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View Full Version : Do you think the Muskegon Thunder will succeed?

Minor League Man
05-04-2006, 02:57 PM
Vote! (I think the fans will LOVE them)
Jamie
05-04-2006, 04:18 PM
Why not? Its a good location... there are two other GLIFL teams in Michigan.

The market is about the right size, but I don't know anything about the venue. Tell us more.
Minor League Man
05-04-2006, 04:29 PM
The L.C. Walker Sports Arena was built in 1960 and has a seating capacity of 5,100. Besides the Thunder, it is the home of the UHL's Muskegon Fury and (at this moment at least) the CBA's Michigan Mayhem. More information can be found at http://www.lcwalkerarena.com/history.php.
Jamie
05-04-2006, 04:46 PM
Well, if indoor football can work in the flyover states like South Dakota and Wyoming... I don't see why it couldn't work on Lake Michigan.
phydeaux72
05-04-2006, 05:14 PM
The L.C. Walker Sports Arena was built in 1960 and has a seating capacity of 5,100. Besides the Thunder, it is the home of the UHL's Muskegon Fury and (at this moment at least) the CBA's Michigan Mayhem. More information can be found at http://www.lcwalkerarena.com/history.php.

It looks like a pretty nice arena, even considering it's 45 years old. The only drawback I could see is that, in the photos I've seen, it has a very low ceiling. This is more than likely acceptable for hockey or basketball, but could pose to be a pretty good obstacle to work around for indoor football, especially on kick-offs. And the ceiling almost appears to be too low to hang the uprights. So the league might have to make special league rule considerations.
Minor League Man
05-04-2006, 05:24 PM
The photo might be pretty deceptive (In the respect of the height of the ceiling)...
phydeaux72
05-04-2006, 06:13 PM
The photo might be pretty deceptive (In the respect of the height of the ceiling)...

True. However, according to the arena website, the ceiling is only 39 feet high. I don't know if that is the height to the bottom of the rafters or the actual ceiling itself. Still, 39 feet seems a bit short.
exit322
05-04-2006, 07:38 PM
It's not the shortest arena in the GLIFL right now...39 feet is fine.
Minor League Man
05-04-2006, 07:41 PM
If I remember correctly, the ESL Sports Centre is even shorter.
tony-o
05-06-2006, 09:58 AM
Well, it should work. So far the GLIFL has chosen great owners, this is another great ownership group from what I've heard. And I've also heard that this is a good arena and city for this team to play in. Why wouldn't it work?
kwingshockey
07-15-2006, 01:30 PM
I have head that Kalamazoo is looking in to adding a team for the year of 2008 in the new arena that is being built in downtown Kalamazoo.
patmc16
07-17-2006, 12:46 PM
True. However, according to the arena website, the ceiling is only 39 feet high. I don't know if that is the height to the bottom of the rafters or the actual ceiling itself. Still, 39 feet seems a bit short.

Having been to both, I can say that the ceiling in Walker is significantly higher than GLSC-Superior, where the Motor City Reapers will play next season. I have never seen any official measurements, but I would guestimate the height of the bottom of the scoreboard, which is fixed over center ice (or the 25 yard line, I guess), at about 25 feet at GLSC-Superior. It should be interesting to see how they will play there. I'm expecting a ton of balls to hit the scoreboard, if not the ceiling, especially early in the season next year.
Elganned
08-06-2006, 12:30 AM
The only obstacle I can see to the Thunder's success is the existence of the Grand Rapids Rampage, an Arena Football team, just 45 minutes to the south.

Don't know how much competition that might create or how it would affect the fan base.