[Rumour] Canucks/Abbotsford/Heat Ongoing Saga

[Roof-Daddy]

^^^^Nailed it.

Originally Posted by Roof-Daddy

Also, with the earlier talk about Thunder Bay.....you have to think that the Jets would be all over relocating their AHL affiliate to T-Bay if they ever get that arena fixed up.

[Pierre "Monster" McGuire]

Originally Posted by sureLoss

Jets are moving affiliate to Thunder Bay

RT @CBCNL: St. John's #IceCaps confirm that True North Sports & Entertainment is moving AHL franchise to Thunder Bay, Ont. after 1 more season #cbcnl

This is bizarre. St. John's is continually in the top tier of the AHL in attendance.

I wonder what the reasons were for the move?

[Roof-Daddy]

Originally Posted by Pierre "Monster" McGuire

This is bizarre. St. John's is continually in the top tier of the AHL in attendance.

I wonder what the reasons were for the move?

Probably location. St. John's is a long ways from everybody, even Eastern teams and certainly a long hike from Winnipeg.

Just look at the map posted by C4Life earlier in this thread.

[Pierre "Monster" McGuire]

Location's probably the main reason.

What about those nasty NFLD winters? Could be a major hindrance to calling up a player if they can't leave the province?

I really don't think this decision has anything to do with economic viability.

[Drury18]

Originally Posted by Pierre "Monster" McGuire

What about those nasty NFLD winters? Could be a major hindrance to calling up a player if they can't leave the province?

Flights in and out of NFLD are a nightmare without winter being a hindrance. To get from St. John's to Winnipeg, you have to go through Toronto, at the very least.

Actually if I was called up today, right now, the earliest I would be in Winnipeg would be shortly after midnight. That's connecting in Toronto and a 8 hour travel time.

[Pierre "Monster" McGuire]

Very minor news, but UFV and the City of Abbotsford have lowered parking costs for events at the AESC.

Good move, IMO.

The University of the Fraser Valley (UFV) and the city of Abbotsford have partnered to lower the costs, dropping prices in UFV lots from $10 per event to $5. Parking on College Drive will be $5 per event, $3 on Gillis Road and $2 on McKenzie Road.

Much of the parking for AESC events uses UFV lots, with the revenue going to the university. UFV students recently worked with the Abbotsford Heat hockey club to conduct market research as part of a business course. Their findings indicated that $10 parking fees deterred some potential customers. UFV decided to reduce fees after consulting with the city, Global Spectrum and the Heat.

[Resolute 14]

Originally Posted by getbak

Is Airdrie ever going to build a spectator arena of any size?

Airdrie is almost the same size as Medicine Hat now. It's much larger than Medicine Hat and Lethbridge were when their arenas were built. As far as I can tell, the biggest arena in Airdrie has a capacity of less than 500.

The difference is that Airdrie is a suburb of Calgary, while Lethbridge and Medicine Hat are the power centres of their region. Putting an AHL team in the city would retain the same problems as you would putting one in Calgary proper - you're still going to lose against the Flames and Hitmen.

What needs to happen for Airdrie is a 1500-2000 seat rink that can house an AJHL team - probably a relocation of the Canucks or Mustangs. The city needs something, because the Plainsman is falling apart and the Twin Arena is a hole for spectator hockey.

[Muta]

Fort McMurray is about to get a beautiful arena in the near future.

[QuadCityImages]

Maybe they should just start the rotation over and try Omaha again. Then maybe back here? (Wishful thinking)

[Tilley]

Originally Posted by QuadCityImages

Maybe they should just start the rotation over and try Omaha again. Then maybe back here? (Wishful thinking)

I still think Omaha could have been successful under proper management and promotion. The biggest issue was that management expected people to flock to the arena to watch higher quality hockey than an average college hockey team and the USHL; therefore didn't promote the team properly. They didn't know or understand the market and alienated themselves from the city when they thought they knew better.

Rather than key on Nebraskan's love of tradition (bringing back the Knights of yester-year) or working with the other hockey teams in the area, they made it a competition and with no loyal fanbase they lost.

I'd probably be still working in hockey if the Knights had not have left.

Oh, and still the best AHL jersey I have seen. The Knights' logo was great.

[Pierre "Monster" McGuire]

Originally Posted by Street Pharmacist

It goes beyond just professional hockey. I was at a Bantam House tournament for my son in Chilliwack and spent some time talking to parents from Chilliwack and Abbotsford. Hardly any of the Chilliwack patents had heard of the Heat, and of the Abbotsford parents, only a handful of them had been to a great game. They all told me playing hockey or even watching just isn't a big activity there. Lots and lots of sports, but hockey isn't king like it is elsewhere.

Case in point:

Chilliwack Bruins Minor Hockey serves approximately 100K people and only had 2 Rep and 6 house teams.
Kamloops Minor hockey has 3 Rep and 10 house teams.

