Confirmed with Link: TNSE considering AHL move to Thunder Bay

[kasps]

This whole idea makes very little sense to me. First of all, Thunder Bay is in the middle of nowhere and is a city in decline. It presents all the same issues as StJohns. I've heard the scheduling concerns, but it would be possible to put an AHL franchise in the MTS center. Perhaps that would be a better idea.

Omaha (go Broncos) is also available since the Flames pulled out, they have a building and are ready to go, would fit nicely into the west or midwest division. Personally I think Mr Chipman perhaps doesn't realize how hard it will be to sell AHL hockey outside of markets like Winnipeg or St Johns. I would keep the team where it is. The AHL is no win situation for most franchises, get used to it.

Also, Chipman wants to help them get another franchise? How? Who?

I'm going to guess , Chipman has actual numbers and paid experts advising him on this matter. He may be a tad more in the know than you ? The main issue is, Thunder Bay is a 45 minute flight to Winnipeg. St.Johns, 7 to 12 hour jaunt all depending how the connecting flight works out. Thunder Bay is building a brand new arena for this team and as Winnipeggers can attest, having the Jets back has really brought our downtown back life.

 

[Guilty Party]

No better place to introduce myself i guess.
Long time lurker, first time poster.
In Thunder Bay.
Big fan of the 1.0 jets, current jets and of the GDT's here and all the personalities on this board.
I do feel for the St.John's fans and here's hoping they can get another team if their current team does move. Love the support they have given the team.

As for a name? Always been a fan of the "Bombers". Works on a bunch of levels.

 

[BigZ65]

This whole idea makes very little sense to me. First of all, Thunder Bay is in the middle of nowhere and is a city in decline. It presents all the same issues as StJohns. I've heard the scheduling concerns, but it would be possible to put an AHL franchise in the MTS center. Perhaps that would be a better idea.

Omaha (go Broncos) is also available since the Flames pulled out, they have a building and are ready to go, would fit nicely into the west or midwest division. Personally I think Mr Chipman perhaps doesn't realize how hard it will be to sell AHL hockey outside of markets like Winnipeg or St Johns. I would keep the team where it is. The AHL is no win situation for most franchises, get used to it.

Also, Chipman wants to help them get another franchise? How? Who?

Pretty clear that this isn't about money. If it was, the team would stay in St. John's.

Thunder Bay isn't really in the middle of nowhere for the AHL, especially in comparison to St. John's. It's within a couple hour charter flight of 5 other current AHL teams (Iowa, Rockford, Milwaukee, Chicago, Grand Rapids), hopefully they end up in a division with those teams.

Omaha is a good market? Quad Cities is available too.

 

[offkilter]

Since TNSE has gone on record to say they're looking at bringing in a WHL team, they obviously think they can support two teams at MTS Centre.

That being said, nobody has ever tried running a NHL and AHL franchise in the same arena. I have my doubts that would work financially.

WHA teams played out of NHL arenas at different points, and failed miserably. They were given terrible dates and terrible lease/rental conditions though.

Its interesting you both bring this up because back in the 70s the Boston Bruins put their AHL affiliate in the Boston Garden and called them the Boston Braves after the old baseball team. They did it to block the WHA team then named New England Whalers from playing there.

 

[Aavco Cup]

I have not finished reading the entire thread yet but I can comment a bit on the travel situation.

Current flights:

Westjet runs flight 493 arriving from YQT to YWG daily (except Saturdays) at 12:20
Westjet runs flight 132 arriving from YWG to YQT daily (except Saturdays) at 13:25

AC Jazz runs flight 8509 arriving from YQT to YWG daily (except Sundays) at 5:48
AC Jazz runs flight 8348 departing from YWG to YQT daily (except Saturdays) at 19:55

So there are not as many flights as people think. There are probably a few more flights from airlines like Bearskin or Perimeter but I wouldn't want to fly on those tiny Metro's. Still that mid day Westjet flight is pretty ideal and it's rarely full so you can get a few guys on there with short notice.

Westjet just announced replacing all flights from Tbay with Q400 aircraft and doubling the frequency

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/thund...-replace-jet-service-to-thunder-bay-1.2504734

 

[Channelcat]

I'm going to guess , Chipman has actual numbers and paid experts advising him on this matter. He may be a tad more in the know than you ? The main issue is, Thunder Bay is a 45 minute flight to Winnipeg. St.Johns, 7 to 12 hour jaunt all depending how the connecting flight works out. .

The main issue is travel to other AHL markets, which would continue to be a problem in TB.

It's within a couple hour charter flight of 5 other current AHL teams (Iowa, Rockford, Milwaukee, Chicago, Grand Rapids), hopefully they end up in a division with those teams. Omaha is a good market? Quad Cities is available too.

A couple hour charter is a problem. A 1 hour bus ride is prefferable. No, Omaha and QuadC are not great markets, but probably still better than Thunder Bay all things concidered. In my humble opinion of course.

 

[kasps]

Another thing that we forget is ,sometimes the player needs to go join the team on the road. Imagine getting a player from ST.John's to Anaheim today and have that player useful. Not unplayable from being in airports and sitting all day.

 

[BigZ65]

The main issue is travel to other AHL markets, which would continue to be a problem in TB.



