OHL in trouble

[Lycanthrope]

I will weigh in on this portion of the discussion.

The league Needs 3 in 3's to survive:
1> It helps generate games on weekends to allow kids to stay in school as much as possible
2> It creates less travel. Brian Kilrea always used to say he didn't care about being in Ottawa for travel because they would huke to the first destination (say Windsor) but fromt here the travel for the reaminder of the games was light. They used to do a 4 in 4 (Thu - Windsor, Fri- Plymouth, Sat - Sarnia, Sun - London). The travel between the cities was low so it was great. The 7 hours to Windsor sucked and the 6 hours from London home sucked but in between was a breeze. Flip side that to a 2 game trip. That means two trips to Michigan from Ottawa instead of one!

Balanced Schedule:
1> A Balanced schedule will never happen. It would eliminate rivalries of teams that reside close in opposite conferences. Imagine Barrie and Owen Sound playing each other twice or SSM and Sudbury playing twice? Before the morons and their realignments pipe in, just remember there is no perfect scenario that works. I think all the threads on the subject have proven that.
2> It would increase travel and costs. Instead of Barrie going to Owen Sound 3 times and vice versa, they would increase Conference play to another team like Kingston. Kingston gets the extra home and home with Ottawa because Ottawa plays one less game against Sudbury and Barrie plays one less game against Kingston....I think.

The reality is the league is just about set up right to reduce travel, allow the most time for kids to be in school and reduce costs. Games are primarily on the weekend to facilitate the schooling and attendance is higher as well.

Changes to make the league better are just a figment of the imagination of fans with too much time on their hands.

I understand your points but I’m not sure that’s a fair statement as there’s nothing wrong with keeping an open mind and being progressive, least you fall pray to apathy. After all the leagues’ format hasn’t always been this way right? Therefore it follows there’s always room to consider improvements. For example I agree about the issue of playing the same two teams eight times. It seems ludicrous to me and not in the interest of fans. A whopping sixteen games of the Wolves schedule are against two teams. Why do we only see London once and worse Ottawa once who are in the same conference!?
I’m not going to go into alternatives at this point but suffice to say I would bet less people than you think share your opinion. The only constant is change my friend.

 

[Lycanthrope]

None of the things mentioned here or in the post before deal with your initial concern of financial viability of the teams... none... these are what one person feels may be better for the fans, and even that is a stretch.

Why didn’t you just quote me Otto

 

[Millpond]

Many Ontario Hockey League clubs struggling financially just like the Peterborough Petes

This is over two years ago..

Time to come out of hibernation

 

[Millpond]

Trying to read this thread, I'm more concerned about the English language surviving.

Mee two

 

[Millpond]

I understand your points but I’m not sure that’s a fair statement as there’s nothing wrong with keeping an open mind and being progressive, least you fall pray to apathy. After all the leagues’ format hasn’t always been this way right? Therefore it follows there’s always room to consider improvements. For example I agree about the issue of playing the same two teams eight times. It seems ludicrous to me and not in the interest of fans. A whopping sixteen games of the Wolves schedule are against two teams. Why do we only see London once and worse Ottawa once who are in the same conference!?
I’m not going to go into alternatives at this point but suffice to say I would bet less people than you think share your opinion. The only constant is change my friend.

The only thing that would improve my game experience would be ice dancers clearing the snow at the 10 minute mark .

Oh and my Attack being perennial winners and becoming the wrath of all other fans.

 

[youngblood10]

The league has it's issues. But it's infrastructure and the huge cost of that is publicly funded. Enough municipalities will continue to spend tax payers money to keep a tenant in those buildings always allowing the league to survive, despite good or bad management.
If the team owners had to pay out of pocket for their own facilities to house their teams, it's a failed business and would be gone tomorrow.

 

[icepups]

on a more serious note, the icedogs fans who think that this punishment is unfair are trying to give any reason other than that for why the league is in shambles regardless of if it makes sense or not

Looks like it is just one Niagara fan. But hey, why not continue to lump us all in together if it helps you to make your point.

