New Western Pro Hockey League trying to launch

[JMCx4]

Still down. Methinks that bill was unpaid.

"under maintenance" = "under funded"?

 

[JMCx4]

... What say you @NJdangles99?

Turns out we're a tough crowd even without our ring leader @CrazyEddie20.

 

[sabremike]

There are some things so self evidently absurd that mocking them is a waste of one's time.

This most definitely is (or was) one of them.

 

[JMCx4]

I'm sure glad we all stuck around for the League website resurrection. It's chock full of fun facts & feature items.

 

[jabberoski]

Only Las Vegas is listed under Teams, so they clearly haven't updated the site. Maybe by the 18th of Never, just like @NJdangles99 article.

 

[Dan K]

Only Las Vegas is listed under Teams, so they clearly haven't updated the site. Maybe by the 18th of Never, just like @NJdangles99 article.

Montana Sports and others report the Billings (MT) team has selected the Billings Blizzard as its name. Interesting that the league plans to have eight teams and Las Vegas will not be part of inaugural season. Long way to go!

 

[JMCx4]

Montana Sports and others report the Billings (MT) team has selected the Billings Blizzard as its name. Interesting that the league plans to have eight teams and Las Vegas will not be part of inaugural season. Long way to go!

It's negative 1°F in Billings at this writing. Maybe the Blizzard won't NEED the arena that remains elusive to the team ownership.

 

[GindyDraws]

The Pecos League, yes. The Atlantic, Frontier, and now Pioneer (forced into Indy ball by the MiLB contraction) and the American Association (not to be confused with the old Triple-a circuit of the same name) are on a business ops level much closer, if not equal to, to the ECHL.

Pecos League is proud of the fact they operate on a shoestring budget and have a "will work for food" philosophy. Practically nobody ever goes to their games and it's either a miracle or a long con that the league is still going today.

 

[sabremike]

It's negative 1°F in Billings at this writing. Maybe the Blizzard won't NEED the arena that remains elusive to the team ownership.

See: Williamsport Outlaws (unfortunately I think they went tits up in the middle of that season).

 

[JMCx4]

See: Williamsport Outlaws (unfortunately I think they went tits up in the middle of that season).

Always hard to tell what is or isn't a mid-season fold in The Fed, but the Outlaws did indeed cease operations in late January 2013 after playing 41 games that season. By that point, the outdoor rink had severely damaged the baseball field beneath it and owner Kristin Rooney was at least smart enough to realize she couldn't/wouldn't fund 15 more games all on the road. Just a shame those fond FHL memories weren't enshrined on the Fun While It Lasted site.

 

[tarheelhockey]

League's last press release/website update was November 15th, almost two months ago.

 

[JMCx4]

League's last press release/website update was November 15th, almost two months ago.

They're pacing themselves while building a reputation of intrigue.

 

[CrazyEddie20]

League's last press release/website update was November 15th, almost two months ago.

The league's PR director, NJDangles99, couldn't be reached for comment.

 

[PCSPounder]

(What you are about to see are mental notes based on what could be, versus what the ownership of this league is capable of doing, which… you might think it’s possible to put together an organization with 4 months of lead time and ticket sales… good luck with that #$&/)¡@. )

Metra, Billings (needs $ for improvements)
World Arena, Colorado Springs (having completely missed that Colorado College finally built their own smaller on-campus arena in a growing city)
Mountain America Center, Idaho Falls (under construction)
(Sigh) Rio Rancho Events Center (rather far from Albuquerque… really why way out there?)
Findlay Toyota Center, Prescott AZ

But if I want to make this work, I’m doing every dirty trick to steal Boise, Rapid City, and Salt Lake City from the ECHL. Even better if the WHL retreats from the US and Spokane and Everettt could be snagged. But there are other factors that will probably draw the AHL into the Northwest if the WHL does retreat. And the ECHL losing those western teams is even less likely.

 

[GindyDraws]

(What you are about to see are mental notes based on what could be, versus what the ownership of this league is capable of doing, which… you might think it’s possible to put together an organization with 4 months of lead time and ticket sales… good luck with that #$&/)¡@. )

Metra, Billings (needs $ for improvements)
World Arena, Colorado Springs (having completely missed that Colorado College finally built their own smaller on-campus arena in a growing city)
Mountain America Center, Idaho Falls (under construction)
(Sigh) Rio Rancho Events Center (rather far from Albuquerque… really why way out there?)
Findlay Toyota Center, Prescott AZ

But if I want to make this work, I’m doing every dirty trick to steal Boise, Rapid City, and Salt Lake City from the ECHL. Even better if the WHL retreats from the US and Spokane and Everettt could be snagged. But there are other factors that will probably draw the AHL into the Northwest if the WHL does retreat. And the ECHL losing those western teams is even less likely.

