My dream new uhl

Kometsman

Registered User
Oct 1, 2017
31
1
This would be my dream uhl, keep in mind not trying to start rumors or think all this will happen:
Teams:
1. Bloomington Illinois
2.Indy Fuel
3fort Wayne Komets
4 quad city mallards
5 Toledo
6 Evansville
7. Peoria
8. Cincinnati
9. Flint
10. Kalamazoo
11. Muskegon
12. Kansas City Mavericks
13. Missouri River otters
14 Detroit vipers
Possible teams
Port Huron arena needs up graded
Dayton arena situation needs cleared up

Play 70 games a season top 8 make playoffs best of 7.
Hard salary cap with vet limit to 5 & goalies don’t count against the vet limit
 
Last edited:

JMCx4

Censorship is the Sincerest Form of Flattery
Sep 3, 2017
13,451
8,319
St. Louis, MO
dream-big.jpg
 
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CrazyEddie20

Hey RuZZia - Cut Your Losses and Go Home.
Jun 26, 2007
1,891
1,201
Back of a cop car
This would be my dream uhl, keep in mind not trying to start rumors or think all this will happen:
Teams:
1. Bloomington Illinois
2.Indy Fuel
3fort Wayne Komets
4 quad city mallards
5 Toledo
6 Evansville
7. Peoria
8. Cincinnati
9. Flint
10. Kalamazoo
11. Muskegon
12. Kansas City Mavericks
13. Missouri River otters
14 Detroit vipers
Possible teams
Port Huron arena needs up graded
Dayton arena situation needs cleared up

Play 70 games a season top 8 make playoffs best of 7.
Hard salary cap with vet limit to 5 & goalies don’t count against the vet limit

Market by market:

1. Bloomington Illinois - Nope. Didn't work in pro hockey before, won't work now.
2.Indy Fuel - Tied up in the ECHL.
3fort Wayne Komets - Tied up in the ECHL.
4 quad city mallards - Tied up in the ECHL.
5 Toledo - Tied up in the ECHL.
6 Evansville - Tied up in the SPHL.
7. Peoria - Tied up in the SPHL.
8. Cincinnati - Tied up in the ECHL.
9. Flint - One of the poorest cities in the country. No one has money for hockey tickets.
10. Kalamazoo - Tied up in the ECHL.
11. Muskegon - - Tied up in the USHL.
12. Kansas City Mavericks - Tied up in the ECHL.
13. Missouri River otters - Didn't work in the CHL. Vacant since. Good luck.
14 Detroit vipers - Long, long, long dead. Try aian.
Possible teams
Port Huron arena needs up graded
Dayton arena situation needs cleared up

But please, tell us how great a new UHL would be.
 

Woo Hockey

@WooHockeyNews
Jul 5, 2014
887
82
Worcester, MA
woo.hockey
Market by market:

1. Bloomington Illinois - Nope. Didn't work in pro hockey before, won't work now.
2.Indy Fuel - Tied up in the ECHL.
3fort Wayne Komets - Tied up in the ECHL.
4 quad city mallards - Tied up in the ECHL.
5 Toledo - Tied up in the ECHL.
6 Evansville - Tied up in the SPHL.
7. Peoria - Tied up in the SPHL.
8. Cincinnati - Tied up in the ECHL.
9. Flint - One of the poorest cities in the country. No one has money for hockey tickets.
10. Kalamazoo - Tied up in the ECHL.
11. Muskegon - - Tied up in the USHL.
12. Kansas City Mavericks - Tied up in the ECHL.
13. Missouri River otters - Didn't work in the CHL. Vacant since. Good luck.
14 Detroit vipers - Long, long, long dead. Try aian.
Possible teams
Port Huron arena needs up graded
Dayton arena situation needs cleared up

But please, tell us how great a new UHL would be.

I guess these existing teams should drop everything they're doing and join a new league with no track record of success. Sounds like a great plan!
 
Last edited:

Nightsquad

Registered User
Jan 25, 2014
834
100
I guess these existing teams should drop everything they're doing and join a new league with no track record of success. Sounds like a great plan!

I don't see any former UHL team now in the ECHL and even the AHL (Rockford Ice Hogs) leaving the ECHL to launch in the "new" UHL whatsoever. The ECHL is positioned well in the developmental minor leagues of hockey and really only a speed step slower then the AHL. I have seen hockey at all levels in person from the NCAA DI, DIII, NJCAA (Community Colleges), FHL, SPHL, CoHL, UHL, ECHL, AHL, LNAH, and NHL. Ever one of those levels has something to offer regardless of skillset and talent, if your a true garden variety fan of the game you will take enjoyment whatever level you are watching. The UHL in the early to mid 2000s wasn't lacking in success or skill. If the UHL targets specific markets and has people behind it who are not all affiliated with the semi pro (at best) FHL then perhaps the new UHL will have a market to fill. The SPHL model is very good for the geographical region it serves and is an enjoyable product at affordable prices with which any city should be proud of, and enjoy.
 

