Potential New Arena in Niagara Falls NY

[EON]

I agree with this. My suspicions are that there would not be any significant detriment to placing a team in a nearby market to an existing one. Actually, in many I think there would be benefits (I had this discussion about a year ago with respect to Brantford). Territorial rights are much less of an issue in junior hockey than they are in the NHL IMO.

I probably agree with you there, but the OHL would certainly have to look into that if Niagara Falls gets a suitable arena and an ownership group that wants to get into the OHL.

I'd like to see a study if Niagara, ON is pulling fans from over the border at all. If so, they may have a legitimate territorial claim.

 

[Penguins23]

Niagara Falls NY? Forget it. you wont get 1000 people out, the city is depressed,unemployment,all boarded buildings,high crime...who would have thought of such a ludicrous location! All the attractions are across the bridge in NF,Ontario and they lost major junior hockey years ago !

You know they got it back right?

 

[fishfan51]

Niagara Falls (New York) has a shrinking population with numerous abandoned buildings and a terrible economy. (but great chicken wings at Gagsters) I can't see them putting 500 people let alone a few thousand in an arena to watch the OHL.

I would love to see a team put there, with my nexus card I could be at an "away" game in 10 minutes. I'd bet good money against it though.

 

[the dog]

You know they got it back right?

Niagara icedogs play in st.catherines ontario

 

[EON]

Niagara Falls (New York) has a shrinking population with numerous abandoned buildings and a terrible economy. (but great chicken wings at Gagsters) I can't see them putting 500 people let alone a few thousand in an arena to watch the OHL.

I would love to see a team put there, with my nexus card I could be at an "away" game in 10 minutes. I'd bet good money against it though.

Niagara Falls, NY is shrinking and in trouble economically (besides tourism) but it is only a 25 minute drive or so from Buffalo, NY. I wonder if they would be able to grab a decent fanbase from Buffalo to support a team?

 

[EvenSteven]

Niagara Falls (New York) has a shrinking population with numerous abandoned buildings and a terrible economy. (but great chicken wings at Gagsters) I can't see them putting 500 people let alone a few thousand in an arena to watch the OHL.

I would love to see a team put there, with my nexus card I could be at an "away" game in 10 minutes. I'd bet good money against it though.

You never know. With the close proximity to Buffalo, they may or may not draw, but we know Missy definitely doesn't and hasn't their entire time in Missy no matter how good or bad the team is, so where is the gamble moving the Steelheads there?

 

[buzzworthy]

I think that Buffalo might work. I am talking downtown Buffalo. If the brand were sold in the right way, I believe they could draw 4-6,000 a game. I don't know if the Harbor Center could be expanded or upgraded. Regardless, the HSBC could work (think Calgary, Edmonton). It would hinge on Terry Pegula buying the team. If you called the team the Buffalo Junior Sabres...

 

[Beast Mowed]

I think they would do just fine. On a trip back from Northern NY, I had a tollbooth operator shut down his lane just to talk to me about that Connor Mcdavid kid when he saw the Erie Otters hat I was wearing. Lots of Junior Hockey interest in that area, especially if the Sabres have an eye on a player....

 

[buzzworthy]

UKJ, so did I! Must have been the same guy. He said that he had purchased tickets to see McDavid play in Niagara, but that he was scratched that game. Yes, lots of hockey interest around Buffalo.

 

[ADK34]

Sometime in the next couple years I expect the OHL to start to expand into NY state. Elmira, Jamestown, Niagara Falls, and possibly Albany are some ideas

 

[maldo]

Sometime in the next couple years I expect the OHL to start to expand into NY state. Elmira, Jamestown, Niagara Falls, and possibly Albany are some ideas

The ideas would have to be feeder towns for one team in Western NY just like the" Niagara" Icedogs from St.Catharines which draw from surrounding towns in Niagara region like Niagara Falls,Thorold,Welland,Ft.Erie,Pt.Colbourne and numerous counties hence the name "Niagara" and correct me if Im wrong,but doesnt Buffalo already have a junior hockey team called the Buffalo Jr. Sabres which competes in some junior league over there

 

[Hammer9001]

Would find it unlikely that NY state would be considered a likely target for a potential 20th or 21st OHL club for a few different reasons.
Here's why #1 the Niagara Ice Dogs are or would be considered to be 1 club in that general location not to also imagine that the Hamilton Bulldogs and Erie Otters would have something to say about that due to that all those clubs are or would be around the Canadian/ NY State borders. However if a team like the Steelheads who would be always considered a potential relocation hot name in the league to move I'd would say that the 401 corridor clubs with exception to the Generals in Oshawa would be on consideration to be on the move in the next 5-10 years although I could see Hamilton moving into the Central at some point in the future

