AHL Future in Binghamton

[Nightsquad]

You forget to mention that it was a kids get in free promotion. But even with that considered that was more people than I would have guessed.

Thats totally irrelevant, bet the end result was still 4000 to 5000 adults paying. Just goes to show that good advertising and deep discounts for children fans will come out. You cant expect a family of four in Albany to shell out $100 just for tickets alone, not for minor league hockey.Their minor league baseball team in 4500 seat stadium the best seats are $12.00 which gets you free parking, fireworks, and other solid promotions. You cant just throw a team out on the ice and expect people to show up. The Devils last night after the first period led 3 to 0. The Devils blew the game 5 to 3. Fans did their part and came out hard for the team. This is what the Devils are best at lol. I hope the Devils do in Binghamton everything they didnt do in Albany. Local name, no 5pm Saturday starts, keep prices around $20 or less, do some halfway decent promotions.

 

[Devils Dominion]

Devil dominion we haven't had the Dusters name since 79-8 season. The team has always been named after the parent club. Whalers, Rangers, Senators, and now Devils.
As for economic impact ask the bars and restaurants around the arena. Hockey 38 nights a week is huge for them.[/QUOTE]

Yep, of course it is, I've seen it and it's quite obvious.

I'm stoked to check out Binghamton next season and possibly a trip up there this season.

I do find it kind of odd that some fans are complaining about the Devils name if the team has had the NHL parent club's name since 1980.

A little hypocrisy there.

Though, as you know, I think that every AHL team should have a unique nickname that is connected to the city's history/traditions/folklore.

Also, I find it a little weird that a city that is nowhere near Manhattan (over 3 hours away) has such loyalty to nyr when they pulled out of Binghamton in the 90s.

I'm not familiar with the particulars but from a face value approach it doesn't make too much sense.
I would think that the local team that plays in the city of Binghamton would have more importance to the community.

 

[Devils Dominion]

Thats totally irrelevant, bet the end result was still 4000 to 5000 adults paying. Just goes to show that good advertising and deep discounts for children fans will come out. You cant expect a family of four in Albany to shell out $100 just for tickets alone, not for minor league hockey.Their minor league baseball team in 4500 seat stadium the best seats are $12.00 which gets you free parking, fireworks, and other solid promotions. You cant just throw a team out on the ice and expect people to show up. The Devils last night after the first period led 3 to 0. The Devils blew the game 5 to 3. Fans did their part and came out hard for the team. This is what the Devils are best at lol. I hope the Devils do in Binghamton everything they didnt do in Albany. Local name, no 5pm Saturday starts, keep prices around $20 or less, do some halfway decent promotions.

I've found that most of your posts are opinion-based, so I'm not sure why I've even responding, but, you expect an AHL franchise to offer kids get in free every weekend?
Albany ticket pricing is either lower or on par with the AHL from what I have gathered too.
I am on their email list and receive ticket promos quite often from them.

The only thing I agree with you is the 5pm Saturday starts, which should be scrapped.

The Albany community has not done their part this season, last in the league in attendance for a 1st/2nd place team.
The only crowds that were decent were kids get in free and the River Rat throwback nights.
The team has done their part more often than not at home with many wins.

I can't blame any franchise for not wanting to stay in a local where they lose $1m a season with an apathetic hockey fanbase for the AHL.

I personally like the city of Albany and have had a lot of fun up there, met some very good hockey fans who supported the team.

But, from what I have been told by some friends, the Binghamton community is a better hockey town and they consistently offer a better hockey gamenight environment than most in the league.

I'll find out in October.

 

[Nightsquad]

I've found that most of your posts are opinion-based, so I'm not sure why I've even responding, but, you expect an AHL franchise to offer kids get in free every weekend?
Albany ticket pricing is either lower or on par with the AHL from what I have gathered too.
I am on their email list and receive ticket promos quite often from them.

The only thing I agree with you is the 5pm Saturday starts, which should be scrapped.

The Albany community has not done their part this season, last in the league in attendance for a 1st/2nd place team.
The only crowds that were decent were kids get in free and the River Rat throwback nights.
The team has done their part more often than not at home with many wins.

I can't blame any franchise for not wanting to stay in a local where they lose $1m a season with an apathetic hockey fanbase for the AHL.

I personally like the city of Albany and have had a lot of fun up there, met some very good hockey fans who supported the team.

But, from what I have been told by some friends, the Binghamton community is a better hockey town and they consistently offer a better hockey gamenight environment than most in the league.

