News Article: Nashville Predators Extend Affiliation Agreement with the AHL's Milwaukee Admirals

[WartracePred]

I think a lot of people in the Nashville area claim the Braves because they're the "southern" team of the three, and yeah they're all about the same distance from here but St. Louis and Cincinnati aren't thought of as being as close as they are. I mean, Indianapolis is 4-5 hours from Nashville, depending on where you are exactly, but there weren't exactly a ton of Colts (before the Manning years and before the Titans came) and Pacers fans running around Nashville. It's a regional thing more than anything else.

I grew up in East TN. The Braves were always on TV there so they developed a fan base. The same could be the case in Nashville.

 

[Drake744]

I grew up in East TN. The Braves were always on TV there so they developed a fan base. The same could be the case in Nashville.

I thought I dropped the TBS card but I guess I didn't. Same thing with the Cubs always being on WGN, developing a national fan base. My ex and her family grew up in Las Vegas and her brother has always been a Braves fan because he saw them on TBS growing up. I think Tennessee has the combination of people who grew up watching the Braves, and it's close enough to actually attend some games over the course of the year.

 

[Armourboy]

I think a lot of people in the Nashville area claim the Braves because they're the "southern" team of the three, and yeah they're all about the same distance from here but St. Louis and Cincinnati aren't thought of as being as close as they are. I mean, Indianapolis is 4-5 hours from Nashville, depending on where you are exactly, but there weren't exactly a ton of Colts (before the Manning years and before the Titans came) and Pacers fans running around Nashville. It's a regional thing more than anything else.

Well on the Braves part a ton of it has to do with the fact that those that are my age were growing up when the Braves were king, and the Reds and Cards were pretty bad. When I was a young kid though this area ( not talking just Nashville) had far more Reds and Cards fans ( Ozzie Smith teams)

 

[WartracePred]

I thought I dropped the TBS card but I guess I didn't. Same thing with the Cubs always being on WGN, developing a national fan base. My ex and her family grew up in Las Vegas and her brother has always been a Braves fan because he saw them on TBS growing up. I think Tennessee has the combination of people who grew up watching the Braves, and it's close enough to actually attend some games over the course of the year.

I think you're right about the proximity of Atlanta to parts of TN helping to build the fan base. I have 2 cousins who are huge Cubs fans because of WGN, but there are far more Braves fans in East TN because they could drive to Atlanta in 3-4 hrs.

So to bring this back to hockey, it would be great to have an AHL affiliate within driving distance for both the Preds and the AHL team. If it was Atlanta, the Preds could build a solid fan base in the Atlanta area via their minor league team. And, we could make a few trips a year to see how the prospects are developing. I would love to go to MIL to see the Ads, but it's $400 for a plane ticket, plus hotel. I can be in Atlanta in 3-3.5 hrs. The front office talks about building the fan base. If they moved their AHL team within driving distance, they'll surely sell more tickets.

 

[jwhouk]

...But then you wouldn't have me on this board. So that'd be a lose-lose proposition.

 

[SavageSteve]

I think you're right about the proximity of Atlanta to parts of TN helping to build the fan base. I have 2 cousins who are huge Cubs fans because of WGN, but there are far more Braves fans in East TN because they could drive to Atlanta in 3-4 hrs.

So to bring this back to hockey, it would be great to have an AHL affiliate within driving distance for both the Preds and the AHL team. If it was Atlanta, the Preds could build a solid fan base in the Atlanta area via their minor league team. And, we could make a few trips a year to see how the prospects are developing. I would love to go to MIL to see the Ads, but it's $400 for a plane ticket, plus hotel. I can be in Atlanta in 3-3.5 hrs. The front office talks about building the fan base. If they moved their AHL team within driving distance, they'll surely sell more tickets.

But wouldn't that necessitate the Milwaukee Admirals moving somehow to the AHL East to make financial sense? Otherwise, travel costs will kill them slowly...

 

[AintLifeGrand]

I like that we have a bit of a fan base in Milwaukee... but I'd really like to see AHL hockey in ATL too....


Not that I would wish for anyone to ever lose a local team (except Winnipeg)

Maybe Hershey or a rust belt team can move to the ATL

 

[jwhouk]

Yeah, that's the huge problem of putting an AHL team in the ATL area - there is only one "natural rival" and that would be Charlotte. You'd be flying everywhere else, which means $$$$$.

