AHL Future in Binghamton

[Nightsquad]

There are so many good US hockey players and I never understood why another major junior (in addition to USHL) was never formed in the NE. You could have teams in Portland, Lewiston, Albany, Erie from the OHL, etc. It would provide an alternative to OHL for NE US players. In time it would rival the OHL which is very good hockey. Canada's main rival in hockey is US now and US is producing a lot of good players.

The OHL or USHL would be a great product but Albany isnt a hockey smart city. Albany is like NYC, its not a hockey town but more so a Ranger town lol.

 

[go comets]

The talk around Albany on ESPN radio 104.5 is no big deal, the AHL is coming back. Albany will not look to replace the Devils next season. There is no interest in an immediate replacement. ESPN radio says all thing are being put into place by local and state politicians to land the NY Rangers farm team upon completion on arena construction. Stay tuned AHL fans, its going to get interesting. I cannot see a better way for Albany to ensure its hockey future then going this route. Lots of Ranger fans in eastern New York. What better way to roll out a 30 million makeover for Albany and its arena in fall of 2018 Meanwhile, Albany needs to continue.to attend games and.not treat the team as.lame duck......... Best of luck to Albany

Can not see that happening. There already are articles stating that they are looking for a non hockey main tenant. There is no apparent local owners willing to cash flow a team in Albany, so why would the rangers want to loose a million like the devils have?? And on top of that, the Ranger prospect pool is on "E" .... Just what is needed, another loosing team....

 

[zetajerk]

Can not see that happening. There already are articles stating that they are looking for a non hockey main tenant. There is no apparent local owners willing to cash flow a team in Albany, so why would the rangers want to loose a million like the devils have?? And on top of that, the Ranger prospect pool is on "E" .... Just what is needed, another loosing team....

Gotta plan on Vancouver leaving, right?

Why would the Rangers lose as much as the Devils have? They have a built in fanbase there, for starters. With River Rats branding, better prices, convenient start times, and you know, marketing/advertising I don't see why it wouldn't work.

 

[210]

Guess again!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Seeing as they just renegotiated their lease for a significant amount less than they were paying before they now have no reason to leave.

 

[kingofspades303]

Gotta plan on Vancouver leaving, right?

Why would the Rangers lose as much as the Devils have? They have a built in fanbase there, for starters. With River Rats branding, better prices, convenient start times, and you know, marketing/advertising I don't see why it wouldn't work.

Yes! This. Although ticket prices are pretty much right on par with every other AHL team. They just got 6 new season ticket holders if they did this.

 

[RowdyFan42]

So the ticket prices will be the same, but it's okay because it's the Rangers. We'll gladly pay that to see blue laundry instead of red laundry. What a joke.

 

[go comets]

Gotta plan on Vancouver leaving, right?

Why would the Rangers lose as much as the Devils have? They have a built in fanbase there, for starters. With River Rats branding, better prices, convenient start times, and you know, marketing/advertising I don't see why it wouldn't work.

Why would I need a plan for anything if the canucks leave? It's not my business.

And I am sure Albany attendance will sky Rocket with the return of the River rats name!!! Fool proof plan there!!!!

Only way hockey would work in Albany is a local ownership group, with ties to the community there.

 

[Nightsquad]

The guy on the local ESPN radio from up in Albany (streamed it right online) had said there is no plans to secure anything for next season. He went on to state that his own sources don't feel enough was done by the Devils to create a team the whole region could not only connect with but was affordable based on the Albany market. He said there are "informal" discussions regarding the NY Rangers AHL after next season but its actually being opposed behind the scenes. The AHL doesn't want to create a situation whereby a team a AHL team in Albany hurts the ECHL Thunder's attendance. Its really messed up for fans in Albany right now but sadly between the Devils and the very cheap apathetic fans in Smallbany NY they have hurt a few thousand loyal fans who enjoyed hockey in Albany. The core bleed red Devils fans in the Albany area need to get a grip! I am sure there were many out of that few thousand core fan base whom would rather have had an AHL team with its own local identity that fans could get excited for and rally behind. Fans from that area at least have some options. There doesn't appear to be much availability though for extra fans at Union College, their arena plays to almost capacity crowds every night and it only seats just over 2000. RPI over in nearby Troy looks like it seats over 4000 but RPI has not had very good hockey teams and is now surpassed by Union College who is among the top collegiate programs. This to me looks like a healthy shot in the arm for the ECHL's Adirondack Thunder which sits not that far north of Albany within an hour drive.

