NYR asking for $3M state subsidy to keep WolfPack in Hartford for 2 more seasons

[Nightsquad]

Maybe because Utica has more AHL fans than Albany???????

Maybe because after sitting in an office building all day, all those government workers just wanna go home??

Maybe because there are other cheaper options for hockey in Albany with both Union and RPI in town. You have done nothing but complain about the devils ticket prices... It's obvious the Rangers are just going to suck in às much $$$ as possible....

And maybe a 1.5 million $ affiliation fee and a 3 million $ subsidy for the Rangers would drive ticket prices out of site??????

Albany region has way more hockey fans, many don't support the Devils. There is nothing to do in Utica, of course they are going to fill the tin tuna can. The city of Albany itself is not a hockey hot bed, just as Utica isn't. Like Utica fans who attend games are from outside city limits. Albany just doesn't have college hockey but also the ECHL up in Glens Falls. The state of New York has subsidized hockey in Utica so that's okay? What helps make Utica work should be done for Albany to. Nobody wants to see the Rangers make Albany their home, especially not fans in Utica or Binghamton because they don't want to see Albany do netter.

 

[go comets]

Albany region has way more hockey fans, many don't support the Devils. There is nothing to do in Utica, of course they are going to fill the tin tuna can. The city of Albany itself is not a hockey hot bed, just as Utica isn't. Like Utica fans who attend games are from outside city limits. Albany just doesn't have college hockey but also the ECHL up in Glens Falls. The state of New York has subsidized hockey in Utica so that's okay? What helps make Utica work should be done for Albany to. Nobody wants to see the Rangers make Albany their home, especially not fans in Utica or Binghamton because they don't want to see Albany do netter.

Actually no one wants hockey in a city with a history of not supporting their hockey team. You would think in a city the size of Albany would at least match the smaller cities of Syracuse and Rochester....

You keep talking about the devils not winning, but Rochester has had lousy teams for the last six seasons and still draw respectable numbers.

At some point the onus has to be on the fans.....it's obvious that Albany has a different demographic than most other upstate cities, and for whatever reason the support is not there. That is painfully obvious.... I would surmise that Albany being a government city has a lot to do with it......

 

[CHRDANHUTCH]

Actually no one wants hockey in a city with a history of not supporting their hockey team. You would think in a city the size of Albany would at least match the smaller cities of Syracuse and Rochester....

You keep talking about the devils not winning, but Rochester has had lousy teams for the last six seasons and still draw respectable numbers.

At some point the onus has to be on the fans.....it's obvious that Albany has a different demographic than most other upstate cities, and for whatever reason the support is not there. That is painfully obvious.... I would surmise that Albany being a government city has a lot to do with it......

you do realize, Rochester's the 2nd oldest continuous franchise operating behind Hershey, AND WAS IN DANGER of losing that franchise, had Pegula not stepped in after the Rigas debacle with Buffalo, no one knew then, that how tenous the two (BUF/ROC) were and what that future was.

and NS, WHAT sources said Albany was even looking for a replacement, last anyone knew, the TU Center was scheduled to be retrofitted/updated according to Belber, which is one reason why the decision was made once the Devils decided to shift to Binghamton that the arena would do that first, and then we'll see where it goes....

 

[zetajerk]

Actually no one wants hockey in a city with a history of not supporting their hockey team. You would think in a city the size of Albany would at least match the smaller cities of Syracuse and Rochester....

You keep talking about the devils not winning, but Rochester has had lousy teams for the last six seasons and still draw respectable numbers.

At some point the onus has to be on the fans.....it's obvious that Albany has a different demographic than most other upstate cities, and for whatever reason the support is not there. That is painfully obvious.... I would surmise that Albany being a government city has a lot to do with it......

[MOD] Comets people think you're God's gift to hockey. I've had enough of you tell me how better than us you are at Devils and Flames games. You've had four years and been given a great product by Vancouver and Esche.

I'd love to see how Utica would do if the canucks let their product rot for 15 years. I saw fans having a meltdowns on your board during the bad stretches this season. Imagine a decade+ of that.

If pit like Springfield can rebound, why not Albany? Oh that's right, if the Rangers set up shop there, that takes away yewticahs best shot at keeping the AHL once the Canucks pull out.

 

[go comets]

[MOD] Comets people think you're God's gift to hockey. I've had enough of you tell me how better than us you are at Devils and Flames games. You've had four years and been given a great product by Vancouver and Esche.

I'd love to see how Utica would do if the canucks let their product rot for 15 years. I saw fans having a meltdowns on your board during the bad stretches this season. Imagine a decade+ of that.

If pit like Springfield can rebound, why not Albany? Oh that's right, if the Rangers set up shop there, that takes away yewticahs best shot at keeping the AHL once the Canucks pull out.