I'll find out in October.

Hey, we both have opinions which are perfectly fine. I think the Devils and the town of Albany's split is bittersweet, maybe long overdue. Its been a bad tumultuous marriage of sorts. I am sure Binghamton will give the appearance of a more exciting atmosphere, 3000 fans in a 4500 seat arena will give it an almost full feel. When I go to games I dont look to analyze the noise or how many peeps are in the seats. I want to see a team play well regardless of level, effort, and I want my moneys worth. Pro sports have gotten out of hand, I dont even follow the NHL, MLB, never mind the NFL or NBA. These are the minor leagues, affordable entertainment is what it is.

 

[Tommy Hawk]

1. Please stop using our arena size against us. It's not our fault our politicians got greedy (literally; the county executive at the time ended up doing almost 4 years in federal prison for conspiracy, bribery and extortion related to the arena's construction) and built an arena with at least 5,000 seats too many. Am I honestly supposed to believe that you'd be less critical of the fanbase if the arena only held 6000 to 10,000 people?

2. Albany did not welcome the team back. In fact, I believe that's exactly what you've been criticizing us for. The ARENA welcomed them back with open arms because they had dates to fill. The diehards were willing to give them a chance because they'd rather have Devils hockey than no hockey, but I wouldn't quite call the mood welcoming.

1. I am not using the arena size against you, I am simply pointing out that the arena with seating for 14,000 provides Albany a mathematical advantage over teams with smaller arenas. Even if Albany drew 1000 Fans on a Wednesday night and say Bingo drew 200 fans on a wednesday night, Albany has the mathematical ability to have higher average attendance.

I will post numbers again.

1000 on Wednesday night

14000 on Saturday night in Albany (Capacity 14,000)
4000 on Saturday night in Bingo (assuming capacity is 4000)

Bingo's max average attendance is 2500. Albany's is 7,500.

Bingo can NEVER average more than 4,000 a game for the season. Albany can and has but doesn't.

Why do you think the Wolves average 7,000 a game? It is not their stellar Wednesday night attendance.

2. Albany didn't welcome the team 2 years after they won the championship. Affiliation change made a small difference. Yes the arena owners or somebody brought the team back but the fans just kept going away. I think a fresh start from a new team maybe in the ECHL where there really isn't a hard and fast affiliation with local group running it and cheaper tickets may help revive hockey in Albany. Or not.

 

[ZekeA]

Were they the Dusters when nyr was the parent club?

I'm confused why a city more than 3 hours away from Manhattan is so loyal to nyr.
NJD is actually a little close geographically.

Didn't nyr also
bail out on Binghamton in the 90s?

"Devil Dominion":

Fans in this area are loyal to New York teams in all sports, Yankees, Mets, Giants, Jets, Knicks, & the Rags....... At times here it seems like they are fans of the New York teams and not real fans of the games!!!!!

Yes the Rags did puck this city over when they left big time...... When the Rags were here they were called the Rangers...... When they were here they had more fans at the games, due to the NY connection....

As for the name it is time to go back to our hockey roots and call them the "Dusters".......

 

[Nightsquad]

The opinions have been said, positions been made. There will be no change in the outcome after Monday. Albany's loyal few thousand are right to mourn, they have earned their place and have been a steady force in keeping the AHL in that community. Do I feel they have some legitimate gripes, absolutely. I have expressed what some of the fans up in Albany have as well but at this point its a dead horse. The Devils returned under some very contentious sentiment and a fan base full of apathy after a very long playoff absence (13 years???).

The dynamics in Albany has changed greatly since the 1990s when Albany averaged anywhere from 4000 to 6000 for much that decade. Internet smartphones, UAlbany basketball going DI, rise of Union College in DI hockey, and the Albany area's obsession with competitive high school football and basketball. Class A Tri-City Valley Cats do very well but that's because its cheap to go, free to park, and probably because its NYPL short season baseball during the more warmer months of June through Sept. The Valley Cats advertise and promote heavy, there are always other things going on besides baseball. Houston Provides the players and coaching but the team is managed locally and it shows. The notion Albany is a sports ghost town just isn't true. Minor league baseball survives (none in Utica and the B-Mets have been on life support for how long?), Siena Basketball a mid major DI program pulls in 6000, UAlbany basketball fills their on campus gym, and nearby Union College is a tough hockey ticket to get in their little 2000 seat arena. Up the road from Albany just under an hour lies the ECHL Glens Fall's Adirondack Thunder.

