Maybe it's because I am a WHL fan and have no interest in the AHL but I can't see an AHL going into a CHL market and doing better/being more desirable than the junior team there.
As frustrated as people in Lethbridge are with the management of the Hurricanes they still want junior hockey here. I can't see the Heat being much interest to most people I Lethbridge at all and relying on fans from Calgary won't work.
This is a board with pretty hardcore Flames fans and for the most part the Heat get passing interest. The casual fan likely doesn't care at all about the Heat and certainly not enough to shell out a lot of money to watch.
Minor league teams work in communities where the team can be adopted as their own and fans go to support the community and because it is "theirs" in Leyhbridge, Calgary, Saskatoon the communities already have these teams in place and there is no need to bring in another team to try and fill that spot.
|