By Midget the disparity is even bigger. They would need a serious grassroots movement for hockey to catch on in the lower mainland outside of the major hubs

Thank you! Couldn't agree more.

I've had some discussions about this with some actual hockey people about this. They too say the Lower Mainland is far from a hockey market whether it's Abbotsford, Cloverdale, Vancouver, Coquitlam, Mission... it's not a hockey market. It's a Canucks market.

Only team that deserves to be down here is the Canucks and whatever minor hockey programs/teams they can get. Other than that, the BCHL and PIJHL aren't going to get any attention.

[greentree]

Originally Posted by Pierre "Monster" McGuire

Thank you! Couldn't agree more.

I've had some discussions about this with some actual hockey people about this. They too say the Lower Mainland is far from a hockey market whether it's Abbotsford, Cloverdale, Vancouver, Coquitlam, Mission... it's not a hockey market. It's a Canucks market.

The Giants do ok
http://www.hockeyattendance.com/leag.../?sort=avg_att

[Vulcan]

Originally Posted by Pierre "Monster" McGuire

Thank you! Couldn't agree more.

I've had some discussions about this with some actual hockey people about this. They too say the Lower Mainland is far from a hockey market whether it's Abbotsford, Cloverdale, Vancouver, Coquitlam, Mission... it's not a hockey market. It's a Canucks market.

Only team that deserves to be down here is the Canucks and whatever minor hockey programs/teams they can get. Other than that, the BCHL and PIJHL aren't going to get any attention.

This was a long time ago mind you but as a kid in the Vancouver area, hockey wasn't on the map other than watching minor pro. We played soccer and baseball and oh yeah, lacrosse was fairly big too. Hockey as a participation sport almost didn't exist, so in that way it's a new sport without the history of the rest of Canada.

We had some fine soccer teams though with a dedicated stadium, at that time the best soccer in North America.

[thymebalm]

Originally Posted by Vulcan

This was a long time ago mind you but as a kid in the Vancouver area, hockey wasn't on the map other than watching minor pro. We played soccer and baseball and oh yeah, lacrosse was fairly big too. Hockey as a participation sport almost didn't exist, so in that way it's a new sport without the history of the rest of Canada.

We had some fine soccer teams though with a dedicated stadium, at that time the best soccer in North America.

If it was cold enough have outdoor ice, you'd have hockey culture. Without free ice for people to play on, it's impossible to create a hockey culture (imo).

The Canucks are more part of the "I live in Vancouver" brand that people like here. It's just a big "in" crowd.

[metroneck]

Not having 'free' ice is huge... As mentioned in another thread, some people spend a rediculous amount of money on their kids hockey. Private Clubs have their own programs (I don't seem to remember the Glencoe Club or the Winter Club having teams), these programs have paid coaches, and tons of ice time.

The difference in skill level can be huge, especially at the younger ages. This makes things super competitive, and those without the resources fall behind. Many kids drop out because of this.

Is love to be able to take my kids down to a rink afterschool to work on a few things. Even if only for a ½ hour.

[indes]

After moving from Calgary to castlegar the thing I miss most is the ODR poor me I know

[Pierre "Monster" McGuire]

Originally Posted by indes

After moving from Calgary to castlegar the thing I miss most is the ODR poor me I know

Agreed. Moved from Cranbrook to Abbotsford. The outdoor rinks were what I missed most. 11 PM shinny when all the kids were off the ice was hella fun.

[sureLoss]

Hmmm... Flames upper management spotted looking around the Adirondack Phantoms arena (Glenn Falls, New York). Leading to speculation Heat may relocate there:

http://poststar.com/news/local/calga...9bb2963f4.html

Glens Falls Mayor John “Jack” Diamond and EDC Warren County President Edward Bartholomew on Thursday gave a tour of the Civic Center to a Calgary Flames official.

The trio came by after practice but before the Adirondack Phantoms players had all cleared out and asked head coach Terry Murray for a tour of the team facilities.

They also stopped by the team offices on the second floor and may have seen more of the building.

A Post-Star sports reporter was standing a few feet away when the Flames official introduced himself to Murray. The official appeared to be Mike Holditch, the Flames’ senior vice president and assistant general manager. A source who works at the Civic Center, but who asked for anonymity because of the confidential nature of the city’s hockey recruitment efforts, confirmed his identity.

When reached by a Post-Star news reporter on Thursday afternoon, Bartholomew denied the man they showed around the building was affiliated with the Flames.

Bartholomew, the city’s lead point person on hockey recruitment, would not identify the man or discuss his visit to Glens Falls.

[FBI]

That would be awesome for me.. Pretty close by, I would become the next PMM or Drury

[Canada 02]

the Adirondack Phantoms are moving to Pennsylvania next season, so an arena will be opening up

http://www.phantomsarena.com/

Attendance in Adirondack is just over 4200; better than Abby's 2900, but still below league average of 5300