Actually the last two seasons have been pretty boring with the exception of a few games here and there. all teams have their ups and downs... but we know to support it come hell or high water or lose it...... two seasons in the playoffs, two seasons out. no different than any other AHL city.

the coaching change should help, Green had a very boring Defence first system.....

the Albany squad was very good the last 5 years... I really do not think the team's record had a lot to do with it. they drew well around the time they won the Calder cup but other than those 3-4 seasons the support has not been there.

that is not my fault, or Utica's fault or anyone else's fault, it is what it is.....

just be happy that there are still 2 solid division one schools in town. very exciting hockey to watch.... I actually find it more fun than AHL games....

 

[nickp91]

If Hartford isn't profitable or salvageable, then why would the Rangers throw their own money in? Either they get free cash or they leave, it doesn't hurt to ask.
Blame the governments, not the Rangers

 

[Tommy Hawk]

Yes the Rats era is long gone, helped ended by the Devils organization. Made no sense how the Devils operated in Albany and they are the reason nobody supported them. IF Utica and Springfield can come back definitely Albany can. Albany as compared to Utica? Really lol....I don't know anyone who is eager to stay in Utica, even our airbase bounced out of Utica-Rome lol, they don't call it Shootica for nothing.

Albany region has way more hockey fans, many don't support the Devils. There is nothing to do in Utica, of course they are going to fill the tin tuna can. The city of Albany itself is not a hockey hot bed, just as Utica isn't. Like Utica fans who attend games are from outside city limits. Albany just doesn't have college hockey but also the ECHL up in Glens Falls. The state of New York has subsidized hockey in Utica so that's okay? What helps make Utica work should be done for Albany to. Nobody wants to see the Rangers make Albany their home, especially not fans in Utica or Binghamton because they don't want to see Albany do netter.

[MOD] Comets people think you're God's gift to hockey. I've had enough of you tell me how better than us you are at Devils and Flames games. You've had four years and been given a great product by Vancouver and Esche.

I'd love to see how Utica would do if the canucks let their product rot for 15 years. I saw fans having a meltdowns on your board during the bad stretches this season. Imagine a decade+ of that.

If pit like Springfield can rebound, why not Albany? Oh that's right, if the Rangers set up shop there, that takes away yewticahs best shot at keeping the AHL once the Canucks pull out.

You people that keep supporting Albany and so darn funny. You hijack a thread about the Rangers wanting $3 mil from a city not even in your state and turn it into another completely lame discussion about the woes of being Albany.

Oh woe is me that the devils messed up when they were here. wah wah wah.

As PROVEN time and time again, Albany attendance was rarely higher than the bottom third of the league, even in the year and after of their championship. What was it, 3 seasons over 5,000 per year in a 15,000 seat stadium. Pitiful.

Albany attendance for AHL games has ALWAYS sucked. Get over it.

Now back to the Rangers asking for $3 million from a city that is broke. This is, as someone else said, the beginning of the end for the Rangers in Hartford. Where they go will depend on many factors, all of them financial.

And if I have to make another $10 donation to get you guys banned from talking about the woes of Albany again, it will again be the best $10 I have ever spent.

 

[Nightsquad]

Actually no one wants hockey in a city with a history of not supporting their hockey team. You would think in a city the size of Albany would at least match the smaller cities of Syracuse and Rochester....

You keep talking about the devils not winning, but Rochester has had lousy teams for the last six seasons and still draw respectable numbers.

At some point the onus has to be on the fans.....it's obvious that Albany has a different demographic than most other upstate cities, and for whatever reason the support is not there. That is painfully obvious.... I would surmise that Albany being a government city has a lot to do with it......

Ahh you do realize Rochester is three times the size and population of Albany? Syracuse by comparison is also much bigger then Albany. Albany is only marginally bigger then Utica. If Albany being a government town is such a disadvantage then what's that say about Utica? Utica benefits nicely from state taxpayers welfare, the area certainly doesn't have a private sector economic advantage over Albany. Actually it's Utica who rides Albany's high tech nano industry coattails. Let's get the Rangers to Albany, and only then is anyone able to pass judgement. Let's maybe wait and see, nobody ever believed hockey could work again in Utica or do okay in Springfield, let's see what might happen in Albany. We all know those insecure Utica and Bingo fans don't want to see it work right in Albany.

 

[Nightsquad]

It's funny how this thread pulls out the various Albany haters. AS if it is their own money invested in the team. Fans from Bingo wanted the Rangers, not Devils. Utica knows there time with Vancouver is short, if they don't secure the Rangers they may be left with the ECHL at best and they know all they have to secure another team is 3300 fans. Albany has the money and a large professional building to work with.....Should be fun to watch what goes down. I bet Esche is scrambling right now to secure the Rangers, we will see how much juice he has...

