Being in the heart of Canucks territory, I'm not at all surprised by the fact the Heat are having such a hard time filling seats.
I remember a lot of people being pretty excited for an AHL franchise (myself included), until it was realized that the team would be affiliated with the Calgary Flames. Unless you are a Flames fan, people in this area have alot of difficulty getting behind the Flames of tomorrow. I can imagine it would be the same if Calgary was awarded an AHL team that was affiliated with the Canucks.
Regarding the teams switching AHL markets, I can't see it happening unless the Winnipeg Jets return and even then, I think its doubtful. Vancouver has built a strong relationship with the Manitoba Moose, and GMMG has commented numerous times that he loves Manitobas central location (in terms of calling up players) as well as how much media attention the Moose receive (which gets players accustomed to the media pressure cooker that is Vancouver)
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