 

[Nightsquad]

Why would I need a plan for anything if the canucks leave? It's not my business.

And I am sure Albany attendance will sky Rocket with the return of the River rats name!!! Fool proof plan there!!!!

Only way hockey would work in Albany is a local ownership group, with ties to the community there.

There were hundreds of fans who despised the Devils after they purchased the franchise in Lowell then said they were returning. Would Utica have supported the Devils organization had they returned after missing the playoffs not 5, not 10, but almost 15 years? Lets say the Canucks were pulling out, and the only team able to land in Utica was the Devils and they said we wont use the Comets name, we are re doing the Utica Comets, how would that sit? I am sure there are more of those silly Utica Devils shirts around. Albany's logo looks like a devil guy urinating holding his thingy lol. They did a River Rats throwback night couple months back and around 4500 fans finally showed up lol, not the 2900 that go on average.

 

[nickp91]

Not shocked considering Albany wasn't doing well financially

 

[zetajerk]

FWIW, good luck Bingo. I've been pretty defensive about this lately, but it is what it is. I'm going to be better than some of our friends in Utica and not be salty towards the fans receiving our team. I hope this current regime doesn't burn you like the previous one burned us and Lowell. Hopefully the River Rats make their return someday and we can both beat the tar out of the Crunch, Amercks, ADK, and Comets.

 

[go comets]

FWIW, good luck Bingo. I've been pretty defensive about this lately, but it is what it is. I'm going to be better than some of our friends in Utica and not be salty towards the fans receiving our team. I hope this current regime doesn't burn you like the previous one burned us and Lowell. Hopefully the River Rats make their return someday and we can both beat the tar out of the Crunch, Amercks, ADK, and Comets.

The Lamarillo era is over. Shero had competitive teams in Scranton and the ADevs were competitive since Shero took over in NJ. Bingo will be happy with the Devils.

 

[Nightsquad]

FWIW, good luck Bingo. I've been pretty defensive about this lately, but it is what it is. I'm going to be better than some of our friends in Utica and not be salty towards the fans receiving our team. I hope this current regime doesn't burn you like the previous one burned us and Lowell. Hopefully the River Rats make their return someday and we can both beat the tar out of the Crunch, Amercks, ADK, and Comets.

Albany was easy to take shots at, that's why people here did it. Opting instead to constant insulting of the fans who supported the teams and taking shots at the few dedicated fans on this site who supported the teams in Albany. Utica's days weren't always bright. They didn't support the Devils well, they poorly supported the Utica Bull Dogs of the Colonial League. The Utica Blizzard had some strong crowds but were not regular sellouts. Nobody here ever brings up the Mohawk Valley Prowlers either, absolute disasters. What about Utica-Rome's FHL days, anyone want to bring that up? Utica is very lucky that after having gone dark for so many years their local hometown boy stepped up and was backed by Frank DuRoss who once had stake in the Providence Bruins and knows how to run a minor professional sports operation. Same with Binghamton, their UHL days as the Broome Ice Men filled a void but not with over whelming success. Tom Mitchell is a local man who cares and is well known in AHL hockey. Albany does not have those advantages. Nobody local other then talks of Billy Fucililo (Islanders to Albany few years back) is left to bring minor league hockey to a government town. Without Robert Esche doing what he did Utica was never in a position to get pro hockey back, let alone the success they have enjoyed at the AHL level. Binghamton, great little hockey town and they are lucky. They grabbed the NYS basketball championship from Glens Falls last year and avoided losing the Binghamton Mets to Albany back before the Valley Cats arrived in nearby Troy. Nobody is safe, the off season moves have proven that. It comes down to timing, luck, local support, and few other things. Springfield is also very fortunate as well. Even as Albany drew better then Springfield, Lowell, and Portland it always seemed Albany was taking the shots unfairly. Albany's fans will survive, this isn't devastating to Albany and the local economic impact is basically non existent. Albany hosts huge concerts the likes these other small northeast cities don't host, including the bigger Syracuse and Rochester. My advice to the Albany area fans is to not let this ruin your support the rest of the season, continue to support until the very last game. Send the players and coaching staff out with much respect and appreciation and see what happens down the road.

