Rumor: Blues to move AHL affiliation to KC

[Bobby Orrtuzzo]

Mavericks say there is no truth whatsoever to the report.

The plot thickens

 

[RORbacon]

Mavericks say there is no truth whatsoever to the report.

You have to think Lou's source would have to be somebody influential and "in the know" enough for Lou to take the risk and publish this story ... but who knows?

This will be interesting to follow.

 

[stl76]

Really hope this ends up panning out...having an AHL affiliate in KC makes so much damn sense.

 

[Stealth JD]

Hunt is buying into the Blues? This is his long-play to move them to KC

Really though...if he can sell the Blues and their farm team to KC, I wonder how much it will benefit the Chiefs in STL? There obviously won't be a minor league NFL team in STL (not without the Rams anyway), but this may open doors to football fans in STL who want to hitch their wagons to an owner who supports STL and the Blues.

 

[bleedblue1223]

Hunt is buying into the Blues? This is his long-play to move them to KC

Really though...if he can sell the Blues and their farm team to KC, I wonder how much it will benefit the Chiefs in STL? There obviously won't be a minor league NFL team in STL (not without the Rams anyway), but this may open doors to football fans in STL who want to hitch their wagons to an owner who supports STL and the Blues.

I think there is definite room for something like that. It's weird though, KC hates St. Louis, like the people from KC genuinely hate the city of St. Louis. There are a lot of Blues fans, but there are also a good amount of Hawk or other fans just in spite of not wanting to be a Blues fan.

If Hunt is involved, that will likely change things and a Blues/Chiefs balance could bring big money to both teams if the other side of the state claims each team. I have to imagine the thought has crossed Hunt's mind.

 

[Bluesfan54]

On last night's local tv news, a spokesman for the Sprint Center also said there is no truth to the report. Really nothing about the original story made a lick of sense but this has been such a strange year in so many ways that you just never know.

 

[bleedblue1223]

Obviously the Sprint Center won't happen, but a team team could be completely separate from the Mavericks. I think it's way too early for either of those to even have the details of a potential deal yet.

I think it's a classic case of a bad reporter jumping the gun.

 

[Stealth JD]

Obviously the Sprint Center won't happen, but a team team could be completely separate from the Mavericks. I think it's way too early for either of those to even have the details of a potential deal yet.

I think it's a classic case of a bad reporter jumping the gun.

I think it's more of a case of "where there's smoke there's fire". Korac may have jumped the gun...but that doesn't mean he's wrong. There are probably a lot of people squirming right now, and a lot of details to be negotiated and ironed out...and this probably even caught a few people by surprise...but that doesn't mean the story is wrong. This could be a blindside hit to a lot of people who thought they were more powerful and informed than they really are...

 

[High n Wide]

Ok so to recap this situation:

The speculation was that the Missouri Mavericks would move at the end of the season from the ECHL to the AHL as the 31st team and would be owned by (or more intimately related to) the Blues? Also that they would relocate to the Sprint Center in Kansas City?

However the Mavericks are now contesting that claim and insisting that everything is and will remain status quo?

Is my cliff-notes version more or less correct?

----

The Missouri Mavericks are currently owned by the Islanders with a newly added working relationship with the Blues, correct? Assuming that the move (as reported yesterday) did go through, how do the Islanders come into that?

 

[Bobby Orrtuzzo]

If the KC thing doesn't work out, I'd still love to see the Blues get their own AHL team and play them at the Family Arena in St. Charles.

 

[bleedblue1223]

Ok so to recap this situation:

The speculation was that the Missouri Mavericks would move at the end of the season from the ECHL to the AHL as the 31st team and would be owned by (or more intimately related to) the Blues? Also that they would relocate to the Sprint Center in Kansas City?

However the Mavericks are now contesting that claim and insisting that everything is and will remain status quo?

Is my cliff-notes version more or less correct?

----

The Missouri Mavericks are currently owned by the Islanders with a newly added working relationship with the Blues, correct? Assuming that the move (as reported yesterday) did go through, how do the Islanders come into that?

The Mavericks are owned by Lamar Hunt, they are just affiliated with the Islanders.

The rest is good, quick sum-up.

 

[joshyhockey26]

If the KC thing doesn't work out, I'd still love to see the Blues get their own AHL team and play them at the Family Arena in St. Charles.

