Evansville to SPHL

[GindyDraws]

Kinda sucks that the last Icemen/Fuel game in Indianapolis was an Evansville win. During the HTSN broadcast, no mention of Evansville's status was mentioned.

 

[Agalloch]

http://www.echl.com/board-of-governors-concludes-mid-season-meeting-p201715

Evansville IceMen Membership

The Board of Governors approved a Transfer of Home Territory for the Evansville IceMen Membership from Evansville, Indiana to Owensboro, Kentucky.

The Board also approved the IceMen Membership’s request for a Voluntary Suspension for the 2016-17 season, to allow time for the necessary renovations of the Owensboro Sportscenter to be completed.

 

[Dr Eville]

and Owensboro has agreed to extend his deadline until September. Geary admitted that funding still hasn't been located.

In short, this will continue until a buyer is found, or Owensboro ends up handing over the checkbook.

 

[JungleJON]

another Reno, NV in the making.

 

[Nightsquad]

Yea, the ECHL needs to take Reno off its expansion list and not sure if if entertaining the Owensboro relocation is very wise by the ECHL. Reno needs a suitable arena first, and an investor who has done solid due diligence. The relocation of the Icemen down/up the river nearby is not a wise decision at all, especially when the arena is not even suitable for professional hockey. These leagues need to protect their interests, and not grant permissions to owners to entertain silly plans. The Icemen balked, played games, and the city did what is right by pursuing a team willing to meet the city halfway.

If fans can get by the drop in league level the SPHL has been a very good product to former ECHL and even an AHL city. You look at the SPHL model and it's a really right sized league for many markets. The model is more about a team belonging and connecting with the fanbase as their own team to cheer for civic pride then it is about the development or "growth" of the individual with which the AHL has been, and very much what the ECHL has become. The player poaching at the ECHL level is so unstable, the last few years have seen way too much turnover.

 

[mk80]

I don't think the Icemen will ever have ice in Owensboro. Geary himself said he doesn't know where all the funding is going to come from (or something to that effect). Plus with the suspension local hockey fans have a whole year to go to Evansville and build their fandom with the new SPHL team that hits the ice next fall. Which will reduce what fans Geary even has left by the time the Icemen take the ice, assuming the renovation of the arena ever gets off the ground.

 

[Sports Enthusiast]

Lol the only fun stuff about minor league hockey is rouse's like this.

Isn't Reno still "active" or has that ship finally sailed.

 

[SemireliableSource]

Reno needs a suitable arena first, and an investor who has done solid due diligence.

You mean other than the owner continuing to pay to hold the rights to the market for over a decade now?

 

[mfrerkes]

I don't think the Icemen will ever have ice in Owensboro. Geary himself said he doesn't know where all the funding is going to come from (or something to that effect). Plus with the suspension local hockey fans have a whole year to go to Evansville and build their fandom with the new SPHL team that hits the ice next fall. Which will reduce what fans Geary even has left by the time the Icemen take the ice, assuming the renovation of the arena ever gets off the ground.

This was nothing more than an ill-advised temper tantrum from an owner who lacked the necessary fortitude to run a minor league hockey team. Geary expected the city to beg him back, and over-valued his product from the very beginning. Instead of doing the right thing for the fans of Evansville, he proceeded with an insincere ploy to bring hockey to Owensboro. Now, it's painfully obvious this guy was not even slightly prepared to follow through on his threat.

The hockey fans in Evansville have suffered enough. I hope their SPHL team is successful and Geary can spend the rest of his days stewing in his own bitterness. That would be a fitting ending to this whole saga.

 

[Hurricane Ron]

I don't live in Evansville, and my info on this subject is coming basically from this site. Not sure its fair to label either side as the bad guy in this situation. While I understand that the owner agreed to the terms with the arena for his initial lease, that didn't prohibit him from seeking to change the terms. If the request was based on greed, and not need, that will become clear with what happens with the SPHL team that takes the ice in Evansville in the upcoming season(s). At the same time, the arena has bills to pay, and needs to maximize its revenue from its tenants, so I understand its reluctance to renegotiate the lease for a lesser amount.

The results for next year are the ECHL is out in Evansville, with the team given a year's hiatus; and the SPHL is in. Its a step down in level for hockey fans in Evansville. Whether the ECHL team resurfaces in Kentucky, or gets moved to another city, or simply disbands, time will tell. It would be difficult to believe the team could be successful in Owensboro if the SPHL team is successful.

I feel for sports fans in Evansville, a few decades ago, they had AAA baseball, and now they have a team in an Independent minor league. They've had AA hockey, and next year it goes down a level.

Will be interesting to see what the sport scene looks like in 5 years.

 

[Cyclones Rock]

It's going to be interesting to see what the SPHL team's lease is. Given that the concessionaire at the arena is going to be an owner of the new team, and that this entity has had an ongoing relationship with the city, there could obvious conflicts of interest which occurred during the entire negotiating process.

I sense that there could be law suits being filed in the near future.

 

[Gibbie42]

Copy of the lease between the city and Evansville Professional Hockey LLC

http://media.jrn.com/documents/License+of+the+Ford+Center+(2016)+v4+ZSWS.pdf

For fun, the updated contract between VenuWorks and the city, note paragraph four, where the city ceded a fund to them to offset the cost of buying the franchise tag from the SPHL.

http://media.jrn.com/documents/Addendum+No+6+Venuworks+and+ERC.pdf

 

[mfrerkes]

Whether the ECHL team resurfaces in Kentucky, or gets moved to another city, or simply disbands, time will tell. It would be difficult to believe the team could be successful in Owensboro if the SPHL team is successful.

There will not be an ECHL team in Owensboro. The arena (in its present form) will not be suitable for hockey at any time, and Geary's plans to renovate it have already run into some serious financial brick walls. There isn't a bank out there willing to risk millions on such a flimsy business plan. The IceMen will die a very quiet death over the next year.

The SPHL should do well in Evansville. If they can retain 80% of the IceMen's support, I'd expect the team to remain in the market for awhile. The low player salaries in the SPHL will help their balance sheet. Travel costs shouldn't be too much of an issue, since Evansville is in a tenable geographic position. Plus, Peoria is gaining a nearby rival. That should bolster the outlook for both teams.

 

[GindyDraws]

There will not be an ECHL team in Owensboro. The arena (in its present form) will not be suitable for hockey at any time, and Geary's plans to renovate it have already run into some serious financial brick walls. There isn't a bank out there willing to risk millions on such a flimsy business plan. The IceMen will die a very quiet death over the next year.

The SPHL should do well in Evansville. If they can retain 80% of the IceMen's support, I'd expect the team to remain in the market for awhile. The low player salaries in the SPHL will help their balance sheet. Travel costs shouldn't be too much of an issue, since Evansville is in a tenable geographic position. Plus, Peoria is gaining a nearby rival. That should bolster the outlook for both teams.

It can also open the door for the SPHL to consider a market in Kentucky or another nearby location. Personally, I think Evansville in the SPHL is win/win for both the city and the league.

 

[mfrerkes]

It can also open the door for the SPHL to consider a market in Kentucky or another nearby location. Personally, I think Evansville in the SPHL is win/win for both the city and the league.

It's a good plan going forward. Hopefully, there will be some stability for the fans of Evansville. Irresponsible ownership can kill even the most devout fan base.