 

[GarbageGoal]

Yeah, this is all happening at the wrong time for Albany. I truly think now that Lou has shuffled off that the Devils org would be more committed to building a minor league team that values winning and veteran leadership as part of development of young players. But business is business and location is everything.

 

[go comets]

Albany was easy to take shots at, that's why people here did it. Opting instead to constant insulting of the fans who supported the teams and taking shots at the few dedicated fans on this site who supported the teams in Albany. Utica's days weren't always bright. They didn't support the Devils well, they poorly supported the Utica Bull Dogs of the Colonial League. The Utica Blizzard had some strong crowds but were not regular sellouts. Nobody here ever brings up the Mohawk Valley Prowlers either, absolute disasters. What about Utica-Rome's FHL days, anyone want to bring that up? Utica is very lucky that after having gone dark for so many years their local hometown boy stepped up and was backed by Frank DuRoss who once had stake in the Providence Bruins and knows how to run a minor professional sports operation. Same with Binghamton, their UHL days as the Broome Ice Men filled a void but not with over whelming success. Tom Mitchell is a local man who cares and is well known in AHL hockey. Albany does not have those advantages. Nobody local other then talks of Billy Fucililo (Islanders to Albany few years back) is left to bring minor league hockey to a government town. Without Robert Esche doing what he did Utica was never in a position to get pro hockey back, let alone the success they have enjoyed at the AHL level. Binghamton, great little hockey town and they are lucky. They grabbed the NYS basketball championship from Glens Falls last year and avoided losing the Binghamton Mets to Albany back before the Valley Cats arrived in nearby Troy. Nobody is safe, the off season moves have proven that. It comes down to timing, luck, local support, and few other things. Springfield is also very fortunate as well. Even as Albany drew better then Springfield, Lowell, and Portland it always seemed Albany was taking the shots unfairly. Albany's fans will survive, this isn't devastating to Albany and the local economic impact is basically non existent. Albany hosts huge concerts the likes these other small northeast cities don't host, including the bigger Syracuse and Rochester. My advice to the Albany area fans is to not let this ruin your support the rest of the season, continue to support until the very last game. Send the players and coaching staff out with much respect and appreciation and see what happens down the road.

The key is local people running the team. Hockey exploded in the 80s here in Utica. New rink in Whitesboro in 1984, I believe new Hartford built theirs in the mid 70s.

But the biggest difference is social media, Facebook, Twitter , smart phones. Much easier to stay informed.

The aud was a dump back in the 70s and 80s. The project housing behind the aud killed attendance, no one wanted to go down there.

Most of those teams after the devils left were underfunded and poorly run. I never saw a single prowlers. Bulldog or whomever play a game.

Don't know where your going claiming Rocester and Syracuse are bigger than Albany. Albany area is normally includes troy and Schnenctady which is much bigger than either cuse or Rochester.

As long as Esche is here, the interest in hockey will stay. When they finally do leave, you just do something else. What's the big deal. We all survived 25 years without AHL hockey, and the area will survive without it again.

 

[Ski]