 

[go comets]

It's funny how this thread pulls out the various Albany haters. AS if it is their own money invested in the team. Fans from Bingo wanted the Rangers, not Devils. Utica knows there time with Vancouver is short, if they don't secure the Rangers they may be left with the ECHL at best and they know all they have to secure another team is 3300 fans. Albany has the money and a large professional building to work with.....Should be fun to watch what goes down. I bet Esche is scrambling right now to secure the Rangers, we will see how much juice he has...

Last I heard, Vancouver was talking extension.

And where did you come up with 3,300 fans from.

The building is getting suites and club seating as we speak.. should push capacity over 4,000. Suites are already sold out.

No one is too worried about what happens when the Canucks leave.... Worry about it when it happens..... Nothing anyone here can do about it, until then we will enjoy what we have........

 

[go comets]

Ahh you do realize Rochester is three times the size and population of Albany? Syracuse by comparison is also much bigger then Albany. Albany is only marginally bigger then Utica. If Albany being a government town is such a disadvantage then what's that say about Utica? Utica benefits nicely from state taxpayers welfare, the area certainly doesn't have a private sector economic advantage over Albany. Actually it's Utica who rides Albany's high tech nano industry coattails. Let's get the Rangers to Albany, and only then is anyone able to pass judgement. Let's maybe wait and see, nobody ever believed hockey could work again in Utica or do okay in Springfield, let's see what might happen in Albany. We all know those insecure Utica and Bingo fans don't want to see it work right in Albany.

Lol... That's pathetic..... A quick Google search shows metro Albany at 1.1 million in population!!! Yup... Same size as Utica!!!! Got us on that one!!!!!!

 

[CHRDANHUTCH]

It's funny how this thread pulls out the various Albany haters. AS if it is their own money invested in the team. Fans from Bingo wanted the Rangers, not Devils. Utica knows there time with Vancouver is short, if they don't secure the Rangers they may be left with the ECHL at best and they know all they have to secure another team is 3300 fans. Albany has the money and a large professional building to work with.....Should be fun to watch what goes down. I bet Esche is scrambling right now to secure the Rangers, we will see how much juice he has...

UH, Vancouver bought their franchise from WHO, NS..... HINT HINT it's the same city that just got the Railers, after the static when Peoria crowed about acquiring that same franchise....

Albany STILL has to pay to retrofit the TUC, which apparently YOU STILL HAVEN'T GRASPED THAT bit of info, even when two posters have CLEARLY pointed that out to you

THERE was no INDICATION EVER STATED that Mitchell was ever pursuing the Rangers once Ottawa made its choice to buy the affiliate and relocate, PROVE where it ever said that

the ECHL has no franchises available after Elmira was terminated AND Alaska was bought by Spectra, so research please before you respond

 

[zetajerk]

I find it baffling that so many posters here despise Albany so much. The Utica people I sort of get it, however weak it is. It's the whipping post of this board. As if it negatively affects any one of you if it has a team or not.

I don't remember any outrage when Springfield got another team as soon as the Falcons left.

 

[ek93]

Bingo fans don't want to see it work right in Albany.

Nobody here really cares about Albany one way or another, or their hockey situation. The only reason I don't like hearing about Albany is because every thread about anything involving the AHL on here gets hijacked into talking about Albany.

 

[CHRDANHUTCH]

I find it baffling that so many posters here despise Albany so much. The Utica people I sort of get it, however weak it is. It's the whipping post of this board. As if it negatively affects any one of you if it has a team or not.

I don't remember any outrage when Springfield got another team as soon as the Falcons left.

I agree with ya, same with Portland, zeta, but honestly not all Utica fans are like that. I mean yea, it hurts the way it went down, but I don't hold a grudge toward another market because of a decision that was made business-wise... I don't/may not agree with it... it just takes time to mourn the franchise you supported for years, to have it just gone.

 

[UticaHockey]

Nobody here really cares about Albany one way or another, or their hockey situation. The only reason I don't like hearing about Albany is because every thread about anything involving the AHL on here gets hijacked into talking about Albany.

Nailed it.

 

[CHRDANHUTCH]

Nailed it.

Amen to that, if it's not Albany it's Union College( and NS needs to be reminded of that, because I've called him out on multiple occassions, SINCE there is an NCAA thread here).

 

[go comets]

Nobody here really cares about Albany one way or another, or their hockey situation. The only reason I don't like hearing about Albany is because every thread about anything involving the AHL on here gets hijacked into talking about Albany.

Bingo!!!! (And I don't mean the AHL city.......). Everything gets turned into Albany needs the Rangers and they will fill the place......

