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I cannot ever see the SPHL and the CHL coming together unless the CHL was in desperate trouble and had to do that to stay alive. I would certainly like to see them come together. The move for the Kings fans to the SPHL, not meant to be a slam to the league, has been very disappointing in many ways. First, at the end of the last CHL season we were buying season tickets for the next CHL season when we were informed we would be proud associates of the SPHL. We have had an indifferent, absentee owner, who turned the organization over to an incompetent front office, which has now been overhauled. Our 2011-2012 season commenced with a new rookie coach, new complete team and talent except for one man, a noticeable drop in attendance and season ticket holders. We seem to have one foot in the world of hockey and one foot out. Yes, we are still glad to have some form of hockey here for those who want to remind us how lucky we are but what a change. I would like to see Bossier come back and join the SPHL this year after going dark in 2010-2011 when they won the CHL championship. I believe they had to stay out a year, which would have been last year.

Any new news on a new team for next season?

[quote=""perusix""]Any new news on a new team for next season?[/quote]

Plenty. But not where you'd expect.

The Bloomington Blaze are pulling out of the CHL to move to the SPHL -- and the Blaze's owners are also placing an SPHL team in Peoria to replace the AHL Rivermen (who ended their contract with the Peoria Civic Center today).

They're claiming more teams are coming to make a full Midwest division for the league... rumors are they're trying to get Quad City to switch leagues, and other cities may be involved.

Basically, it's the continuation of a mad dash by its teams to get as far from the CHL as possible...

The Augusta RiverHawks are going dormant for at least a year:
//www.oursportscentral.com/service ... id=4594412

[quote=""robster2001""]Plenty. But not where you'd expect.

The Bloomington Blaze are pulling out of the CHL to move to the SPHL -- and the Blaze's owners are also placing an SPHL team in Peoria to replace the AHL Rivermen (who ended their contract with the Peoria Civic Center today).

They're claiming more teams are coming to make a full Midwest division for the league... rumors are they're trying to get Quad City to switch leagues, and other cities may be involved.

Basically, it's the continuation of a mad dash by its teams to get as far from the CHL as possible...[/quote]

Really? I have a memory where Quad City is owned by the CHL. Also as the bad news continues for the CHL, the Fort Worth Brahmas barely came back last year, up until the week before the season opener, nobody knew for sure and the league didn't know what building they would play in. There is rumblings (ie at the players and season tix owners farewell dinner) that the team is saying they need a new investor.

The fact that the CHL is stuck owning the Quad City team is a fair point, as long as the league can survive the silly season with a dwindling number of owners likely looking down on the idea of funding QC.

The current situation does tie up the possibility of a QC SPHL investor popping up... but how long can the CHL tie it up?

The Bloomington Blaze will compete in the Southern Professional Hockey League next season, after spending the past two seasons in the Central Hockey League. The Blaze will be joined by the Peoria Rivermen in their new league, after the latter officially lost its American Hockey League squad Monday.

In two seasons in the CHL, the Blaze failed to make the playoffs. A call to TC Sports, which is operating the Blaze, confirmed that the team will be moving to the SPHL, which is considered the Single-A level of hockey, from the Double-A CHL. The Blaze had planned to officially make the announcement today.

The move strips the Quad-City Mallards of their nearest geographic rival, who they played 19 times this past season. The Mallards' closest remaining rival from last season is the Missouri Mavericks, who are located 375 miles away. The CHL was a 10-team league last season, and plans to add teams in St. Charles, Mo., and Brampton, Ontario, for the 2013-14 season.

http://qctimes.com/sports/hockey/profes ... 6a430.html

[quote=""Pounder""]The fact that the CHL is stuck owning the Quad City team is a fair point, as long as the league can survive the silly season with a dwindling number of owners likely looking down on the idea of funding QC.

The current situation does tie up the possibility of a QC SPHL investor popping up... but how long can the CHL tie it up?[/quote]

"Lewis said there is no urgency for the Mallards to find a permanent owner and re-emphasized that the league would wait as long as needed for the right person. Whether or not they have a new owner, the Mallards will return to a league that projects to have 12 franchises next year with the additions of St. Charles, Mo., and Brampton, Ontario. Lewis said that a 13th franchise is a possibility next year in Casper, Wyo., and the league could add even more teams after next season."

http://qctimes.com/sports/hockey/profes ... 963f4.html

How about the Columbia Inferno?

Evansville joins!!!