New Strategic Direction For Abbotsford?

[Athntk]

Pete: If you are only going to draw 2,000 for the playoffs, the people who are going to show up are the area core fan base. The early rounds of the playoffs are very telling for a franchise health and non-corporate support.

The other side of the argument is if the team is good the fans should come support it to show the future owners that they want the best product.

We all assume WHL is the future there, but if they go deep in the playoffs and still only draw 1,500-2,000 it's not going to be a good sign for the market. Probably tip the market to Jr A or ECHL.

[sureLoss]

News1130 Sports @News1130Sports
Hearing city of Abbotsford is talking with a team in the ECHL about playing at the Abbotsford Entertainment & Sports Centre.

[Fire]

Solid move Abbotsford... solid move.

[Vulcan]

They'd be better off going after a WHL franchise such as the Ice.

[sureLoss]

Would be ironic if that ECHL team ends up being a Flames affiliate.

One interesting way that LA combats the long call up from Manchester, New Hampshire is to send a potential call up to their ECHL team in Ontario, California (45 min drive to Staples Center) for a day or two ahead of when they need them.

Would be interesting if the Flames were able to do that with Abbotsford.

[Vulcan]

Originally Posted by sureLoss

Would be ironic if that ECHL team ends up being a Flames affiliate.

One interesting way that LA combats the long call up from Manchester, New Hampshire is to send a potential call up to their ECHL team in Ontario, California (45 min drive to Staples Center) for a day or two ahead of when they need them.

Would be interesting if the Flames were able to do that with Abbotsford.

The Canucks used to send players to Victoria (ECHL) but that was more to do with taking them off the salary cap for a couple of days between games.

[sureLoss]

http://www.abbynews.com/news/258333481.html

The commissioner of the ECHL says that Abbotsford is "not on our radar screen."

Brian McKenna spoke with The News late last week, responding to rumblings that the 22-team minor pro hockey circuit was among the leagues eyeing Abbotsford as the American Hockey League's Heat prepare to move.

"We were aware that the American League team was leaving town," McKenna acknowledged. "We have not, now or in the past, been approached by any potential ownership group (from Abbotsford). It's not a market that has had discussion with our executive committee or our board at this point.

"I'm not aware of any team in our league or any current owner in our league that's had any discussion, either. Even if that were the case, it would have to be brought to our board for approval.

"At this point as well, our roster of teams is set for the '14-'15 season. Anything we would do in any market at this point would be for the '15-'16 season."

[Athntk]

I'm now predicting ECHL Las Vegas to Abbotsford. The Wranglers lost their proposed building today. The usually vocal ownership is now silent.

[Athntk]

The fan save Vegas fb page is reporting no ECHL Vegas next year is a no. Fresno is a dark horse but I'm still predicting Abbotsford.

[Resolute 14]

There are probably a ton of locations better suited for the ECHL than Abbotsford.

[sureLoss]

Mayor of Abbotsford says it is unlikely there will be an anchor tenant in place for next season.

Some are predicting a major economic fallout.

http://www.abbynews.com/news/258659381.html

n January 2011, a study presented to city council by consulting company Grant Thornton International stated the arena generated an economic impact of $24.3 million in 2010 and created the equivalent of 305 full-time jobs.

The report didn’t break down the Heat’s share of the economic spin-off, but it did note that the hockey team accounted for 70 per cent of the arena’s total attendance in that year.

In a subsequent interview, Lane Sweeting, whose Fraser Valley Sports and Entertainment group operated the Heat, said the hockey team accounted for “well over half” of the facility’s economic impact.

“The economic impact (of not having an anchor tenant) is going to be quite severe,” Sweeting told The News this week. “It’s a significant amount of salaries that are gone from this marketplace.”

Sweeting added that the hockey team paid about $7,000 per game to the arena to cover overhead. Based on 41 home games in 2013-14, that represents $287,000.

Local non-profit groups will also be affected by the Heat’s departure.

Over their five seasons in town, the Heat generated nearly $1 million for non-profits, according to figures supplied by the hockey club. That includes 50/50 draws ($444,069), Heat Foundation grants for youth-focused charities ($161,693, including an estimated $60,000 in upcoming 2014 grants), and a program which allowed groups to re-sell Heat tickets as a fundraiser (potential profits of $392,770).

Almost $600,000 was generated in the last two seasons, largely due to a change in the fundraiser program which saw the non-profits’ take increased from a flat $3 fee per ticket sold to approximately 50 per cent of the retail rate.

Lots of charity/non-profit groups scrambling to replace the money they are no longer getting from the Heat

[FlatLandFlamesFan]

thanks Sureloss ,it's amazing to see how much the Heat did for Abbotsford outside the rink.
that's a lot of $'s that is not easily replaced