - London @ Wembley Arena - 10,349
236 - UFC 137: Penn vs. Diaz - Las Vegas @ Mandalay Bay Events - 10,313
237 - UFC FN: Blaydes vs. Ngannou 2 - Beijing @ Cadillac Arena - 10,302
238 - UFC 195: Lawler vs. Condit - Las Vegas @ MGM Garden Arena - 10,300
239 - UFC on Fox: Holm vs. Shevchenko - Chicago @ United Center - 10,287
240 - UFC 156: Aldo vs. Edgar - Las Vegas @ Mandalay Bay Events - 10,275
241 - UFC FN: Condit vs. Kampmann - Nashville @ Sommet Center - 10,267
242 - UFC FN: Brunson vs. Machida - São Paulo @ do Ibirapuera - 10,265
243 - UFC on Fox: Jacaré vs. Brunson 2 - Charlotte @ Spectrum Center - 10,249
244 - UFC FN: Magny vs. Ponzinibbio - Buenos Aires @ Mary Terán - 10,245
245 - UFC 201: Lawler vs. Woodley - Atlanta @ Philips Arena - 10,240
246 - UFC FN: Volkov vs. Struve - Rotterdam @ Ahoy Rotterdam - 10,224
247 - UFC 170: Rousey vs. McMann - Las Vegas @ Mandalay Bay Events - 10,217
248 - UFC 64: Unstoppable - Las Vegas @ Mandalay Bay Events - 10,173
249 - UFC FN: Pettis vs. Moreno - Mexico City @ Arena Ciudad - 10,172
250 - UFC 186: DJ vs. Horiguchi - Montreal @ Bell Centre - 10,154
251 - UFC FN: Machida vs. Anders - Belém @ Arena Guilherme Paraense - 10,144
252 - UFC FN: Swanson vs. Lobov - Nashville @ Bridgestone Arena - 10,144
253 - UFC FN: Barnett vs. Nelson - Saitama @ Saitama Super Arena - 10,137
254 - UFC FN: Edgar vs. Swanson - Austin @ Frank Erwin Center - 10,131
255 - UFC on Fox: Emmett vs. Stephens - Orlando @ Amway Center - 10,124
256 - UFC 175: Weidman vs. Machida - Las Vegas @ Mandalay Bay Events - 10,088
257 - UFC FN: Stephens vs. Choi - St. Louis @ Scottrade Center - 10,052
258 - UFC FN: Nelson vs. Story - Stockholm @ Ericsson Globe - 10,026
259 - UFC FN: Werdum vs. Tybura - Sydney @ Qudos Bank Arena - 10,021
260 - UFC FN: Gonzaga vs. Cro Cop 2 - Kraków @ Tauron Arena Kraków - 10,000
261 - UFC 48: Payback - Las Vegas @ Mandalay Bay Events - 10,000
262 - UFC 36: Worlds Collide - Las Vegas @ MGM Garden Arena - 10,000
263 - UFC 9: Motor City Madness - Detroit @ Cobo Arena - 10,000
264 - UFC FN: Rockhold vs. Bisping - Sydney @ Allphones Arena - 9,904
265 - UFC 43: Meltdown - Las Vegas @ Thomas & Mack Center - 9,800
266 - UFC 181: Hendricks vs. Lawler II - Las Vegas @ Mandalay Bay Events - 9,617
267 - UFC 35: Throwdown - Uncasville @ Mohegan Sun Arena - 9,600
268 - UFC 58: USA vs. Canada - Las Vegas @ Mandalay Bay Events - 9,569
269 - UFC FN: Hunt vs. Mir - Brisbane @ Brisbane Entertainment Centre - 9,552
270 - UFC FN: Barboza vs. Lee - Atlantic City @ Boardwalk Hall - 9,541
271 - UFC 89: Bisping vs. Leben - Birmingham @ National Indoor Arena - 9,515
272 - UFC FN: Holohan vs. Smolka - Dublin @ 3Arena - 9,500
273 - UFC FN: McGregor vs. Brandao - Dublin @ The O2 - 9,500
274 - UFC 33: Victory in Vegas - Las Vegas @ Mandalay Bay Events - 9,500
275 - UFC FN: Diaz vs. Guillard - Oklahoma City @ Cox Convention Center - 9,490
276 - UFC FN: Santos vs. Anders - São Paulo @ do Ibirapuera - 9,485
277 - UFC Live: Cruz vs. DJ - Washington @ Verizon Center - 9,380
278 - UFC 93: Franklin vs. Hendo - Dublin @ The O2 - 9,369
279 - UFC FN: Swanson vs. Stephens - San Antonio @ AT&T Center - 9,227
280 - UFC 45: Revolution - Uncasville @ Mohegan Sun Arena - 9,200
281 - UFC 164: Bendo vs. Pettis II - Milwaukee @ BMO Harris Bradley Center - 9,178