I hate to burst your bubble, but as a Hamiltonian, I'd much rather be in a division with the Icedogs and Erie then our current situation in the East division. Ottawa, Kingston and Peterborough don't exactly help attendance at our big arena. Brantford, I could see the Bulldogs having a problem with proximity (as we see a lot of Brantford 99ers hats at First Ontario) but I don't really see an issue with Niagara Falls NY getting a team. I also don't think the Ice Dogs have a massive following of US hockey fans crossing the border, what with Buffalo being closer and with affordable tickets, but that's just a guess on my part.

I think your bigger issue is how many people would a Niagara Falls NY team draw with the Sabres only a half hour away with no border crossing.

 

[jason2020]

Sometime in the next couple years I expect the OHL to start to expand into NY state. Elmira, Jamestown, Niagara Falls, and possibly Albany are some ideas

I don't expect any new teams to join for atleast 5-10 years now some teams might move that's possible.

 

[MiamiHockey]

I agree with this. My suspicions are that there would not be any significant detriment to placing a team in a nearby market to an existing one. Actually, in many I think there would be benefits (I had this discussion about a year ago with respect to Brantford). Territorial rights are much less of an issue in junior hockey than they are in the NHL IMO.

I find it hard to believe that any OHL franchises would have some territorial rights, given that the Mississauga and Brampton franchises were located within a 10-minute drive of each other for over a decade.

If they did exist, St Catharines (where the Ice Dogs play) is a solid 30-minute drive to Niagara Falls, NY, not including the border crossing. Guelph and Kitchener are in closer proximity than St Catharines and Niagara Falls, NY.

There may be a few die hards who cross the border to go to an Ice Dogs game, but it's a stretch to suggest that it's more than a few fans who'd be swiped from the Ice Dogs.

I do agree with posters who suggest that an OHL franchise in Buffalo seems more likely than Niagara, both because (1) they can use the KeyBank Center, a la the Oil Kings and Hitmen, and (2) Niagara Falls is small and economically depressed. I'd find it hard to believe it could support an OHL franchise, no matter how shiny the new building is.

 

[fishfan51]

I find it hard to believe that any OHL franchises would have some territorial rights, given that the Mississauga and Brampton franchises were located within a 10-minute drive of each other for over a decade.

If they did exist, St Catharines (where the Ice Dogs play) is a solid 30-minute drive to Niagara Falls, NY, not including the border crossing. Guelph and Kitchener are in closer proximity than St Catharines and Niagara Falls, NY.

There may be a few die hards who cross the border to go to an Ice Dogs game, but it's a stretch to suggest that it's more than a few fans who'd be swiped from the Ice Dogs.

I do agree with posters who suggest that an OHL franchise in Buffalo seems more likely than Niagara, both because (1) they can use the KeyBank Center, a la the Oil Kings and Hitmen, and (2) Niagara Falls is small and economically depressed. I'd find it hard to believe it could support an OHL franchise, no matter how shiny the new building is.

I can be at the Rainbow bridge in 15 minutes from my job in St.Catharines. In the winter that bridge is dead, people can get across in minutes. Personally, I have a nexus card, I can be in Niagara Falls - New York from St.Catharines in 18 minutes crossing the Whirlpool bridge (Nexus only).

If the IceDogs had territorial rights, I would have thought they'd have an issue with the Bulls move to Hamilton. Since we've never heard a peep about that move, I wouldn't think they'd have any rights when it comes to a team going States side.

 

[Inkling]

What are the schools like in Niagara Falls, NY? If you're going to send kids potentially as young as 15 off to live with billets in some distant city, it would be nice to locate your teams in nice cities. People weren't happy with Flint, will they be happy with Niagara Falls, NY? We're not talking an adult professional league here.

 

[jason2020]

What are the schools like in Niagara Falls, NY? If you're going to send kids potentially as young as 15 off to live with billets in some distant city, it would be nice to locate your teams in nice cities. People weren't happy with Flint, will they be happy with Niagara Falls, NY? We're not talking an adult professional league here.

Its much like Cornwall.

 

[knowescape]

What are the schools like in Niagara Falls, NY? If you're going to send kids potentially as young as 15 off to live with billets in some distant city, it would be nice to locate your teams in nice cities. People weren't happy with Flint, will they be happy with Niagara Falls, NY? We're not talking an adult professional league here.

