Gary to sit out 2009 season

[Ken, Steelheads fan]

http://www.nwitimes.com/articles/2008/11/21/sports/top_sports/doc2f43034264a17709862575080003ba75.txt#blogcommen ts

The Steelheads' home court is the 8,000-seat Gary Genesis Center, where average attendance was barely 1,500 last season. The Steelheads and nine other franchises opted out of the playoffs, citing financial concerns.

Harris said the team has had "healthy discussions" with The Fieldhouse basketball complex in Merrillville and developer Mark Leyden to possibly use the new facility for games, practices and camps once it continues operations.


Surely, you jest. The Gary Genesis Center wasn't the problem. Besides, many of the season ticket holders were also Railcats baseball season ticket holders. When there were baseball games and basketball games on the same day, fans traveled the couple of blocks to watch the Steelheads after the Railcats game was over. That's not going to happen if the team moves to Merrillville, Indiana. Personally, I would never support a team in Merrillville. Wal*Mart is about the only thing worth opening my wallet in Merrillville, Indiana.

[Ken, Steelheads fan]

http://www.post-trib.com/sports/hutton/1297687,hutt.article

Gary, however, didn't need the black eye that the Steelies were bringing them. They have enough other problems to deal with. Let's move on. About 99 percent of Northwest Indiana already did long before they called it quits.

This is the kind of coverage a team gets in an otherwise media friendly town when things AREN'T done the right way. Hopefully, the Gary Steelheads organization will spend the spring/summer of 2009 attending Gary baseball games. A lot can be learned.

[MJHankel]

http://www.nwitimes.com/articles/2008/11/21/sports/top_sports/doc2f43034264a17709862575080003ba75.txt#blogcommen ts



Surely, you jest. The Gary Genesis Center wasn't the problem. Besides, many of the season ticket holders were also Railcats baseball season ticket holders. When there were baseball games and basketball games on the same day, fans traveled the couple of blocks to watch the Steelheads after the Railcats game was over. That's not going to happen if the team moves to Merrillville, Indiana. Personally, I would never support a team in Merrillville. Wal*Mart is about the only thing worth opening my wallet in Merrillville, Indiana.


I know this is a little late, but I was just thinking about it. By the logic that the Genesis Center is too big why not go to the Hudson Campbell? Now don't get me wrong, I think that they should stay in the Genesis center but why would they go to Merrillville? Seriously, the city has held them up for years now they just wanna run south of the border?!?!? If the Genesis center is too big just close off the upper bleachers and just sell the lower blue and red seats along with courtsides.. I mean seriously the Genesis center is a nice venue and even when sub 2000 it doesn't feel too empty. Besides what about the walk up game day fans from the neighborhood??

[Ken, Steelheads fan]

I know this is a little late, but I was just thinking about it. By the logic that the Genesis Center is too big why not go to the Hudson Campbell? Now don't get me wrong, I think that they should stay in the Genesis center but why would they go to Merrillville? Seriously, the city has held them up for years now they just wanna run south of the border?!?!? If the Genesis center is too big just close off the upper bleachers and just sell the lower blue and red seats along with courtsides.. I mean seriously the Genesis center is a nice venue and even when sub 2000 it doesn't feel too empty. Besides what about the walk up game day fans from the neighborhood??

My sentiments exactly. The Genesis Center can be configured any way you ask them to configure it. I'm not making the trek to Merrillville to follow the Steelheads. I won't even consider it. The Hudson-Campbell Fitness Center is hot as blazes in warm weather, to help answer your question. Also, depending on who you are dealing with, leasing the smaller Hudson-Campbell can be more expensive than leasing the Genesis Center (a more appropriate venue).

I'm not sure what the hint of moving the team to Merrillville, IN is all about. I can only assume that the Steelheads hope to attract a better paying customer. The problem is, I noticed how many Steelheads season ticket holders are also season ticket holders for the baseball team. It's more convenient to follow both teams when they're both located downtown...one stop shopping.

[MJHankel]

Oh I agree with you about the Hudson Caapbell in the summer I was just point it out on a size point. In regards to price, that seems to me a reason to stay in the Genesis Center. I mean are they really expecting to get a deal in Merrillville as good as they get in Gary?

[indy legend]

http://www.post-trib.com/sports/hutton/1297687,hutt.article



This is the kind of coverage a team gets in an otherwise media friendly town when things AREN'T done the right way. Hopefully, the Gary Steelheads organization will spend the spring/summer of 2009 attending Gary baseball games. A lot can be learned.

You are 100% right Ken, however with what we have seen from the people (for the most part) who own and run minor league basketball and other sports the last few years asking any of theses idiots to "learn" anything is asking for a lot. They never learn. Then you get the occasional Rochester (PBL), Ft.Wayne (IHL),Indianapolis (IL) or the Railcats and what a surprise. When you do it right it actually works. Who knew? Now if we can only find a few more owners with at least two brain cells to rub together we could be on to something. But I'm not holding my breath.
As for media coverage I think most teams get the coverage they have earned. In Indianapolis the Legends were ignored, the Ice are ignored, the women's soccer team (dispite being great on the field) are ignored, the Fever and the Indians get tremendous local coverage and guess witch two of the above are run like first class opperations that promote themselves and treats the fans right and makes the game day experience something special.
You would think that the track record of the successes out there would make the occassional potential owner of a new or existing minor league team think, maybe I should look into how they are doing this. Again, not holding my breath.

[Juniper]

I have heard that the IBL commish, wants the IBL to become a complete amateur league where nobody gets paid. It will cost 7 grand to get into the league. Has anybody heard anything like this?

[Ken, Steelheads fan]

I have heard that the IBL commish, wants the IBL to become a complete amateur league where nobody gets paid. It will cost 7 grand to get into the league. Has anybody heard anything like this?

I haven't heard that, but the Windy City team did not pay its players. Gary also had a standout player that came into last season's situation knowing he would not be paid. He wanted the exposure.

[basketball facts]

Change the letters from IBL to AAU and it is the same thing

[homeboypla]

I have said this for many years the IBL League is a joke but they do have some good teams and players.

Forget the idea of the GREEDY Michael would lower the fees his is a greedy league owners like the ABA and PBL they all are the same joke of a league. Its the teams that are the real deal and if someone could ever figure that out we would have a 26 team amiture leage with great teams from around the US.

[mammal]

The Commish has never said he wanted the whole league to be amateur, quite the contrary, the IBL is expanding into Canada and some smaller cities where the markets will produce enough revenue to pay players in a healthy manner for the ownership groups... what he did say was that some markets do not bring in the revenues to support players (without owners going broke) however those same markets (major metropolitan cities) can run a "professional level" competitive team easily due to their having 4 to 8 million people like Portland or Chicago has living in the area... There are certainly 10 players out of those millions that feel that the playing opportunity, exposure, video, stats are worth the... well... worth the 'drive' to the game; in other words, no one is getting ripped off- it is all well explained and up front. As far as comparisons to AAU, the IBL placed 102 players overseas after the 2007 season, the league is fine... the talent is second to none, admittedly that high level of talent is somewhat due to when the IBL plays (end of April through end of June)- a great time for overseas players to return, wanting to play to stay in shape.

[one way]

Please list these 102 players and the countries that they play in.