Quote:
Originally Posted by browna
Well, don't the Flames also have to subsidize other AHL teams flying here now? So economics are out the window, they pay more for travel costs for them and others, maybe make a bit more money and some less expenses than Stockton by hosting on home rink and synergy with the CSEC, but they aren't coming out ahead.
But I agree with T99, and as I said earlier, imo this is a shorter term solution until a more viable long term solution presents itself or can be developed.
And really, each time this team has moved going back to Quad Cities days there's always been discussion on bringing them to Calgary, and the CSEC never has.
I don't think anything has changed to make it more viable here now, outside of just not having a solid option anywhere else next year and in combination with not forcing itself into another situation like Stockton that isn't ideal but then be stuck with it.
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How about 8 other teams in the Mountain/Pacific Time zones? Before they moved to Stockton there were 0, aside from the brief experiment with Abbotsford or Utah in the early 2000s.
If they do a 'flying' division, then all of those teams will be in the same boat for travel. There are probably a few opportunities to mitigate those costs through scheduling/collaboration with those teams.
As getback says, it it gets within a million or two of breaking even, then it could be a justifiable investment in player development/general organizational effectiveness. Do we think this has been a more lucrative venture in Stockton or anywhere else in the last 20 years?