 

[mmazz22]

Ha ek! I was just going to write on here no one cares about Albany!!
He's the only one who brings him up!
I've never seen a Comet fan or bingo fan trash Albany but yet we're all "insecure "
Then in one breath he talks about how widespread the Albany region is , including glens falls in it. (1 hour away)
Well then in bingo we could claim Syracuse, w b s , and elmira in our market. That's insane
Your fan base for ahl is not hour away.
Maybe gsme or two but certainly not 38.
Then in next breath Albany is not much bigger than Utica! Whaaattttttt

 

[CHRDANHUTCH]

Ha ek! I was just going to write on here no one cares about Albany!!
He's the only one who brings him up!
I've never seen a Comet fan or bingo fan trash Albany but yet we're all "insecure "
Then in one breath he talks about how widespread the Albany region is , including glens falls in it. (1 hour away)
Well then in bingo we could claim Syracuse, w b s , and elmira in our market. That's insane
Your fan base for ahl is not hour away.
Maybe gsme or two but certainly not 38.
Then in next breath Albany is not much bigger than Utica! Whaaattttttt

Here's a better suggestion, Nightsquad needs to pay for the Times Union UPGRADE AND Buy the Wolf*Pack from MSG to play in Albany

 

[Nightsquad]

Hey Zeta lol, it's funny how Utica and Bingo fans get bent out of shape lol. Also, who was the clown that said Albany's arena needs retrofitting lol? Even without it's current 30 million remake it's almost more suitable for NHL hockey then Barclays Center. Bingo fans wanted the Rangers, I fully agree with them taking the deal with the Devils, they had no choice. To be frank Zeta Albany's college hockey options are much stronger. The AHL has become watered down, and more college hockey stars are going directly to the NHL and skipping the AHL, Union is a solid example. I am rooting for all you Albany fans....These snowflake who hate on Albany think I am an instigator now, just wait when the Albany BY Rangers are born

 

[CHRDANHUTCH]

Hey Zeta lol, it's funny how Utica and Bingo fans get bent out of shape lol. Also, who was the clown that said Albany's arena needs retrofitting lol? Even without it's current 30 million remake it's almost more suitable for NHL hockey then Barclays Center. Bingo fans wanted the Rangers, I fully agree with them taking the deal with the Devils, they had no choice. To be frank Zeta Albany's college hockey options are much stronger. The AHL has become watered down, and more college hockey stars are going directly to the NHL and skipping the AHL, Union is a solid example. I am rooting for all you Albany fans....These snowflake who hate on Albany think I am an instigator now, just wait when the Albany BY Rangers are born

and no one but you will show up, and my point still stands, you want the Rangers there, buy the Wolf*Pack yourself, and you'll find out how hard it is operating a franchise fee, much less paying the affiliation fee to keep it active

 

[RowdyFan42]

As PROVEN time and time again, Albany attendance was rarely higher than the bottom third of the league, even in the year and after of their championship. What was it, 3 seasons over 5,000 per year in a 15,000 seat stadium. Pitiful.

I don't care how many times you trot it out, your premise that "it's okay if you have a crappy fanbase if your arena is tiny but you darn well better fill every last seat if you have a large arena" is completely nonsensical. Apparently the best way to become an ideal AHL market in your eyes is to knock down our existing arena and put up a cute little 4,000-seat bandbox like they've got in Utica. Whatever.

Now back to the Rangers asking for $3 million from a city that is broke. This is, as someone else said, the beginning of the end for the Rangers in Hartford. Where they go will depend on many factors, all of them financial.

And that's why Albany is relevant to this discussion. Whether the peanut gallery likes it or not, Albany is on the short list of likely destinations should the Rangers decide to pull out of Hartford. Perhaps certain parties shouldn't howl in protest every time the capital of New York State is mentioned if they don't want those threads to devolve into yet another discussion as to why Albany ought to have another shot at the AHL.

And if I have to make another $10 donation to get you guys banned from talking about the woes of Albany again, it will again be the best $10 I have ever spent.

Bribery, you say? Interesting...

 

[Sports Enthusiast]

I find it baffling that so many posters here despise Albany so much. The Utica people I sort of get it, however weak it is. It's the whipping post of this board. As if it negatively affects any one of you if it has a team or not.

I don't remember any outrage when Springfield got another team as soon as the Falcons left.

I had an issue. A new team wasn't gunna solve their problem. It was just borrowing time for the inevitable. Anybody ever think to a team like Albany maybe it just doesn't work anymore because its not like 1995 anymore and there's more entertainment options to do these days in the world?

 

[go comets]

I had an issue. A new team wasn't gunna solve their problem. It was just borrowing time for the inevitable. Anybody ever think to a team like Albany maybe it just doesn't work anymore because its not like 1995 anymore and there's more entertainment options to do these days in the world?

I would say Albany needs to do what Utica, Syracuse and Providence all did. Take a 20 year break and then you will have a whole new generation of fans to draw from.