I dont think Chicago will last

[ReadingRoyalsfan]

I dont think Chicago will last . With the BlackHawks being in the NHL, people are gonna wanna see them more than a minor league team.

[robster2001]

There's a chance, but it's going to take a lot of work.

The Sears Centre is far enough west that they're not really part of the core Chicago market. You can market the team to the northwest, west, and southwest Chicago suburbs and still reach more people than many ECHL teams have in their entire metro.

They have to reach those fans who can't afford the Hawks and who don't want to drive into the O'Hare flight pattern for the Wolves. They exist. I *think* there are enough to keep the Express going. But it's not as simple as putting up a website and hoping for the best -- starting the legwork one full year out from opening night was a very good idea and is probably their best hope for a good start. With a year to sell the concept (instead of the 2-3 months most new teams give themselves), they can find the right businesses for suites and season tickets.

Even with that, they may still fail -- but they have a better chance than you'd think.

What would probably help more would be for Craig Drecktrah to sign an affiliation deal with Rockford and try to market on the coattails of the Hawks organization.

[CorA]

I live near the Sears Centre and can tell you it is still a Blackhawks core market. Hockey is big in the area since the Blackhawks won the Stanley Cup. A lot of people cannot afford or find tickets for the Hawks and the Wolves tickets are a little expensive, too. I think the Express have a chance since there were over 15000 voted for the Name-the-Team contest and they got local newspaper exposure. They can reach fans who dont want to pay high prices, travel far, love hockey, and like cheap entertainment. If the Chicago Slaughter can last at the Sears Centre, I think the Express can.:D

[wasteland]

What would probably help more would be for Craig Drecktrah to sign an affiliation deal with Rockford and try to market on the coattails of the Hawks organization.

Problem is Rockford already has a deal in place with Toledo.

I think another problem any team that plays in the Sears Center is the lack of local media market. All TV and newspaper will be covering Chicago pro sports because they are Chicago based, but in a city like Rockford for example, The Icehoga are the main team

[Ken, Steelheads fan]

I dont think Chicago will last . With the BlackHawks being in the NHL, people are gonna wanna see them more than a minor league team.

I personally would prefer to attend a Blackhawks game than hockey at the Sears Centre. However, it's strictly a matter of geography for me. The United Center is closer to me than the Sears Centre and I am willing to brave Blackhawks ticket prices to avoid additional traffic while coming from Northwest Indiana. Likewise, I would prefer minor league hockey in Northwest Indiana vs. attending a Blackhawks game.

[Jntg4]

Hi, I'm from Chicago! And I'll tell you this: Chicago is MORE than capable of supporting minor league hockey. The Wolves have been a great success and Chicago supports all of it's lower level pro sports teams well. Look at the list of Chicagoland sports teams:

Chi-Town Shooters (All American Hockey League)
Chicago Bandits (National Pro Fastpitch)
Chicago Bears (National Football League)
Chicago Blackhawks (National Hockey League)
Chicago Bliss (Lingerie Football League)
Chicago Bruisers (American Football League)
Chicago Bulls (National Basketball Association)
Chicago Cubs (Major League Baseball)
Chicago Express (ECHL)
Chicago Fire (Major League Soccer)
Chicago Fire Premier (Premier Development League)
Chicago Force (Women's Football Alliance)
Chicago Griffins (Rugby Super League)
Chicago Rush (Arena Football League)
Chicago Knights (Continental Indoor Football League)
Chicago Lions (Rugby Super League)
Chicago Riot (Major Indoor Soccer League)
Chicago RollerSnakes (Major League Roller Hockey)
Chicago Sky (Women's National Basketball Association)
Chicago Slaughter (Indoor Football League)
Chicago Steam (American Basketball Association)
Chicago Stockyarders (American National Rugby League)
Chicago White Sox (Major League Baseball)
Chicago Wolves (American Hockey League)
Gary SouthShore RailCats (American Association)
Gary Splash (International Basketball League)
Joliet (Frontier League)
Kane County Cougars (Midwest League)
Kankakee County Soldiers (International Basketball League)
Lake County Fielders (North American League)
McHenry County K-Nines (Frontier League)
Northwestern Indiana Magical Stars (American Basketball Association)
Schaumburg Flyers (North American League)
Windy City ThunderBolts (Frontier League)
Wisconsin Warriors (Independent Women's Football League)

[wasteland]

What would probably help more would be for Craig Drecktrah to sign an affiliation deal with Rockford and try to market on the coattails of the Hawks organization.

Sorry.

http://www.echl.com/toledo-extends-affiliation-agreement-with-chicago-blackhawks-p171459

[Hockey]

Chicago is the number one hockey market in the United States. I have only driven through the area on my way from PA to AK but I can tell you that my impression was it has the potential to serve a market outside of main Chicago.

Seems like traffic to get into the city would be a mess and not feasible to get off work at 5:30 or 6pm and make a 7pm game for the AHL.

[Sam Hill]

I dont think Chicago will last . With the BlackHawks being in the NHL, people are gonna wanna see them more than a minor league team.

