ECHL, SPHL, FPHL battling for territory

[Atlantian]

With a bunch of new and upcoming arenas popping up in the south, I was wondering who y’all thought would go after each city.
New Arenas:
Savannah, GA
Clarksville, TN
Athens, GA

Renovated arenas:
Montgomery, AL

Other Rumored Arenas:
Tallahassee, FL
Louisville, KY
Florence, SC

Click to read more...

 

[210]

The ECHL would only be interested in any of those cities if there was a stable, well-funded ownership group involved.

 

[Atlantian]

I agree. The only one I really see the ECHL going for is Savannah. It’s a big city. Easy rivals with JAX and SC. But it is right in the middle of SPHL territory. Personally as a Gladiators fan I’m hoping for ECHL hockey in Savannah.

 

[CrazyEddie20]

I agree. The only one I really see the ECHL going for is Savannah. It’s a big city. Easy rivals with JAX and SC. But it is right in the middle of SPHL territory. Personally as a Gladiators fan I’m hoping for ECHL hockey in Savannah.

It's also right in the middle of ECHL territory.

 

[CHRDANHUTCH]

I agree. The only one I really see the ECHL going for is Savannah. It’s a big city. Easy rivals with JAX and SC. But it is right in the middle of SPHL territory. Personally as a Gladiators fan I’m hoping for ECHL hockey in Savannah.

at the expense of Atlanta, though?

 

[210]

at the expense of Atlanta, though?

They're almost 250 miles apart, so not an issue.

 

[Dingo44]

I think with Columbus in the FPHL and the lower cost of ownership the FPHL will pick off at least a couple, if they want hockey.

 

[GindyDraws]

The ECHL model would likely avoid a place like Savannah unless there's someone with deep pockets and a willingness to advertise heavily and accept the risk of losses, and if anything, would try to eye larger cities. That said, it would be a boon for the division.

Really, the ECHL might be more interested in the Mountain Division, particularly given how much of an oddity Idaho, Rapid City, and Utah are compared to the rest of the league, but most of the venues throughout the region either are small towns or have small arenas that either don't have a decent capacity or are hilariously out of date.

 

[Atlantian]

It's a good move for the league if they find an owner willing to lose a bit of money. Savannah is a relatively large coastal city that I personally believe would have a decent following due to the lack of other pro teams in the area and in its history in general. Plus it is a large tourist destination. It would easily be a day trip for every team in the south except the Everblades. I honestly believe it would work well with the right ownership group and the right marketing throughout the area.

 

[JMCx4]

... I honestly believe it would work well with the right ownership group and the right marketing throughout the area.

Any honesty here will be SEVERELY punished.

 

[Cyclones Rock]

It's a good move for the league if they find an owner willing to lose a bit of money. Savannah is a relatively large coastal city that I personally believe would have a decent following due to the lack of other pro teams in the area and in its history in general. Plus it is a large tourist destination. It would easily be a day trip for every team in the south except the Everblades. I honestly believe it would work well with the right ownership group and the right marketing throughout the area.

If someone could make it work that would be great. The more teams, the merrier.

I'd love to see the southern ECHL footprint expanded. I just am not very optimistic that it can be.

 

[GrGriffins]

With a bunch of new and upcoming arenas popping up in the south, I was wondering who y’all thought would go after each city.
New Arenas:
Savannah, GA
Clarksville, TN
Athens, GA

Renovated arenas:
Montgomery, AL

Other Rumored Arenas:
Tallahassee, FL
Louisville, KY
Florence, SC

I see Savannah, GA as a good chance they will have hockey as early as 2020-21 from this list. Have not heard anything on Clarksville, Montgomery, Tallahassee, and Florence at all. Louisville has too much college basketball to deal with so that city would not work. Athens was mentioned a couple of seasons ago about hockey, but that has not resurfaced.

I think these former hockey cities might get back in play in the next couple of seasons if local ownership is found:

Biloxi, MS
Memphis, TN/Southhaven, MS
Lafayette, LA

I could see the SPHL & the FPHL go into battle for getting teams in the South. The ECHL had been there and done that already, so I would not think they would reenter the South. I can see the ECHL trying to go back into the West and maybe pick up a team or two in the Midwest if they are thinking of doing the 32/32/32 with the NHL & AHL.

The SPHL & FPHL should get together and work something out so that the Northern teams all play in the FPHL and the Southern teams all play in the SPHL, but I doubt that would ever happen.

 

[mk80]

With a bunch of new and upcoming arenas popping up in the south, I was wondering who y’all thought would go after each city.
New Arenas:
Savannah, GA
Clarksville, TN
Athens, GA

This may be suited better for the college forum, but I'll post it here in regards to this post:

I'm not entirely convinced that this arena in Clarksville will be home to minor league hockey. In my opinion it could more likely be home to a hockey program associated with Austin Peay State University as part of the NHL's recent College Hockey Feasibility studies. Illinois (Chicago Blackhawks), and Oakland (Detroit Red Wings) were the only two named schools and NHL partners in the study, and others were undisclosed according to this article Collegiate Consulting Completes Five NHL Funded Hockey Feasibility Studies — Collegiate Consulting

another article at the end mentions the possibility of 8-10 schools: Four NHL College Hockey Feasibility Studies Underway - The Mack Report

The Austin Peay Governors logo is clearly featured front and center on the concept art (see below), although I did read somewhere they could use the arena for basketball which could be their only involvement in the project. But it's not out of the question that they are one of the schools that partnered with an NHL franchise (Predators) to conduct a study. Now I'm not sure of Austin Peay's finances for adding hockey, or their Title IX considerations. However, I do know they've recently put a lot into football and specifically their football stadium, and you don't get your logo on the concept art for a project like this unless cash has exchanged hands so it's reasonable to assume they're putting a good sum in this arena project. They are members of the Ohio Valley Conference (OVC) which is a Division I athletic conference, FCS level for football. The Predators have been stepping up to grow hockey in and around central Tennessee opening new rec rinks, and have seen tons of growth in youth hockey since their recent Stanley Cup Final appearance, so getting a close college program only an hour or so away from Nashville could be a huge step in that.