Pass on that. No one came out for the St Charles Chill. Sure it was a lower tier of hockey but still. If Kc doesn't pan out then the new team needs to be centrally located somewhere else

 

[SirPaste]

I don't see a team working in St Charles, people who live out there will go but don't see a lot of others driving all the way out there when the Blues are playing downtown at the same time

 

[Bobby Orrtuzzo]

Yeah, them playing in St. Charles is a pipe dream. That was more of a selfish wish because I live fairly close to the arena

 

[High n Wide]

The Mavericks are owned by Lamar Hunt, they are just affiliated with the Islanders.

The rest is good, quick sum-up.

Awesome, thanks.

Will be very interesting to see how this situation plays out. It would seem to be great move for the team to both have more control over their AHL affiliate and also to bring said AHL to the KC area.

 

[MortiestOfMortys]

One thing to add to all of this: in May, Hunt Jr announced his intent to build a ~6,000 seat stadium in Overland Park, KS (in metro KC) for the USHL team. That stadium could conceivably also house the AHL team. It's not as desirable as having the team in downtown KCMO, imo, but it's still possible that Korac's source was right about bringing the team to KC, but just got his wires crossed in terms of which stadium.

Source: http://www.kansascity.com/sports/nhl/article76872002.html

Relevant quote: "The plan is for the arena to be funded via a public-private partnership, Hunt said. If approved, the arena would be scheduled for completion in 2018, he added, and it would be the home for the USHL team and other community events. The USHL franchise would play its inaugural 2017 elsewhere, though that location has not yet been determined."

 

[ChicagoBlues]

Orlando, where I used to live, housed their ECHL team in the Amway Center where the Magic play. It seats 18k+ for Magic games (slightly less for hockey I believe). If an ECHL team can use an 18k arena, an AHL team can. Not saying they will, but it is in the realm of possibility. Its better that than the tiny arena where the MO Mavs play for an AHL team.

Right. Allstate Arena, where the Wolves play, can accommodate 18,500.

 

[Blueston]

One thing to add to all of this: in May, Hunt Jr announced his intent to build a ~6,000 seat stadium in Overland Park, KS (in metro KC) for the USHL team. That stadium could conceivably also house the AHL team. It's not as desirable as having the team in downtown KCMO, imo, but it's still possible that Korac's source was right about bringing the team to KC, but just got his wires crossed in terms of which stadium.

Source: http://www.kansascity.com/sports/nhl/article76872002.html

Relevant quote: "The plan is for the arena to be funded via a public-private partnership, Hunt said. If approved, the arena would be scheduled for completion in 2018, he added, and it would be the home for the USHL team and other community events. The USHL franchise would play its inaugural 2017 elsewhere, though that location has not yet been determined."

The public money for this is still uncertain. No public money, no OP arena.

 

[Robb_K]

I've read 3 articles on this subject. It's my understanding that Lamar Hunt Jr. has received the 31st franchise in The AHL, and will start that club's operations in the 2018-19 season. I assume that the new NHL team will play in the proposed Overland Park Arena. But that is not certain yet. Hunt made an agreement with The Blues that his AHL team will be the exclusive farm team of The Blues, and for that service Hunt will be allowed to buy a certain number of shares of The St. Louis Blues' stock. Certainly, he would just become another minority owner. The Blues would NOT be in any jeopardy of moving to Kansas City because of this deal. It WOULD, however, bring more added stability to The Blues ownership.

I'm not sure if Hunt's investment in the new arena and money he puts in into setting up the AHL team would represent his investment money that goes directly into buying the stock, and then, The Blues would own the AHL team. That part of the deal was a bit unclear.

 

[BluesTraveller]

I think there is definite room for something like that. It's weird though, KC hates St. Louis, like the people from KC genuinely hate the city of St. Louis. There are a lot of Blues fans, but there are also a good amount of Hawk or other fans just in spite of not wanting to be a Blues fan.
<snip>

I went to Mizzou in the late 80's. When I was there I went on a date with a girl from KC. At one point she said "you don't seem like most people from STL". I wasn't sure what she meant so she explained that a lot of people from KC hate STL and it's people. She said we were a "midwest cowtown with an east coast attitude". She asked what me what I thought of KC, I told her "I don't". The date went downhill from there. It also struck me that this was probably how people from Chicago viewed STL.