You're forgetting a couple of things: The Wolves have proven that "a minor league team" can still draw in Chicago, regardless of the presence of the Blackhawks; and that a minor league team doesn't need to get NHL-type numbers to succeed, especially in a market the size of Chicago.

Now, if you say "I don't think Chicago's ECHL team will last because it's a low-level team that's almost certain to be underfunded and they're playing way out in the sticks and another ECHL team already floundered and died there," I'm right with you. But if "There's already an NHL team there" is your only rationale, no, sorry, that's not a reasonable analysis.

Chicago is the number one hockey market in the United States.

Based on....

I have only driven through the area on my way from PA to AK

Oh, based on that. Okay, gotcha.

Look, there are several markets who you could make a case for as the "number one hockey market in the United States," for various reasons. You'll have to define terms and stuff.

but I can tell you that my impression was it has the potential to serve a market outside of main Chicago.

It does. Rosemont. What is this, 1993?

Seems like traffic to get into the city would be a mess and not feasible to get off work at 5:30 or 6pm and make a 7pm game for the AHL.

Well, somebody's making their way to Rosemont for AHL games, and they have been for years, as the Wolves have been a very good draw for almost 20 years now. And they don't play "in the city," unless the city you're referring to is Rosemont.

Don't something like a third of a million people live in Chicago's western suburbs? That's not indicative of potential success in and of itself, but the Wolves have proven they can be a viable alternative. The ECHL has not proven it can be a viable alternative. Yet. Maybe they can, maybe they can't.

[wasteland]

Now, if you say "I don't think Chicago's ECHL team will last because it's a low-level team that's almost certain to be underfunded and they're playing way out in the sticks and another ECHL team already floundered and died there," I'm right with you. But if "There's already an NHL team there" is your only rationale, no, sorry, that's not a reasonable analysis.

The Chicago Hounds were a UHL team whose claim to fame was having their first home game was canceled due to bad ice. And of course Former Rockford owner Craig Drecktrah owned (owns) both teams.

[Raysontheroad]

Don't forget that it's been accomplished in other markets. Gwinnett held its own just fine with the Thrashers. Of course, the Thrashers couldn't hold their own, but that's a story whose end we already know. And that's in a metro area that's significantly smaller than Chicago.

[flinflonbombers]

Actually, Craig Drecktrah was not the owner of the team when the infamous "opening night debacle" occured. He took over ownership mid season from the original owner (a minor sports owner from New Jersey). One of the biggest obstacles facing the Hounds from the get go was the ticket prices. The cheapest ticket at the time was $14.00. The Wolves had, and still have tickets available under ten bucks in what could be considered the same market. They did have a pretty good crowd on opening night, over 4000 as I recall, but they really screwed the pooch when they waited until two and a half hours after game time to scratch the game. It was ugly to say the least.

Drecktrah was very sucessful with the original (UHL) Icehogs and did well when he took over for the Hounds late in the season. He dropped ticket prices and added dollar beer and dollar dog nights. The biggest problem for him was really mis-management of the arena, who were bleeding money and trying to sqeeze too much out of the Hounds, at the same time putting all of their eggs in the Chicago Shamrocks (now defunct) LaCrosse team by giving them the prime weekend dates. (The Shamrocks drew well initially in their first season, mainly I think as a curiosity. Once people had gone once or twice, they never went back, and the team eventually folded) It was actually a smart move to fold the team as he would have been fighting an uphill battle.

The Express have done a great job marketing the team and I think they will have a much better go at it this time around. Long term success will depend a lot on arena managment as much as how many tickets are sold. Head to head against the Wolves they may do well if they keep ticket prices, parking and consessions reasonable. (Wolves consessions leave a lot to be desired by todays standards and are pricey, in my opinion.) Parking at the Allstate arena for the Wolves is now at least $13.00 whereas the Sears Center is around $5.00 (At least it was). When you are talking about taking a family, it all counts....

As for media coverage, while they won't get what the Blackhawks get, local minor league sports do get covered by the local suburban paper, the Daily Herald....

[wasteland]

Actually, Craig Drecktrah was not the owner of the team when the infamous "opening night debacle" occured. He took over ownership mid season from the original owner (a minor sports owner from New Jersey).

Drecktrah was very sucessful with the original (UHL) Icehogs and did well when he took over for the Hounds late in the season.

You are correct, he took over mid-season, but he also was a part owner of the Icehogs and bought into the local ownership group. So he was only an partner for a short time overall. He in part bailed out the Hounds because he was upset the ownership group had decided to sell so that the Icehogs could make the jump to the AHL, which he was against. Not what i would do after hitting the jackpot, but I guess he enjoys it. Another tidit, he is also part of the ownership group lead by Joe Stefani that owns the Rockford Forestors. Stefani worked for the Chicago Shamrocks during there brief time in Schamburg.

[flinflonbombers]

It was announced yesterday that the Express have signed an affiliation agreement with the Columbus Blue Jackets. They are aso looking for another team to affiliate with as well..

http://dailyherald.com/article/20110713/news/707139913/

[wasteland]

I dont think Chicago will last .

Good call.

http://www.oursportscentral.com/services/releases/?id=4379069