Sports is one of the most important ways that cities around the world establish a global identity. And I have said for years that it is OKC’s aspiration to be a global city. For the last 15 years, international communications firm Burson has ranked the world’s top 100 sports cities. The ranking reads like a who’s who of the world’s greatest cities. This year, for the first time, Oklahoma City has entered the top 100, at No. 86. As the home of the 2025 NBA Champion Thunder, two sports of the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, the Women’s College World Series, and one of the finest paddlesport facilities in the world, OKC’s sports reputation has now attained global status. And with a new billion-dollar arena and multipurpose stadium currently under construction, we’re not slowing down.