 

[tbkght77]

Looks like it is just one Niagara fan. But hey, why not continue to lump us all in together if it helps you to make your point.

I didn’t read the OP saying ALL. Simply referring to those that do.

 

[three dog night]

Never said the sanctions were unfair just a vague reason given.

 

[MatthewsMoustache]

Looks like it is just one Niagara fan. But hey, why not continue to lump us all in together if it helps you to make your point.

are you making it 2 whiny ice dogs fans

 

[BadgerBruce]

To get back to the original topic ....

The OHL is anything but “in trouble” financially.

Just consider, for instance, that according to 2016 CRA records and Smith Forensics, arguably the most highly respected forensic accounting firm in Ontario:

The current Niagara Ice Dogs owners purchased the club for $4.75 million.

In 2016, the team reported $4.6 million in revenue — almost the amount they paid to purchase the team 9 years earlier.

That’s mind boggling.

Also in 2016, ownership spent $94,000 on “Entertainment and Meals” and $167,000 to lease 4 or 5 BMW luxury vehicles.

That’s more than the $250K fine they just received, a fine that does not necessarily need to be paid in a one-time lump sum.

In 2016 the owners paid out extraordinarily high salaries to themselves and more family members than I can count, self-issued a $300K dividend to themselves, and still had close to $750K left.

They literally could not find ways to spend all of the money.

Not every team is like the IceDogs, but a quick review of 2016 financial statements suggests that a relatively small number of owners over-extended themselves when they acquired the clubs and now have to actually pay for their purchases. Yes, it sucks to have a mortgage but if you want to own a $10 million home and only have $1 million, the bill has to be paid eventually.

So finance is not a significant problem in the OHL today. Nobody is filing for bankruptcy protection.

But there is an elephant in the room nobody wants to acknowledge.

When Dave Branch became the Commissioner of the OHL in 1979:

1. Gordie Howe was an active player
2. Wayne Gretzky was finishing his rookie season in the WHA
3. John Ziegler was NHL president
4. Bobby Orr was 1 season into retirement
5. Joe Clark was Canada’s PM
6. Jimmy Carter was US president
7. Margaret Thatcher was UK Prime Minister
8. Sony released the first Walkman
9. Pink Floyd issued “The Wall.”
10. IBM was a year away from introducing the first desktop computer.

See where I’m going with this?

The primary “trouble” facing the OHL moving forward is leadership.

If succession planning exists, I’m not aware of it, though I do have my “family compact” suspicions and hope that I’m wrong. I don’t see a Bill Daly type anywhere in the wings.

Frankly, if Branch had stepped down in year Y2K, he would have put in 21 years — who would believe that he’d still be at the helm 19 years after that? This is now approaching Fidel Castro-ish tenure.

Branch was 31 when he left his posts as OHA secretary and CAHA board member to take the reigns of the OMJHL, and in relatively short order he took the league out of both governing bodies and consolidated his control. Today, not a single OHL board member from 1979 remains — just Branch. Even Sherry Bassin finally cashed out (financially) a few years ago.

Who will replace Branch?

This matters. A lot. The OHL bylaws provide immense authority to the Commissioner, and someone else is going to possess this authority sooner rather than later.

 

[Otto]

To get back to the original topic ....

The OHL is anything but “in trouble” financially.

Just consider, for instance, that according to 2016 CRA records and Smith Forensics, arguably the most highly respected forensic accounting firm in Ontario:

The current Niagara Ice Dogs owners purchased the club for $4.75 million.

In 2016, the team reported $4.6 million in revenue — almost the amount they paid to purchase the team 9 years earlier.

That’s mind boggling.

Also in 2016, ownership spent $94,000 on “Entertainment and Meals” and $167,000 to lease 4 or 5 BMW luxury vehicles.