Albany was easy to take shots at, that's why people here did it. Opting instead to constant insulting of the fans who supported the teams and taking shots at the few dedicated fans on this site who supported the teams in Albany. Utica's days weren't always bright. They didn't support the Devils well, they poorly supported the Utica Bull Dogs of the Colonial League. The Utica Blizzard had some strong crowds but were not regular sellouts. Nobody here ever brings up the Mohawk Valley Prowlers either, absolute disasters. What about Utica-Rome's FHL days, anyone want to bring that up? Utica is very lucky that after having gone dark for so many years their local hometown boy stepped up and was backed by Frank DuRoss who once had stake in the Providence Bruins and knows how to run a minor professional sports operation. Same with Binghamton, their UHL days as the Broome Ice Men filled a void but not with over whelming success. Tom Mitchell is a local man who cares and is well known in AHL hockey. Albany does not have those advantages. Nobody local other then talks of Billy Fucililo (Islanders to Albany few years back) is left to bring minor league hockey to a government town. Without Robert Esche doing what he did Utica was never in a position to get pro hockey back, let alone the success they have enjoyed at the AHL level. Binghamton, great little hockey town and they are lucky. They grabbed the NYS basketball championship from Glens Falls last year and avoided losing the Binghamton Mets to Albany back before the Valley Cats arrived in nearby Troy. Nobody is safe, the off season moves have proven that. It comes down to timing, luck, local support, and few other things. Springfield is also very fortunate as well. Even as Albany drew better then Springfield, Lowell, and Portland it always seemed Albany was taking the shots unfairly. Albany's fans will survive, this isn't devastating to Albany and the local economic impact is basically non existent. Albany hosts huge concerts the likes these other small northeast cities don't host, including the bigger Syracuse and Rochester. My advice to the Albany area fans is to not let this ruin your support the rest of the season, continue to support until the very last game. Send the players and coaching staff out with much respect and appreciation and see what happens down the road.

Paragraphs would be in your best interest in the near future please..

 

[mmazz22]

Well said nightsquad

 

[Nightsquad]

Paragraphs would be in your best interest in the near future please..

Your a fan now of New Jersey hockey, who needs paragraphs lol?? Act like a Garden State hockey fan. You have surrendered your Binghamton identity lol, no more paragraphs lol. New Joisey Devils, learn it, know it, live it

 

[nickp91]

It would be great if we could get the NY Rangers AHL team and bring back the River Rats

 

[Devils Dominion]

Hartford is a bottom attendance dweller with nyr in there, I honestly doubt that Albany would all of a sudden draw well with nyr there.

The parent club wins a cup every 80 seasons and usually doesn't have strong minor league system , I don't see the lure of a nyr AHL squad.

Albany area fans/businesses have run out of excuses.
I really feel for the fans supported the team and actually attended games.
I will still make a few weekend trips up to Albany this season and I hope they go on a long playoff run.

 

[Nightsquad]

It would be great if we could get the NY Rangers AHL team and bring back the River Rats

Hockey except Union, RPI, and ECHL in Glens Falls all appears to be what is left. The county and arena officials appear to be trying to secure an NBA-D league basketball team or another team in the arena football League. The Rangers would be a good fit for Albany but thats a discussion for down the road. Vancouver is upping their chatter about relocating after next season so if Albany wants the Rangers they need to start a plan of action. Utica can make a strong case and if they landed the Rangers AHL club Albany would have no realistic sustainable path to remaining an AHL city. Implore your state, county, and local officials to get this done. Is there still a bring the AHL Rangers to Albany Facebook page and online petition?

 

[Nightsquad]

In all honesty though its all a farce. All these cities trying to grab these AHL teams who dont play at this level to always win. Moves arent made to help their AHL teams. The Rangers always choke, and when is the last time their AHL team made a legitimate playoff run? Albany fans can catch D1 hockey whereby the games have become faster and for half the price of an Albany Devils ticket you can catch hockey teams representing your local communities, rosters which dont turn over every week, everyone gets to know the players pretty much for no less then three to four season, and finally their goal is to win games.... The Devils have only iced two seasons of decent hockey in Albany for almost the last decade and half while in Albany. Up until two years ago since 2010 the Devils were probably not evena legitimate ECHL team but coach Kowalski is a hell of a coach.

 

[Tommy Hawk]

Fans in Albany did not want the Devils to return, that was well known. Fans publicly stated they would rather have an ECHL club that has a chance on winning and making the playoffs then a team who publicly stated "we are not in Albany to win AHL games, we could field a Calder Cup team almost every year but we are not here to win games in Albany." The Devils organization a few years ago stopped the Rangers from placing their AHL team in Albany because they would not agree to a mutual agreement.


