Who is for sale?

[HockeyFan70]

I have been reading over in the UHL section that the Rockford, Ill. metro-centre is looking to purchase an AHL franchise. Several of the stories mention that there are a "few" franchises for sale. Does anyone have a clue as to which ones are on the market? Sometimes rumors and attendance figures don't give a good indication.

[iceman]

rumor has it that next year the farm team for the blackhawks will be in rockford no longer on norfolk.

[canuck steve]

The AHL should continue with their growth to larger centres,but the move to Windsor is a step in the wrong direction,tough to go against Junior A and NHL in Canada.I believe the league should be looking to relocate teams to Cincinnati,Indy,Lousiville,and Kansas City. I know that these markets had teams before ,but with the right magaement and promtion, they should have a solid base of fans, as there some knowledge of the game,The smaller centres that are dropped can join the UHL and ECHL and make those leagues stronger.

[rams80]

Cincinnati tried and failed to get going for this year-they are now Windsor.

Louisville got nuked by Afr.

Kansas City has its heart set on the NHL.

I figure if the smaller markets can hack it with the attendance, why drop them?

(And to address the original query)

The dormant Edmonton franchise is the only current one not spoken for.

Omaha is rumored to be moving after this year.

Lowell is also in play, but the main line of thought indicates that they will be moving to Trenton.

[sportsguy12]

Cincinnati tried and failed to get going for this year-they are now Windsor.

Louisville got nuked by Afr.

Kansas City has its heart set on the NHL.

I figure if the smaller markets can hack it with the attendance, why drop them?

(And to address the original query)

The dormant Edmonton franchise is the only current one not spoken for.

Omaha is rumored to be moving after this year.

Lowell is also in play, but the main line of thought indicates that they will be moving to Trenton.

If the AHL does come to Rockford, it will be in the form of the dormant Edmonton AHL franchise. Norfolk is locally owned, so the Admirals will remain with Carolina possibly moving in as its new parent.

Rumors have New Jersey moving Lowell to their Newark arena. I don't know how that would work. Also, indoor soccer will occupy that building. Neither Lowell or Omaha is doing particularly well in attedance.

Louisville and Lexington were both great AHL cities, but the arenas are so big there. And with college basketball entrenched, the good weekend dates are booked.

I always thought Quad Cities would make a great AHL town, but it's never materialized. Cincinnati didn't make their ticket drive goal and that nixed the RailRaiders' AHL hopes of returning. I agree that Windsor is not an AHL market. We'll have to wait and see ...

[Geoff]

If the AHL does come to Rockford, it will be in the form of the dormant Edmonton AHL franchise. Norfolk is locally owned, so the Admirals will remain with Carolina possibly moving in as its new parent.

Rumors have New Jersey moving Lowell to their Newark arena. I don't know how that would work. Also, indoor soccer will occupy that building. Neither Lowell or Omaha is doing particularly well in attedance.

Louisville and Lexington were both great AHL cities, but the arenas are so big there. And with college basketball entrenched, the good weekend dates are booked.

I always thought Quad Cities would make a great AHL town, but it's never materialized. Cincinnati didn't make their ticket drive goal and that nixed the RailRaiders' AHL hopes of returning. I agree that Windsor is not an AHL market. We'll have to wait and see ...

Here's the rumor I've been hearing over and over again:

Devils Organization
NHL: Move to Newark
AHL: move Lowell Devils to Trenton
ECHL: Move the Titans franchise to Atlantic City

Thus, making the only affiliation system entirely in one state.

I'd love to see AHL hockey back in my home town of Louisville and I agree that Freedom Hall may be too big but there is the Broadbent Arena also on the Expo Center grounds. It may be a little small for the AHL with 5621 permanent seats and the floor is wide enough that once dasher boards were up, there would be plenty of room for extra seats. It's already hockey ready as it hosted the Louisville Ice Hawks and the Louisville Riverfrogs during the cities last ECHL stint of 1990-1994 sand 1995 - 1998.

I have also heard some faint rumors that the new arena that are building for UofL basketball is also supposed to attract NHL eyes. I highly doubt that at this moment.

