Pirates Moving To Springfield

[scoob4093]

Sounds like the Panthers got blindsided.

http://panthers.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=881488


Curious to what their options are unless they intend to purchase an AHL franchise. None are for sale that I know of at this late date.

 

[Woo Hockey]

Had a feeling Portland was going to lose their AHL team. Sad to see it happen but hopefully this opens the door for an ECHL team that could probably do well there.

 

[axecrew]

Does this mean that a certain poster will have to stop referring to the AHL as "our league"?

Kind of what I was alluding to in my post...

 

[No Fun Shogun]

Man, this is the era of turmoil for the AHL.

 

[axecrew]

Sounds like the Panthers got blindsided.

http://panthers.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=881488


Curious to what their options are unless they intend to purchase an AHL franchise. None are for sale that I know of at this late date.

They could play in Springfield since that team and it's nhl partner are moving....or Chicago is open at the moment pending discussions with St. Louis

 

[JungleJON]

As usual lots of moving going on behind the scenes. If other NHL teams move their AHL affiliates - you could have a nice northeast cluster to join the ECHL.
With the ECHL schedule out already it really doesn't matter - thing can change just like when they absorbed most of the CHL late in the year.

Sorry to see Portland lose their team. We traveled to see the Mariners play in their first year, when we lost our team in Johnstown. Lots of good people there.

 

[MM658]

I am obviously thrilled to still have AHL hockey in Springfield (as dysfunctional as the AHL is....and Springfield is). But I feel for the fans up in Maine. They've supported that team for decades and like us here in Springfield, have gone through the loss of a team before, along with other off-ice drama.

My first road trip was to a playoff game at the CCCC many decades ago.

With Worcester, Glens Falls, Manchester in the ECHL, it seems that the "E" is becoming the league to be in around these parts. The Rangers perpetually seem to have one foot out the door in Hartford, and Bridgeport identifies more with the NY metro area than the rest of New England. Other than the one obvious local tie-in that fits with the new AHL/NHL business model (Boston/Providence), the AHL seems to have "moved on" from this area.

I hope Portland can land a franchise in either the A or the E (or Q).

The last time we here in Springfield lost our team (Indians), we got an expansion franchise. This time, our gain comes at the expense of someone else, so my happiness is tempered somewhat by a feeling of "ickiness."

 

[MM658]

I'll be interested to see what wildcat48 can add to the discussion.

Reading the Portland Press Herald article, it's interesting to note that the Springfield investor group (presumably including Bruce Landon) apparently beat out a competing bid from none other than Charlie Pompea, the man who sold the Falcons to the Coyotes. Pompea wanted to buy the Pirates and keep them in Portland. No doubt, Charlie was unable to secure a job in Tuscon for Daddy's Little Girl, so he was looking to buy another AHL toy for her to play with (read: run into the ground).

So, while I feel bad for the fans of Portland, I do take some added joy from one aspect of the way this all went down. And from first-hand experience, the fans in Portland might wind up better off looking for a replacement team (in any league) on the open market rather than retaining the Pirates with the Pompea offspring in charge.

Given that MGM is taking over management of the arena in Springfield, and will open their casino across the street in two years, I have to wonder if they are either part of the investor group, or at least were consulted with regarding this bid.

 

[axecrew]

With regards to where the panthers prospects will play...just read an article in the Portland paper showing a timeline in Pirates hockey. The panthers and portland have a contract til the end of the 18-19 season, so I suspect they will continue to partner in Springfield.

 

[GarbageGoal]

Man, this is rough.

http://www.pressherald.com/2016/05/04/portland-pirates-leaving-maine/

Indeed, Scott Prue of Biddeford was in the Pirates’ office at 4 p.m. to pick up a jersey won by his son in a raffle and to renew three season tickets. Ben Locke, director of ticket operations, was helping Prue with the transaction when an associate called Locke to a back room.

“Two minutes later, he came back and said he was sorry, but apparently the team was moving to Springfield and that I had to leave the office,†Prue said. “As I was leaving, I had to unlock the front door because they had locked it.â€

Locke “looked teary-eyed and upset,†Prue said. “It’s very disappointing. I’m completely shocked. It seemed like the Pirates staff was shocked as well. I don’t think any of them knew, either.€

 

[Peter6625]

Well if Manchester could get screwed, I'm sure pretty much any team could get whacked. I've been to both places frequently and you can't even compare the two. If you would've told me 5 years ago which city would be without hockey out of Springfield, Worcester, Portland or Manchester no doubt it would be Springfield. I can't stand Dave Andrews! Didn't he say he expected no movement this year? Now we've had two changes.

