Will The Peoria Rivermen ever return to The ECHL

[Royalsflagrunner77]

Looking at their attendance and the midwest ECHL foot print after adding Iowa Peoria would fit in perfectly in the ECHL west make a great Rival for the Heartlanders

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[JMCx4]

Looking at their attendance and the midwest ECHL foot print after adding Iowa Peoria would fit in perfectly in the ECHL west make a great Rival for the Heartlanders

As with EVERY fan suggestion of a team moving from the SPHL to the ECHL (Huntsville being a popular target of what-ifs), it would take an owner who wants to spend a LOT more money each year & lose some amount of business autonomy. Rivalries are at least one level down (probably more) from those considerations

 

[PCSPounder]

If I remember from my visit, no suites, right?

An older arena, which I found “fun like a dive bar” in many ways, and I’ll probably end up hypocritically fighting against what’s needed, but the business model demands half the seats and 10 times the other amenities.

 

[JMCx4]

If I remember from my visit, no suites, right? ...

Carver Arena does have suites-for-twelve among its other premium seating options.

 

[Atlantian]

As with Huntsville, I do not see them moving up unless something happens to the SPHL

 

[CrazyEddie20]

Considering that the owner of the SPHL team is the former GM when the Rivermen's ECHL membership was still around, I doubt it.

 

[Af77]

Just gonna leave this here Waning attendance, ice system issues cloud future of Rivermen playing at Peoria Civic Center

 

[Checkers Hockey]

Just gonna leave this here Waning attendance, ice system issues cloud future of Rivermen playing at Peoria Civic Center

Civic Center ownership (City of Peoria) is obviously not interested in hockey since the planned $25M renovation does not include a new ice plant.

 

[JMCx4]

So who's gonna start the GoFundMe page to finance the floating JG Trudeau Memorial Arena on the East Peoria riverfront?

 

[Af77]

SPHL schedule released today, including a game between Peoria and Evansville in Bloomington

 

[No Fun Shogun]

Huh, as a Bloomington-Normal resident, I'll have to circle that date.

As for the Rivs' league, most in the area would prefer them returning to the ECHL or preferably the AHL, but hard to argue against the much lower costs of the SPHL.

 

[CrazyEddie20]

SPHL schedule released today, including a game between Peoria and Evansville in Bloomington

View attachment 568383

Gotta try and keep open markets away from the Fed, you know...

Huh, as a Bloomington-Normal resident, I'll have to circle that date.

As for the Rivs' league, most in the area would prefer them returning to the ECHL or preferably the AHL, but hard to argue against the much lower costs of the SPHL.

Not to mention that the Peoria Civic Center felt old 20 years ago - you can do all the renovations you want, but it's still going to feel like the old, sterile, concrete building it is inside. It lacks the creature comforts for fans that new arenas need and the team facilities that NHL franchises want for their developing players.

 

[JMCx4]

SPHL schedule released today, including a game between Peoria and Evansville in Bloomington

View attachment 568383

That's because neither of their team buses can make the entire round trip to the opponent's arena.

 

[jaysoneil]

Huh, as a Bloomington-Normal resident, I'll have to circle that date.

As for the Rivs' league, most in the area would prefer them returning to the ECHL or preferably the AHL, but hard to argue against the much lower costs of the SPHL.

Peoria would much rather have an ECHL team than an AHL team.

Carver Arena is dated and needs bulldozed. It's barely usable for any event, let alone hockey. Cool building, has a Joe Louis Arena vibe to it. There's only one concourse level with a horrible design and far too few bathrooms for the amount of people the place can hold. Concession lines backup into the main concourse traffic area, giving a feeling of being stuck on i90/i94 in Gary, IN. I can only imagine the pains it brought back in the early 90's when they were IHL and selling out. I was too young to fully grasp the situation.

The Rivermen averaged more fans during their ECHL tenure than when they had an AHL team, but even at 4,500 fans (50% capacity) it's still a nightmare to attend a game. SPHL is meh hockey. I'd love to see an ECHL team back in Peoria, but unless there's a new building, I doubt it'll happen, unfortunately.

 

[CrazyEddie20]

Peoria would much rather have an ECHL team than an AHL team.

Carver Arena is dated and needs bulldozed. It's barely usable for any event, let alone hockey. Cool building, has a Joe Louis Arena vibe to it. There's only one concourse level with a horrible design and far too few bathrooms for the amount of people the place can hold. Concession lines backup into the main concourse traffic area, giving a feeling of being stuck on i90/i94 in Gary, IN. I can only imagine the pains it brought back in the early 90's when they were IHL and selling out. I was too young to fully grasp the situation.

The Rivermen averaged more fans during their ECHL tenure than when they had an AHL team, but even at 4,500 fans (50% capacity) it's still a nightmare to attend a game. SPHL is meh hockey. I'd love to see an ECHL team back in Peoria, but unless there's a new building, I doubt it'll happen, unfortunately.

Carver Arena has always been the second-best entertainment venue in Peoria.

 

[JMCx4]

Carver Arena has always been the second-best entertainment venue in Peoria.

Is #1 the casino, or the Caterpillar Visitors Center?

 

[Barclay Donaldson]

Is #1 the casino, or the Caterpillar Visitors Center?

@JMCx4 The Peoria Riverfront Museum is on Line 1 and would like to have a word with you...

 

[CrazyEddie20]

@JMCx4 The Peoria Riverfront Museum is on Line 1 and would like to have a word with you...

Have you two never stayed at the Pere Marquette and gone to Big Al's?

 

[Barclay Donaldson]

Have you two never stayed at the Pere Marquette and gone to Big Al's?

Parc Père Marquette in Montréal? The only people who stay there are drunken Asian tourists who missed their cruise ship. Of course I went to l'Centre d'Aquarium Big Al in Dorval before it closed. It was a Dorval institution.

 

[JMCx4]

@JMCx4 The Peoria Riverfront Museum is on Line 1 and would like to have a word with you...

I agree with their claim, having enjoyed a visit. But they don't fit the current narrative. The Friars Club wants you to call them.

 

[JMCx4]

Have you two never stayed at the Pere Marquette and gone to Big Al's?

Mrs. JMC 'n' me have indeed lodged at the Peoria Marriott Pere Marquette. But we have avoided Big Al's during each of our trips, as we've been told there is very little "cover" offered for their cover charge.

 

[CrazyEddie20]

Mrs. JMC 'n' me have indeed lodged at the Peoria Marriott Pere Marquette. But we have avoided Big Al's during each of our trips, as we've been told there is very little "cover" offered for their cover charge.

… that’s the point!