Future of the ECHL

[Hurricane Ron]

Honestly, the Blue probably should have never been moved to OKC. The Cox Convention Center is too big of a venue for them, as I don't know what they were averaging in Tulsa, but literally they have about 750 fans there or so. They could be playing in high school gyms in the area and not filling it up.

Well, they are drawing about the same as they did over here. At least here, they were in two different arenas that didn't impact the Oilers. Since the State Fair Arena is the home of high school playoffs in the state (at least the smaller classes), not sure why the Blue weren't based there.

That being said, back before the Myriad (Cox Center) was built, the Blazers played at State Fair Arena. Curious if they could put ice back in there. With the Blue and Thunder downtown, State Fair Arena would be a nice option for fans, since parking wouldn't be an issue if Thunder were playing the same night. But, I have no idea if the arena is in suitable condition for the Blazers to return.

 

[BigBadBruin8]

Don't count that out just yet.

ULowell didn't want any competition in the market now that they own the arena. You've heard different? Something change?

 

[crimsonace]

They certainly won't get any competition from UAB, but they sure as Hell will from that school an hour away in Tuscaloosa.

Birmingham is the heart of Bammer country. In October and November, minor league hockey would be a very difficult sell in a city eat up with college football. Their basketball team pulls 13,000 fans a game, a substantial number of which come from Birmingham. It's not unheard of for Bama to get more people for baseball than UAB does for men's hoops, not to mention what a handful of ECHL teams draw on average. The university dominates the sports scene throughout that part of the state.

I'm sure the city would love to have a minor league hockey team again after 15 years without one - it would be a nice cap to the renovations they've put into the convention complex - but if they have to average 4,000 fans a game every single year for it to be successful, I'm far from convinced they can pull it off.

Somewhat like Indy with Indiana University (and, to a lesser degree, Purdue). Lots of IU alums here - myself being one, and it's an hour away. Colts football dominates the fall, IU hoops dominates the winter (as does Butler for a smaller slice of the fanbase, which is two miles down the street from where the Fuel play), plus we have the Pacers. But hockey teams have been able to thrive here.

I could see Birmingham working, just because it would be able to draw enough of a niche and not have to battle quite as much (Bama & UAB hoops during the winter).

 

[210]

ULowell didn't want any competition in the market now that they own the arena. You've heard different? Something change?

They would take the right opportunity.

 

[BigBadBruin8]

They would take the right opportunity.

Could be good for both the ECHL and Lowell if they had a team up there, but I don't know if ULowell would be willing to share. I hope they reevaluate their position on that.

 

[210]

Could be good for both the ECHL and Lowell if they had a team up there, but I don't know if ULowell would be willing to share. I hope they reevaluate their position on that.

They absolutely would be willing to share if the deal was right.

The big issue with the Lowell Devils playing at the Tsongas Center was Lou Lamoriello. With Marty Meehan also out of the picture all the principles that had the problems are gone.

 

[BigBadBruin8]

They absolutely would be willing to share if the deal was right.

The big issue with the Lowell Devils playing at the Tsongas Center was Lou Lamoriello. With Marty Meehan also out of the picture all the principles that had the problems are gone.

Lou Lams is a very big problem for minor league developmental agreements it seems, but Marty might still have some sway.

He's not the Chancellor of ULowell anymore, but he is the President of the entire University of Massachusetts system, so he can still exert some sway over proceedings there, though perhaps less directly than what he could do as Chancellor.

Like I said it would be good for Lowell as a city to have a team IMO, always thought that, and it would be good for a league like the ECHL to have another team close for Manchester and Worcester.

With the exodus to the West there are New England markets that could be filled by the ECHL, interested to see if Lowell is one, perhaps with a relocated franchise.

 

[BladesFan10]

From what I've heard, don't expect Owensboro to last long, even if they do take the , ice. The league is already looking for another market, anticipating that Owensboro won't ever materialize. Person I talked too down here that is familiar with the situation says building project will likely take more than a full year to complete with all that needs to be done. Of course, corner cutting is always an option too.

 

[wildcat48]

I'm willing to bet Springfield, Mass is on the shortlist... I don't expect the Falcons to be long term with the Coyotes affiliation.

 

[BigBadBruin8]

I'm willing to bet Springfield, Mass is on the shortlist... I don't expect the Falcons to be long term with the Coyotes affiliation.

Springfield is AHL headquarters though, I doubt they'd lose an AHL franchise and replace them with an ECHL one. They'll do whatever they can to keep that market in the AHL. Long history in the league not to mention being the league's home.

 

[Sports Enthusiast]

League headquarters could always move.

They have a hard enough time supporting the AHL. Doubt they'd support the ECHL.

 

[ADK34]

Coyotes will want to move west sooner or later, same with Vancouver. Too many AHL teams in the north eastern United States.

Utica and Springfield can join the ECHL, Hartford/Bridgeport moves to long island and then they get ECHL in Connecticut.

Totally think the Brampton beast have to go. Not a great market considering the arena is literally on the same street as the hershey centre, where the mississauga steelheads play. Could possibly play in Cornwall.

 

[Sports Enthusiast]

ECHL may finally come East again. Binghole might eventually end up in it whenever the Senators go.