 

[Canucks21]

this is bad new for st. john's if another AHL team doesnt move to Portland before the expansion Portland would be smarter for Québec then St. John's and if the Q is interested to go to portland they should add more then 1 team in the US to reduce expenses same thing if they want to go back to St. John's and since theres already too many teams in the Q they cant really add 2 US teams and 2 Newfoundland teams and rightnow theres only Bathurst who could be moved

 

[Very Stable Genius]

And taxpayers still on the hook for those $34M in arena upgrades conditional on the renewal of lease by the Pirates. What a joke.

 

[RowdyFan42]

I can't stand Dave Andrews! Didn't he say he expected no movement this year? Now we've had two changes.

How is this his fault, please? I don't think anyone expected the Coyotes to be in a position to buy an AHL franchise. Can't blame that on Andrews, and the Pirates' move is a direct result of the Falcons' move.

 

[Canadienjet]

this is bad new for st. john's if another AHL team doesnt move to Portland before the expansion Portland would be smarter for Québec then St. John's and if the Q is interested to go to portland they should add more then 1 team in the US to reduce expenses same thing if they want to go back to St. John's and since theres already too many teams in the Q they cant really add 2 US teams and 2 Newfoundland teams and rightnow theres only Bathurst who could be moved

As someone who lives in St.John's,you will never see junior hockey here again after the Fog Devils.We came close to landing an ECHL team before the IceCaps,so should we lose them we will look at the ECHL if not then it's an empty arena.Nobody is willing to purchase a junior franchise and the city has no interest as it has its own issues to deal with.Most people here preferred no hockey to junior and that's what happened between 08-11(note I was not one of these people).

As for Portland I honestly don't think they will be without a team for long.May take a year but they will get another.

 

[GarbageGoal]

How is this his fault, please? I don't think anyone expected the Coyotes to be in a position to buy an AHL franchise. Can't blame that on Andrews, and the Pirates' move is a direct result of the Falcons' move.

There are few guys more passionate about AHL hockey and keeping it in his town than Bruce Landon. The man moves fast.

 

[Sports Enthusiast]

Somehow Springfield keeps avoiding the inevitable day of the black plague.

 

[LadyStanley]

http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2016/may/24/ahl-signs-off-on-portland-pirates-sale-to-springfi/

AHL BOG approves sale/move

 

[MM658]

Telling quote from a longtime Portland fan in this piece. I've felt the same way many times in recent years...and that's as a fan who -- for now -- still has a team.

“I think it’s actually a blessing in disguise,†said George Nanos of Portland, who has been a fan of AHL hockey since attending his first Maine Mariners game in 1977, when he was 14. “The American Hockey League is indifferent to us and they kind of let it slide.â€

 

[Agalloch]

Somehow Springfield keeps avoiding the inevitable day of the black plague.

They are the next in line to be bought by the NHL.

 

[Speed]

Telling quote from a longtime Portland fan in this piece. I've felt the same way many times in recent years...and that's as a fan who -- for now -- still has a team.

Agree 100%. Worcester fans were getting pretty fed up with develop 1st, and winning is gravy approach, non-local ownership, etc.

 

[Doggy]

Agree with Peter...not sure how Springfield gets another kick at the can when Manchester with its very nice arena will likely continue an attendance spiral in the ECHL. I went to one Manchester game this year (free tix) and the arena was pitifully empty on a weekend game when that arena used to rock! Sad really...too nice an arena for their current fortunes!

 

[210]

Agree with Peter...not sure how Springfield gets another kick at the can when Manchester with its very nice arena will likely continue an attendance spiral in the ECHL. I went to one Manchester game this year (free tix) and the arena was pitifully empty on a weekend game when that arena used to rock! Sad really...too nice an arena for their current fortunes!

Well, local ownership buying a team and moving it there seems to be the obvious answer...

 

[GarbageGoal]

Agree with Peter...not sure how Springfield gets another kick at the can when Manchester with its very nice arena will likely continue an attendance spiral in the ECHL. I went to one Manchester game this year (free tix) and the arena was pitifully empty on a weekend game when that arena used to rock! Sad really...too nice an arena for their current fortunes!

Well, local ownership buying a team and moving it there seems to be the obvious answer...

And on top of that, AEG controls whatever goes on at the Verizon Wireless Arena. And right now that's the ECHL.

 

[wildcat48]

Agree with Peter...not sure how Springfield gets another kick at the can when Manchester with its very nice arena will likely continue an attendance spiral in the ECHL. I went to one Manchester game this year (free tix) and the arena was pitifully empty on a weekend game when that arena used to rock! Sad really...too nice an arena for their current fortunes!

I think the attendance in Manchester will get better once Worcester and Portland come into the league. I think there was a bit of a shock value to the system for most people who didn't pay attention to what AHL Western Movement.

As for Springfield.... I'm not sure how they'll make it work long term. Unless they are doing it for community philanthropy I can't imagine will it will survive more than a couple seasons. I certainly don't see a boost in attendance with the team coming to town. Springfield hasn't recorded announced attendance over 4,000 since 2003-04.