Kootenay Ice sold, staying in Cranbrook (conditional on Board of Directors approval)

Aug 10, 2015
422
133
http://kootenayice.net/article/chynoweth-family-reaches-agreement-to-sell-kootenay-ice-franchise

http://www.e-know.ca/regions/cranbrook/ice-sale-agreement-reached/

Though many on this board seem to have been hopeful the Ice would either move (to Nanaimo or otherwise) or fold, I'm excited by todays news that they are hopefully staying in Cranbrook. I believe that new ownership, and hopefully new ideas, will result in the fans returning and while we may never be able to compete with Calgary / Edmonton in terms of # of fans per game, I believe that as early as next season the Ice will no longer be at the bottom of the league in terms of fan support.

Exciting day :)
 

n00bxQb

Registered User
Jul 26, 2010
3,178
524
Good for Cranbrook, still disappointed Nanaimo didn't get a team, though.
 

Juniorhockeyguru

Registered User
Nov 18, 2012
1,095
509
http://kootenayice.net/article/chynoweth-family-reaches-agreement-to-sell-kootenay-ice-franchise

http://www.e-know.ca/regions/cranbrook/ice-sale-agreement-reached/

Though many on this board seem to have been hopeful the Ice would either move (to Nanaimo or otherwise) or fold, I'm excited by todays news that they are hopefully staying in Cranbrook. I believe that new ownership, and hopefully new ideas, will result in the fans returning and while we may never be able to compete with Calgary / Edmonton in terms of # of fans per game, I believe that as early as next season the Ice will no longer be at the bottom of the league in terms of fan support.





Exciting day :)



Well it's time to sack up Ice fans. No more excuses. No more whining.
 

Hordichuk_24

Registered User
Though many on this board seem to have been hopeful the Ice would either move (to Nanaimo or otherwise) or fold, I'm excited by todays news that they are hopefully staying in Cranbrook.

They will move in time. This only delays the inevitable. Why the league is even giving them another chance is beyond comprehension. I'm assuming the fact their Nanaimo plan didn't go as planned is in large part why. They need to play in some venue until a more preferable and viable one is found. At least this should put an end to the whole Chynoweth family ruining the franchise crowd out there on why fan support for the team has been so abysmal.
 

Hordichuk_24

Registered User
This worked in P.G. with the Brodskys.

That's debatable. I still see plenty of empty seats in Prince George on a frequent basis.. Also, I don't think the two situations are on the same level. For one the Ice had many years of successful hockey under the Chynoweth's yet they still had minimal fan base and support. Which indicates a much bigger problem other than the product on the ice.
 

PG Canuck

Registered User
Mar 29, 2010
62,739
23,887
That's debatable. I still see plenty of empty seats in Prince George on a frequent basis.. Also, I don't think the two situations are on the same level. For one the Ice had many years of successful hockey under the Chynoweth's yet they still had minimal fan base and support. Which indicates a much bigger problem other than the product on the ice.

PG still had bottom tier attendance numbers this year. This whole "get rid of the Brodskys and we'll go to games" has been an excuse for years and then once it actually happened....nothing really changed.

The Cougars have a good amount of 'feature games' that have some sort of promotion of special night and that is the ONLY time you will find it full. That likely helped the numbers too. They'd easily be bottom five in the league without having those nights.

There's no excuses anymore but yet there still seem to be excuses made up. PG had its winningest team this season and the attendance was just outside of the bottom five.
 

billybobjoe2112

Registered User
Feb 2, 2010
3,323
26
Prince George B.C.
PG still had bottom tier attendance numbers this year. This whole "get rid of the Brodskys and we'll go to games" has been an excuse for years and then once it actually happened....nothing really changed.

The Cougars have a good amount of 'feature games' that have some sort of promotion of special night and that is the ONLY time you will find it full. That likely helped the numbers too. They'd easily be bottom five in the league without having those nights.

There's no excuses anymore but yet there still seem to be excuses made up. PG had its winningest team this season and the attendance was just outside of the bottom five.

It's horrible to see a team ranked top 10 in Canada, and playing to half a rink. They were able to nearly sell out the final game of the season, because they were about to make history. Every other big crowd was brought in due to free beer, free vehicles, a chance at $50,000. They need to start promoting the team, and not the freebies.
 

billybobjoe2112

Registered User
Feb 2, 2010
3,323
26
Prince George B.C.
That's debatable. I still see plenty of empty seats in Prince George on a frequent basis.. Also, I don't think the two situations are on the same level. For one the Ice had many years of successful hockey under the Chynoweth's yet they still had minimal fan base and support. Which indicates a much bigger problem other than the product on the ice.