That’s more than the $250K fine they just received, a fine that does not necessarily need to be paid in a one-time lump sum.

In 2016 the owners paid out extraordinarily high salaries to themselves and more family members than I can count, self-issued a $300K dividend to themselves, and still had close to $750K left.

They literally could not find ways to spend all of the money.

Not every team is like the IceDogs, but a quick review of 2016 financial statements suggests that a relatively small number of owners over-extended themselves when they acquired the clubs and now have to actually pay for their purchases. Yes, it sucks to have a mortgage but if you want to own a $10 million home and only have $1 million, the bill has to be paid eventually.

So finance is not a significant problem in the OHL today. Nobody is filing for bankruptcy protection.

But there is an elephant in the room nobody wants to acknowledge.

When Dave Branch became the Commissioner of the OHL in 1979:

1. Gordie Howe was an active player
2. Wayne Gretzky was finishing his rookie season in the WHA
3. John Ziegler was NHL president
4. Bobby Orr was 1 season into retirement
5. Joe Clark was Canada’s PM
6. Jimmy Carter was US president
7. Margaret Thatcher was UK Prime Minister
8. Sony released the first Walkman
9. Pink Floyd issued “The Wall.”
10. IBM was a year away from introducing the first desktop computer.

See where I’m going with this?

The primary “trouble” facing the OHL moving forward is leadership.

If succession planning exists, I’m not aware of it, though I do have my “family compact” suspicions and hope that I’m wrong. I don’t see a Bill Daly type anywhere in the wings.

Frankly, if Branch had stepped down in year Y2K, he would have put in 21 years — who would believe that he’d still be at the helm 19 years after that? This is now approaching Fidel Castro-ish tenure.

Branch was 31 when he left his posts as OHA secretary and CAHA board member to take the reigns of the OMJHL, and in relatively short order he took the league out of both governing bodies and consolidated his control. Today, not a single OHL board member from 1979 remains — just Branch. Even Sherry Bassin finally cashed out (financially) a few years ago.

Who will replace Branch?

This matters. A lot. The OHL bylaws provide immense authority to the Commissioner, and someone else is going to possess this authority sooner rather than later.

If the teams thought Branch was an issue then the BOG would have removed him.

 

[Savard18]

To get back to the original topic ....

The OHL is anything but “in trouble” financially.

Just consider, for instance, that according to 2016 CRA records and Smith Forensics, arguably the most highly respected forensic accounting firm in Ontario:

The current Niagara Ice Dogs owners purchased the club for $4.75 million.

In 2016, the team reported $4.6 million in revenue — almost the amount they paid to purchase the team 9 years earlier.

That’s mind boggling.

Also in 2016, ownership spent $94,000 on “Entertainment and Meals” and $167,000 to lease 4 or 5 BMW luxury vehicles.

That’s more than the $250K fine they just received, a fine that does not necessarily need to be paid in a one-time lump sum.

In 2016 the owners paid out extraordinarily high salaries to themselves and more family members than I can count, self-issued a $300K dividend to themselves, and still had close to $750K left.

They literally could not find ways to spend all of the money.

Not every team is like the IceDogs, but a quick review of 2016 financial statements suggests that a relatively small number of owners over-extended themselves when they acquired the clubs and now have to actually pay for their purchases. Yes, it sucks to have a mortgage but if you want to own a $10 million home and only have $1 million, the bill has to be paid eventually.

So finance is not a significant problem in the OHL today. Nobody is filing for bankruptcy protection.

But there is an elephant in the room nobody wants to acknowledge.

When Dave Branch became the Commissioner of the OHL in 1979:

1. Gordie Howe was an active player
2. Wayne Gretzky was finishing his rookie season in the WHA
3. John Ziegler was NHL president
4. Bobby Orr was 1 season into retirement
5. Joe Clark was Canada’s PM
6. Jimmy Carter was US president
7. Margaret Thatcher was UK Prime Minister
8. Sony released the first Walkman
9. Pink Floyd issued “The Wall.”
10. IBM was a year away from introducing the first desktop computer.

