Stockton Heat moving to Calgary

[Number 39]

Scorch has to be part of this right?

[Reggie Dunlop]

The Calgary Scorchmen.

[FanIn80]

Originally Posted by Number 39

Scorch has to be part of this right?

I dunno, but if they played in Balzac, I'm not so sure I'd want to see their mascot...

[powderjunkie]

I bet all the teams will play out of the Dome; the Scorchmen and Hitmen may each play a few games elsewhere if scheduling demands (most likely at playoff time) as has happened before to the Hitmen.

[Shazam]

Originally Posted by FanIn80

I dunno, but if they played in Balzac, I'm not so sure I'd want to see their mascot...

They have a couple in test.

[getbak]

Flames = 41
Hitmen = 34
AHL = 36
Roughnecks = 9


That's a total of 120 regular season games, which are all played over about 200 days.

The toughest part with scheduling will likely be the fact that all 4 teams like to play weekend games because they're a better draw. The other question will be what do that many games do to the ice quality, when the Saddledome ice plant already struggles?


The other big challenge will be if all three hockey teams are ever in the playoffs at the same time.

[CSharp]

Originally Posted by Puppet Guy

or the Itch.

LOL, does anyone have the balls to do it?

[Reggie Dunlop]

Good point...

Saddledome's ice making facility is sub-par.

[Titan2]

Originally Posted by Shazam

They have a couple in teste.

ftfy

[Fire]

Originally Posted by Scroopy Noopers

Really? I’d much rather go to an AHL game than a WHL game.

Same here, but ticket prices will probably be 2 or 3 times more expensive than the Hitmen. I suspect the Hitmen will out draw them.

[Hack&Lube]

Originally Posted by FanIn80

I dunno, but if they played in Balzac, I'm not so sure I'd want to see their mascot...

The Flaming Itchy Balzacs

[Julio]

Originally Posted by GioforPM

Yeah, but "per game" is doing a lot of work there. There are what - 9 home games? Compared to 36 for the Hitmen (not counting POs). Roughnecks averaged 13K the last non-Covid season whereas Hitmen are in the 7-8K range normally but overall revenue for Hitmen is still way higher. But it's a short season Dec - June. Squeezing 8-9 games into that slot isn't impossible.

Neither team would fit into the 2K seat 7 Chiefs or any other venue very easily.

Hitmen actual attendance, other than a couple of feature games, has been trending down for several years. The fact that they only sell season tickets in the lower bowl and the 1st three rows of the upper bowl is telling. Add to that club seats are included in the price of admission, and the actual butts in seats for weekday games could easily fit in a 2-3 k facility.

[jayswin]

Getback laid it out nicely a few posts up, but you guys are nuts suggesting someone has to move and even more nuts for suggesting a 2000 seat arena outside the city is where a team like the Hitmen or Roughnecks might land.

The arenas in big US cities often have 2-3 major sports tenants (41+ bookings a year each) plus about 4-5 times the concerts bookings that the Saddledome has (the Dome doesn't even really get more than one major concert a month in the last decade or so). I've stated all along and again - you guys are looking for a solution where there's no problem.

You've got 140 bookings between the Flames/Roughnecks/Hitmen/Heat. That's easy and it makes the most sense for all to be at the Saddledome. Like getback said, the biggest issue in all of this will be the teams fighting for weekend games at the Dome and that will be solved by pecking order.

[jayswin]

I'm just not understanding the debate and reasoning for this move to the Saddledome by the Heat.

We're not a city with a quality....or any midsize arena. We have three sports teams that draw 7k avg/10k avg/18k avg and play out of the Dome and then a farm team coming in where the parent organization is unhappy with 2-3k and wants to get it in the 4-5k range along with having said farm team in town for convenience.

And we're in here talking about a city with a 19289 seat arena and then.....out of inner-city/downtown locations like Winsport at just over 3000, Tsuutʼina (outside of Calgary!) at 2000 and Max Bell.

I apologize for my slight abrasiveness in the last couple of posts, but seriously, these teams are all at the Saddledome next season, no ifs ands or buts. Just wait for the season and see. No problem = no solution needed.

[The Cobra]

Originally Posted by jayswin

I apologize for my slight abrasiveness in the last couple of posts, but seriously, these teams are all at the Saddledome next season, no ifs ands or buts. Just wait for the season and see. No problem = no solution needed.

Time will tell, like with all things.

But I wouldn’t be shocked at all if some games are played outside of the Saddledome.

[shogged]

obviously CSEC intends to build a new arena for the Heat


I am more sure of this than jayswin is

[shutout]

The other option with regards to the Heat and Hitmen is to start offering packages of weekend double header games. Buy ticket for two games and watch a Hitmen game at noon and a Heat game at 4. Keeps people in the building eating and drinking and allows for fans to see the differences in the different leagues.

[The Cobra]

Originally Posted by shutout

The other option with regards to the Heat and Hitmen is to start offering packages of weekend double header games. Buy ticket for two games and watch a Hitmen game at noon and a Heat game at 4. Keeps people in the building eating and drinking and allows for fans to see the differences in the different leagues.

Triple header......

[powderjunkie]

Originally Posted by Fire

Same here, but ticket prices will probably be 2 or 3 times more expensive than the Hitmen. I suspect the Hitmen will out draw them.

2-3% more? Maybe 20-30%?

Originally Posted by jayswin

I'm just not understanding the debate and reasoning for this move to the Saddledome by the Heat.

We're not a city with a quality....or any midsize arena. We have three sports teams that draw 7k avg/10k avg/18k avg and play out of the Dome and then a farm team coming in where the parent organization is unhappy with 2-3k and wants to get it in the 4-5k range along with having said farm team in town for convenience.

I think there's at least 3 things:
1. Divisional alignment makes this more feasible now (compared to the first time they tried Abbotsford as a true outpost)

2. There are no particularly lucrative options for this, so might as well do what's most convenient and best for the core business (Flames)

3. Even if both the Hitmen/Scorchmen end up around 4-5k (which is still above avg for each league) it means they're probably selling the best ~3000 seats twice. Obviously there'll be a bit of trial/error to determine what the market will bear, but I suspect it'll be a slight net positive for CSEC

[The Yen Man]

Originally Posted by jayswin

Getback laid it out nicely a few posts up, but you guys are nuts suggesting someone has to move and even more nuts for suggesting a 2000 seat arena outside the city is where a team like the Hitmen or Roughnecks might land.

The arenas in big US cities often have 2-3 major sports tenants (41+ bookings a year each) plus about 4-5 times the concerts bookings that the Saddledome has (the Dome doesn't even really get more than one major concert a month in the last decade or so). I've stated all along and again - you guys are looking for a solution where there's no problem.

You've got 140 bookings between the Flames/Roughnecks/Hitmen/Heat. That's easy and it makes the most sense for all to be at the Saddledome. Like getback said, the biggest issue in all of this will be the teams fighting for weekend games at the Dome and that will be solved by pecking order.

Plus with weekend games, can they not have one in the early afternoon, and one in the evening? We aren't talking MSG or Staples Centre here. If anything, the Saddledome needs more usage.