Niagara Falls, NY is an economically depressed area. People are fleeing the area for jobs and professionals can receive grants to relocate to the area. The high school for the entire city is one gigantic melting pot with LOTS of kids. This isn't the area for a team... Neighboring Wheatfield / Amherst which are suburbs of Buffalo are much better suited.

 

[General Zodd]

The Calgary Hitmen and Edmonton Oil Kings beg to differ...

Buffalo is a small city...

 

[General Zodd]

I can be at the Rainbow bridge in 15 minutes from my job in St.Catharines. In the winter that bridge is dead, people can get across in minutes. Personally, I have a nexus card, I can be in Niagara Falls - New York from St.Catharines in 18 minutes crossing the Whirlpool bridge (Nexus only).

If the IceDogs had territorial rights, I would have thought they'd have an issue with the Bulls move to Hamilton. Since we've never heard a peep about that move, I wouldn't think they'd have any rights when it comes to a team going States side.

Can't say there a lot of fans that cross over from America to see Ice Dogs games. Don't see it as an infringement on Niagara's Meridian Centre profits. I myself I drive a few times a year to watch the Ice Dogs but traffic is a nightmare sometimes. As the poster above said about Hamilton no wanting Ottawa, Kingston or Peterborough in their division,. News Flash, Hamilton a'int no draw either for those teams either pal!!

 

[Candellacrew1989]

I would love to see expansion in the new york state for potential ohl expansion i think if they can do wht the whl does have themselfs another us new york division if they can somehow get 4 teams to join the league in the ne t 3-6 years then that would be ausome i can see possibly two teams coming into the league have what rhe whl has 22 teams. I would love to see tonawanda/ lewiston ny a team specially with the word on the street is on the new rink being built there. So hoping that they get into thw league and get a team dont understand how buffalo still doesnt have a ohl team. They already have the rink all they have to find is a owner which im sure wouldent be hard. But i can realisitically see maybe jamestown that was mentioned earlier theres nothing going on there could see them getting a team specially if ohl expands into new york state. And i cannot see how specially what just happeened with albany that they will not join the ohl or try maken a pitch to join the ohl and just recall themselfs albany river rats rink there im sure owner would go in there. Would be great to see major junior in ny cause then the sabres islanders and rangers have a little markwt to themselfs to scout and peoduce good young hockey players out of new york state. I dont understand how there isnt a team there already.

 

[Captain Crash]

Sometime in the next couple years I expect the OHL to start to expand into NY state. Elmira, Jamestown, Niagara Falls, and possibly Albany are some ideas

Elmira is too far, the arena is too small, and they didn't have a high enough attendance with the ECHL. Jamestown is in a good spot, but their arena is way below standards and the city is too small to draw enough attendance. Niagara Falls might work, but will need the proposed arena. Albany is way too far away and would have to compete with NCAA D1.

 

[Captain Crash]

Bit of an update: seems Niagara Falls is seeking proposals from developers and consultants for the new arena. While obviously the purpose of this would be to determine what kind of arena would work, there are now at least some indications of what the city has in mind.

The important details we know now:
(1) they want it to be multipurpose, but ultimately as I assumed would include an ice sheet
(2) seems to be intent on hosting a minor league sports team of some sort
(3) seating capacity could range from 5,000 to 10,000 pending study results
(4) location may not be limited to downtown, but the initial hope seems to be to use some city owned parking lots downtown adjacent to the Seneca Casino.
(5) the request, when officially issued, will be asking for proposals within about 30 days followed by 4-5 months for a full report.

Seems we may hear something soon. If nothing else, the capacity would be consistent with the OHL.

http://www.athleticbusiness.com/stadium-arena/niagara-falls-expected-to-approve-arena-study.html

 

[TcNorth]

What are the schools like in Niagara Falls, NY? If you're going to send kids potentially as young as 15 off to live with billets in some distant city, it would be nice to locate your teams in nice cities. People weren't happy with Flint, will they be happy with Niagara Falls, NY? We're not talking an adult professional league here.

Flint schools are not a problem. The kids are taken great care of at suburban Grand Blanc High School and the University of Michigan in Flint.

 

[FireBird71]

What are the schools like in Niagara Falls, NY? If you're going to send kids potentially as young as 15 off to live with billets in some distant city, it would be nice to locate your teams in nice cities. People weren't happy with Flint, will they be happy with Niagara Falls, NY? We're not talking an adult professional league here.

No ne was unhappy about the schools in the Flint area since most went to my school in Grand Blanc