 

[bleedblue1223]

I went to Mizzou in the late 80's. When I was there I went on a date with a girl from KC. At one point she said "you don't seem like most people from STL". I wasn't sure what she meant so she explained that a lot of people from KC hate STL and it's people. She said we were a "midwest cowtown with an east coast attitude". She asked what me what I thought of KC, I told her "I don't". The date went downhill from there. It also struck me that this was probably how people from Chicago viewed STL.

That's how I see it. We are essentially Chicago, and that put that rivalry into perspective when I moved to KC. People in St. Louis for the most part, don't think or care about KC, the city and it's people are an afterthought. People in KC think St. Louis is the big brother that gets everything. It is very much a big brother/little brother type relationship.

 

[Bobby Orrtuzzo]

I went to Mizzou in the late 80's. When I was there I went on a date with a girl from KC. At one point she said "you don't seem like most people from STL". I wasn't sure what she meant so she explained that a lot of people from KC hate STL and it's people. She said we were a "midwest cowtown with an east coast attitude". She asked what me what I thought of KC, I told her "I don't". The date went downhill from there. It also struck me that this was probably how people from Chicago viewed STL.

I needed a laugh this morning, thank you

That's how I see it. We are essentially Chicago, and that put that rivalry into perspective when I moved to KC. People in St. Louis for the most part, don't think or care about KC, the city and it's people are an afterthought. People in KC think St. Louis is the big brother that gets everything. It is very much a big brother/little brother type relationship.

I agree 100%. It's like when the Royals won to the world series last year. I knew a bunch of people that were like "Yeah I'll root for KC, with them being in Missouri and all". And was like "Really? They would never root for the Cardinals if this were reversed."

 

[STL fan in MN]

One thing to add to all of this: in May, Hunt Jr announced his intent to build a ~6,000 seat stadium in Overland Park, KS (in metro KC) for the USHL team. That stadium could conceivably also house the AHL team. It's not as desirable as having the team in downtown KCMO, imo, but it's still possible that Korac's source was right about bringing the team to KC, but just got his wires crossed in terms of which stadium.

Source: http://www.kansascity.com/sports/nhl/article76872002.html

Relevant quote: "The plan is for the arena to be funded via a public-private partnership, Hunt said. If approved, the arena would be scheduled for completion in 2018, he added, and it would be the home for the USHL team and other community events. The USHL franchise would play its inaugural 2017 elsewhere, though that location has not yet been determined."

This would make a lot more sense than an AHL team in the Sprint Center. And a USHL team in the Sprint Center made even less sense. I like the idea of the Blues AHL affiliate being in KC but it would have to be an appropriately sized arena - 6-10k.

My guess is that a lot of discussions are taking place but it's all talk right now and nothing is close to finalized.

 

[STL fan in MN]

I've read 3 articles on this subject. It's my understanding that Lamar Hunt Jr. has received the 31st franchise in The AHL, and will start that club's operations in the 2018-19 season. I assume that the new NHL team will play in the proposed Overland Park Arena. But that is not certain yet. Hunt made an agreement with The Blues that his AHL team will be the exclusive farm team of The Blues, and for that service Hunt will be allowed to buy a certain number of shares of The St. Louis Blues' stock. Certainly, he would just become another minority owner. The Blues would NOT be in any jeopardy of moving to Kansas City because of this deal. It WOULD, however, bring more added stability to The Blues ownership.

I'm not sure if Hunt's investment in the new arena and money he puts in into setting up the AHL team would represent his investment money that goes directly into buying the stock, and then, The Blues would own the AHL team. That part of the deal was a bit unclear.

You make it sound like a definite thing, which is the exact opposite of how I'm reading the situation. I'd like to read these 3 articles you reference.

 

[bleedblue1223]

I agree 100%. It's like when the Royals won to the world series last year. I knew a bunch of people that were like "Yeah I'll root for KC, with them being in Missouri and all". And was like "Really? They would never root for the Cardinals if this were reversed."

What's even funnier is that a lot of Royals fans that I know got really annoyed at the Cardinals fans that did that. They thought the whole Missouri thing was stupid. I did it with some reservations. I would've been more of a Royals fan if I never went to KC. Since living here, I'm only a Royals fan when it isn't at the expense of being a Cardinals fan and only to the extent of the happiness of the Royals fans that I know and respect. If I'm around the Royals fans that annoy me, then I'm not a Royals fan at all.

Watching their star players leave and the team crashing back to earth is going to be enjoyable for me.