282 - UFC on FX: Belfort vs. Bisping - São Paulo @ do Ibirapuera - 9,116
283 - UFC FN: Diaz vs. Neer - Omaha @ Civic Auditorium - 9,103
284 - UFC FN: Bader vs. Nogueira 2 - São Paulo @ do Ibirapuera - 9,028
285 - UFC 143: Diaz vs. Condit - Las Vegas @ Mandalay Bay Events - 9,015
286 - UFC on Fox: Lee vs. Iaquinta 2 - Milwaukee @ Fiserv Forum - 9,010
287 - UFC 50: The War of '04 - Atlantic City @ Boardwalk Hall - 9,000
288 - UFC 34: High Voltage - Las Vegas @ MGM Garden Arena - 9,000
289 - UFC 7: The Brawl in Buffalo - Buffalo @ Buffalo Memorial Auditorium - 9,000
290 - TUF Brazil 3 : Miocic vs. Maldonado - São Paulo @ do Ibirapuera - 8,986
291 - UFC on Fox: DJ vs. Moraga - Seattle @ KeyArena - 8,967
292 - UFC on Fox: Lawler vs. RDA - Winnipeg @ Bell MTS Place - 8,862
293 - UFC FN: Bigfoot vs. Arlovski - Brasília @ Nilson Nelson - 8,822
294 - UFC FN: Bendo vs. Khabilov - Albuquerque @ Tingley Coliseum - 8,775
295 - UFC FN: JDS vs. Tuivasa - Adelaide @ Adelaide Entertainment Centre - 8,652
296 - UFC FN: Lewis vs. Hunt - Auckland @ Spark Arena - 8,649
297 - UFC FN: OSP vs. Okami - Saitama @ Saitama Super Arena - 8,571
298 - UFC FN: Thompson vs. Till - Liverpool @ Echo Arena - 8,520
299 - UFC: Fight for the Troops - Fayetteville @ Crown Coliseum - 8,500
300 - UFC FN: Poirier vs. Pettis - Norfolk @ Ted Constant Convocation Center - 8,442
301 - UFC 122: Marquardt vs. Okami - Oberhausen @ König Pilsener Arena - 8,421
302 - UFC on Fuel TV: Franklin vs. Le - Macau @ CotaiArena - 8,415
303 - UFC FN: Holm vs. Correia - Kallang @ Singapore Indoor Stadium - 8,414
304 - UFC 80: Rapid Fire - Newcastle upon Tyne @ Metro Radio Arena - 8,412
305 - UFC FN: Cyborg vs. Lansberg - Brasília @ Nilson Nelson - 8,410
306 - UFC Live: Sanchez vs. Kampmann - Louisville @ KFC Yum! Center - 8,319
307 - UFC FN: Jędrzejczyk vs. Penne - Berlin @ O2 World - 8,155
308 - UFC Live: Jones vs. Matyushenko - San Diego @ Sports Arena - 8,132
309 - UFC FN: Lewis vs. Browne - Halifax @ Scotiabank Centre - 8,123
310 - UFC FN: Bermudez vs. Zombie - Houston @ Toyota Center - 8,119
311 - TUF: Joanna vs. Cláudia - Las Vegas @ MGM Garden Arena - 8,115
312 - UFC FN: Te Huna vs. Marquardt - Auckland @ Vector Arena - 8,089
313 - UFC FN: Maynard vs. Diaz - Fairfax @ Patriot Center - 8,078
314 - UFC FN: Muñoz vs. Mousasi - Berlin @ O2 World - 8,000
315 - UFC 55: Fury - Uncasville @ Mohegan Sun Arena - 8,000
316 - UFC FN: Miocic vs. Hunt - Adelaide @ Adelaide Entertainment Centre - 7,984
317 - UFC FN: Nogueira vs. Nelson - Abu Dhabi @ du Arena - 7,963
318 - UFC 72: Victory - Belfast @ The Odyssey - 7,850
319 - UFC 39: The Warriors Return - Uncasville @ Mohegan Sun Arena - 7,800
320 - UFC 1: The Beginning - Denver @ McNichols Sports Arena - 7,800
321 - UFC FN: Shogun vs. Smith - Hamburg @ Barclaycard Arena - 7,798
322 - UFC Live: Kongo vs. Barry - Pittsburgh @ Consol Energy Center - 7,792
323 - UFC FN: RDA vs. Alvarez - Las Vegas @ MGM Garden Arena - 7,760
324 - UFC on FX: Guillard vs. Miller - Nashville @ Bridgestone Arena - 7,728
325 - UFC FN: Marquardt vs. Palhares - Austin @ Frank Erwin Center - 7,724
326 - UFC FN: Maia vs. LaFlare - Rio de Janeiro @ do Maracanãzinho - 7,707
327 - UFC FN: Florian vs. Gomi - Charlotte @ Bojangles Coliseum - 7,700
328 - UFC on FX: Belfort vs. Rockhold - Jaraguá do Sul @ Arena Jaraguá - 7,642
