SPHL IS BUNK!

[cudas#1]

Putting together teams full of junior "C" players and old friends of coaches the SPHL/SHL/EHL/WHA2, or whatever the name will be next week is still without a schedule. They have removed the champion Jacksonville Barracudas so weaker teams might be competitive, namely the Macon Trax and Orlando Squeals.

The whole league will be suspect. No talent, no valid leadership, Teams that got head-starts as payback for butt-shining DW.


cudas#1 :)

[redleg1966]

hey cudas, i agree the league is pretty weak right now with its organization and some of its rules. Not sure what you meant by "removed the champions" - I thought J-ville was playing in the league this year?

I talked to some folks in one of the organizations who told me they were trying to work out some affiliations with the ECHL. I guess that would make the SPHL the equivalent of single A baseball, with the ECHL being AA and the AHL being AAA.

I'm trying to keep a positive outlook on the league but the slow progress is disheartening at best.

[preeths]

The Macon Trax just announced an affiliation with the ECHL's Augusta Lynx, and I believe Asheville has a deal with Wheeling.

[Shootmaster_44]

The real question is does hockey need an elaborate minor league system like baseball has? Aside from teams in the AHL, I doubt NHL clubs have a need for the ECHL or any league below it. These leagues are so far removed from the NHL that there isn't a great need for them to be in some form of ladder system. On the other hand thinking of SPHL, the CHL and others as Indy Leagues, I could see a point to it. But I would say the real ladder looks something like this:

NHL - top league
AHL - AAA
Sweden, Finland, Russia, Czech Republic - AA+
ECHL - AA
Slovakia, Germany, Switzerland - AA-
WHL, OHL, QMJHL - A
NCAA - A-
SPHL, CHL, UHL - Rookie

However, I would say formal affiliations should only be made with the AHL and possibly but not neccesarily the ECHL. If hockey wanted an elaborate ladder, then why aren't ECHL players called up directly to the NHL? In baseball AA players are called up routinely. I'm not saying these leagues don't serve a purpose, but the formal ties are unnecessary.

[hockeyfan2004]

Ahl
Del (Germany)
Top Euro Leagues
Echl
Chl
Uhl

Major Jr (Ohl,Qjhl,Whl)
Cjahl (canadian tier tow leagues,)

[redleg1966]

Shootmaster, I concur with the disparity in levels of play between the ECHL and the NHL, but I'm not sure I totally agree with the statement that AA baseball players are "routinely" called up. In fact, often the reason a AA player is brought up is based more on circumstances because the system doesn't always work perfectly (meaning the AAA player isn't able to get called up for one reason or another -- read minor league options and the whole list of labor agreement issues). No need to think a hockey system would work much better, but the one thing an affiliation potentially provides is $$$$ to the lower level clubs. If an SPHL team winds up getting dollars from an NHL team through the AHL affiliate through the ECHL affiliate it can only be beneficial to the SPHL. You could make the argument that players could also be raised in a team's system, but that is probably a huge stretch! I suppose the other thing affiliation's do is allow NHL teams other options. For instance, the Atlanta Thrashers could put a player in a rehab game with the Gwinnett Gladiators instead of sending him all the way to Chicago to play with the Wolves. Trade off is the level of play, but in some instances it would work.

The real issue I have with the SPHL right now is why we aren't seeing a more aggressive marketing campaign? Very little press, no schedule released as of yet, and only sporadic reports of player signings. I would think they'd be turning on a media blitz to start enticing fans.

[wncsport.com]

The Macon Trax just announced an affiliation with the ECHL's Augusta Lynx, and I believe Asheville has a deal with Wheeling.

That's correct. However, they conviently fail to remind people that they sold the bill of goods that they were going to be affiliated with "major league hockey" (WHA) when they were at war with the SEHL. How many of these arenas would have picked the WHA2/EHL/SHL/SPHL over the SEHL, or hockey at all, if they were choosing between two struggling "A" level leagues?

Redleg is exactly right. Asheville was approved for this season almost a year ago and despite what they'll claim there's been next to nothing in the way of advertising. Their website is STILL under construction and hockey season starts in two months.

Prepare for a mid-season meltdown kiddies...

[furyfan1]

There is no way the UHL, CHL, and any alphabet soup league can even be mentioned in the same breath at this point. The U and the C have been around for years and have built respect among fans, front office, and players alike. At best the U and C can be mentioned in the same league but many people on other boards talk about the UHL and ECHL as more on the same level of competition.

[caniac1026]

They have been doing their marketing.
They are in agreement with Wild Wings Cafe and in tentative agreement with my employer (I hope I get trinkets!). They're focusing around local popular establishments and I think they're doing fine for the boat they're in.
If you were a potential sponsor, wouldn't you be a little sketchy about a sport that the fans adored but the city didn't want?
The Asheville Smoke were very popular. I couldn't find jack in the Asheville Citizen Times (newspaper) about the Carolina Hurricanes but there was always front page (sports section anyhow) color articles on the Smoke. Everyone loved the team but the city council wasn't on that vibe. All they knew was that the upkeep of the arena cost them money and they flushed a perfectly well liked team into the toilet.
I'm going to as many Aces games this fall as I can, especially with the NHL lockout looming, even if they do stink.
Heck, I a Canes fan, what do you expect.

[caniac1026]

I was just talking with my boss about the Aces and I think our sponsorship plans will fall through.
He told them to call us when they had the roster finalized and guess what, no call yet.
Ie. no roster.
The opening game is in in October!
I'm still going to watch hockey, but if it's that bad I'll be in the nosebleeds.

[BCRantzilla]

That's not good. Why do these teams always seem to be run by losers who couldn't even get a payroll loan?

[wncsport.com]

They didn't show at the Civic Center Commission meeting yesterday, either. Gee I wonder why? I'm sure it has nothing to do with Orlando going down for breach of contract. :roll:

The Commissioners were asking what happens if the team doesn't actually start play in regards to the $60K deposit. (The city keeps it.) The fact they even ASKED the question shows a lack of confidence.

Asheville fans should be concerned with this team, but it wasn't like I didn't try to warn everyone not to put a hockey team in here until the Civic Center was addressed first. These two leagues are highly unstable and even merged there isn't enough time.

I bet they try to start, but odds aren't too good on them finishing the season, less on making it to season 2, 0% odds on making it to season 3.

[caniac1026]

oooo
Let's get some Vegas odds on that.
I'd like to see the spread.