The AAHA Is Born

[JoeyJosephs]

[quote=""BCRantzilla""]I'm not usually that far off when it comes to shady people using an alias. I was mistaken and I'm sorry about that.[/quote]

I accept your apology and I'm willing to forget this entire matter took place.

[tops804]

...may be a good slogan.

The Crusaders have changed the date of their press conference....again.

An official announcement has been planned for Tuesday afternoon, October 14th, by the ownership
group known as Crusaders Hockey.

Those taking notes....

It was Thursday...10/9
then
Monday...10/13
now
Tuesday...10/14

[iceman]

just hipe everything up. it shows you what this "association" will do just to get a teams to play against each other.

[BCRantzilla]

It doesn't help that there are rumours all over the place that both Mike Killbreath AND Joe Kolodziej are involved with this thing. (LOTS of stories circulating.)

Stay tuned...

[tops804]

Part of today's news from the league website.

"The Crusaders were to announce their team and arena on a
number of occasions in the last 10 days. They were slated to be the
Genesee County Crusaders playing in a suburb of Flint Michigan.
Over the course of those ten days, the arena, which also houses a
junior team, decided to change the predetermined rental terms, and
those changes were, in the team's opinion, limiting its ability to
generate revenue, in order to allow more revenues for the junior
team. This rental term change caused the business model to change
to a point where it was no longer workable and therefore the
Crusaders can not play this season. Members of the Association
worked with the ownership of the Crusaders to try to talk to the
facility and maintain the original agreement. The arena felt that it
was in their best interest to make the changes. The team has been
told by the Association that they are welcome to reapply for
membership next season if a new lease is obtained in a suitable
market or terms can be agreed on with the original facility."

In light of the unfortunate news about the Crusaders, the AAHA is
moving forward with a lot of positive steps. There have been several
inquiries from potential ownership groups for teams in 2009. Some of
them will be discussed at the AAHA meetings this week. The
ownership group of the previously announced and approved
expansion Thunder will be meeting with city and arena officials in
their market next week to schedule their team's announcement. The
Thunder's announcement is slated to take place shortly after the first
of the year.

[tops804]

Members of the All American Hockey Association will be meeting in
Battle Creek Michigan on Thursday October 16 for their first ever
Association meetings. Among the topics slated to be discussed are
Association rules for the 2008-2009 season, a possible television deal,
future expansion team applications and many other issues that will
help make the AAHA the premier "Single A" professional hockey
association in the country.

The Country!!!!

I would be happy if Single-A hockey would work in just one, small, three state region.

Guys -- Look at Single-A baseball, every "A-league" in it stays within its own region...

[nksports]

They were slated to be the
Genesee County Crusaders playing in a suburb of Flint Michigan.
Over the course of those ten days, the arena, which also houses a
junior team, decided to change the predetermined rental terms, and
those changes were, in the team's opinion, limiting its ability to
generate revenue, in order to allow more revenues for the junior
team.

That sounds like cryptic, minor-league-eze for "We want the rent up front." An arena is going to favor whoever pays the rent and brings in the most butts for the seats. (Can this place sell beer?).

[nksports]

The econimics of this league is not making sense. The largest rink used to which I can find details is the Motor City team at 3,000. Evansville and South Shore both play in rinks that seat 1,500. I couldn't find what the Rink in Battle Creek seats, but it didn't look like much (it was a parks and recreation dept. rink).

If I pay $2,000 a night in rent (and that would be cheap these days), that's $40,000 a season (for a 20-game home season). If I pay players $100 a game, that's $72,000 in player salary (for 18 players). I'm not going to even guess coaches' pay, insurances (of all types needed), training staff, team staff, travel costs (fortunately I don't think there are any overnight trips involved), office space, utilities, office supplies, etc.

If I sell out a 1,500-seat arena at $6 a ticket (what was on the Evansville site), I will get $180,000. Since adverstisers are only going to get 1,500 eyeball views a night, I'm not going to be able to charge a lot for advertising.
This doesn't look very promising.

[Geoff]

[quote=""tops804""]The Country!!!!

I would be happy if Single-A hockey would work in just one, small, three state region.

Guys -- Look at Single-A baseball, every "A-league" in it stays within its own region...[/quote]
Their calling them selves the "premier 'Single A' professional hockey
association in the country" ... truth be told, they are the only Single A association.

[BCRantzilla]

Word is Mike Killbreath is the man behind the Crusaders, (Flint, Michigan is your first red flag,) and the arena wanted the money up front, Fatbreath balked and the result is no team. Not that there was a real team coming in the first place.