329 - UFC FN: Swanson vs. Ortega - Fresno @ Save Mart Center - 7,605
330 - UFC FN: Chiesa vs. Lee - Oklahoma City @ Chesapeake Energy Arena - 7,605
331 - UFC FN: Lauzon vs. Stephens - Tampa @ USF Sun Dome - 7,596
332 - UFC FN: Teixeira vs. OSP - Nashville @ Bridgestone Arena - 7,539
333 - UFC FN: Machida vs. Mousasi - Jaraguá do Sul @ Arena Jaraguá - 7,511
334 - UFC 42: Sudden Impact - Miami @ AmericanAirlines Arena - 7,500
335 - UFC FN: Hendricks vs. Thompson - Las Vegas @ MGM Garden Arena - 7,422
336 - UFC FN: Cowboy vs. Cowboy - Pittsburgh @ Consol Energy Center - 7,330
337 - UFC on Fuel TV: Struve vs. Miocic - Nottingham @ Capital FM Arena - 7,241
338 - UFC FN: Mousasi vs. Hall 2 - Belfast @ The SSE Arena - 7,222
339 - UFC FN: Holloway vs. Oliveira - Saskatoon @ SaskTel Centre - 7,202
340 - UFC 37: High Impact - Bossier City @ CenturyTel Center - 7,200
341 - UFC FN: Bendo vs. RDA - Tulsa @ BOK Center - 7,119
342 - UFC FN: Shields vs. Ellenberger - New Orleans @ Morial Center - 7,112
343 - UFC on FX: Browne vs. Bigfoot - Minneapolis @ Target Center - 7,049
344 - UFC FN: Bisping vs. Le - Macau @ CotaiArena - 7,022
345 - UFC FN: Rockhold vs. Branch - Pittsburgh @ PPG Paints Arena - 7,005
346 - UFC FN: Shogun vs. Hendo 2 - Natal @ Nélio Dias - 6,828
347 - UFC Live: Hardy vs. Lytle - Milwaukee @ Bradley Center - 6,751
348 - UFC FN: Florian vs. Lauzon - Broomfield @ Broomfield Event Center - 6,742
349 - UFC FN: Rodríguez vs. Caceres - Salt Lake City @ Vivint Arena - 6,689
350 - UFC on Fuel TV: Zombie vs. Poirier - Fairfax @ Patriot Center - 6,668
351 - UFC on FX: DJ vs. McCall - Sunrise @ BankAtlantic Center - 6,635
352 - UFC FN: Maia vs. Shields - Barueri @ José Corrêa - 6,621
353 - TUF: Edgar vs. Penn - Las Vegas @ Mandalay Bay Events - 6,500
354 - UFC Live: Vera vs. Jones - Broomfield @ 1stBank Center - 6,443
355 - UFC FN: Cowboy vs. Edwards - Kallang @ Singapore Indoor Stadium - 6,419
356 - UFC FN: Condit vs. Kampmann 2 - Indianapolis @ Bankers Fieldhouse - 6,417
357 - UFC FN: Gaethje vs. Vick - Lincoln @ Pinnacle Bank Arena - 6,409
358 - TUF: Redemption - Las Vegas @ T-Mobile Arena - 6,308
359 - UFC on Fuel TV: Nogueira vs. Werdum - Fortaleza @ Paulo Sarasate - 6,286
360 - UFC on Fuel TV: Sanchez vs. Ellenberger - Omaha @ Civic Auditorium - 6,283
361 - UFC FN: Volkan vs. Smith - Moncton @ Avenir Centre - 6,282
362 - UFC FN: Lineker vs. Dodson - Portland @ Moda Center - 6,240
363 - UFC FN: Boetsch vs. Hendo - New Orleans @ Smoothie King Center - 6,231
364 - UFC FN: Lewis vs. Abdurakhimov - Albany @ Times Union Center - 6,216
365 - UFC FN: Brown vs. Silva - Cincinnati @ U.S. Bank Arena - 6,143
366 - TUF China : Kim vs. Hathaway - Macau @ CotaiArena - 6,000
367 - UFC: The Ultimate Ultimate 2 - Birmingham @ Fair Park Arena - 6,000
368 - UFC 5: The Return of the Beast - Charlotte @ Independence Arena - 6,000
369 - TUF: Jones vs. Sonnen - Las Vegas @ Mandalay Bay Events - 5,918
370 - UFC 4: Revenge of the Warriors - Tulsa @ Expo Square Pavilion - 5,857
371 - UFC FN: Rockhold vs. Philippou - Duluth @ Arena at Gwinnett Center - 5,822
372 - UFC FN: Bendo vs. Thatch - Broomfield @ 1stBank Center - 5,807
373 - UFC FN: McDonald vs. Lineker - Sioux Falls @ Denny Sanford Ctr. - 5,671