Atlanta's either an NHL market or nothing. And right now, it's nothing.

 

[PredsV82]

Yeah, that's the huge problem of putting an AHL team in the ATL area - there is only one "natural rival" and that would be Charlotte. You'd be flying everywhere else, which means $$$$$.

Atlanta's either an NHL market or nothing. And right now, it's nothing.

and the atlanta fans say:

thank you so much for bringing up such a painful subject…. while you're at it, why don't you give me a nice paper cut and pour lemon juice on it??

 

[jwhouk]

The first shot was made by suggesting you take away my Admirals.

 

[Gnashville]

I think a lot of people in the Nashville area claim the Braves because they're the "southern" team of the three, and yeah they're all about the same distance from here but St. Louis and Cincinnati aren't thought of as being as close as they are. I mean, Indianapolis is 4-5 hours from Nashville, depending on where you are exactly, but there weren't exactly a ton of Colts (before the Manning years and before the Titans came) and Pacers fans running around Nashville. It's a regional thing more than anything else.

After Manning left you can not find any Colts fans in Tennessee anymore. I think there are more Cardinals' fans here than Braves. The Cards were considered the southern team before the Braves. Mike Slive would be happy to tell you how "southern" Missouri is.

 

[PredsV82]

The first shot was made by suggesting you take away my Admirals.

edit.. nvm, he did say it… although with a winking smiley...

 

[adsfan]

There were Atlanta rumors?

That said I'd welcome an AHL team here with open arms as long as they didn't have to play out of Philips Arena. They could move to Gwinnett and take over as the new Gwinnett Gladiators.

I would say that there is still some interest in Atlanta. We will see in 2017!

 

[WartracePred]

I'm not in favor of yanking the Ads from MIL given their fan base. Maybe they could land an agreement with another NHL franchise?? I understand there are lots of issues I'm ignorant of i.e. increased travel expenses related to bus/flights. Evidently the front office has weighed all options and deemed it more beneficial to extend their agreement with Milwaukee. But as I said in an earlier post, I'd love to see our prospects play more often and I think a closer AHL affiliate would create more Preds fans.

 

[AintLifeGrand]

Delta would be an obvious sponsor for an ATL AHL team which would offset travel expenses. Also Austin- San Antonio isn't much further than ATL-Charlotte. ATL would obv be in the Western Division with Charlotte, San Antonio, Austin, and OKC.

Obv they would have to be the 2nd Reincarnation of the Atlanta Knights.. I also think the next NHL team we get should be The Knights as well

 

[NSHPreds1835]

Delta would be an obvious sponsor for an ATL AHL team which would offset travel expenses. Also Austin- San Antonio isn't much further than ATL-Charlotte. ATL would obv be in the Western Division with Charlotte, San Antonio, Austin, and OKC.

Obv they would have to be the 2nd Reincarnation of the Atlanta Knights.. I also think the next NHL team we get should be The Knights as well

The whole alignment of the AHL is just weird. Too many Western conference teams that are in the Eastern United States.

 

[jwhouk]

15 of the 30 teams in the AHL are located within the general area of New England, New York and Pennsylvania. With Lake Erie (Cleveland), Hamilton, and Toronto being just beyond that, you're talking nearly two-thirds of the league being concentrated into 9 states and one province.

 

[NSHPreds1835]

15 of the 30 teams in the AHL are located within the general area of New England, New York and Pennsylvania. With Lake Erie (Cleveland), Hamilton, and Toronto being just beyond that, you're talking nearly two-thirds of the league being concentrated into 9 states and one province.

Yeah it's pretty crazy. Aren't there rumors that some Western Conference NHL teams might be looking to have their AHL affiliates play further out west?

 

[jwhouk]

Considering there's only 11 NHL teams west of the Mississippi (go ahead, look it up), I'm not sure it'd be feasible.

The biggest problem with Abbotsford was that they had no natural rivals. OKC, Texas and San Antonio were close enough together that they could justify being in the same division. Iowa has the advantage that they're close to Rockford and (relatively) to their NHL Affiliate.

 

[adsfan]

I would say that there is still some interest in Atlanta. We will see in 2017!

We will see in 2022! The Ads signed for 5 more years with David Poile.

 

[NSH615]

The first shot was made by suggesting you take away my Admirals.

What does it matter to you? You are moving to Arizona right?