ECHL 2017-18 schedule released

garnetpalmetto

Jerkministrator
Jul 12, 2004
12,476
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Durham, NC
Cincy, Dayton and Toledo used to have the Ice-75 challenge cup. Named after Interstate 75 that connects the cities. I assume Cincy and Toledo still continue the tradition. Winner is the team with the best head to head record in the regular season.

There used to be several of these around the ECHL. Reading and Johnstown used to have the Keystone Cup, and Reading and Elmira had the DeMets candy cup (DeMets has factories in both cities). There used to be a Palmetto cup between the Stingrays, Pride and Inferno.

And the Grrrowl.

*sigh* those were the days as an ECHL fan. The SC fanbases (as well as the Checkers and Lynx fans) traveled to each other's barns and really made it a rivalry. Sad that three of those cities are dark now and one's in a league with no nearby rivals.
 

Sports Enthusiast

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Sep 19, 2010
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Considering the times I'm actually surprised they had that candy factory challenge up through this year. Not sure what the winners received though. Maybe a trophy? Not even sure if the two factories necessarily make the same candies or not. I know at games here in the past they threw out chocolate turtle clusters. Outside of that I've never had any of the product and have no idea what else they sell.
 

royals119

Registered User
Jun 12, 2006
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West Lawn, PA
Considering the times I'm actually surprised they had that candy factory challenge up through this year. Not sure what the winners received though. Maybe a trophy? Not even sure if the two factories necessarily make the same candies or not. I know at games here in the past they threw out chocolate turtle clusters. Outside of that I've never had any of the product and have no idea what else they sell.
Yes, there was a trophy for the winning team.
The two factories make different products. The Reading facility makes chocolate covered pretzels called "flipz". I had never heard of them before the sponsored the cup either, so apparently their advertising efforts were at least somewhat successful.
 

210

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Mar 5, 2003
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You mean the guy who created CNN and TBS and both are close to going belly up? Didn't he lose almost all his funny money with the divorce?

In 2016 CNN had almost $1Billion in profits on its own, and TBS is part of Time/Warner so that ain't going "belly up" either. News reports at the time said Fonda got $40M...Turner is worth in excess of $2Billion, so that's not remotely close to "almost all". It's seriously like you intentionally post incorrect information.

And to stay on subject, I can't see a reason why Turner buys a minor league hockey team.
 

Big Z Man 1990

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Jun 4, 2011
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Don't say anything at all
As it stands the league has perhaps too much an emphasis on division games. When Portland enters the league next year I'd like all non-division match ups to occur twice each (42 games), and division match ups 5 times each (30 games) to complete the 72 game schedule. To me it's important to visit every arena in the league at least once like in the NHL.
 

Avsrule2022

"No more rats"
Apr 4, 2012
683
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Longmont, CO
As it stands the league has perhaps too much an emphasis on division games. When Portland enters the league next year I'd like all non-division match ups to occur twice each (42 games), and division match ups 5 times each (30 games) to complete the 72 game schedule. To me it's important to visit every arena in the league at least once like in the NHL.

It will never happen. Too many teams that refuse to travel, not to mention the cost would probably end up bankrupting several franchises. It would be brutal for the East teams. Would you fly into Colorado for a Wed. game, bus to Utah for a Fri. game, bus to Idaho for a Sat. game, bus to Rapid City for a Tues. game and fly home? And then do it all over again for Tulsa, Wichita, Kansas City and Allen? All for one game? Brutal.
 
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royals119

Registered User
Jun 12, 2006
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West Lawn, PA
As it stands the league has perhaps too much an emphasis on division games. When Portland enters the league next year I'd like all non-division match ups to occur twice each (42 games), and division match ups 5 times each (30 games) to complete the 72 game schedule. To me it's important to visit every arena in the league at least once like in the NHL.
It would be more realistic to have each team visit one other division each year. Sort of like the NFL does. Might not be practical to hit every team in a division, but for example one year they schedule North vs South, then next year North vs Central, then North vs Mountain. So each team has one 10-16 day road trip where they play 7-11 games vs another division (hit 4-5 teams in a trip). Would take two cycles to hit every team, so you would see all the teams over a six year period. It's not ideal, but gives more variety without making travel impossibly expensive.

It would be hardest on the Mountain teams, since some of them would have to fly every year, where most of the East, South, and Central teams could bus when facing each other and only have to fly when going west.
 

Hurricane Ron

Registered User
Jul 23, 2015
132
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Tulsa
It would be more realistic to have each team visit one other division each year. Sort of like the NFL does. Might not be practical to hit every team in a division, but for example one year they schedule North vs South, then next year North vs Central, then North vs Mountain. So each team has one 10-16 day road trip where they play 7-11 games vs another division (hit 4-5 teams in a trip). Would take two cycles to hit every team, so you would see all the teams over a six year period. It's not ideal, but gives more variety without making travel impossibly expensive.