JMCx4

Censorship is the Sincerest Form of Flattery
Sep 3, 2017
13,451
8,319
St. Louis, MO
... I have seen hockey at all levels in person from the NCAA DI, DIII, NJCAA (Community Colleges), FHL, SPHL, CoHL, UHL, ECHL, AHL, LNAH, and NHL. Ever one of those levels has something to offer regardless of skillset and talent, if your a true garden variety fan of the game you will take enjoyment whatever level you are watching. ... The SPHL model is very good for the geographical region it serves and is an enjoyable product at affordable prices with which any city should be proud of, and enjoy.
My experiences are similar to yours, Nightsquad (except mine have only covered the last 7 seasons), and our opinions re. "something to offer regardless of skillset and talent" are in lock step. I've become an SPHL fan over the last few years for the very reasons you cite. My only quibble is your usage of the term "garden variety fan of the game." I would attribute "garden variety" to hockey fans who only follow one level of the sport, in the majority of cases NHL-only fans, but there are similar attitudes among one-league fans at lower levels. Like you, I've found something to enjoy in every level of the game. I am seldom disappointed in the play on the ice, because I've learned to adjust my expectations.

But when we're talking about the business end of the game such as in this thread & its cousin re. the new UHL venture, I am very critical of business people who think they can simply co-opt an old league name and those fans' memories to ensure success. The IHL & the CeHL histories have each proven that myth to be dead wrong.
 

SemireliableSource

Liter-a-cola
Sep 30, 2006
1,904
210
HSV
Leagues need sales/marketing staffs as that's how league-wide sponsorships deals are developed.

I realize that. I also know from experience that deals can be and sometimes are negotiated by the BOG or commissioner.

Typical SPHL point of view. Notice how the ECHL has league-wide sponsorships and the Sorta Professional Hockey League doesn't? Why do you think that is?

Typical Eddie. I see your stalking skills are slipping or else you would have noticed I'm out of the SP. Let me answer your question with a question: Why do you think you're frequently wrong? The SPHL does have league-wide deals. Many teams will also be taking part in the OT Sports/Marvel partnership, a partnership which - fun fact - was brought to SPHL teams first when the partnership was extended past baseball into hockey.
 

GFHL

Registered User
Feb 25, 2015
69
0
FLINTown
Flint has plenty of Hockey Money, 3 rinks in the city with a fourth nearby, how many other cities has this? Also why wouldn't you just write tied up in the OHL???
 

Nightsquad

Registered User
Jan 25, 2014
834
100
My experiences are similar to yours, Nightsquad (except mine have only covered the last 7 seasons), and our opinions re. "something to offer regardless of skillset and talent" are in lock step. I've become an SPHL fan over the last few years for the very reasons you cite. My only quibble is your usage of the term "garden variety fan of the game." I would attribute "garden variety" to hockey fans who only follow one level of the sport, in the majority of cases NHL-only fans, but there are similar attitudes among one-league fans at lower levels. Like you, I've found something to enjoy in every level of the game. I am seldom disappointed in the play on the ice, because I've learned to adjust my expectations.

But when we're talking about the business end of the game such as in this thread & its cousin re. the new UHL venture, I am very critical of business people who think they can simply co-opt an old league name and those fans' memories to ensure success. The IHL & the CeHL histories have each proven that myth to be dead wrong.

I meant "garden variety" as simply someone who loves watching regardless of level. I am on board with your comments, I overlooked the "business end" of the leagues structure but also agree that to is an important part of the product. That's why I believe if done right that an SPHL model could work in the mid-Atlantic or northern markets.
 

SemireliableSource

Liter-a-cola
Sep 30, 2006
1,904
210
HSV
Jim Combs, Doug Price, and certain members of the BOG negotiate the fine details. The league has various committees, including one for marketing, and staff members from the teams make up the committees, sit in on calls with potential partners, and offer suggestions, ideas, desires, etc.
 

CMUBrent

Registered User
Jan 23, 2007
38
4
Flint has plenty of Hockey Money, 3 rinks in the city with a fourth nearby, how many other cities has this? Also why wouldn't you just write tied up in the OHL???

I'm surprised the water issue wasn't thrown in as well.

Flint and the surrounding area has plenty of hockey money, and teams have drawn well in town over the years. Correct me if I'm wrong, aren't the Firebirds averaging just over 2700 per game? It's not quite what the Generals drew in their heyday, but it's not like attendance is at Michigan Warriors levels.
 

CMUBrent

Registered User
Jan 23, 2007
38
4
This would be my dream uhl, keep in mind not trying to start rumors or think all this will happen:
Teams:

Port Huron arena needs up graded
Dayton arena situation needs cleared up

Play 70 games a season top 8 make playoffs best of 7.
Hard salary cap with vet limit to 5 & goalies don’t count against the vet limit

Not a bad idea for this new league. I grew up watching the Colonial/United/International Hockey League and remember having 3-4 teams about an hour away from me (Flint, Saginaw, Port Huron and Fraser). I hope this league is a legit attempt at a Single-A league in the Midwest and Northeast, but I have a feeling that it will simply be FHL 2.0.

McMorran is pretty old, but I wouldn't say it's falling apart either. The city has done some work on the building recently. I think the biggest issue for Port Huron is attendance. They can get a decent-sized crowd now and then, but I'm not sure the town's big enough to draw enough fans to keep a team going long-term. The Border Cats averaged around 2500 per game in their first few seasons, but since then, no other team has come close to that level. The Prowlers seem to do a good job getting out in the community (they even went into Sanilac County this offseason), but they only average about 1000 per game.
 

JMCx4

Censorship is the Sincerest Form of Flattery
Sep 3, 2017
13,451
8,319
St. Louis, MO
If there was nothing going on "behind the scenes" there'd be no league...
My point was that such a web portal with a "(MKTG)" label indicates the existence of a League marketing department.
 

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