A couple hour charter is a problem. A 1 hour bus ride is prefferable. No, Omaha and QuadC are not great markets, but probably still better than Thunder Bay all things concidered. In my humble opinion of course.

TNSE owns a charter plane that the AHL affiliate uses.

Even on the eastern seaboard there are only a handful of teams within an hour bus ride of each other, that's a pretty ridiculous bar to set. You couldn't even set that in the MJHL.

 

[JC Numminen]

What about a QMJHL team if they can't get another Ahl team? Sure that would be preferred over a ECHL team

 

[Sweech]

nope hahaha hes staying with whatever team we get,if at all

We'll give you...James Wright for Rodgers.

 

[offkilter]

TNSE owns a charter plane that the AHL affiliate uses.

Even on the eastern seaboard there are only a handful of teams within an hour bus ride of each other, that's a pretty ridiculous bar to set. You couldn't even set that in the MJHL.

Actually most of the the AHL's eastern conference is within 2-4 hours bus ride of each other with some having 3 or 4 teams 40 minutes away, and yes a 2-3 hour bus ride is preferable to a 2 hour charter flight.

 

[Aavco Cup]

TNSE owns a charter plane that the AHL affiliate uses.
:

This is news to me. Calm Air owned and operated the plane that the Moose used to charter. Why would they suddenly buy an aircraft once the team moved?

 

[Mathmew Purrrr Oh]

No better place to introduce myself i guess.
Long time lurker, first time poster.
In Thunder Bay.
Big fan of the 1.0 jets, current jets and of the GDT's here and all the personalities on this board.
I do feel for the St.John's fans and here's hoping they can get another team if their current team does move. Love the support they have given the team.

As for a name? Always been a fan of the "Bombers". Works on a bunch of levels.

Welcome


I would be all over that as a name

 

[Bristo]

A sudden and major influx of money, perhaps?

 

[Guardian17]

TSN 1290 Podcast with Mark Chipman

http://www2.tsn.ca/window/podcastcentre/#podcastid=27351&id=24

 

[Repoman]

Westjet just announced replacing all flights from Tbay with Q400 aircraft and doubling the frequency

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/thund...-replace-jet-service-to-thunder-bay-1.2504734

I kind of figured that was coming. Westjet Encore just started daily flights to YQR on the 15th.

The ATR42 that had the Moose logo and was used by the team was operated by Calm Air. They could probably strike another deal if needed.

 

[Klaus]

Damn. Feel bad for fans on the Rock, hopefully they can work something out for another team.

 

[BigZ65]

Based on that Chipman interview at the intermission, I wouldn't start designing TBay jerseys and letterhead. Sounds very preliminary.

 

[nags]

Jesus, as a resident of Thunder Bay i agree there is some scum in this town, much like every other town but this town loves hockey and has long deserved better hockey than the half **** Jr a here or the CIS team that we regularly have 3000+ fans to.. This town has been on a rollercoaster of rumours from AHL and OHL teams coming here, finally we are about to receive a great hockey team and i cant wait to be a STH, as well as many other hockey crazed fans here

Thank-you ... Thank-you.. Thank-you for pointing this out.

Mark Chipman is a genius. He has watched Lakehead draw huge crowds in Thunder Bay when the rest of the CIS can't draw flies. Thunder Bay and Winnipeg are joined at the hip and this will only increase the Jet's popularity in the region.

I heard about this idea 2 or 3 years ago and it was only a matter of time before they got their ducks in order. A fantastic hockey market that is completely under served at the moment. Great connection to Winnipeg in terms of minor hockey.

This is a superb hockey/market/business move.

Well done Thunder Bay. You deserve this.

 

[trouty]

WEe will see,fantastic CIS markets don't translate into fantastic AHL markets,as do good junior markets,mean you be a good AHL Markets.Some cities don't like the AHL brand,i guess time will tell weather Thunder Bay will take to it or not

 

[hoowaa]

http://www.thetelegram.com/Opinion/...-3585641/Hockey-still-has-place-at-Mile-One/1

When Winnipeg bolts for Thunder Bay — the Jets’ farm club won’t play in northern Ontario for years, but will still likely leave Newfoundland after next season, probably playing on an interim basis in Winnipeg — St. John’s won’t be alone as a city which lost two teams — remember the St. John’s Maple Leafs? — and in search of a third.

St John's newspaper reporting/surmising that ice caps likely to play in Winnipeg after next year.

 

[Bob E]

http://www.thetelegram.com/Opinion/...-3585641/Hockey-still-has-place-at-Mile-One/1



St John's newspaper reporting/surmising that ice caps likely to play in Winnipeg after next year.

Interesting assumption. I suppose it depends on whether the IceCaps local group finds a new affiliate for 2015/16. Not many franchises looking to move, so if they find one, they'll need to act on it.

 

[FuriousSenator]

This makes me sad.

 

[IceCapsHabs]

Petition to keep AHL hockey in St. John's, NL

Petition to keep AHL hockey in St. John's

https://www.change.org/petitions/dave-andrews-bring-another-ahl-team-to-st-john-s-nl

 

[allthisgold]

Just a word about Thunder Bay. I have never been there. However, I am not sure if it matters a lot but I happen to know that there are a lot of new hotel and condo investments going on there. It indicates to me that there is some sort of resurgence going on in the city (private investors have confidence).