Mallards To Cease Operations The End Of This Season

[SASRACE]

Weekly Sports League and Franchise Report

 

[mfrerkes]

It's highly unlikely the Quad Cities will have hockey this fall. There are a few potential ownership groups interested in bringing hockey back to the area, but they need more time to get everything in order. At this point, trying to get a hockey team set up for 2018-19 would become a rushed project in which big mistakes would be made.

The TaxSlayer center wants to raise its tax on ticket purchases to help fund a hockey team. This action requires approval by Moline's city council and might be a hard sell to the public. It certainly could create some backlash, since people generally don't enjoy paying more taxes to support such an endeavor which can't support itself.

 

[CHRDANHUTCH]

It's highly unlikely the Quad Cities will have hockey this fall. There are a few potential ownership groups interested in bringing hockey back to the area, but they need more time to get everything in order. At this point, trying to get a hockey team set up for 2018-19 would become a rushed project in which big mistakes would be made.

The TaxSlayer center wants to raise its tax on ticket purchases to help fund a hockey team. This action requires approval by Moline's city council and might be a hard sell to the public. It certainly could create some backlash, since people generally don't enjoy paying more taxes to support such an endeavor which can't support itself.

sounds an awful lot like Portland and Worcester after those teams either were sold or transferred, but in all honesty how damaged is the QC Market overall or the Mallards branding seen there.... it's already a non starter for 2018/19 as it is now.

 

[CHRDANHUTCH]

Tax Slayer Center is calling a presser Wednesday..... basic gist is an update for Quad City's fanbase, since the dissolution of the Mallards, but rumblings from the QC Times hockey reporter Bobby Metcalf and an odd statement from Scott Mullen, saying QC will have pro hockey in 2018/19 is now surfacing, now whether the SPHL is the league coming, that is undetermined.... developing as we speak

 

[mfrerkes]

an odd statement from Scott Mullen, saying QC will have pro hockey in 2018/19 is now surfacing, now whether the SPHL is the league coming, that is undetermined.... developing as we speak

My money is on the SPHL. The well-established pattern of keeping hockey in a market that won't support it continues for another year. I'm not sure how smart it is to keep hopping from one disaster to the next. A year or two away from the sport might have been the better option here, but Mullen just won't accept any lapse.

I guess we here in the Quad Cities will brace for another round of big promises and recycled rhetoric about how this new ownership will finally make hockey sustainable. It gets tiring going through this every few years, but here we go again.

 

[CHRDANHUTCH]

My money is on the SPHL. The well-established pattern of keeping hockey in a market that won't support it continues for another year. I'm not sure how smart it is to keep hopping from one disaster to the next. A year or two away from the sport might have been the better option here, but Mullen just won't accept any lapse.

I guess we here in the Quad Cities will brace for another round of big promises and recycled rhetoric about how this new ownership will finally make hockey sustainable. It gets tiring going through this every few years, but here we go again.

it will be the SPHL, I just got confirmation that QC is being approved to join that league, via Peoria's Journal Star, so a renewal of sorts going back to the Rivermen/Flames history.....

 

[JMCx4]

it will be the SPHL, I just got confirmation that QC is being approved to join that league, via Peoria's Journal Star ...

Once again, your sources are impeccable, HUTCH. What was news to me is that you are 6-1/2 time zones behind Central Illinois.

 

[CrazyEddie20]

Good luck to the suckers who are going to own this team. It's a dead market on a geographical island that only had 300 people motivated enough to put down STIX deposits. This has "fail" written all over it.

 

[CHRDANHUTCH]

Once again, your sources are impeccable, HUTCH. What was news to me is that you are 6-1/2 time zones behind Central Illinois.

then why was their local beat writer in QC and Peoria's hockey scribe in total agreement, JMC, when I posted that same article, then, ANSWER ME THAT

AHL Fans and Worcester fans in particular has distaste for Peoria because of the way the Journal Star 'gloated' INCESSANTLY over acquiring the Rivermen franchise now owned by Utica and Vancouver, JM, so excuse us for not taking their writer seriously

 

[210]

No one in Worcester that I know cares one iota about Peoria at all...and, to the best of my knowledge, ever has.