[sportsguy12]

Here's the rumor I've been hearing over and over again:

Devils Organization
NHL: Move to Newark
AHL: move Lowell Devils to Trenton
ECHL: Move the Titans franchise to Atlantic City

Thus, making the only affiliation system entirely in one state.

I'd love to see AHL hockey back in my home town of Louisville and I agree that Freedom Hall may be too big but there is the Broadbent Arena also on the Expo Center grounds. It may be a little small for the AHL with 5621 permanent seats and the floor is wide enough that once dasher boards were up, there would be plenty of room for extra seats. It's already hockey ready as it hosted the Louisville Ice Hawks and the Louisville Riverfrogs during the cities last ECHL stint of 1990-1994 sand 1995 - 1998.

I have also heard some faint rumors that the new arena that are building for UofL basketball is also supposed to attract NHL eyes. I highly doubt that at this moment.

Atlantic City and Trenton were huge ECHL rivals. If you move Trenton to the AHL, then AC would be alone on the East Coast.

Broadbent would be OK until the new arena is built then couldn't the AHL move into Freedom Hall? It is a little on the small side, but I think that would be OK. I'd like to see the AHL get to 30 teams like the NHL. They've been sooooo close the last few years.

[Geoff]

Freedom Hall a little small for the AHL? Maybe the small side for NHL but not AHL. When it is in Hockey configuration it seats 17,062. Anaheim's Honda Center holds 17,174, a mere 112 more.

Now, assuming Freedom Hall doesn't get knocked down, if the AHL cam to Louisville, they could use Freedom Hall and either share it with the Louisville Fire (af2) and have it to themselves if the Fire move to the new facility.

In my research just now of the new arena, I found out that the groudbreaking is scheduled for tomorrow morning at 11 ET.

Based on this site (http://www.arenaauthority.com/faq.htm), they seem to be planning to keep Freedom Hall open.

"The arena complex will also likely attract NCAA Championship events in sports like wrestling or volleyball, family shows, conventions, concerts and possibly a minor league hockey team could decide to play in Freedom Hall – with new weekend dates opening up."

[rams80]

Atlantic City and Trenton were huge ECHL rivals. If you move Trenton to the AHL, then AC would be alone on the East Coast.

Broadbent would be OK until the new arena is built then couldn't the AHL move into Freedom Hall? It is a little on the small side, but I think that would be OK. I'd like to see the AHL get to 30 teams like the NHL. They've been sooooo close the last few years.

AC hasn't had an ECHL team last two seasons...they're in Stockton now.

AC could make do with Reading, Johnstown, Wheeling et al. methinks.

[canuck steve]

Whichever city you expand or relocate to ,you need good management,people who are willing to promote the game with some cost and effort.Louisville,Indy,KC and Cincy are all Triple AAA cities when it comes to hockey,the failed attempts of the UHL in Kansas City and this year's nightmare of Cincy in the ECHL even though the games maybe exciting ,the leagues are not Triple A, thus the apathy. All the above cities have been burned at one time or another by owners not doing their duties properly of promoting.As costs and travel increase these are the cities that can afford Triple AAA hockey in the future, its sad to say but teams like Lowell,Springfield,Albany,Binghamton and Worcester maybe be better off joining Elmira ,Danbury for an eastern division of the UHL,or the Northern Division of the ECHL.

[rams80]

Whichever city you expand or relocate to ,you need good management,people who are willing to promote the game with some cost and effort.Louisville,Indy,KC and Cincy are all Triple AAA cities when it comes to hockey,the failed attempts of the UHL in Kansas City and this year's nightmare of Cincy in the ECHL even though the games maybe exciting ,the leagues are not Triple A, thus the apathy. All the above cities have been burned at one time or another by owners not doing their duties properly of promoting.As costs and travel increase these are the cities that can afford Triple AAA hockey in the future, its sad to say but teams like Lowell,Springfield,Albany,Binghamton and Worcester maybe be better off joining Elmira ,Danbury for an eastern division of the UHL,or the Northern Division of the ECHL.

Yup....there was so much interest in AAA hockey in Cincinnati that the season ticket drive failed.

I'm not sure how AAA hockey will be greeted after the death of the Blades way back when, but KC's stated priority remains the NHL.