P.G still improved from 1,000~ a night, to 3,000.
 

PG Canuck

Registered User
Mar 29, 2010
62,739
23,887
It's horrible to see a team ranked top 10 in Canada, and playing to half a rink. They were able to nearly sell out the final game of the season, because they were about to make history. Every other big crowd was brought in due to free beer, free vehicles, a chance at $50,000. They need to start promoting the team, and not the freebies.

This is the biggest thing for me. They have good intentions, but I don't think it's working like it should.
 

MiamiHockey

Registered User
Sep 12, 2012
2,087
187
Ice will be moving to Winnipeg for 2018/19 season

Two reasons why not:

The Jets and the Moose

The only suitable venue (the MTS Centre) is already full with the Moose and Jets, so there'd be nowhere for them to play.

Even if there was a suitable venue, there's nowhere near enough corporate and fan support for a WHL franchise given the dollars that support the Jets and Moose.

Yes, Winnipeg is a great hockey town, but a city of 700,000 cannot support an NHL, AHL, and WHL franchise simultaneously.
 

denominator

Registered User
Sponsor
Apr 20, 2012
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736
Fort St John
It's horrible to see a team ranked top 10 in Canada, and playing to half a rink. They were able to nearly sell out the final game of the season, because they were about to make history. Every other big crowd was brought in due to free beer, free vehicles, a chance at $50,000. They need to start promoting the team, and not the freebies.

They were offering free beer in PG?! At a hockey game? This makes me even more upset about paying $10.25 for a beer at a Hitmen game.
 

SNIPE

Wheaties #1
Mar 12, 2013
55
0
Two reasons why not:

The Jets and the Moose

The only suitable venue (the MTS Centre) is already full with the Moose and Jets, so there'd be nowhere for them to play.

Even if there was a suitable venue, there's nowhere near enough corporate and fan support for a WHL franchise given the dollars that support the Jets and Moose.

Yes, Winnipeg is a great hockey town, but a city of 700,000 cannot support an NHL, AHL, and WHL franchise simultaneously.

The Moose will be moving out and the Ice moving in. True North does not want the AHL team in Winnipeg, they feel a NHL and WHL would be a better fit for both teams.
 

OSA

Registered User
Jun 11, 2011
1,120
432
The Moose will be moving out and the Ice moving in. True North does not want the AHL team in Winnipeg, they feel a NHL and WHL would be a better fit for both teams.

Do you have a link somewhere for this?
 

Hordichuk_24

Registered User
PG still had bottom tier attendance numbers this year. This whole "get rid of the Brodskys and we'll go to games" has been an excuse for years and then once it actually happened....nothing really changed.

Exactly my point. Which is why I don't buy the same story with the Chynoweth's. The one key difference between the two markets is that I do believe PG is a viable WHL market whereas I don't believe Cranbrook is. Maybe having two teams and years of little to no success (along with anger toward Brodsky) kept them from getting consistent fan support. But that shouldn't be the problem now yet fan support is still an issue. I can't pretend to know what is going on. But what I do know is Kootenay has had plenty of success (on the ice) and that has never translated into consistent fan support. If that is the most important aspect (which many people would agree) clearly it isn't going to work.
 

Fight Guy

Registered User
Jan 9, 2005
47
57
I'll chime in...

The Jet DID have intentions on moving the Ice Caps/Moose... to Thunder Bay, if they approved plans to build an arena. Those plans fell through and the arena plan was scrapped. The Moose were only supposed to be back in Winnipeg for a few years till the arena was built. With that not happening now, I'd imagine True North is still trying to find another location for the Moose. Perhaps they end up back in St. John's after the Ice Caps move to Laval next season? Though I believe Chipman wants his AHL club closer.

Either way, with one of the new ICE owners having previously been apart of True North and from Winnipeg, and is relocating his family to Cranbrook to serve as the President and GM, you'd have to think there is a strong possibility of a future move. I would think they'll give the city a chance to support the team again. If Cranbrook doesn't give them better support over a certain number of years, I would be surprised if the ICE DIDN'T end up in Winnipeg if/once the AHL is out. While there are other markets out West that the WHL would like to try and move into, I'd doubt there would be any resistance from the league to move back to Winnipeg.
 

