New Strategic Direction For Abbotsford?

[Julio]

I feel bad for all the folks working in the front office. The hockey ops folks will for the most part move with the team, but the sales and marketing etc folks probably wont. One member of the front office is seeing, I think, the third team they have worked for in sports either move or go under. That's got to be tough.

[Tilley]

When the team moved from Omaha to Quad Cities only 1 employee was retained besides coaches/trainers. All others took severance packages. She stuck it out for one year and then moved back to Nebraska as she was the 'outsider' with everyone else being retained from the Quad City Mallards.

If the team ends up in Glen Falls I would expect that the existing communications/marketing people would be retained rather than move the office staff across the border.

[PIMking]

Originally Posted by Tilley

When the team moved from Omaha to Quad Cities only 1 employee was retained besides coaches/trainers. All others took severance packages. She stuck it out for one year and then moved back to Nebraska as she was the 'outsider' with everyone else being retained from the Quad City Mallards.

If the team ends up in Glen Falls I would expect that the existing communications/marketing people would be retained rather than move the office staff across the border.

That was Ms. Nebraska right?

[Tilley]

Originally Posted by PIMking

That was Ms. Nebraska right?

Yes, that was a former Miss Nebraska (and a friend of mine). Let me be clear in that she wasn't treated as an outsider, rather the staff were all hold-overs from the Mallards and just her from Nebraska. She stayed for the first year, but I think after one year it was plain to see that the team probably wasn't going to be there long term.

[PIMking]

Originally Posted by Tilley

Yes, that was a former Miss Nebraska (and a friend of mine). Let me be clear in that she wasn't treated as an outsider, rather the staff were all hold-overs from the Mallards and just her from Nebraska. She stayed for the first year, but I think after one year it was plain to see that the team probably wasn't going to be there long term.

I vaguely remember her.

[Vulcan]

Originally Posted by sureLoss

One has to question why Abbotsford didn't pony up the cash to terminate the contract last season when Vancouver was ready to move right away

IIRC one of the problems is the Canucks wanted the same deal the Heat had and Abbotsford didn't want to go down that road again.

[Vulcan]

One of the side benefits of moving around is that we've picked up a few new posters who stick around.

[sureLoss]

WHL interested in Abbotsford, but impossible to get a team in for 2014-2015 season

http://www.abbynews.com/news/255654261.html

[Resolute 14]

The WHL is the obvious successor for the market, but if Robison says it won't happen for next year, that implies expansion rather than relocation is the option. And given how the league is currently unbalanced, it would make the most sense.

The rumours of the Kootenay/Lethbridge/Winnipeg musical chairs relocations suggests that a team could move in in time for next year. Prince George might have made sense, but there is either a new ownership group up there, or a group ready to take over.

So that leaves expansion as a good option, especially if they can get a sixth team for the US division and a balanced league

East: Winnipeg, Brandon, Regina, Saskatoon, Prince Albert, Moose Jaw
Central: Swift Current, Medicine Hat, Lethbridge, Calgary, Edmonton, Red Deer
B.C.: Abbotsford, Prince George, Kelowna, Kamloops, Vancouver, Victoria
U.S.: Spokane, Seattle, Everett, Tri-Cities, Portland, ????

Alternatively, with the potential of Nanaimo and the desire to put two teams on the Island, I could see a complete realignment of the Western Conference:

Coastal: Portland, Seattle, Everett, Victoria, Nanaimo, Vancouver
Interior: Prince George, Abbotsford, Kelowna, Kamloops, Spokane, Tri-Cities

[flamesfan1297]

This is a little off topic. But when the Vancouver giants play the Saskatoon blades, do they fly or take a bus? I imagine when they come out that far east it is a 5 or so game road trip,

[Drury18]

All teams bus, there is no flying.

Even when you road trip to Brandon, you bus.

[flamesfan1297]

Damn, that would be a long bus ride

[Vulcan]

I think they fly for some of the playoffs.

[Zach]

Vancouver for sure takes an airplane in the playoffs (rich owner)

[Resolute 14]

Originally Posted by Zach

Vancouver for sure takes an airplane in the playoffs (rich owner)

The league frowns greatly on flying at all, but does relent for the WHL final, and in some other special cases. But the league insists on equal treatment for both teams.

[Vulcan]

Originally Posted by Resolute 14

The WHL is the obvious successor for the market, but if Robison says it won't happen for next year, that implies expansion rather than relocation is the option. And given how the league is currently unbalanced, it would make the most sense.

The rumours of the Kootenay/Lethbridge/Winnipeg musical chairs relocations suggests that a team could move in in time for next year. Prince George might have made sense, but there is either a new ownership group up there, or a group ready to take over.

So that leaves expansion as a good option, especially if they can get a sixth team for the US division and a balanced league

East: Winnipeg, Brandon, Regina, Saskatoon, Prince Albert, Moose Jaw
Central: Swift Current, Medicine Hat, Lethbridge, Calgary, Edmonton, Red Deer
B.C.: Abbotsford, Prince George, Kelowna, Kamloops, Vancouver, Victoria
U.S.: Spokane, Seattle, Everett, Tri-Cities, Portland, ????

Alternatively, with the potential of Nanaimo and the desire to put two teams on the Island, I could see a complete realignment of the Western Conference:

Coastal: Portland, Seattle, Everett, Victoria, Nanaimo, Vancouver
Interior: Prince George, Abbotsford, Kelowna, Kamloops, Spokane, Tri-Cities

Abbotsford could go in the US division as it's close to the Sumas crossing.

[getbak]

Originally Posted by Zach

Vancouver for sure takes an airplane in the playoffs (rich owner)

That's exactly why they mandate bus travel everywhere. The big teams like Calgary, Edmonton, Vancouver, and Portland would have an unfair advantage if they could fly everywhere and the smaller teams couldn't afford it.

[Iniggywetrust]

Originally Posted by Zach

Vancouver for sure takes an airplane in the playoffs (rich owner)

Played in beer league with a kelowna rocket this year. He said the only way a team can fly for a playoff game is if both teams agree to fly. There are times when big market teams pay for both teams to fly in the case of back to back games.

[Zach]

Originally Posted by Iniggywetrust

Played in beer league with a kelowna rocket this year. He said the only way a team can fly for a playoff game is if both teams agree to fly. There are times when big market teams pay for both teams to fly in the case of back to back games.

Yeah probably the standard. I actually went to high school with a current Rocket player who was in a beer league just ripping it up....probably the same guy.

[PeteMoss]

Any reason why they didn't wait until after the season/playoffs to make this announcement? One would think this will hurt playoff attendance and seems some revenue wouldn't have hurt anyone.