Well, USPHL is pay to play, NAHL isnt. Depends on the family income, whether the player is willing to move away from home, etc. Most of the USPHL teams have many hometown kids, who live at home and can drive to the rink. Its either live at home and pay 7g + or move away from home and just pay for a billet fee...
East to NAHL
- Thread starter Nuch3232
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While I'm definitely curious how that all pans out, it's worth noting that at least for this year most USPHL Premier contracts were signed before NJ and Aston were announced.
What I'm more curious about is how long the league/these franchises decide to go with these teams if they're not making money. There's a reason the Tier II model hasn't been tried on the East Coast--people here want professional or nothing. Minor league sports don't work in the Philadelphia and NYC suburbs, let alone junior hockey. I'm rooting for it all to work out, but I struggle to see how it can.
What I'm more curious about is how long the league/these franchises decide to go with these teams if they're not making money. There's a reason the Tier II model hasn't been tried on the East Coast--people here want professional or nothing. Minor league sports don't work in the Philadelphia and NYC suburbs, let alone junior hockey. I'm rooting for it all to work out, but I struggle to see how it can.
Andre Poodle Lussier
Registered User
Ummmmm....in baseball, there are several examples that disagree with you. Camden, Reading, Staten Island, Brooklyn, Wilmington, Trenton to name six. And, yeah, Reading/Wilmington/Trenton aren't really true "suburbs" of Philly but they are within the media sphere of Philadelphia so an argument can be made that they're more "exurb" than anything.
In hockey, Trenton was doing fine until the Devils trainwrecked the franchise and took the local identity out of it and the Phantoms were drawing well by minor league standards until kicked out of the Spectrum.
Minor league sports around here have had a better history than you think.
Regarding junior hockey, is it a function of arena size/availability moreso than simply "pro or no"? The rinks that the Tier 3 teams around Philly out of are pretty much barn size...there isn't any real decent sized rinks that could house a serious junior team unless it's at Penn (Class of 1923 seats 2500ish) or one of the bigger arenas out in Trenton or AC...and in those cases, those arenas are probably too big.
Staten Island is a money pit whose attendance drops every year and Brooklyn can make it work with the short season model and the very VERY specific location. The fact of the matter with those teams is that it's still professional baseball despite what level it is. NYC has had minor league basketball and football and nobody goes. We've had NLL, no one goes. For whatever reason baseball seems to be the exception to that rule.
You're right in saying that the barns aren't great, but even despite the best efforts of a lot of these organizations they haven't been able to put a lot of people in the seats. The NY Bobcats have a building that rivals the USHL and do a great job of marketing, but because of the region are lucky to bring in more than 75 people in a night. Philadelphia Flyers USPHL are one of the teams that does a little better attendance-wise and are in the same boat. You could easily fit 200 in Flyers Skate Zone, I've seen it. Bobcats arena could probably seat 2000?
Like I said, the best thing for hockey fans on the East Coast is that junior hockey takes off and these teams do well. I'm not rooting against it by any means, and I'll be at quite a few of these games. I'm just not optimistic that it works.
You're right in saying that the barns aren't great, but even despite the best efforts of a lot of these organizations they haven't been able to put a lot of people in the seats. The NY Bobcats have a building that rivals the USHL and do a great job of marketing, but because of the region are lucky to bring in more than 75 people in a night. Philadelphia Flyers USPHL are one of the teams that does a little better attendance-wise and are in the same boat. You could easily fit 200 in Flyers Skate Zone, I've seen it. Bobcats arena could probably seat 2000?
Like I said, the best thing for hockey fans on the East Coast is that junior hockey takes off and these teams do well. I'm not rooting against it by any means, and I'll be at quite a few of these games. I'm just not optimistic that it works.
The new east coast NAHL teams need to copy Johnstown's business model. No one thought Johnstown would ever support junior hockey after having minor pro since 1950. These new organizations must operate just like a minor pro organization. Advertise heavily, promote, have giveaways, get the players in the community and make going to games like attending an event. Wilkes Barre already looks like a coming financial disaster. There is absolutely nothing yet on their web site about ticket sales.
i think its great. USPHL should be VERY concerned, very. Simply put , unless a kid is recruited (even though the coaches say they dont offer contracts prior to tryouts.
ie experienced this) by on of the 1-4 top programs that promise the world and deliver at the expennse of all others in the league , then why pay 8 or 9 or in one case 12freakin K$ when everyone absolutely knows the kids are skilled enough to contribute at the NAHL level.. Oh and don't forget about all the added BS showcases these USPHL programs force feed on the players with added costs every freakin time. i Think this is a great thing and hope it flourishes. This is what happens when pigs get too greedy it attracts others. If these NAHL teams are successful the only moves i can see is USHL or beg to get a team in the NAHL. Looks like handwriting could be on the wall and its a very good thing for the players.
ie experienced this) by on of the 1-4 top programs that promise the world and deliver at the expennse of all others in the league , then why pay 8 or 9 or in one case 12freakin K$ when everyone absolutely knows the kids are skilled enough to contribute at the NAHL level.. Oh and don't forget about all the added BS showcases these USPHL programs force feed on the players with added costs every freakin time. i Think this is a great thing and hope it flourishes. This is what happens when pigs get too greedy it attracts others. If these NAHL teams are successful the only moves i can see is USHL or beg to get a team in the NAHL. Looks like handwriting could be on the wall and its a very good thing for the players.
