Steelheads returning 'home' to CBA

[Ken, Steelheads fan]

[quote=""bectond""]The only bad thing about this is everything happened so darn fast. I felt me and One Way had at least three more weeks of Freddie Mercury and Crow eaten jokes before all this would go down. But it's still funny



Chuck's multi-team ownership in Gary reference brought a smile to my face Ken, Trinty may end up barring you from your beloved draft party.[/quote]

Yes, the timing is terrible. First with the Cagerz and now THIS. Now you have a bunch of lame duck teams going into the USBL tournament. Yes, The Race to the Bottom is in full stride in Gary. I doubt anyone is going to be barring me from anywhere. The Steelheads are going to need all the paying customers they can get.

panchess,
Yes, you nailed the political forecast on the head. The downtown revitalization plan is to attract people year-round. Summer is covered with baseball. Winter? Well, that's why hockey was invented.

[bomp]

[quote=""Chuck the Writer""] Everybody who ever counted the CBA out should stand up and apologize RIGHT NOW!![/quote]

OK. I apologize, Chuck. I can't believe that the CBA is coming back. Never count out that Gym Coyne! Those teams out WEST then Albany and Pittsburgh? The travel costs have got to be crazy. I wonder how the financials line up between the PBL and the CBA?

When I lived in Albany down the street from the Armory, the place really rocked. That was in the 70s when the Patroons used to beat up Wyoming. The travel was crazy then!

[psbf]

that you don't already know it, bomp, I'm a proud Xplosion supporter and I'm glad to see the CBA grow stronger. This means the X now have a future, which was not the case when we were in the ABA.

[panchess]

..it's part of my business that I am in, and using arenas and events to attract people to spend money is part of the game.

A hockey team? I am surprised that the UHL hasn't tried Gary, particularly with its industrial Midwest focus. It worked for Rockford (who I agree won't be back until they can find arena dates, particularly with the city getting an AHL team).

I wonder if any of the other USBL teams will try to go to the CBA. As a cluster (and largely transferring with the Dakota/Montana cluster), it could work.

The CBA split travel costs last year too. Each team got 11 people per game in the pool, and paid for any additional personnel that they brought.

The Patroons drew 1,500 per game last season and said they broke even. I am sure they lost money on the USBL, even though the vaunted "$20,000 road trip" really isn't that expensive considering it covered six road games.

[Ken, Steelheads fan]

Yes, hockey. The Steelheads ownership group would be better served if they partnered with a UHL ownership group willing to bring ice to Gary. Keep the sportstainment. Keep the basketball team, but keep it cozy and get the fans used to the spring (and used to actually buying tickets). Getting people used to the new system wasn't going to happen overnight, but...easy for me to say. I don't know what kind of financial stress the ownership group was under.

I don't think anymore USBL teams will go CBA. Heck! Those teams were already balking at traveling to far-off Gary on Lake Michigan . Besides, fall/winter ball won't work in those places.

...and let's not forget. The Steelheads are quite successful with their Idaho hockey team.

[logoguru]

I think the UHL is pretty much done, they're losing about 3 teams to the ECHL and AHL and I think another 1 or 2 are folding (but I dont follow hockey)
________
Mamydirty Live

[bomp]

[quote=""psbf""]that you don't already know it, bomp, I'm a proud Xplosion supporter and I'm glad to see the CBA grow stronger. This means the X now have a future, which was not the case when we were in the ABA.[/quote]


I would have NEVER guessed by all of your posts on the subject.

[MJHankel]

Gary Tribune article with quotes from the ownership about the CBA future for the Steelheads. (The first part is about the last USBL home game).

http://www.post-trib.com/sports/430682,Steel.article

[psbf]

of Gary returning, I'm not so sure I like the idea after all, since the Steelheads have two members who were crucial in helping the Xplosion earn a win streak late last season in Corey Minnifield and Rob Griffin(who I see is currently inactive). I would love to see both back with the X. But as long as head coach Jaren Jackson returns, that's half the battle.

[CRUSADERSFAN]

As much as you may like the Xplosion, they certainly aren't "entitled" to any players. And if they want to keep Jackson as head coach, ownership better lock him up. Keep in mind that adding Gary is what's best for the CBA, and probably, best for every other team.