TULSA OILERS ANNOUNCE NEW OWNERSHIP
NL Sports, Owned by Andy Scurto, purchases team from Steven Brothers
TULSA, OK – The Tulsa Oilers, proud affiliate of the NHL’s Anaheim Ducks and the AHL’s San Diego Gulls, will enter the 2021-22 season under new ownership.
After eight years under the leadership of Steven Brothers Sports Management, Tulsa Oilers Hockey has been purchased by California-based NL Sports, LLC, owned by Andy Scurto. NL Sports’ current holdings include The Premier Hockey Federation (formerly the NWHL), Buffalo Beauts, and Minnesota Whitecaps. The announcement was made at a press conference earlier today inside the BOK Center, the Oilers home since 2008. The sale was finalized earlier this week and the terms of the deal were not disclosed.
“I’m so excited to have the opportunity to be a part of the future of Tulsa Oilers Hockey,” said Scurto. “This franchise has an outstanding history, is in an amazing city with an extremely loyal fan base, and plays in one of the best arenas in the ECHL. I’m looking forward to working closely with General Manager Taylor Hall and Head Coach Rob Murray, as well as the Oilers amazing players and staff to make sure this team has everything it needs to be incredibly successful.”
NL Sports, founded by Scurto, invests and adds leadership to hockey at all levels, with a mission in improving the game. Its current holdings include the PHF, Minnesota Whitecaps and Buffalo Beauts, where Scurto functions as team president for both clubs. Scurto is also an Executive Committee member and advisor for the PHF. Adding a professional men’s program to the portfolio was always in the plan for NL Sports. Future growth includes the development of community ice arenas, youth hockey programs and youth ice hockey academies to make hockey more accessible to everyone. Scurto believes sports are primarily for entertainment and the enjoyment of the fans, and while it’s important the team is competitive and has a winning tradition, it’s even more important the team puts a quality and entertaining product on ice where fans can come to have a great time with their families.
“Our first priority is to put a quality entertaining product on ice with a strong, competitive team,” said Scurto. “We need to win consistently and ensure the fans are having a great time while they watch a playoff-caliber team that will compete for championships.”
In the months leading up to the start of the new season, Scurto plans to add to the already existing and high-quality staff in the Oilers’ front office, while using resources to increase the Oilers exposure.
“Nothing would make me happier than to see huge crowds packing the BOK Center throughout the upcoming season,” Scurto remarked. “Coming off of a season played under the cloud of COVID-19, we want to reenergize our existing fans. We also want to make a big push to reach new fans, to attract families and to let everyone know that Tulsa Oilers hockey is the very best entertainment value in this entire region.”
The sale was approved by the league via a vote at the ECHL’s Board of Governors meeting on Sept. 9.
“The ECHL is thrilled to welcome Andy Scurto to the League for the 2021-22 Season and thanks the Stevens Brothers for their commitment to hockey in the Tulsa region since joining the ECHL in the 2014-15 Season,” said ECHL Commissioner Ryan Crelin. “Andy’s vision to grow our sport in the Tulsa market, coupled with his perseverance and experience from his other hockey ventures, poises the Oilers for success in the Tulsa region for years to come.”
