ECHL Expansion
- Thread starter Growlers
- Start date
Barclay Donaldson
Registered User
None right now. Reno was on there for a while but the political and financial situation there isn't ideal. http://carubberhockey.com/discussions-stall-but-reno-still-hopeful-for-echl-hockey-team-2/
Trois-Rivieres is looking at building an arena and have its primary tenant be the Canadiens' EC affiliate. Un club-école du Canadien à Trois-Rivières ?
However, they more than likely won't be expanding in the off-season and are reportedly prioritized shoring up a few of their more unstable markets over picking up new ones.
Agalloch
EliteProspects
Barclay Donaldson
Registered User
I haven't heard anything about the EC going to Ontario. I can't even think of any open markets that could support a team. There hasn't been any rumblings of major junior-pro reshuffling that we saw with Hamilton, St. John's, and Belleville, either. There's no places on their "Future Markets" tab, I can see them expanding in the American south and midwest, but I can't see anyone joining Brampton as another Ontario EC team.
Reno should go for an AHL team instead so it's easier to justify calling the team Reno Silver Knights.
PCSPounder
Stadium Groupie
There is no ECHL expansion list.
If there was one, while they would list the cities rather quickly, it's really because an owner wants one. If that happens, the league is all too happy to start the whisper campaign. The driver is the owner. Who has a few million they want to spend frivolously? Find an answer to that question and we shall talk.
Mind you... if Seattle NHL decides to place their AHL team in Boise, will they also seek to own an ECHL team? Will they "encourage" someone else to do the same? That's a possibility.
OTOH... sometimes the way to shore up an existing franchise IS to find them a rival closer than 2 states away (metaphorically). Of course, you still need the owner to get on board.
If there was one, while they would list the cities rather quickly, it's really because an owner wants one. If that happens, the league is all too happy to start the whisper campaign. The driver is the owner. Who has a few million they want to spend frivolously? Find an answer to that question and we shall talk.
Mind you... if Seattle NHL decides to place their AHL team in Boise, will they also seek to own an ECHL team? Will they "encourage" someone else to do the same? That's a possibility.
OTOH... sometimes the way to shore up an existing franchise IS to find them a rival closer than 2 states away (metaphorically). Of course, you still need the owner to get on board.
Centrum Hockey
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- Aug 2, 2018
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210
Registered User
Yep. Unless an NHL team is looking to reserve a location like in the AHL western move there's no reason at all for them to own an ECHL team.
PCSPounder
Stadium Groupie
IFAD | Idaho Falls Auditorium District
Someone else originally posted it on the Seattle board discussion on AHL location. The point wasn't that Idaho Falls would get AHL, but the timing of this getting to this point can hardly be coincidental.
Not that I'd hold my breath. It's a fast growing market, which only means Idaho Falls is leaving Rapid City in the dust. I think there are decent economic reasons for locating an ECHL team here, but I'm not 100% sold that this is happening yet.
Someone else originally posted it on the Seattle board discussion on AHL location. The point wasn't that Idaho Falls would get AHL, but the timing of this getting to this point can hardly be coincidental.
Not that I'd hold my breath. It's a fast growing market, which only means Idaho Falls is leaving Rapid City in the dust. I think there are decent economic reasons for locating an ECHL team here, but I'm not 100% sold that this is happening yet.
Royalsflagrunner77
Registered User
could Peoria possibly move back to the EC in the future or do you guys think they're content in the sphl
crimsonace
Registered User
Peoria seems happy in the SPHL, even though it spent several years on a geographic island and would fit perfectly in the ECHL's Central Division.
Cacciaguida
Registered User
Centrum Hockey
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Baltimore's arena is not in good shape from what i have heard and seen .I took a trip last December to see the ravens and the exterior of the Royal Farms Arena arena clearly looked like it needed work.
210
Registered User
We should just rename all these potential expansion threads to "let's just toss out the name of every single city in North America with an ice rink", because essentially that's all this is.
Barclay Donaldson
Registered User
Barclay Donaldson
Registered User
Did they move? Yes and no. The Aces folded, and the rights were sold to a new team in Maine. But they didn't relocate. The Alaska Aces folded at the end of the 2016-17 season. The Maine Mariners bought the ECHL franchise rights to the Alaska Aces for the beginning of their first season in 2018-19. Cheaper to buy rights to a dormant, or in this case folded, franchise than it is to buy an expansion franchise.
Yeah, I know they folded but was curious about them moving to Maine, that answers the question, appreciate it.
Hey now, let's not rule out the cities without an ice rink. The next Williamsport is just out there waiting quietly.
crimsonace
Registered User
The ECHL considers the Mariners a direct descendant of the Alaska Aces. IIRC, Alaska's records were rolled into Maine's franchise records in this year's media guide.
210
Registered User
The ECHL did do that this season, but there have been discussions if that was correct to do or not. We'll find out the answer next season I suspect.
SemireliableSource
Liter-a-cola
I don't see why not. It's technically the same franchise. Technically the franchise records have transferred with all other relocations.
A new Arena being planned for Clarksville, TN (30-40 miles North of Nashville) to host a hockey team. The question is ECHL or SPHL, but with the Preds involved in this and them not having an ECHL affiliate, I am leaning a bit ECHL. If I rember right affialiations are not allowed for the SPHL. Montgomery County Mayor Jim Durrett on downtown Clarksville Event Center
SemireliableSource
Liter-a-cola
Correct, league by-laws don't allow for affiliations. Even if they did, the SPHL is not a league a player has to report to according to the CBA.
I think there has been speculation over an ECHL team close to Nashville affiliated with the Preds ever since this arena idea was first floated. Even if it doesn't make sense for development/convenience (it makes more sense to have the AHL near the NHL or the ECHL near the AHL team), it's a great way to further a love for hockey in the Tennessee market. Cooperation between the two would make too much sense not to at least try and if the Pred own and operate, they can provide an option with more family-friendly pricing and still hold a monopoly on raking in the hockey dollars in the area.
And before y'all @ me, note I said "more." I know it's getting more and more difficult for the average Joe to take his family to a game in the Coast.
I think there has been speculation over an ECHL team close to Nashville affiliated with the Preds ever since this arena idea was first floated. Even if it doesn't make sense for development/convenience (it makes more sense to have the AHL near the NHL or the ECHL near the AHL team), it's a great way to further a love for hockey in the Tennessee market. Cooperation between the two would make too much sense not to at least try and if the Pred own and operate, they can provide an option with more family-friendly pricing and still hold a monopoly on raking in the hockey dollars in the area.
And before y'all @ me, note I said "more." I know it's getting more and more difficult for the average Joe to take his family to a game in the Coast.