 

[ADK34]

Binghamtons arena is a complete dump. Move the team to cornwall, vacant arena and its closer to Ottawa.

Utica has to beat it too. Just like Edmonton, Calgary and LA moved their AHL franchises west and ECHL east. Put Utica in Reno. Then Vancouver can add an expansion membership in the ECHL in Utica. Ottawa would move owensboro to binghamton because i dont understand the idiots behind moving the icemen to owensboro with an absolute dump of an "arena"

ECHL needs to start becoming the actual ECHL again. (With the exception of alaska and other western teams)

Brampton beast need to get out of the powerade centre. The arena is also another dump and no one really goes to their games.

 

[Agalloch]

Binghamtons arena is a complete dump. Move the team to cornwall, vacant arena and its closer to Ottawa.

Utica has to beat it too. Just like Edmonton, Calgary and LA moved their AHL franchises west and ECHL east. Put Utica in Reno. Then Vancouver can add an expansion membership in the ECHL in Utica. Ottawa would move owensboro to binghamton because i dont understand the idiots behind moving the icemen to owensboro with an absolute dump of an "arena"

ECHL needs to start becoming the actual ECHL again. (With the exception of alaska and other western teams)

Brampton beast need to get out of the powerade centre. The arena is also another dump and no one really goes to their games.

Why not move Utica (AHL) to Alaska ?

It could be Vancouver's affiliate.

Las Vegas (Utah).

Idaho to WHL or Seattle's affiliate.

 

[GindyDraws]

Why not move Utica (AHL) to Alaska ?

It could be Vancouver's affiliate.

Las Vegas (Utah).

Idaho to WHL or Seattle's affiliate.

Ehhh, if Vancouver is gonna have an AHL affiliate, they'll probably reconsider Abbotsford. Still in the same province and you can call up players and get them in a jiff.

 

[JackalsKnuckles]

Binghamtons arena is a complete dump. Move the team to cornwall, vacant arena and its closer to Ottawa.

Binghamton and Cornwall have the exact same arena design. Bingo opened in 1973, Cornwall in 1976. Both were designed by the same designer and are exactly the same layout. Bingo did have some recent renovations including a video board and some luxury seating. I like both barns for their steep seating and old school feel. To call one a dump and the other a better option makes no sense.

Cornwall Civic Complex is also not vacant as the River Kings of the LNAH and the CCHL's Colts both play there.

 

[210]

Isn't the Binghamton AHL franchise independently owned?

 

[Sports Enthusiast]

Binghamtons arena is a complete dump. Move the team to cornwall, vacant arena and its closer to Ottawa.

Utica has to beat it too. Just like Edmonton, Calgary and LA moved their AHL franchises west and ECHL east. Put Utica in Reno. Then Vancouver can add an expansion membership in the ECHL in Utica. Ottawa would move owensboro to binghamton because i dont understand the idiots behind moving the icemen to owensboro with an absolute dump of an "arena"

ECHL needs to start becoming the actual ECHL again. (With the exception of alaska and other western teams)

Brampton beast need to get out of the powerade centre. The arena is also another dump and no one really goes to their games.

I don't think the demand from the higher ups exists for a moves AHL team to be replaced by an ECHL team by the higher ups anyway. Now if someone in Utica wanted to put one in themselves that's a different story.

What so you mean by the ECHL needs to become like the actual ECHL again?! Do you mean the East Coast Hockey League before it became the ECHL with affiliated hockey? I'd be for that.

 

[crimsonace]

I don't think the demand from the higher ups exists for a moves AHL team to be replaced by an ECHL team by the higher ups anyway. Now if someone in Utica wanted to put one in themselves that's a different story.

What so you mean by the ECHL needs to become like the actual ECHL again?! Do you mean the East Coast Hockey League before it became the ECHL with affiliated hockey? I'd be for that.

The East Coast Hockey League/ECHL has always been an affiliated league - at least going back to the early 1990s (and the league began in 1988), when it assumed its spot as the primary "AA" league with a direct relationship with the AHL & NHL.

 

[210]

The East Coast Hockey League/ECHL has always been an affiliated league - at least going back to the early 1990s (and the league began in 1988), when it assumed its spot as the primary "AA" league with a direct relationship with the AHL & NHL.

Erie Panthers were the Islanders ECHL affiliate in 1989-90. There had to be other that early too...

 

[Sports Enthusiast]

The East Coast Hockey League/ECHL has always been an affiliated league - at least going back to the early 1990s (and the league began in 1988), when it assumed its spot as the primary "AA" league with a direct relationship with the AHL & NHL.

It really didn't mean much until around the early to mid 2000s though. The league was mostly like the CHL and UHL still for years.

 

[Cacciaguida]

I expect the AHL continues to move west and the ECHL soak up the NY/NE markets that are left unserved. Then expansion will happen and more spots will open up.

Brampton is going nowhere for the time being.

 

[Sports Enthusiast]

We need more northeast teams. NY and PA have like 8 friggen AHL teams alone.

 

[Agalloch]

We need more northeast teams. NY and PA have like 8 friggen AHL teams alone.

Springfield could go to the ECHL. Good rivalry with Worcester and Manchester.