ECHL update please--the state of the league?

[RJSegel]

I've been hearing on other boards that it seems very likely that the ECHL will be returning to San Diego next season. From what I've read the franchise rights that are currently held by the Charlotte Checkers will be moved to San Diego. The domain name gullshockey.com has also been purchased, but that doesn't mean much of anything.

I found it quite interesting that one of the executives with Charlotte use to be a major executive with the San Diego Gulls before their franchise rights were revoked.

[Lazer]

What was the reason for the San Diego Gulls to voluntarily return their ECHL membership in 2006?

Attendance:
2003/04 180,982 fans in 36 games 5,027 per game
2004/05 204,412 fans in 36 games 5,678 per game
2005/06 210,305 fans in 36 games 5,841 per game

[Lazer]

[quote=""Lazer""]What was the reason for the San Diego Gulls to voluntarily return their ECHL membership in 2006?

Attendance:
2003/04 180,982 fans in 36 games 5,027 per game
2004/05 204,412 fans in 36 games 5,678 per game
2005/06 210,305 fans in 36 games 5,841 per game[/quote]

Here is what I found, bad management if they couldn't make money on 5000+ fans per game.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/San_Diego_ ... %80%932006)

[aardvark]

I believe the real issue was that after the '05-'06 season, Colorado was not going to renew their affiliation with the Gulls, and the team's (and arena's) ownership group claimed they did not have another affliation agreement lined up and did not want to run the team without one.

[Buffalo Super Fan]

Aardvark your from San Diego I am from Buffalo I know this is about ECHL hockey. I have no knowledge about the ECHL franchise movements but I will add this. I have never been to San Diego would like to see it sometime on vacation. My brother inlaw has been there on business and says it is nice.

San Diego I believe is a big league city and I think once the US economy gets a little better I think AEG will build new arenas in the cities of San Diego and Las Vegas. When that happens I think San Diego and Las Vegas will get either NHL or NBA or both because your city is growing and there is money there.

Unfortunately I believe the San Diego Chargers will move to Los Angeles when LA's Ed Roski builds the new Los Angeles football stadium. In my opinion I think that the San Diego Chargers will be one of the NFL clubs along with Jacksonville Jaguars because LA needs two NFL teams to make the new LA stadium numbers work.

I don't believe the San Diego Chargers will have success with political backing building a football stadium for 10 to 25 events a year in San Diego. But when the San Diego Chargers leave San Diego. I believe AEG will build the San Diego sports and entertainment fans a new San Diego arena your city needs.

They will succeed because one AEG carries weight and two the city will work a little more after the San Diego Chargers leave bascially a wake up call. It is easier to get a indoor arena build that can be used for 365 days a year if you want then for a football stadium for 10 to 25 events. The revenue numbers work better for indoor arenas.

I believe your city will get either a NHL or NBA franchise when the NFL San Diego Chargers move to Los Angeles but that is just my opinion. So hang in there I think you will have a new major league arena with in the next 10 years by 2020 because there is no long term future sports wise for the present San Diego Sports Arena. I know that proabley isn't want you want to here but good things come to cities that have the population numbers San Diego has.

Your lucky because I think your going to get another NBA team and a NHL by 2020. By 2020 my Buffalo might have all minor league sports and college sports only because we are shrinking population and money wise. I don't like it but if it happens I love all sports and support the city of Buffalo sports wise no matter what teams we have major, college or minor league. I won't let greed ruin my sports enjoyment I am a throwback that has followed pro sports since 1975. Even losing my childhood Buffalo Braves NBA to your city of San Diego the San Diego Clippers because of greed when I was 10 years old so I am use to it. As for the NFL you never know with the NFL but that league in my opinion is the greedest of the 4 majors.

They will move anybody fan support or not for a extra buck which is sad because I love my Buffalo Bills NFL and support them but I also a realist and am not under any fantasy when it comes to the NFL, NBA, NHL and MLB. It is about the almighty dollar with the NFL and all leagues but the NFL is the king of greed in my opinion. Let's Go Buffalo

[aardvark]

Nice in-depth post...I will respond to some of your points in order. As far as visiting San Diego, I think you would enjoy it. If you do visit, get a hotel in Mission Valley (Hotel Circle). The rooms are cheaper, and you are 15-20 minutes away from downtown by light rail. As far as a new arena being built in SD, I think that's why AEG took over the arena lease from the previous operators (even though that same previous operator runs the day-to-day operations os the arena for AEG); they will be the ones at some point to build that new arena of which you speak. I don't believe that SD will get another NBA franchise even with a new arena--don't forget, SD has lost 2 NBA teams; the Rockets in 1971, and then the Clippers in 1984. The NHL is also a long shot, which is too bad, because the Gulls of the old Western Hockey League used to draw 9,000 fans a game, which was more than some NHL clubs in the late 60's and early 70's. As far as the NFL is concerned, I also feel the Chargers are postioning themselves for a move to LA, but they face competition from a number of teams, including St Louis, J'ville, Minnesota, and your Bills. Doing some recent research, I found that Buffalo's population has plummeted in the last 50 years--I had no idea it had dropped that far. I wish for your area nothing but the best.

[HockeyRulez]

I'm not shocked, have you been to Buffalo before? All it is, is a small market city, centered around terrible weather and high expenses. NY State taxes are the worst in the country. Because it's a small city theres not much competition wise for jobs, only so much room for people to work. Then theres the weather, the worst. But because it's the small city, you could go to a bigger city like HOTlanta and get the same job and make a hell of a lot more money.
and the Bills will go to LA before San Diego. The League is DIEING to get rid of a small market franchise like that, LA is the alternative sinc Rogers died Toronto seems like a bust.

[aardvark]

As per an article this morning in the SD Union-Tribune newspaper, the Charlotte franchise is not moving to San Diego next season. The main reasons quoted by San Diego Sports Arena management are that it would cost around $500k to refurbish the ice making equipment and redo locker rooms. Ernie Hahn (manager of day-to-day operations of the arena) states that he can make more money for the arena with just one Black Eyed Peas concert than he can make on an entire season of hockey. So, it looks like there will be no hockey in San Diego in the forseeable future, which really sucks.

[Sam Hill]

[quote=""Lazer""]Here is what I found, bad management if they couldn't make money on 5000+ fans per game.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/San_Diego_ ... %80%932006)[/quote]

Perhaps they didn't actually SELL 5,000 tickets a game.

[HockeyRulez]

[quote=""aardvark""]As per an article this morning in the SD Union-Tribune newspaper, the Charlotte franchise is not moving to San Diego next season. The main reasons quoted by San Diego Sports Arena management are that it would cost around $500k to refurbish the ice making equipment and redo locker rooms. Ernie Hahn (manager of day-to-day operations of the arena) states that he can make more money for the arena with just one Black Eyed Peas concert than he can make on an entire season of hockey. So, it looks like there will be no hockey in San Diego in the forseeable future, which really sucks.[/quote]

I've heard that the only way San Diego will get hockey back only if they join the AHL.