Another Battle of Alberta

[Mike__]

Edmonton is getting thier own Lacrosse team, which is great IMO. Now I'll have something to really look forward to and Calgary gets a true rival.

Edmonton lands new franchise

[Mango]

I wonder what they'll be called.

[Resolute 14]

Prepare to choke...

The Edmonton Speed.

Seriously.

Fits the drug house moniker for Rexall though...

The great thing about adding an Edmonton team from a Calgary perspective is that it turns one or two flights to Denver or California into a bus ride to Edmonton. Calgary (and Edmonton's) travel costs are going to take a healthy reduction because of the addition of this team.

[Radically Red]

This is great to see for the NLL.

Another Canadian Team is always a good thing. And a good old B.O.A. is always fun.


I hate the team already LOL.....

[browna]

A couple things after seeing Sports @ 11:30.

New owner is that shifty Urban...the same used RV salesman guy who proclaimed that he had bought the Stamps from Feterik (for a day) a few months ago.

The NLL commisioner also said that they have a "business model with a break even of 4-5K fans per game....just like the other NLL franchises have done to build thier business"

Maybe the commish should talk with ever-complaining Bannister...who proclaimed and whined a couple weeks ago that they need 10K+ every game to break even.

[CaramonLS]

Originally posted by browna@May 6 2005, 05:39 AM
A couple things after seeing Sports @ 11:30.

New owner is that shifty Urban...the same used RV salesman guy who proclaimed that he had bought the Stamps from Feterik (for a day) a few months ago.

The NLL commisioner also said that they have a "business model with a break even of 4-5K fans per game....just like the other NLL franchises have done to build thier business"

Maybe the commish should talk with ever-complaining Bannister...who proclaimed and whined a couple weeks ago that they need 10K+ every game to break even.

Didn't Bannister also imply that the flames are absolutely killing him on rent?

[The Familia]

This can only improve the Roughnecks situation. We save a ton of cash on travel expenses, automatically get a new rival, and I'm sure attendance will be big for both cities. Plus it is good for the leagues expansion. We now have even more motivation!

I also hear that the Roughies pay a fair bit on the lease. We need that improved. Also that could be a tactic by the Flames to force Bannister to sell then buy the team off him. Think about it. The Roughnecks would pay no rent, plus get some parking and food sales. Not to mention owners with deep pockets. Cross promotions with the Flames and better marketing will enhance the team. All these plus attendance over 10,000 will make the Roughies profitable.

[browna]

I think they have a standard lease signed a few years ago, and likely fair. II can't believe that in the business plan 3 years ago when he signed that lease, Bannister needed 10000+ every game or the team was going to fold.

Raise ticket prices...or lower them. 10000+ for lacrosse 7 games a year in Calgary isn't a dead certainty....this year, they couldn't do it, and had no competition.

I have no doubt Bannister wants Ken King and the Flames to buy in to the Roughnecks.
But trying to get that accomplished by making veiled threats about moving, and generally coming across as a whiner in the media, isn't the way to do that when you don't have a lot of leverage in the city in the first place.

[CaramonLS]

Part of it is timing. All the Fri/Sat/Sun games draw 14,000+ while the midweek ones don't even come close.

You'd think with the seriously short schedual the league would do something to help them out, help all the teams out for that matter and make games only on those 3 days.

[Tron_fdc]

Originally posted by Mango@May 5 2005, 01:09 PM
I wonder what they'll be called.

Anyone hear the fan960 morning show the other day when callers could guess at the name?

My favs were the Edmonton Mallers, or the Edmonton Pile

[Thunderball]

Originally posted by Tron_fdc+May 6 2005, 03:02 PM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td>QUOTE (Tron_fdc @ May 6 2005, 03:02 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'> <!--QuoteBegin-Mango@May 5 2005, 01:09 PM
I wonder what they'll be called.

Anyone hear the fan960 morning show the other day when callers could guess at the name?

My favs were the Edmonton Mallers, or the Edmonton Pile [/b][/quote]
You know, if they called themselves the Edmonton Maulers... it would be kinda cool, and a witty double entendre

[Resolute 14]

Caramon - the NLL is a weekend league. All games were played fri/sat/sun.

Browna - the Roughnecks did average over 10,000 fans per game this year. The problem is that the team just can't get past 10,000. Mainly, I blame a lack of proper marketing. It seemed that Bannister just assumed the team would sell well this year, and paid for it.

Other than Arizona (which was horrible last year) and Buffalo, every team in the NLL didnt really gain any fans. Philly lost a ton. Personally, I believe the NHL lockout actually harmed the NLL rather than helped it. Outside of Rochester, every team plays in an NHL arena, and I suspect that many of those teams - including and especially the Roughnecks - depended on the advertising in the arena to bring hockey fans to the lacrosse games.

[Bill Bumface]

Originally posted by Snakeeye@May 6 2005, 05:48 PM
Personally, I believe the NHL lockout actually harmed the NLL rather than helped it.

I agree, think back to last year when the Champions cup game sold out, and then forward to this year when the semifinal got what, 11,000 fans? Last year people were in the playoff spirit (and drunk out of their heads and loose with the wallets) and attendance did much better.