The landscape of college hockey is changing see the WCHA: 7 of 10 WCHA Teams Announce Plans to Leave

Those changes will occur in two seasons, giving time for this project to get underway and the wheels in motion for Austin Peay, and also for Lindenwood University outside of St. Louis who I suspect will be adding DI NCAA hockey on the men's side (they already have women's) in that time frame. They just opened a new 2500 seat arena in partnership with the St. Louis Blues, and some of the comments made at the grand opening ceremony seem to have the wheels in motion for that to happen.


Sorry for length and I don't mean to send this thread off topic. Like I said at the top, my post is better suited in the college board, but given the topic of this thread I think it's a consideration to point out.

 

[alko]

Time to create one big league.

 

[CrazyEddie20]

Time to create one big league.

Nope. Time for the garbage leagues to fold.

 

[GeauxIceGators]

I see Savannah, GA as a good chance they will have hockey as early as 2020-21 from this list. Have not heard anything on Clarksville, Montgomery, Tallahassee, and Florence at all. Louisville has too much college basketball to deal with so that city would not work. Athens was mentioned a couple of seasons ago about hockey, but that has not resurfaced.

I think these former hockey cities might get back in play in the next couple of seasons if local ownership is found:

Biloxi, MS
Memphis, TN/Southhaven, MS
Lafayette, LA

I could see the SPHL & the FPHL go into battle for getting teams in the South. The ECHL had been there and done that already, so I would not think they would reenter the South. I can see the ECHL trying to go back into the West and maybe pick up a team or two in the Midwest if they are thinking of doing the 32/32/32 with the NHL & AHL.

The SPHL & FPHL should get together and work something out so that the Northern teams all play in the FPHL and the Southern teams all play in the SPHL, but I doubt that would ever happen.

Would love to see hockey return to Lafayette, La, the Ice Gators were fantastic. Also, another place to consider is Lake Charles, La (formerly home to Lake Charles Ice Pirates), one of the fastest growing cities in the US. The Lake Charles Civic Center (Suddith Coliseum) was just renovated.

 

[Dingo44]

Nope. Time for the garbage leagues to fold.

No matter how many times you keep calling them "garbage leagues" it's not going to happen.

 

[CrazyEddie20]

No matter how many times you keep calling them "garbage leagues" it's not going to happen.

The "FPHL" is going to be sued out of existence the next time a player suffers a career ending injury - if Kyler Moje's laywer doesn't get to them first. The SPHL can't even defend its territory from incursions by the joke that is the FPHL. Don't be so sure.

 

[CrazyEddie20]

Would love to see hockey return to Lafayette, La, the Ice Gators were fantastic. Also, another place to consider is Lake Charles, La (formerly home to Lake Charles Ice Pirates), one of the fastest growing cities in the US. The Lake Charles Civic Center (Suddith Coliseum) was just renovated.

As long as you have a competent owner rather than Danny Smith, Lafayette could be successful. Don't think Lake Charles will ever have hockey again, though.

 

[SemireliableSource]

The FPHL is the FPHL because they've already been sued to death and have risen from the grave. At this point, I think of that league as a bunch of cockroaches. For the forseeable future, they're gonna keep finding a way to get by.

 

[CrazyEddie20]

The FPHL is the FPHL because they've already been sued to death and have risen from the grave. At this point, I think of that league as a bunch of cockroaches. For the forseeable future, they're gonna keep finding a way to get by.

When Moje gets to the FHL's (read: Don Kirnan's) assets because he failed to maintain corporate legal formalities, the FPHL will be dead.

 

[jw1987]

As much as I would love a ECHL/SPHL/whatever hockey team in Louisville, I just don't see it happening. They're too involved in college sports and the soccer team I think.

 

[CrazyEddie20]

When Moje gets to the FHL's (read: Don Kirnan's) assets because he failed to maintain corporate legal formalities, the FPHL will be dead.

I looked up Moje's pending case against the FHL - both the original FHL LLC (a Mississippi LLC, Sarge Richards must have set it up) and the FPHL LLC are listed as defendants. If you read the complaint in the case, it's amazing that not only did Kirnan not procure insurance necessary to protect the league, he didn't even hire a competent attorney to defend the case when Moje sued the first time.

Just wait and see how this works out for Kirnan's Klown Show Hockey League.

 

[CHRDANHUTCH]

As much as I would love a ECHL/SPHL/whatever hockey team in Louisville, I just don't see it happening. They're too involved in college sports and the soccer team I think.

you're probably right about that, and the market has been tried before in multiple leagues, it didn't help matters when the ownership of the franchise doesn't deliver or is corrupt, not just Louisville, but multiple cities/markets