We celebrate fans in Binghamton, they like Albany are getting yet another chance at retaining pro hockey. Albany benefited at the expense of Lowell yet Albany just as Lowell did will march on without the Devils AHL club. Binghamton maintains its AHL run, although the UHL fit in nicely when the AHL Rangers departed for Hartford. If I was an Albany fan I would take a pause, hit reset for next season. Continue to support your AHL hockey as strong as you can. If there was ever a time where it counted and shouldn't have been taken for granted over the last ten years it is now, finish strong as you can. Next season when all that the arena is hosting is a Siena Basketball season and a few concerts per month it will be up to the powers that be to replace the missing event dates. Thirty million dollars of public money is being put into Albany's arena and corporate suite holders will demand a certain number of events. Be interesting to see what "they" do to fill the void, meanwhile though greater Albany should try their best under difficult circumstances to end the season stronger and end the Devils era in Albany with some dignity. Maybe we will be entertaining talks of the NY Rangers landing in Albany or quite possibly Utica after next season, maybe not at all. Maybe we will see the ECHL eventually in Albany, or perhaps the Adirondack Thunder might extend an olive branch to Albany and play a game or two in Albany, who knows.......Best of luck to the Binghamton Devils and their fans, paint the town red.

 

[Devils Dominion]

"Devil Dominion":

Fans in this area are loyal to New York teams in all sports, Yankees, Mets, Giants, Jets, Knicks, & the Rags....... At times here it seems like they are fans of the New York teams and not real fans of the games!!!!!

Yes the Rags did puck this city over when they left big time...... When the Rags were here they were called the Rangers...... When they were here they had more fans at the games, due to the NY connection....

As for the name it is time to go back to our hockey roots and call them the "Dusters".......

If they can root for teams that play in NJ (Jets/Giants) they can learn to root for a team that chose to move their AHL team to their city (Devils).

I agree that the team should have a unique nickname though.

Would a compromise such as Devil Dusters work?

 

[go comets]

Thats totally irrelevant, bet the end result was still 4000 to 5000 adults paying. Just goes to show that good advertising and deep discounts for children fans will come out. You cant expect a family of four in Albany to shell out $100 just for tickets alone, not for minor league hockey.Their minor league baseball team in 4500 seat stadium the best seats are $12.00 which gets you free parking, fireworks, and other solid promotions. You cant just throw a team out on the ice and expect people to show up. The Devils last night after the first period led 3 to 0. The Devils blew the game 5 to 3. Fans did their part and came out hard for the team. This is what the Devils are best at lol. I hope the Devils do in Binghamton everything they didnt do in Albany. Local name, no 5pm Saturday starts, keep prices around $20 or less, do some halfway decent promotions.

How is an AHL team going to pay their bills giving away tickets?? There are a couple of AHL teams have a history of giving away tickets just trying to get people in the building.

The end result is the die hards show up every night, and the casual fans wait for the freebies which they know will come sooner or later......

 

[Devils Dominion]

How is an AHL team going to pay their bills giving away tickets?? There are a couple of AHL teams have a history of giving away tickets just trying to get people in the building.

The end result is the die hards show up every night, and the casual fans wait for the freebies which they know will come sooner or later......

Well said.
It's a business, not a charity.

Just seems like folks in blue collar towns such as WB, Binghamton and Utica are more willing to buy tickets than a govt town like Albany.

 

[ZekeA]

If they can root for teams that play in NJ (Jets/Giants) they can learn to root for a team that chose to move their AHL team to their city (Devils).

I agree that the team should have a unique nickname though.

Would a compromise such as Devil Dusters work?

"The Devil":

Well @ my age just speaking for myself I do not like changes.... I took Ottawa for granted but they departed...... Am happy that a new team will be here to keep the AHL in Binghamton.....

Myself I just do NOT like the name Devil......

I am not looking forward to all the work I have ahead learning all the new players here up top and all the drafted prospects..... That takes time a lot of it.... I will also keep an eye on Ottawa as those are my boys playing up top......

 

[go comets]

"The Devil":

Well @ my age just speaking for myself I do not like changes.... I took Ottawa for granted but they departed...... Am happy that a new team will be here to keep the AHL in Binghamton.....

Myself I just do NOT like the name Devil......

I am not looking forward to all the work I have ahead learning all the new players here up top and all the drafted prospects..... That takes time a lot of it.... I will also keep an eye on Ottawa as those are my boys playing up top......

Well the fans can chant "let's go dusters" all they want, nothing the devils can do about it....