As for the Northeastern teams you mention...the advantage of having so many of them is the minimized travel costs encountered in the New England corridor. That's why some of them will be sticking around in the future (For example, San Jose made a pretty sizable commitment to Worcester IIRC).

PS. Danbury's dead in the UHL, and Elmira seems to be struggling, while the closest ECHL team after Trenton is Reading, PA.

[canuck steve]

When you start your season ticket drive, you should have your parent team in place,so that you can be sure a team is coming, Cincy was never sure if a team would relocate there. The city supported both the IHL and the AHL with good crowds before and I am sure once hockey started the walk up crowd would be greater than that of the ECHL.As for KC, they might have to prove themselves for a few years in the AHL before the NHL comes courting,unless its Pittsburgh moving there, then Pittsburgh should get AHL team. It all comes down to ownership and promotion. Next year Cleveand comes back to the AHL,the new owner who also owns the Cavs loves hockey and his staff knows how to promote hockey, they will be more successful than Sharks were.Being a Canadian,AHL has not done well in Canada,with the exception of Winnipeg and the lock out year when Edmonton went Roadrunner wild, even Hamilton might be better off having a OHA team there than an AHL team.

[rams80]

When you start your season ticket drive, you should have your parent team in place,so that you can be sure a team is coming, Cincy was never sure if a team would relocate there. The city supported both the IHL and the AHL with good crowds before and I am sure once hockey started the walk up crowd would be greater than that of the ECHL.As for KC, they might have to prove themselves for a few years in the AHL before the NHL comes courting,unless its Pittsburgh moving there, then Pittsburgh should get AHL team. It all comes down to ownership and promotion. Next year Cleveand comes back to the AHL,the new owner who also owns the Cavs loves hockey and his staff knows how to promote hockey, they will be more successful than Sharks were.Being a Canadian,AHL has not done well in Canada,with the exception of Winnipeg and the lock out year when Edmonton went Roadrunner wild, even Hamilton might be better off having a OHA team there than an AHL team.

However, the caveat there is the parent team might not want to affiliate if they aren't sure of the fan committment. The simple fact is that not enough the people of Cincinnati chose to place down a measely refundable deposit for the sport they "love".

Pittsburgh won't get an AHL team if they don't get an arena. Simple truth.

My jury's out on Windsor.

(PS, its OHL)

[sportsguy12]

I think Colorado or Edmonton would have landed in Cincy had the ticket drive met its goal. It was only 2000 or 2500, which isn't terribly high for AHL standards.

I think with the new agreement in place, there's a whole lot more emphasis on player development so all NHL teams are going to want their own minor league affiliations.

That's also the draw for these eastern cities like Bingo, Worcester and Lowell, etc. They would struggle in the UHL because the affiliation isn't there - even if its a secondary affiliation with an AHL team.

Look at Indy baseball leagues like Can-Am and Atlantic League compared to like the Eastern League. The numbers are woeful, comparable to a few of the lower drawing EL teams.

Plus the sponsors won't support UHL hockey, which is why Adirondack and some of the others folded and why arenas in Allentown and Williamsport can't seem to get off the ground. Who wants to build a new arena for independent teams. Now, there are exceptions like Hoffman Estates, Ill. etc.

[sportsguy12]

Freedom Hall a little small for the AHL? Maybe the small side for NHL but not AHL. When it is in Hockey configuration it seats 17,062. Anaheim's Honda Center holds 17,174, a mere 112 more.

Now, assuming Freedom Hall doesn't get knocked down, if the AHL cam to Louisville, they could use Freedom Hall and either share it with the Louisville Fire (af2) and have it to themselves if the Fire move to the new facility.

In my research just now of the new arena, I found out that the groudbreaking is scheduled for tomorrow morning at 11 ET.

Based on this site (http://www.arenaauthority.com/faq.htm), they seem to be planning to keep Freedom Hall open.

"The arena complex will also likely attract NCAA Championship events in sports like wrestling or volleyball, family shows, conventions, concerts and possibly a minor league hockey team could decide to play in Freedom Hall – with new weekend dates opening up."

I meant that Broadbent was too small for the AHL. Freedom Hall would have to be curtained off for the AHL. It's too roomy.