374 - UFC FN: Shogun vs. OSP - Uberlândia @ Municipal Tancredo Neves - 5,671
375 - UFC FN: JDS vs. Ivanov - Boise @ CenturyLink Arena - 5,648
376 - UFC FN: Poirier vs. DJ - Hidalgo @ State Farm Arena - 5,624
377 - UFC FN: Machida vs. Romero - Hollywood @ Seminole Hard Rock Hotel - 5,604
378 - UFC FN: Mir vs. Duffee - San Diego @ Valley View Casino Center - 5,471
379 - UFC FN: Mendes vs. Lamas - Fairfax @ Patriot Center - 5,417
380 - UFC FN: Bader vs. OSP - Bangor @ Cross Insurance Center - 5,329
381 - UFC FN: Evans vs. Salmon - Hollywood @ Seminole Hard Rock Hotel - 5,287
382 - UFC FN: Saffiedine vs. Lim - Marina Bay @ Marina Bay Sands - 5,216
383 - UFC FN: Almeida vs. Garbrandt - Las Vegas @ Mandalay Bay Events - 5,193
384 - UFC on FX: Sotiropoulos vs. Pearson - Gold Coast @ Convention Center - 5,133
385 - UFC FN: Teixeira vs. Bader - Belo Horizonte @ Mineirinho Arena - 5,126
386 - UFC 13: The Ultimate Force - Augusta @ Augusta Civic Center - 5,100
387 - UFC FN: Bigfoot vs. Mir - Porto Alegre @ Gigantinho - 5,080
388 - UFC FN: Rivera vs. Moraes - Utica @ Adirondack Bank Center - 5,063
389 - TUF Nations : Bisping vs. Kennedy - Quebec City @ Colisée Pepsi - 5,029
390 - UFC 38: Brawl at the Hall - London @ Royal Albert Hall - 5,000
391 - UFC Japan: Ultimate Japan - Yokohama @ Yokohama Arena - 5,000
392 - UFC 14: Showdown - Birmingham @ Boutwell Memorial Auditorium - 5,000
393 - TUF: Rousey vs. Tate - Las Vegas @ Mandalay Bay Events - 4,853
394 - TUF: ATT vs. Blackzilians - Las Vegas @ MGM Garden Arena - 4,844
395 - UFC on FX: Maynard vs. Guida - Atlantic City @ Revel Casino Hotel - 4,652
396 - UFC 16: Battle in the Bayou - New Orleans @ Pontchartrain Center - 4,600
397 - UFC 11: The Proving Ground - Augusta @ Augusta Civic Center - 4,500
398 - UFC 10: The Tournament - Birmingham @ Fair Park Arena - 4,300
399 - UFC on Fuel TV: Muñoz vs. Weidman - San Jose @ HP Pavilion - 4,250
400 - UFC FN: Cerrone vs. Miller - Atlantic City @ Revel Casino Hotel - 4,115
401 - UFC FN: Jacaré vs. Mousasi - Mashantucket @ Foxwoods Resort Casino - 4,086
402 - UFC 37.5: As Real As It Gets - Las Vegas @ Bellagio - 3,700
403 - UFC FN 6.5 - Hollywood @ Seminole Hard Rock Hotel - 3,510
404 - UFC FN: Condit vs. Alves - Goiânia @ Goiânia Arena - 3,500
405 - UFC: Fight for the Troops 2 - Fort Hood @ Fort Hood - 3,200
406 - UFC 12: Judgement Day - Dothan @ Dothan Civic Center - 3,100
407 - UFC FN: Sanchez vs. Riggs - San Diego @ Air Station Miramar - 3,000
408 - UFC 30: Battle on the Boardwalk - Atlantic City @ Trump Taj Mahal - 3,000
409 - UFC: The Ultimate Ultimate - Denver @ Mammoth Gardens - 2,800
410 - UFC 6: Clash of the Titans - Casper @ Casper Events Center - 2,700
411 - TUF: McGregor vs. Faber - Las Vegas @ The Chelsea - 2,566
412 - TUF: Carwin vs. Nelson - Las Vegas @ Hard Rock Hotel - 2,500
413 - TUF: US vs. UK - Las Vegas @ Palms Resort - 2,217
414 - TUF: Undefeated - Las Vegas @ Palms Resort - 2,123
415 - UFC FN: Silva vs. Irvin - Las Vegas @ Palms Resort - 2,071
416 - TUF: Lesnar vs. JDS - Las Vegas @ Palms Resort - 2,053
417 - TUF: Tournament of Champions - Las Vegas @ Palms Resort - 2,044
418 - TUF: Heavy Hitters - Las Vegas @ Pearl Theatre - 2,020
419 - UFC 2: No Way Out - Denver @ Mammoth Gardens - 2,000
420 - TUF: Bisping vs. Miller - Las Vegas @ Palms Resort - 1,909
