New League

[dj wes o yes]

Here in Winston-Salem, we have had the neutral site game for the FHL with an attendance of 2,440 and supposed investors. Also, we have heard of a new league forming similar to FHL that would be a better way of travel. What have yall heard?

Click to read more...

 

[No Fun Shogun]

Nothing I'm aware of, but things at that level seem to be able to be put together fairly rapidly, all things considered.

Any news articles backing up the rumors you've heard?

 

[change on the fly]

I've heard of one that will be more on the level of SPHL as far as budget and hopefully talent. I believe WS would be more in their footprint but we'll wait and see. Would think it would have to be announced soon.

 

[dj wes o yes]

Nothing I'm aware of, but things at that level seem to be able to be put together fairly rapidly, all things considered.

Any news articles backing up the rumors you've heard?

No, I DJed the FHL neutral site game and alot of contact with officials and they continue to bash how bad the FHL is and how there was them and another new league being created. I just want hockey in Winston.

 

[lennysundahl]

No news articles, but it's starting to circulate around the various minor league hockey team-watch rumor circles at an escalating pace. A FB group from W-S was set up by someone who has been more than happy to share details (compiled by another FB group from Richmond):

6 team independent league headed up by Jim Riggs and Bill Coffey both had parts in the ACHL, ECHL, SPHL, and CHL.
Richmond, Roanoke, and Winston-Salem in the South and three more teams in the North (not sure who they are). There is speculation that the league will be called the ACHL. I don't know who individual team owners are and there is no league website or press releases at this time. Again according to the Winston-Salem page Richmond is the last building to get done as far as a lease goes. Once that's in place the league will begin making announcements.

All of this sounds great, but until there is a press conference we don't know if it's for real or not so let's not go crazy yet.

I have from a couple other sources that this is, in fact, a thing, but of course I won't be completely satisfied until I see an actual announcement with owners and everything (I'd say a website, but I got fooled by that before... )

 

[dj wes o yes]

No news articles, but it's starting to circulate around the various minor league hockey team-watch rumor circles at an escalating pace. A FB group from W-S was set up by someone who has been more than happy to share details (compiled by another FB group from Richmond):

I have from a couple other sources that this is, in fact, a thing, but of course I won't be completely satisfied until I see an actual announcement with owners and everything (I'd say a website, but I got fooled by that before... )

I also read on the same site now that I have seen some truth behind the neutral site game......... Supposedly the league will be announced within the next 2 weeks. We will see.

 

[No Fun Shogun]

Unfortunately, rumors are often code for just made up stories or poster speculation, so we do need at least something other than hearsay about a new league possibly popping up. Please provide a citation or this topic will be closed until a credible news report comes out.

 

[JB51Hockey]

Didn't hear anything about the "ACHL". I did hear however about the NAPHL. One team so far, looks like a train wreck starting with the website... www.NAPHL.us

 

[Sports Enthusiast]

Jim Riggs just doesn't die....stay far away from anything involving that guy.

Yeah whats been said. Wasn't there a league a year or so ago called the NPHL which never actually took off the ground but had a site and everything and desired locations?

 

[lennysundahl]

Jim Riggs just doesn't die....stay far away from anything involving that guy.

Yeah whats been said. Wasn't there a league a year or so ago called the NPHL which never actually took off the ground but had a site and everything and desired locations?

Yeah, I'd rather have a league with no website run by people who actually know what they're doing sometimes than a league with a really nice website run by people with a trail of wreckage behind them.

Without divulging too much, I can say that this is beyond rumor, but not yet a done deal. I don't want to jinx things (figuratively or otherwise) by saying too much more, although clearly there are people that are a little easier to get words out of. That said, I won't lose any sleep if this thread gets gassed for the sake of putting this puck pizza back in the oven a few more minutes.

 

[No Fun Shogun]

Reopening due to an email that was forwarded to me by a user. While nothing has apparently been finalized yet by any stretch of the imagination, there does at least seem to be some fire behind the smoke here.

 

[dj wes o yes]

There is a meeting this Sunday here in Winston, I am going. I will update everyone with what I know as soon as I know.

 

[lennysundahl]

There is a meeting this Sunday here in Winston, I am going. I will update everyone with what I know as soon as I know.

Please let us know. The guy with the FB page says they're looking for investors, which makes me wonder if they even have investors there But then, again, this guy runs his mouth A LOT.

 

[dj wes o yes]

per the booster club in Winston Salem:

on facebook (winston salem minor league ice hockey):
At this moment, I would say that there is a 50/50 chance of a team in Winston for the 2014/15 season; but the 2015/16 season has a 99.99% chance of getting a team here in Winston Salem in a new, great league and a great team.

In a private message to me:
The core group in Winston that is dealing with Hockey states there is no interests in the FHL expansion to Winston Salem.

 

[No Fun Shogun]

Careful, those are about the same odds that the folks behind the still-to-be-built City of Industry stadium plan gave for landing an NFL team in Los Angeles about five years back.