 

[ZekeA]

Well the fans can chant "let's go dusters" all they want, nothing the devils can do about it....

"The Comet":

Never thought of that would drive them crazy??????????

I hope Utica can keep your team there for many yrs to come.........

God I miss the old NAHL when the Dusters played the Comets, that was real hockey................

That and I had a Hell of a lot more energy back then~~~!!!!!

 

[Devils Dominion]

So, Binghamton folks are not mad at Ottawa for leaving but Albany folks are mad at NJD?

 

[ZekeA]

So, Binghamton folks are not mad at Ottawa for leaving but Albany folks are mad at NJD?

"The Devil":


Myself I am depressed about Ottawa leaving Binghamton but not a thing I can do about it.....

No idea about how the fans in Albany feel........

 

[MikeF]

So, Binghamton folks are not mad at Ottawa for leaving but Albany folks are mad at NJD?

As an Albany Devils fan, your darn right I'm mad at NJ. Back in April they signed a 3 year lease and 9 months latter they bail on us. I understand they were losing money but why sign for 3 years. I will be finding another NHL team to root for.

 

[mmazz22]

Devil - were not mad Ottawa is leaving. They have been a terrible parent club. I for one am grateful they are out of here. Yea yea yea we won the cup on their dime in 2011 but then they followed that up with a 65 point last place in the whole league finish.
The body of work Ottawa has suppled us is brutal.
In 15 years the team has made the playoffs 6 times and one of the times was the AHL stupid best of 3 play in. That series the team had two home games and failed to score in any of them. Havent won a playoff series since the cup. And to be honest in the six playoff years we only won series in two of them!
Been a disaster, a very uncaring parent club. We are often left for dead here. So trust me when I say this don t let the door hit you on the a$$ on your way out Ottawa! I do think if they left us high and dry with the AHL we would be even more hate towards them, now its really grateful feelings they are out of here and to be replaced with an organization that now appears under Shero's watch to value winning at the AHL level, much like his WBS teams did.
I am still not sure why all this Duster name love is, the Dusters never won a damn thing and if fans think back when Hartford came here the fans wanted that Duster name gone forever. It was synomous with losing.
The Dusters never had a above .500 record in 3 AHL years.
I even as an Islanders fan look forward to embracing the Devil's name.
Devil PM me I run a Bing hockey Facebook page, Ill get you on it some good info on there about local hockey.

I feel though if Albany was getting a new AHL team next year there would be less hate. It would simply be an affliation change and that happens all the time. But they feel screwed by NJ just like we felt screwed here by NYR. When the Rags left and if we had gotten a new AHL affiliate the following year you just deal with but we as Albany is now is left high and dry and that sucks terribly.

 

[MikeF]

Devil - were not mad Ottawa is leaving. They have been a terrible parent club. I for one am grateful they are out of here. Yea yea yea we won the cup on their dime in 2011 but then they followed that up with a 65 point last place in the whole league finish.
The body of work Ottawa has suppled us is brutal.
In 15 years the team has made the playoffs 6 times and one of the times was the AHL stupid best of 3 play in. That series the team had two home games and failed to score in any of them. Havent won a playoff series since the cup. And to be honest in the six playoff years we only won series in two of them!
Been a disaster, a very uncaring parent club. We are often left for dead here. So trust me when I say this don t let the door hit you on the a$$ on your way out Ottawa! I do think if they left us high and dry with the AHL we would be even more hate towards them, now its really grateful feelings they are out of here and to be replaced with an organization that now appears under Shero's watch to value winning at the AHL level, much like his WBS teams did.
I am still not sure why all this Duster name love is, the Dusters never won a damn thing and if fans think back when Hartford came here the fans wanted that Duster name gone forever. It was synomous with losing.
The Dusters never had a above .500 record in 3 AHL years.
I even as an Islanders fan look forward to embracing the Devil's name.
Devil PM me I run a Bing hockey Facebook page, Ill get you on it some good info on there about local hockey.

I feel though if Albany was getting a new AHL team next year there would be less hate. It would simply be an affliation change and that happens all the time. But they feel screwed by NJ just like we felt screwed here by NYR. When the Rags left and if we had gotten a new AHL affiliate the following year you just deal with but we as Albany is now is left high and dry and that sucks terribly.

Well said. Good luck next year and enjoy the Devils. They should have better teams then the Senators.

 

[mmazz22]

Thank you Mike. I feel your anger it sucks losing a team. Like I said earlier I wish we got an expansion team so no one had to lose s team.

