[News] AHL new Pacific Divison announced. Flames will move affiliate to Stockton

[sureLoss]

Treliving in stockton:

“To use a baseball analogy, this will be our top ‘Triple-A’ affiliate,” Treliving said. “This move is significant to our development of a Stanley Cup champion in Calgary for multiple reasons. First off, Stockton Arena is a world-class facility that is the envy of not just ECHL teams, but AHL teams as well. Having our players play at a top-notch facility was paramount. Also, the fans pack the house here every night; we look forward to that same support for the new team.”

Link to video:
http://link.brightcove.com/services/...=4021836648001

[handgroen]

Originally Posted by sureLoss

Treliving in stockton:



Link to video:
http://link.brightcove.com/services/...=4021836648001

a lot of talk about how ghetto stockton is. but the facility looks damned good to me






compare that the glenn falls

[Locke]

Kevin Lowe legitimately dresses like a clown.

[sureLoss]

Originally Posted by handgroen

a lot of talk about how ghetto stockton is. but the facility looks damned good to me


compare that the glenn falls

Stockton also has luxury boxes. Glens Falls does not. Should mean a lot more $.

[Resolute 14]

Well... when my NHL arena tour reaches California, I'm going to have to find a set of dates where I can see LA, Anaheim, San Jose and Stockton now. That looks like a fantastic building!

[Muffins]

Originally Posted by handgroen

a lot of talk about how ghetto stockton is. but the facility looks damned good to me

Yeah, but look at all that graffiti on the ice. Looks pretty sketchy to me

[Jordan!]

Originally Posted by handgroen

a lot of talk about how ghetto stockton is. but the facility looks damned good to me

I've said this multiple times: On the surface, Stockton can LOOK pretty nice. I went to a movie theater right across the street from this arena and it was full of mexican gangsters who would light up weed in the theater and there was a shooting at that theater not long after.

It was insane

http://www.kcra.com/news/local-news/...eater/26166914

Still shocked at this move. But if the players live in Lodi or another city near by (Which i'm guessing, most fans travel from) it's all good it can be a nice region and reminds me alot of Calgary actually.

The Kings used to play out of Inglewood aka Inglehood when Gretz was there so this is kind of similar for California. Even San Jose's arena is near some pretty good hood.

[Resolute 14]

Originally Posted by Bouw N Arrow

I've said this multiple times

Thanks for reminding us, as it was so hard to tell. And yes, we understand you really enjoy pissing all over Stockton.

[Jordan!]

Originally Posted by Resolute 14

Thanks for reminding us, as it was so hard to tell. And yes, we understand you really enjoy pissing all over Stockton.

It's just awful. Awful I tell you.

I will legitimately fear for any CPers that go to visit. I'd recommend making it a day trip from SF. You can get to the arena from the Presidio in 2 hours or less.

[N-E-B]

I've been to Stockton a few times... It's bad but it's getting blown waaaaaaaaaaay out of proportion here... It's not like they're playing in Compton...

[Street Pharmacist]

Originally Posted by N-E-B

I've been to Stockton a few times... It's bad but it's getting blown waaaaaaaaaaay out of proportion here... It's not like they're playing in Compton...

Stockton has been subject to a series of negative national rankings in recent years:

In a 2010 Gallup poll, Stockton was tied with Montgomery, Alabama for the most obese metro area in the US with an obesity rate of 34.6 percent.[42]
In the February 2012 issue of Forbes, the magazine ranked Stockton the 8th most miserable US city, largely as a result of the steep drop in home values and high unemployment.[28]
In 2012 the NICB (National Insurance Crime Bureau) ranked Stockton 7th in Auto Theft Rate per capita in the US.[43]
In 2012, Stockton was ranked 10th most dangerous city in America and the 2nd most dangerous in California (behind Oakland).[44]
In 2013, Stockton was ranked as the 3rd least literate city in the U.S. in a study by Central Connecticut State University, with less than 17% of adults holding a college degree,[45] and ABC.com ranked the city as the 3rd least literate of all U.S. cities with a population of more than 250,000 behind Bakersfield, California, and Corpus Christi, Texas.[46]

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stockton,_California

[Racki]

have to be honest. I wish we hadn't ended up in the most ghetto of all the new California cities. San Diego would have been nice. It's a helluva town.

As a lifelong Chargers fan I follow a lot of San Diego sports personalities and I listen to San Diego sports radio - I am quite surprised how excited they seem to be about this new San Diego team and Pacific AHL division. I have a feeling this is going to be a great success.

[Alberta_Beef]

Originally Posted by Street Pharmacist

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stockton,_California

It's hilarious to me that a college study would gauge literacy on degrees. It's like they don't know what literacy actually is. While you need to be literate to get a degree, not having one hardly makes you illiterate. Keep up the good work Central Connecticut State University.

[sureLoss]

Interesting article on how some AHL players will earn a lot less in moving to California due to taxes and cost of living. Fortunately for Flames prospects, the increase is relatively low compared to Oilers, Kings, and Ducks (thanks to living in New York).

http://www.democratandchronicle.com/...lers/22693421/

The AHL players in the Kings system will pay an average of $5,297 more in taxes, and the players in the Ducks system essentially will be docked nearly $26,000 in salary based on cost-of-living adjustments.

And in reality, the players for the Cali-based AHL teams will probably like the shorter season. It will mean a decrease in wear-and-tear on their bodies.

But will they like playing for less money?

If an Oilers prospect was making $85,000 to play for the Oklahoma City Barons this season, he'll need to earn around $99,000 in Bakersfield.

The cost-of-living numbers are based on an average AHL salary of $85,000 (it was $88,875 in 2012-13) and derived by using the CNN Money Cost of Living Calculator.

A Ducks prospect will need to earn $110,895 to match what $85,000 gets him in Norfolk. Plus, his total tax liability will increase $1,200 in California. A Ducks player making this year's AHL minimum of $42,375 would see a cost-of-living increase of about $12,000 but would actually pay about $800 less in taxes.

The April 15 filing date will be much worse Kings prospects. New Hampshire has no state income tax, so a player earning $88,875 in Manchester will be taxed a whopping $5,297 more when he plays in Ontario, Calif.

Calgary players won't see much difference going from Glens Falls to Stockton (a bump of just $392 in taxes). Sharks players moving from Worcester, Mass., to San Jose will have an increased tax liability of about $1,000.

[P-DAZZLE]

Some of that money could be made up with more call-ups due to the ease of travel. Very easy to be called up to the two Cali teams and still much easier for Flames or Western Canadian teams for the farmhands.
Extra incentive to players to get those cups of coffee like Flames prospects have been this year.

[Vulcan]

IIRC the Stockton team also owned some residential properties to house the
ECHL team. If the Flames also bought these it would be a good way of
subsidizing the rent for the AHL players as well as providing safe housing with a
team atmosphere.

[sureLoss]

For jersey lovers. Ontario Reign new design for next season

[Resolute 14]

I'm going to go ahead and call that boring.

[getbak]

Something looks weird about it. I think it's because they put a black background on it rather than the silver the old Kings logo had.



The smaller pieces inside the logo don't stand out enough.

[Ashasx]

I hate all black jerseys that aren't the Winterhawks' old third jersey