421 - TUF: GSP vs. Koscheck - Las Vegas @ Palms Resort - 1,903
422 - UFC FN: Swick vs. Burkman - Las Vegas @ Palms Resort - 1,900
423 - TUF: Nogueira vs. Mir - Las Vegas @ Palms Resort - 1,853
424 - TUF: Rampage vs. Forrest - Las Vegas @ Palms Resort - 1,853
425 - TUF: A Champion Will Be Crowned - Las Vegas @ Palms Resort - 1,800
426 - TUF: Heavyweights - Las Vegas @ Palms Resort - 1,791
427 - UFC FN: Stevenson vs. Guillard - Las Vegas @ Palms Resort - 1,734
428 - TUF: Liddell vs. Ortiz - Las Vegas @ Palms Resort - 1,708
429 - UFC FN: Namajunas vs. PVZ - Las Vegas @ The Chelsea - 1,643
430 - TUF: Live - Las Vegas @ Palms Resort - 1,628
431 - UFC 29: Defense of the Belts - Tokyo @ Differ Ariake Arena - 1,414
432 - UFC FN 6 - Summerlin @ Red Rock Resort Spa and Casino - 1,412
433 - UFC 26: Field of Dreams - Cedar Rapids @ Five Seasons Events Ctr. - 1,100
434 - UFC Ultimate FN 3 - Las Vegas @ Hard Rock Hotel - 1,008
435 - TUF: The Comeback - Las Vegas @ Hard Rock Hotel - 1,000
436 - TUF: Ortiz vs. Shamrock - Las Vegas @ Hard Rock Hotel - 849
437 - UFC Ultimate FN 4 - Las Vegas @ Hard Rock Hotel - 843
438 - UFC Ultimate FN 5 - Las Vegas @ Hard Rock Hotel - 606

These Events Have No Reported Attendance Record

TUF: A New World Champion - Las Vegas @ Park Theater
UFC FN: Machida vs. Dollaway - Barueri @ José Corrêa
UFC: Fight for the Troops 3 - Fort Campbell @ Fort Campbell
TUF: Hughes vs. Serra - Las Vegas @ Palms Resort
UFC FN: Thomas vs. Florian - Las Vegas @ Palms Resort
TUF: Pulver vs. Penn - Las Vegas @ Palms Resort
UFC FN: Stout vs. Fisher - Hollywood @ Seminole Hard Rock Hotel
TUF: Hughes vs. Franklin - Las Vegas @ Hard Rock Hotel
UFC Ultimate FN 2 - Las Vegas @ Hard Rock Hotel
UFC Ultimate FN - Las Vegas @ Cox Pavilion
TUF: Couture vs. Liddell - Las Vegas @ Cox Pavilion
UFC 31: Locked and Loaded - Atlantic City @ Trump Taj Mahal
UFC 28: High Stakes - Atlantic City @ Trump Taj Mahal
UFC 27: Ultimate Bad Boyz - New Orleans @ Lakefront Arena
UFC 25: Ultimate Japan 3 - Tokyo @ Yoyogi National Gymnasium
UFC 24: First Defense - Lake Charles @ Lake Charles Civic Center
UFC 23: Ultimate Japan 2 - Chiba @ Tokyo Bay NK Hall
UFC 22: Only One Can be Champion - Lake Charles @ Lake Charles Civic Center
UFC 21: Return of the Champions - Cedar Rapids @ Five Seasons Events Center
UFC 20: Battle for the Gold - Birmingham @ Boutwell Memorial Auditorium
UFC 19: Ultimate Young Guns - Bay St. Louis @ Casino Magic Bay St. Louis
UFC 18: The Road to the Heavyweight Title - New Orleans @ Pontchartrain Center
UFC Brazil: Ultimate Brazil - São Paulo @ da Portuguesa
UFC 17: Redemption - Mobile @ Mobile Civic Center
UFC 15: Collision Course - Bay St. Louis @ Casino Magic Bay St. Louis
UFC 3: The American Dream - Charlotte @ Grady Cole Center
UFC 233 - Anaheim @ Honda Center
UFC FN: Lamas vs. Penn - Pasay @ Mall of Asia Arena
UFC 176: Aldo vs. Mendes II - Los Angeles @ Staples Center
UFC 151: Jones vs. Henderson - Las Vegas @ Mandalay Bay Events

