Sports Enthusiast
Not Here To Be Liked
That is absolutely correct... Not only that, if the AHL didn't take this path it wouldn't exists today because player cost would have driven a large majority of teams out of business. That's a lost fact in all of this.
There is an economic reality to the way the AHL operates.
Totally true. I don't think people get it, in todays world you see many NHL owned AHL franchises BECAUSE not so many "local" owners can afford them, unlike in AA Hockey(for now)
I found this interesting article out of Fort Wayne:
http://fwnextweb1.fortwayne.com/ns/sports/tailingthekomets/?p=6839
Only taking one part out of this statement:
The way this all works, teams sign licensing agreements with their leagues, and when those agreements are up, that’s when it’s easiest for them to change leagues.
I had no idea that every league had this requirement. I thought it was only the CHL.
I think this paragraph at the very least could apply to this though:
A bunch of teams throughout all leagues have their agreements finish up after next season. If a major restructuring is ever going to happen, that’s when it will be. There are also a bunch of teams in every league for sale with no buyers.
I'm sure AHL teams are included in that. The thing is....your an IDIOT if you think your gunna own a minor league sports franchise to make a profit. I can only think of a handful of PROFITABLE minor league hockey franchises. They would be....The alaska Aces(ECHL) Colorado Eagles(now of the ECHL, formerly of the CHL), Hershey Bears(AHL), Fort Wayne Komets(CHL), Stockton Thunder and possibly Bakersfield Condors of the ECHL. Not sure about the chicago Wolves. i'm not even sure on the 2 Cali ECHL Franchises but I do know the first 4 are profitable, there aren't many, and as you can see if they are they are in AA Hockey.