[SparkyOne]

Wow. As I read this thread, it's like deja vu all over again!

There are so many similarities between the situations in QC and Abbotsford that it's almost scary in some ways. Abbotsford got their franchise almost two years to the day after the Quad Cities did! We probably had better tools media-wise to get the word out, but QC didn't have the advantage of getting the word in December or January that a team was coming like Abbotsford did. Had both Sweeting and Calgary done their jobs properly, the lack of prep time should have been a non-issue for Abbotsford.

I've seen the Heat play (more than once) when they were in the Midwest. They're essentially the same team we had though, according to some of the players, the coaching is better! We won 38 games our first year and 36 our second....now more than halfway through the season, it looks like the Heat are on about the same track. QC played in the West Division, which is extremely competitive and close. Abbotsford is on track to make the playoffs in the North Division....if they were in the West with the same record, they'd be in 6th place and struggling to make the playoffs.

But nobody's even touched the two things (other than being WAY too close to Vancouver!) that I think are going to be the biggest detriment for the Heat's success in the community. And both relate directly to location.

First, because of the location, there really aren't any rivalries. It's difficult, if not impossible, for fans to travel to Abbotsford for a weekend game. And Abbotsford fans are very removed from the league as a whole. There's no way for fans to build up that "hatred" that a rivalry brings, where you want to go to another arena to watch a game, or go to your home arena and banter back and forth with visiting fans. And rivalries bring fans--home and visitors--to the arena for those hyped games. The Heat just don't have that. Even the players notice. When they played in the QC, there were five teams within 200 miles. And there were rivalries, on and off the ice!!

Second, and more importantly, the scheduling. Because of the travel situation, every team that comes into Abbotsford has to play back-to-back games. Other than Manitoba, which is the only kind of "sorta rivalry" that the Heat has, how many fans want to watch the same two teams play twice in a row? Once in a while, that's fine. But week after week?

I really don't care whether the Heat succeed or fail in Abbotsford. I loved the AHL, and would absolutely love to have another AHL team in the QC. But I didn't like all of the Calgary drama. I didn't like how they treated an assistant coach who's done a lot for the organization. I didn't like some of their comments along the way. I loved watching the hockey, and continue to do so based on the relationships that developed during our two years with the Flames. Most of all, I don't like the Flames' track record. That said, I will wear a grin of satisfaction if Abbotsford is two and done.....

Oh, yeah. I came out here to see how the team was doing. It's very sad that there are so few Heat fans contributing. This was one of my favorite places when we had the Flames!