How Does the Thunder Impact Oklahoma City?

By Colleen Chen, NEWS 9

OKLAHOMA CITY -- The Oklahoma City Thunder is on the verge of finishing a season that has thrilled fans, and the Thunder's impact is what Oklahoma State University's Sports Management Institute is interested in.

The institute is headed up by Bryan Finch who said the research is important for the sports management industry.

"If you don't really understand what role you are playing in a community then you are not going to have an effective message," Finch said.

He said understanding is important in public relations and market and ultimately ticket sales. It's the reason the results of a survey about the Thunder's impact will be good lesson material for Finch's students.

Take the survey on the Thunder's impact on Oklahoma City

The survey asks questions about sense of community, civic pride, and social capital in Oklahoma City.

"A lot of them have said it's restored pride in my community and shows Oklahoma City can handle being a big league town," Finch said.

Finch said he needs hundreds more who live in the metro to complete the survey in order for it to be effective.

"The more responses we can get from Oklahoma City metro residents, the easier it is to run the stats and find out what the numbers really say," Finch said.

The study is in partnership with a professor from Louisiana who is doing the same research on New Orleans. The two professors chose New Orleans and Oklahoma City in part because of the Hornets tie to both cities.

All submissions need to be completed by the end of April. Results will be presented in May.