Elliot Williams
Registered User
As a fan who's been to Manchester numerous times and has a lot of friends in the area, I was pissed to see them leave, but I'm truly curious about this. What do you think the gov't (powers that be, as you've ID'ed them) could've done to stop this, and what team do you think could've come into Manchester to replace the Kings?
Great questions. I don't have the answers either. I know there is a lease with the Kings, but nothing in civic government is frozen in ice, so to speak. I have absolutely no doubt that the city could have negotiated out of it if they cared or understood the difference between ECHL and AHL (or between hockey and bowling, for that matter). As you say, Manchester is a very, well, to put it mildly, "frugal" place. Doubt they considered even for one second having the place go dark for a year.
In any event: Arizona Coyotes (Portland's franchise) just signed to move to Springfield!!! Which ranks in the bottom three for attendance in the AHL East (Manchester is always in the middle, around 15th.) And Portland gets the AHL franchise for the Florida Panthers.
Manchester sells out its hockey fans to keep activity going at the Verizon Wireless Center. They don't understand -- or care -- that several NCAA Division I hockey teams in driving distance play more interesting, passionate, and exciting games than the ECHL "monarchs" will.
I guess all this is to say a truism: money talks, the rest walk.