Bloomington Waving Bye-Bye to SPHL?
- Thread starter PCSPounder
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Gearhead82
Saginaw Gears 72-83
Gibbie42
Registered User
If Peoria goes anywhere it will be to the ECHL. I think it was already in the works when they went to the SPHL. There was copyright paperwork filed on the logo with the ECHLs name on it (the ECHL leases the rights so they can market the name and logo). What I'd heard was that the ECHL was going to make them wait a year before entering so rather than go dark they signed with the S. Who knows if they'll leave this season or wait out their contract.
GindyDraws
I will not disable my Adblock, HF
The Indiana Ice don't have plans for relocating, as far as I'm concerned.
However, the source of those rumors is the fact that we'll have two hockey teams, and the idea is that we cannot support both of them at once. Plus, with Pan Am Plaza being closed, and Bankers Life Fieldhouse being "too big" for them, the possibility might be there. What'll keep the Ice around is that there are several other venues that have been used, such as the Fishers Ice Arena, which can be secondary locations, and the fact that the Skjodt family, which owns the Ice, is on good relations with Herb Simon and Pacers Sports and Entertainment.
Nonetheless, since it has been a decade since we heard stories about the CHL Ice moving to Topeka, I will pay attention.
However, the source of those rumors is the fact that we'll have two hockey teams, and the idea is that we cannot support both of them at once. Plus, with Pan Am Plaza being closed, and Bankers Life Fieldhouse being "too big" for them, the possibility might be there. What'll keep the Ice around is that there are several other venues that have been used, such as the Fishers Ice Arena, which can be secondary locations, and the fact that the Skjodt family, which owns the Ice, is on good relations with Herb Simon and Pacers Sports and Entertainment.
Nonetheless, since it has been a decade since we heard stories about the CHL Ice moving to Topeka, I will pay attention.
Not surprising. Bloomington could never come close to break-even in the CHL, and given how much travel was involved in the SPHL (outside of the nearby Peoria rivalry) it only makes sense that BLM was going to struggle financially. I know that salaries are lower in the SPHL, but the sheer magnitude of financial strain during Bloomington's AA days was huge. Dropping down one level wasn't enough, by itself, to stop the bleeding.
The USHL has had designs on Bloomington for years. I'm not sure if even that move will keep hockey alive in the market. Look at the troubles Muskegon has been having since transitioning to junior hockey, I have to wonder how much better off Bloomington would be in the USHL.
Some places just do not have the built-in fan base to support hockey. Bloomington seems like one of those places.
JungleJON
Registered User
- May 10, 2011
- 306
- 10
Muskegon and Youngstown were both recently bought out by a group of new investors who have roots in junior league hockey. I think you will see some changes in their attendance figures as they will now have expanded front offices/ticket reps. etc.
The team owner in Indy said they have no plans to leave and if I can remember saw postings where they have announced season tickets for the next season.
The USHL wants to expand further eastward, so will be interesting in 3-5 years to see what new teams have been added. Would love to see my hometown team the Johnstown Tomahawks move up to the USHL. Then you might see, Wheeling, Dayton and possibly Elmira join the mix.
Plus Bloomington seems to have good owners who own other junior hockey league teams and have the experience needed. I think it will be good for the city an hockey in general.
The team owner in Indy said they have no plans to leave and if I can remember saw postings where they have announced season tickets for the next season.
The USHL wants to expand further eastward, so will be interesting in 3-5 years to see what new teams have been added. Would love to see my hometown team the Johnstown Tomahawks move up to the USHL. Then you might see, Wheeling, Dayton and possibly Elmira join the mix.
Plus Bloomington seems to have good owners who own other junior hockey league teams and have the experience needed. I think it will be good for the city an hockey in general.
Sports Enthusiast
Not Here To Be Liked
I doubt the eventual outcome would have been much different. Bloomington suffers from two problems:
1) It is really small (under 200,000 metro) with Illinois State D-I college athletics already dominating the market.
2) It never had a sustainable fan base for hockey.
When the city of Bloomington built the US Cellular Coliseum, it was a facility in search of a purpose. The city decided that hockey would become its main purpose, and hoped to build up interest in the sport over the long run. That just didn't materialize. Some people may blame the rickety leagues (UHL, IHL, CHL) that once played there for turning off fans. However, a small market like Bloomington which already had D-I sports and no existing hockey fan base was doomed from the start. It seems unlikely that the ECHL would have afforded Bloomington a much different path in supporting minor league hockey.
Sports Enthusiast
Not Here To Be Liked
Oh my god, I thought this was Bloomington, Indiana.
Perhaps the franchise would have had better luck in Bloomington, MN.
Ironically, Bloomington, MN was actually named after Bloomington, IL.
Gearhead82
Saginaw Gears 72-83
Perhaps the franchise would have had better luck in Bloomington, MN.
Ironically, Bloomington, MN was actually named after Bloomington, IL.
I think the Mall of America has an ice rink they could play at.
Sports Enthusiast
Not Here To Be Liked
I think the Mall of America has an ice rink they could play at.
Didn't Cincinnati's FHL team or whatever Queen City Storm were do the mall idea? Lol
No Fun Shogun
34-38-61-10-13-15
Conditional approval given for a USHL team in Bloomington starting next season:
http://web.ushl.com/news.php?action=detail&news_id=2398
Some rumors that it might be the Indiana Ice jumping over there rather than competing with the new ECHL franchise, Indy Fuel. Might just be interweb speculation, though.
http://web.ushl.com/news.php?action=detail&news_id=2398
Some rumors that it might be the Indiana Ice jumping over there rather than competing with the new ECHL franchise, Indy Fuel. Might just be interweb speculation, though.
It's a different group than the I/AHL Franchise, which was RELEASED from the lease, then sold, Gibbie, Peoria was a goner when they were informed the arena lease was being dissolved, it has zero to do with that Rivermen franchise tht was there.
the Blues bought Saurs out when he lured the AHL Ice Cats to Peoria, after a few years, too. the current Rivermen has joint ownership w/ the Thunder, hence the rumors of them to the Central League.
GindyDraws
I will not disable my Adblock, HF
We can confirm that the Bloomington Thunder have folded then, but I have no news about what Peoria is going to do.
However, since the Indiana Ice are in the top half of USHL attendance, and are on the verge of winning their first Anderson Cup, I doubt they'll jump ship just because of the Fuel.
Peoria is under joint ownership, JD, But I fail to see where you keep suggesting Indianapolis is AHL Territory, you do realize you need an NHL Club whereas the E, it's not a requirement so much, whereas the A, it's mandatory.
Gibbie42
Registered User
I'm aware of all that. As I understood things, it was the new (current) ownership that was seeking ECHL membership. I believe though that they would have been required to be dark for a year and rather than do that, they signed up with the SPHL and took over Bloomington as well. I know that at the time it was announced that they had a three year deal with the S. So it's unclear whether they can go anywhere in fall.
GindyDraws
I will not disable my Adblock, HF
My only logic there is due to the fact that I feel that we are a market that would work better for the AHL, compared so some of the places that do have AHL franchises.
I'm not fully aware of the intangibles, which is why the ECHL has some larger markets.
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