 

[CHRDANHUTCH]

No one in Worcester that I know cares one iota about Peoria at all...and, to the best of my knowledge, ever has.

not even when they 'stole' the franchise, I'D BEG TO DISAGREE WITH THAT, same goes for San Jose doing the exact same thing, 210, you'd better hope the Railers don't disappear that same way

 

[210]

You can disagree all you want, but your understanding of both the IceCats and Sharks situations is, to be kind, lacking.

 

[CHRDANHUTCH]

You can disagree all you want, but your understanding of both the IceCats and Sharks situations is, to be kind, lacking.

uh, disagree, dude, Portland and Worcester are in the same boat, working on three franchises in history you're not the 'only 'expert in Worcester, and that's the lacking part

 

[210]

I live here. You don't.

I have been involved, in one manner or another, with professional hockey in this city since 1994. You have not.

You can disagree all you want, the facts speak for themselves.

 

[CHRDANHUTCH]

I live here. You don't.

I have been involved, in one manner or another, with professional hockey in this city since 1994. You have not.

You can disagree all you want, the facts speak for themselves.

and I'VE BEEN INVOLVED LONGER, 1977

 

[SemireliableSource]

not even when they 'stole' the franchise, I'D BEG TO DISAGREE WITH THAT, same goes for San Jose doing the exact same thing, 210, you'd better hope the Railers don't disappear that same way

You disagree with 210 about the feelings of the people they know? That's some brazen arrogance.

 

[SemireliableSource]

and I'VE BEEN INVOLVED LONGER, 1977

Since 1977 in Worcester? I didn't think so. Your reading comprehension has been terrible lately.

 

[CHRDANHUTCH]

You disagree with 210 about the feelings of the people they know? That's some brazen arrogance.

no one was thrilled read what I POSTED

 

[JMCx4]

then why was their local beat writer in QC and Peoria's hockey scribe in total agreement, JMC, when I posted that same article, then, ANSWER ME THAT ...

I cannot speak for the "why" on behalf of Messrs. Metcalf & Eminian. But if you'll point me to where you "posted that same article" accompanied by some evidence that both gentlemen were in agreement on something you reported or repeated, I will reconsider my comment now far above. Don't bother if it was on Facebook or Twitter, though, because I am abstaining for religious reasons.

 

[CHRDANHUTCH]

Since 1977 in Worcester? I didn't think so. Your reading comprehension has been terrible lately.

HEY STOOL PIGEON, WHAT LEAGUE HAVE Adirondack, Newfoundland, Portland, and Worcester been in prior to the ECHL? think about it

 

[CHRDANHUTCH]

I cannot speak for the "why" on behalf of Messrs. Metcalf & Eminian. But if you'll point me to where you "posted that same article" accompanied by some evidence that both gentlemen were in agreement on something you reported or repeated, I will reconsider my comment now far above. Don't bother if it was on Facebook or Twitter, though, because I am abstaining for religious reasons.

if for religious reasons, why do papers have Facebook pages, JMC, every thing does

 

[SemireliableSource]

no one was thrilled read what I POSTED

Again, you're reading comprehension has failed you. I was asking you why you felt you could disagree with 210 about people he actually knows?

 

[CHRDANHUTCH]

Again, you're reading comprehension has failed you. I was asking you why you felt you could disagree with 210 about people he actually knows?

not responding to ignored members

 

[JMCx4]

if for religious reasons, why do papers have Facebook pages, JMC, every thing does

Newspapers, as a media segment, are not known for their religious convictions. Nor am I, but I still don't have a Facebook page.

 

[mfrerkes]

Good luck to the suckers who are going to own this team. It's a dead market on a geographical island that only had 300 people motivated enough to put down STIX deposits. This has "fail" written all over it.

Probably. I can't imagine dropping down to the SPHL is going to help sell more tickets. Then again, the market was averaging better attendance once the AHL left town in 2009 and QC went back to AA hockey. It's hard to tell which direction things will go, but I'm not putting any money on the SPHL being the thing that finally works here.

This is going to be a rushed project. The team doesn't even have a name, and losing the Mallards identity will guarantee this franchise is starting behind the eight-ball in terms of community support. There were no good outcomes in this scenario (a rushed SPHL product versus no hockey at all) but at least some hockey fans in QC Land will have something to watch this winter.

It's not a total loss.