See where I’m going with this?

The primary “trouble” facing the OHL moving forward is leadership.

If succession planning exists, I’m not aware of it, though I do have my “family compact” suspicions and hope that I’m wrong. I don’t see a Bill Daly type anywhere in the wings.

Frankly, if Branch had stepped down in year Y2K, he would have put in 21 years — who would believe that he’d still be at the helm 19 years after that? This is now approaching Fidel Castro-ish tenure.

Branch was 31 when he left his posts as OHA secretary and CAHA board member to take the reigns of the OMJHL, and in relatively short order he took the league out of both governing bodies and consolidated his control. Today, not a single OHL board member from 1979 remains — just Branch. Even Sherry Bassin finally cashed out (financially) a few years ago.

Who will replace Branch?

This matters. A lot. The OHL bylaws provide immense authority to the Commissioner, and someone else is going to possess this authority sooner rather than later.

11. I was starting kindergarten.

 

[BadgerBruce]

If the teams thought Branch was an issue then the BOG would have removed him.

Sigh.

There is a power above a corporate board, ok? The back 9 of life sneaks up on us all.

 

[Otto]

Sigh.

There is a power above a corporate board, ok? The back 9 of life sneaks up on us all.

Ohhhh.. is Big Foot involved as well? Are they also suppressing a cure for cancer?

 

[icepups]

are you making it 2 whiny ice dogs fans

 

[General Zodd]

This is a chicken little thread. The Ice Dogs get sanctioned for whatever reason and all of a sudden the sky is falling and the whole league is going down the tube. The OHL is a unique sport. We are lucky to have such highly skilled junior hockey to watch at a fairly reasonable price. Some of these players are able to either step into the NHL or do so after a couple of years. For passionate hockey fans this is a great league.

Those of you that weren't around in the 70's & 80's missed some great old time hockey. Back then you could actually make a hit without fear of a penalty. Play was thrilling and the skill evel was the bomb. Today's OHL has changed for the worse as there is too much parity. It has almost become the no fun league. The skill level is not there. Only a superstar once every 5 year's or so.

Only the London Knights have been consistently good and offer a in-game experience similar to a mini NHL environment.

This year the only teams worth watching are London, Niagara, Ottawa and Guelph!

 

[bobber]

Those of you that weren't around in the 70's & 80's missed some great old time hockey. Back then you could actually make a hit without fear of a penalty. Play was thrilling and the skill evel was the bomb. Today's OHL has changed for the worse as there is too much parity. It has almost become the no fun league. The skill level is not there. Only a superstar once every 5 year's or so.

Only the London Knights have been consistently good and offer a in-game experience similar to a mini NHL environment.

This year the only teams worth watching are London, Niagara, Ottawa and Guelph!

People say I am so old I was Gordie Howe's peewee coach. Seen it all.

 

[Otto]

Those of you that weren't around in the 70's & 80's missed some great old time hockey. Back then you could actually make a hit without fear of a penalty. Play was thrilling and the skill evel was the bomb. Today's OHL has changed for the worse as there is too much parity. It has almost become the no fun league. The skill level is not there. Only a superstar once every 5 year's or so.

Only the London Knights have been consistently good and offer a in-game experience similar to a mini NHL environment.

This year the only teams worth watching are London, Niagara, Ottawa and Guelph!

So now we have seen in this thread that not enough parity and too much parity are the reasons for the OHL being in trouble

 

[Drop the Puck]

This year the only teams worth watching are London, Niagara, Ottawa and Guelph!

Only when they are playing each other. Who likes 10-0 and 9-0 hockey games?

Three seasons, pre-trade deadline, post-trade deadline, then the real season starts.
Most of the post-trade deadline games are awful to watch.

It’s no fun watching team run up the score, fans head for the exits.