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Jim Allen, CEO of Hard Rock International, speaks during an employee meeting at the Hard Rock casino in Atlantic City, N.J. on Jan. 16, 2020, at which the company handed out bonuses totaling $2 Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tulsa is the ultimate destination for gaming and entertainment, featuring more than 2,600 electronic games, a popular music venue, and multiple dining options! The Cherokee Nation has announced it will reopen its casinos, including the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tulsa, shown in an aerial view from 2017. Hard Rock Reaffirms Long-Term Commitment to Atlantic City ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. (February 2, 2021) – Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Atlantic City announced today that over 2,000 front-line team members will receive a bonus for the second consecutive year in recognition of their loyalty, hard work, and dedication to the gaming resort throughout the pandemic… Hard Rock Live After 10 years of bringing world-class entertainment to Northeast Oklahoma, Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tulsa has ushered in a new era and is home to Hard Rock Live, an award-winning concert experience. Learn more Track 5. Track 5. is a live music dance hall inspired by Oklahoma's rich Honky Tonk Roots. River Spirit Casino River Spirit Casino . March 17, 2020 at 1:36 pm CDT By Ben Morgan. TULSA, Okla. — Two casinos have announced temporary closures due to coronavirus. An announcement was made Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tulsa is ranked by U.S. News as one of the Best Hotels in Tulsa for 2020. Check prices, photos and reviews. TULSA – Hard Rock Live, formerly known as The Joint: Tulsa, has been awarded the prestigious 2020 Casino of the Year – Theater award by the Academy of Country Music. Social Responsibility. Since 1971, our mission at Hard Rock has been to “do well by doing good” in our Local and Global communities, In a world where Corporate Philanthropy has become a new business strategy for many organizations, we are proud to say that our pursuit to Love-All – Serve All has been part of our DNA since DAY 1. By Chris Wright, The News On 6. CATOOSA, OK -- The Tulsa area is now home to only the seventh Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in the world. The ribbon cutting is set for Monday, but The News On 6 got a

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Partial roof collapse at Hard Rock Casino near Tulsa - YouTube

sorry the last machine the pic is a bit dark I had to hide the camera.. hardrock be tripping 😂😂😂 thanks for watching About Press Copyright Contact us Creators Advertise Developers Terms Privacy Policy & Safety How YouTube works Test new features Press Copyright Contact us Creators ... Partial roof collapse at Hard Rock Casino near Tulsa "You never know who you'll run into!"Bret Michaels and Major Dodge star in a Hard Rock Hotel and Casino Tulsa commercial. Produced by the Signal Factory and... HARD ROCK CASINO Tulsa - *ABSOLUTE INSANE REELS!!!*.One of the craziest runs on the reels About Press Copyright Contact us Creators Advertise Developers Terms Privacy Policy & Safety How YouTube works Test new features Press Copyright Contact us Creators ... Winning on $1 machine , started video at the end on 6 red screens !!! TriArch Architecture was the architect on the Hard Rock Tulsa Resort Pool area. The new pool at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino will provide upscale amenities m...

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