 

[Devils Dominion]

As an Albany Devils fan, your darn right I'm mad at NJ. Back in April they signed a 3 year lease and 9 months latter they bail on us. I understand they were losing money but why sign for 3 years. I will be finding another NHL team to root for.

They had an out clause which was reported at the time.

I feel you pain and wish Albany would have worked out.
I really enjoy the weekend trips to Albany.

But unfortunately there were not enough diehards like you supporting the team.

 

[Nightsquad]

Devil - were not mad Ottawa is leaving. They have been a terrible parent club. I for one am grateful they are out of here. Yea yea yea we won the cup on their dime in 2011 but then they followed that up with a 65 point last place in the whole league finish.
The body of work Ottawa has suppled us is brutal.
In 15 years the team has made the playoffs 6 times and one of the times was the AHL stupid best of 3 play in. That series the team had two home games and failed to score in any of them. Havent won a playoff series since the cup. And to be honest in the six playoff years we only won series in two of them!
Been a disaster, a very uncaring parent club. We are often left for dead here. So trust me when I say this don t let the door hit you on the a$$ on your way out Ottawa! I do think if they left us high and dry with the AHL we would be even more hate towards them, now its really grateful feelings they are out of here and to be replaced with an organization that now appears under Shero's watch to value winning at the AHL level, much like his WBS teams did.
I am still not sure why all this Duster name love is, the Dusters never won a damn thing and if fans think back when Hartford came here the fans wanted that Duster name gone forever. It was synomous with losing.
The Dusters never had a above .500 record in 3 AHL years.
I even as an Islanders fan look forward to embracing the Devil's name.
Devil PM me I run a Bing hockey Facebook page, Ill get you on it some good info on there about local hockey.

I feel though if Albany was getting a new AHL team next year there would be less hate. It would simply be an affliation change and that happens all the time. But they feel screwed by NJ just like we felt screwed here by NYR. When the Rags left and if we had gotten a new AHL affiliate the following year you just deal with but we as Albany is now is left high and dry and that sucks terribly.

Albany isnt left high and dry. ECHL is north of Albany not even an hour away. Albany has Union College Hockey nearby. Albany has a year to gets it BS together and either get the Rangers AHL club or ECHL. In watching the skill level between the ECHL and AHL for these two all star games on TV the ECHL guys were just as fast and shoot harder lol.

 

[Ski]

Albany isnt left high and dry. ECHL is north of Albany not even an hour away. Albany has Union College Hockey nearby. Albany has a year to gets it BS together and either get the Rangers AHL club or ECHL. In watching the skill level between the ECHL and AHL for these two all star games on TV the ECHL guys were just as fast and shoot harder lol.

Still, he has valid points concerning the no love loss when the subject matter is concerning Ottawa leaving, outside of them putting an effort to win a Calder Cup here in Bingo.

Nightsquad, big improvement in your efforts in using paragraphs. I applaud you.

 

[go comets]

Albany isnt left high and dry. ECHL is north of Albany not even an hour away. Albany has Union College Hockey nearby. Albany has a year to gets it BS together and either get the Rangers AHL club or ECHL. In watching the skill level between the ECHL and AHL for these two all star games on TV the ECHL guys were just as fast and shoot harder lol.

My experiences is that ECHL hockey is a little more scrambled, passing and reading play is not as good. Players still have skills, it's just the speed and pace of the game is a little slower.

 

[UticaHockey]

 

[ek93]

So, Binghamton folks are not mad at Ottawa for leaving but Albany folks are mad at NJD?

No, not really mad. Personally it will be a little bittersweet because the B-Sens gave me my start working in pro hockey. So I will be a little sad to see them go. But not really mad, no. It's a business and they held up their end of the deal by not leaving us hung out to dry by helping land the Devils.

No matter what the team will be called, I'm sure people will support them. The angry Ranger fans won't be an issue. I know more Sabres fans than Rangers fans, personally. Tons of my Devils friends who only went to a couple B-Sens games/year are talking about getting season tickets. Then there's all the sensible Ranger/Islander fans who realize it's the local team and they deserve our support.

Honestly, I think there are more angry Ottawa fans here than angry Ranger fans. Many people jumped on the O-Sens train when the B-Sens came to town. I know a lot of such people, and they've told me they don't really feel like supporting the new team as much, or if at all (which I don't agree with, but it's their choice). The Rangers were never coming here in the first place, so I don't see why Ranger fans wouldn't come out and support.