Despite the geography being all over the place, the big issue is some of those markets. Rio Rancho is part of Albuquerque in terms of census designation, so the league and owners can be sneaky about naming the team or claiming they play in Albuquerque. And Prescott Valley has a revolving door of secondary tenants; first the Arizona Sundogs of the CHL (remember them?), then the Northern Arizona Suns of the G-League, and currently the Northern Arizona Wranglers of the Indoor Football League (who exist purely so the Arizona Rattlers can have some easy wins and save on travel costs), and with ownership in that area given it's Prescott Valley, I feel like the league is going to try and take advantage of someone in the Yavapai tribe (It's Yavapai, not Yappapi, f***ing Hulk Hogan) for a quick payday.

 

[PCSPounder]

When I tried to write an addition before timing out last night, I had started to mention how I’d rather help Great Falls get the arena they’ve proposed and give Salt Lake a travel partner in Provo than try to get teams in Prescott and Rio Rancho. Yes, that travel is ridiculous. Even with my changes, it’s still not optimal.

I could start throwing in towns like Bend, Twin Falls, Medford, Bozeman, Yakima, St. George, Cheyenne, and Pueblo. Better for some of these places to have Junior experience first (a few of those towns do have Junior teams). But if you haven’t noticed, no league bats a thousand in their chosen region, ever. And that’s a lot of capital required at precisely the time when things have gone to suck for many B and C-level businesses.

 

[JMCx4]

When I tried to write an addition before timing out last night, I had started to mention how I’d rather help Great Falls get the arena they’ve proposed and give Salt Lake a travel partner in Provo than try to get teams in Prescott and Rio Rancho. ...

Have you got your checkbook out & a pen ready?

 

[Atlantian]

I do not understand why we are treating this league as legitimate. While their website has undergone an update, they have quietly removed the Vegas team. They have announced one team playing in the 22-23 season and that team does not even have a home arena. With the immense travel costs and minimal viable cities, this league cannot and will not be able to get off the ground. It will be yet another failed league among a myriad that have tried at this level. Plus, we still have not gotten an article from @NJdangles99. It has been the 18th a couple of times now.

 

[PCSPounder]

I do not understand why we are treating this league as legitimate. While their website has undergone an update, they have quietly removed the Vegas team. They have announced one team playing in the 22-23 season and that team does not even have a home arena. With the immense travel costs and minimal viable cities, this league cannot and will not be able to get off the ground. It will be yet another failed league among a myriad that have tried at this level. Plus, we still have not gotten an article from @NJdangles99. It has been the 18th a couple of times now.

Do you think my dream sequence amounts to treating this league as legit?

Mine is a total hijack, with some sense built in (existing facilities and stuff under construction at the fore, while the schmuck dreaming this up thinks a pro league is viable in rec barns). Please consider us as baiting these guys into trying to sell us more dung. We do need the laugh. Pandemics suck.

 

[JMCx4]

Do you think my dream sequence amounts to treating this league as legit? ...

The psychotropics should be spared for more serious hockey discussions.

 

[SemireliableSource]

I don't think this will legitimately happen but it's fun to watch train wrecks. I think this will be like the various leagues there were totally 100% absolutely definitely going to be real. Just like the UHL a couple of years ago

At least Billings now has a GM. Still no rink unless Stu is adding ice to the Sports Plex.

 

[CrazyEddie20]

No updates from this clogged toilet of a league lately. Anyone think they'll actually play games come the fall?

 

[NEPA Ice]

Well if you look on their web page it says that Las Vegas will be playing "Team Two". I was wondering if this was something like "The Washington Football Team".

 

[CrazyEddie20]

Well if you look on their web page it says that Las Vegas will be playing "Team Two". I was wondering if this was something like "The Washington Football Team".

Hilarious that Billings has announced a GM but they aren't listed on the league website. I guess Frankie Santelli is too busy driving in the Freedumb Convoy!

 

[jabberoski]

Today is the 18th. Where you at @NJdangles99?