New report says the Shock are leaving Detroit

October 19, 4:39 PMDetroit Shock ExaminerMike Rosenbaum

Previous

Comment Print Email RSS Subscribe

Subscribe

Get alerts when there is a new article from the Detroit Shock Examiner. Read Examiner.com's terms of use.

Email Address   Include other special offers from Examiner.com Terms of Use

The Shock's days in Detroit appear to be numbered.

Detroit Shock

According to a report in Monday’s Detroit News, an unnamed Shock team official told the Associated Press that the Shock would be moving to Tulsa, Okla.

A Tulsa investment group will reportedly buy the team and move it to Oklahoma. The group, Tulsa Pro Hoops LLC, is led by Bill Cameron, who’s a part-owner of the NBA’s Oklahoma City Thunder. Like the Thunder, a Tulsa WNBA team would play in the new BOK Center, which seats about 18,000 fans.

The Shock averaged just over 8,000 fans per regular season game at The Palace of Auburn Hills this year, but many of those fans received discounted or free tickets. In the playoffs, the Shock offered 2,000 free tickets to fans but drew just 6,122 for their conference semi-final home game and 7,214 for their conference final game at The Palace.

No official word from the WNBA is expected before the end of October, but it appears that the Shock have played their last game in Metro Detroit, leaving a legacy of three WNBA championships behind.