MiamiHockey

Registered User
Sep 12, 2012
2,087
187
The Moose will be moving out and the Ice moving in. True North does not want the AHL team in Winnipeg, they feel a NHL and WHL would be a better fit for both teams.

And you are basing this statement on what, exactly?
 

MiamiHockey

Registered User
Sep 12, 2012
2,087
187
I'll chime in...

The Jet DID have intentions on moving the Ice Caps/Moose... to Thunder Bay, if they approved plans to build an arena. Those plans fell through and the arena plan was scrapped. The Moose were only supposed to be back in Winnipeg for a few years till the arena was built. With that not happening now, I'd imagine True North is still trying to find another location for the Moose. Perhaps they end up back in St. John's after the Ice Caps move to Laval next season? Though I believe Chipman wants his AHL club closer.

Either way, with one of the new ICE owners having previously been apart of True North and from Winnipeg, and is relocating his family to Cranbrook to serve as the President and GM, you'd have to think there is a strong possibility of a future move. I would think they'll give the city a chance to support the team again. If Cranbrook doesn't give them better support over a certain number of years, I would be surprised if the ICE DIDN'T end up in Winnipeg if/once the AHL is out. While there are other markets out West that the WHL would like to try and move into, I'd doubt there would be any resistance from the league to move back to Winnipeg.

I agree that bringing the Moose back to Winnipeg was not Plan A for True North, but I don't see any reason they'd move the Moose back to St John's.

If you look at the AHL, you'll note that are moving their farms teams closer, not further away. In the salary cap era, player development is critical for long-term success, and having the farm team closer enables GMs and their staff to keep closer tabs on their prospects ... in addition to having their developmental coaching staff more accessible to both the NHL and AHL players.

If not Thunder Bay (which would have been a decent option), then where? Perhaps somewhere in the Midwestern US would work ... but I don't see True North moving the Moose just so they can move a WHL franchise in. In fact, if the Jets continue to have success developing players out of the Moose (hello, Josh Morrissey), I can see them determining it's in their best interests to have both franchises located in Winnipeg.
 

takehisheadoff

Registered User
Nov 2, 2009
256
1
Medicine Hat, AB
I know Fargo has a USHL team that does well with attendance (By junior standards) Anyone ever think that would work for the Moose? I use to live in Cranbrook and they have been threatening to move the Ice for over 10 years. Their attendance is worse than even posted and announced. They will move eventually.
 

MiamiHockey

Registered User
Sep 12, 2012
2,087
187
I know Fargo has a USHL team that does well with attendance (By junior standards) Anyone ever think that would work for the Moose? I use to live in Cranbrook and they have been threatening to move the Ice for over 10 years. Their attendance is worse than even posted and announced. They will move eventually.

Fargo is suitable geographically, but the USHL team's attendance of 3100 would put them basically dead last in the AHL. It could work in theory, but it's not an abvious winner.
 

takehisheadoff

Registered User
Nov 2, 2009
256
1
Medicine Hat, AB
Fargo is suitable geographically, but the USHL team's attendance of 3100 would put them basically dead last in the AHL. It could work in theory, but it's not an abvious winner.

Probably wouldn't work. If UND wasn't in Grand Forks it could work there. But college and Major Junior to most out west is more popular than minor pro.
 

Fight Guy

Registered User
Jan 9, 2005
47
57
I agree that bringing the Moose back to Winnipeg was not Plan A for True North, but I don't see any reason they'd move the Moose back to St John's.
I really don't think they'd move back either, which I also stated that I believe Chipman wants the team closer. Obviously it makes far more sense. I just threw it out there because once the Ice Caps move to Laval, St. John's owner has already stated they will be looking to get another team, whatever league it may be, to keep the Ice Caps alive.

... but I don't see True North moving the Moose just so they can move a WHL franchise in.
I don't believe that either. I said "if/once the AHL is out.". There is no guarantee the Moose are moving, but in the event it does happen, and combined with continued lack of support for the ICE in Cranbrook with new owners, such a move is very possible. I don't know what True North truly has planned right now and whether they are still fully planning on moving the Moose even, but they seem well positioned to go either way.
 

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