It would be hardest on the Mountain teams, since some of them would have to fly every year, where most of the East, South, and Central teams could bus when facing each other and only have to fly when going west.

Its a great idea, but considering that there aren't even balanced schedules within teams in the same division, I don't see the league setting up division versus division rivalries on a rotational basis.

Again, its a great idea and would allow for more of a complete league feel, being able to count on seeing ALL the teams in the league eventually.

Sadly, with the current league management/structure, I don't think it will ever happen.
 

royals119

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Jun 12, 2006
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West Lawn, PA
Its a great idea, but considering that there aren't even balanced schedules within teams in the same division, I don't see the league setting up division versus division rivalries on a rotational basis.

Again, its a great idea and would allow for more of a complete league feel, being able to count on seeing ALL the teams in the league eventually.

Sadly, with the current league management/structure, I don't think it will ever happen.
Yeah, I don't see it happening formally any time soon. Some teams do it on a limited basis. I follow the Royals and they usually make a 1-2 week road trip at some point during the season. Last year it was Rapid City, Colorado, a midwest team I can't recall, then Cincy on the way back. They've often make a southern or mid-western swing. This year they just have an early season weekend trip to SC and a late season weekend in Orlando/Jacksonville.
 

PCSPounder

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Apr 12, 2012
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The Outskirts of Nutria Nanny
As it stands the league has perhaps too much an emphasis on division games. When Portland enters the league next year I'd like all non-division match ups to occur twice each (42 games), and division match ups 5 times each (30 games) to complete the 72 game schedule. To me it's important to visit every arena in the league at least once like in the NHL.

You have seen enough rational answers to this comment that my only mildly snarky "IF YOU WANT TO SEE EVERYONE HOME AND HOME YOU PAY FOR IT" comment should, well, merit the restraining order you're now thinking about filing against me.

If this league could sell out 20 arenas at 10K capacity for full seasons, you'd get what you want. Alas...
 

Big Z Man 1990

Registered User
Jun 4, 2011
2,535
353
Don't say anything at all
In 2016 CNN had almost $1Billion in profits on its own, and TBS is part of Time/Warner so that ain't going "belly up" either. News reports at the time said Fonda got $40M...Turner is worth in excess of $2Billion, so that's not remotely close to "almost all". It's seriously like you intentionally post incorrect information.

And to stay on subject, I can't see a reason why Turner buys a minor league hockey team.

Coming back to Ted Turner buying the Gladiators - they are in Atlanta - which is his base of operations/home. He's a well-respected figure in the city. Granted his attempt to bring NHL back ultimately failed, but he will always be a fixture in the city. So maybe owning an ECHL team might be more reasonable at this point.
 

CHRDANHUTCH

Registered User
Mar 4, 2002
35,232
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Auburn, Maine
Coming back to Ted Turner buying the Gladiators - they are in Atlanta - which is his base of operations/home. He's a well-respected figure in the city. Granted his attempt to bring NHL back ultimately failed, but he will always be a fixture in the city. So maybe owning an ECHL team might be more reasonable at this point.

note:

Time Warner is about DOA, Turner was forced out years ago.... and Time has since been spun off just as AOL and the Cable entity was sold to Charter aka Spectrum....

it's been reported now, that Jeffrey Bewkes WILL TRANSITION out as CEO, and every property that remains lands over at DIRECT TV/AT & T, that hasn't been sold.
 

210

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Mar 5, 2003
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Worcester, MA
210sportsblog.com
note:

Time Warner is about DOA, Turner was forced out years ago.... and Time has since been spun off just as AOL and the Cable entity was sold to Charter aka Spectrum....

it's been reported now, that Jeffrey Bewkes WILL TRANSITION out as CEO, and every property that remains lands over at DIRECT TV/AT & T, that hasn't been sold.

http://www.latimes.com/business/hollywood/la-fi-ct-time-warner-bros-hbo-earnings-20170503-story.html
Net income increased 17% to $1.4 billion, or $1.80 a share, up from $1.2 billion, or $1.51 a share, a year earlier.

Adjusted earnings came in at $1.66 a share, up from $1.49 in the year-earlier quarter. Analysts expected adjusted earnings of $1.45 a share on revenue of $7.67 billion, according to FactSet.

So, no...
 

210

Registered User
Mar 5, 2003
12,393
961
Worcester, MA
210sportsblog.com
Coming back to Ted Turner buying the Gladiators - they are in Atlanta - which is his base of operations/home. He's a well-respected figure in the city. Granted his attempt to bring NHL back ultimately failed, but he will always be a fixture in the city. So maybe owning an ECHL team might be more reasonable at this point.

At the risk of sounding like an echo, I still can't see a reason why Turner buys a minor league hockey team.
 

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