A couple years lol, try the decade of the 1990s. After the championship was over 6000 per game (better then todays average even) the following season. Followed by few years 5000, then finishing out the decade over 4000. Big difference between a decade and a few years. Albany fans didn't ask for the Devils, they had no where else to go with an arena meeting the modern needs at competitive prices, Albany's arena operates with profits and not at a loss. The arena didn't want to loose the 38 dates on the calendar so they obliged. Arena renovations are on going, if the Devils leave so what! They will land the Rangers AHL team, ECHL team, USHL team, or add more NCAA DI games which are just as exciting as AHL hockey, maybe even more, and half the price...Albany will get it done!

http://www.bizjournals.com/albany/n...-sees-nearly-1-million-in-net-profit-for.html

You should check your facts before spouting off.

http://www.hockeydb.com/nhl-attendance/att_graph.php?tmi=4604

ONE year over 6,000 and one year over 5,000 after the championship. Then the new millennia and under 4,000.

Thank you Lou and the Devils organization for scortching the earth here. It did not have to be this way. I know my friends and I enjoyed AHL hockey in the capital region. I'm done with the AHL, this blows. If the Coyotes move this offseason, I may be done with hockey altogether.

Lou thanks the taxpayers of the Albany area for their subsidizing his scorched earth approach.

Albany has loyal fans but the problem is, the loyal fans do not pay the bills, it is the groups and the casual fans.

Albany was easy to take shots at, that's why people here did it. Opting instead to constant insulting of the fans who supported the teams and taking shots at the few dedicated fans on this site who supported the teams in Albany. Utica's days weren't always bright. They didn't support the Devils well, they poorly supported the Utica Bull Dogs of the Colonial League. The Utica Blizzard had some strong crowds but were not regular sellouts. Nobody here ever brings up the Mohawk Valley Prowlers either, absolute disasters. What about Utica-Rome's FHL days, anyone want to bring that up? Utica is very lucky that after having gone dark for so many years their local hometown boy stepped up and was backed by Frank DuRoss who once had stake in the Providence Bruins and knows how to run a minor professional sports operation. Same with Binghamton, their UHL days as the Broome Ice Men filled a void but not with over whelming success. Tom Mitchell is a local man who cares and is well known in AHL hockey. Albany does not have those advantages. Nobody local other then talks of Billy Fucililo (Islanders to Albany few years back) is left to bring minor league hockey to a government town. Without Robert Esche doing what he did Utica was never in a position to get pro hockey back, let alone the success they have enjoyed at the AHL level. Binghamton, great little hockey town and they are lucky. They grabbed the NYS basketball championship from Glens Falls last year and avoided losing the Binghamton Mets to Albany back before the Valley Cats arrived in nearby Troy. Nobody is safe, the off season moves have proven that. It comes down to timing, luck, local support, and few other things. Springfield is also very fortunate as well. Even as Albany drew better then Springfield, Lowell, and Portland it always seemed Albany was taking the shots unfairly. Albany's fans will survive, this isn't devastating to Albany and the local economic impact is basically non existent. Albany hosts huge concerts the likes these other small northeast cities don't host, including the bigger Syracuse and Rochester. My advice to the Albany area fans is to not let this ruin your support the rest of the season, continue to support until the very last game. Send the players and coaching staff out with much respect and appreciation and see what happens down the road.

Nope. Only when Albany supporters touted how great an AHL city Albany was and that they deserved a team. Posters on here ahve always slammed the crappy attendance of Springfield. Lowell has been gone for so long that they are irrelevant. Portland had better attendance than Albany almost every year except the last 3. Never under 4,000 until 13-14.

http://www.hockeydb.com/nhl-attendance/att_graph.php?tmi=7532

Hartford is a bottom attendance dweller with nyr in there, I honestly doubt that Albany would all of a sudden draw well with nyr there.

The parent club wins a cup every 80 seasons and usually doesn't have strong minor league system , I don't see the lure of a nyr AHL squad.

Albany area fans/businesses have run out of excuses.
I really feel for the fans supported the team and actually attended games.
I will still make a few weekend trips up to Albany this season and I hope they go on a long playoff run.

Totally agree. Too bad there were too few of them.

 

[GarbageGoal]

Hartford is a bottom attendance dweller with nyr in there, I honestly doubt that Albany would all of a sudden draw well with nyr there.

There's a lot of things going on when it comes to why Hartford can't draw with the Rangers farm club. They've managed to alienate everyone down there in impressive fashion, and it has little to do with the on-ice product.

 

[Ski]

Official news of the move slated for a Monday afternoon press conference here in Bingo with a follow up from myself for S7S at SBNation.