Possible new ECHL franchises 2015-16 season

[Royalsflagrunner77]

I was hear possibly OKC interest.

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[CrazyEddie20]

With three months to go until training camp, that's really not going to happen.

 

[GindyDraws]

Yeah, sudden changes aren't likely, unless it's an extreme case like the CHL merger last year.

 

[Sports Enthusiast]

Its not like anybody has anyone signed though.

 

[SemireliableSource]

Possible new franchises for this fall: no one.

There's a lot more to starting a team than no other teams having anyone signed yet. There's whole being behind the eight ball and in a massive time crunch to get things going when you start this late.

 

[Thunder God]

3 New Teams are

Adirondack Thunder
Manchester Monarchs
Norfolk Admirals

 

[Duke Guy]

With 28 teams I know the league has set a goal to reach 30 as soon as possible to match the NHL & AHL.

 

[CrazyEddie20]

With 28 teams I know the league has set a goal to reach 30 as soon as possible to match the NHL & AHL.

No, the goal is not to have 30 teams as soon as possible. The goal is to ultimately have 30 viable, stable teams - which means taking it slow and doing it right, not adding teams hastily to get to 30 "as soon as possible."

 

[Sports Enthusiast]

They don't even have 28 viable teams. I'm telling you eventually you'll see the weak franchises in the AHL and the ECHL go away and you'll see one league called the AHL with the 30 best whatever franchises before you ever see the 30-30-30 junk. Teams don't want or need an E team that badly.

 

[Predarat]

Please get OKC in there soon, the tri city rivalry of OKC, Tulsa, Wichita was awesome in the 90s and early 2000s.

 

[Sports Enthusiast]

OKC has one of the best teams in the NBA. The people would rather see that than AA hockey.

 

[Francis10]

OKC has one of the best teams in the NBA. The people would rather see that than AA hockey.

Hockey has a long history in OKC well before the Thunder came. Don't they have 2 arenas there? I'm sure thy could get 4000-5000 die hards per night with ECHL team.

 

[Baronsfan]

OKC has one of the best teams in the NBA. The people would rather see that than AA hockey.

Obviously, but I'm pretty sure majority of people in other markets would rather watch the NBA than AA hockey. The OKC market has become saturated and hockey now has more competition here, but it's my opinion that an organization that Funk (prodigal) isn't involved in, and a handful of home dates playing natural rivals Tulsa/Wichita/Eagles etc. that fans will remember from CHL days has a much better chance to succeed.

 

[Bigfreedy]

How come Worcester isn't at least explored? They averaged 3000+ per game and are vacant since the Sharks sent them back to California.

OKC is a natural imo.

 

[Clinton Comets EHL]

How come Worcester isn't at least explored? They averaged 3000+ per game and are vacant since the Sharks sent them back to California.

OKC is a natural imo.

Simple.

No ownership group.

 

[GindyDraws]

OKC has one of the best teams in the NBA. The people would rather see that than AA hockey.

That's the only pro team in town. We all know about your hatred of the ECHL, but it could succeed in OKC.

 

[Sports Enthusiast]

That's the only pro team in town. We all know about your hatred of the ECHL, but it could succeed in OKC.

You have to realize certain cities in the country are more into college than pro. You certainly could argue OKC loves its college athletics.

This thread has gotten into the "well how about this place" just because they could doesn't mean they should. League is big enough now. Really need contraction but these days everyone believes that anywhere that could, should have a team.

 

[Nightsquad]

OKC has one of the best teams in the NBA. The people would rather see that than AA hockey.

There ya go again, prior to the AHL arrival OKC was in the top five of attendance in minor league hockey. The sad part was it was the AHL is the best minor pro attitude that just presumed AHL was going to be a success in OKC. Before at the AA level OKC has nearby rivals, controlled with local loyal ownership, not a destiny controlled by the NHL club. Nothing wrong at all with AA hockey if it is done to the liking of the local fans and maintains a local identity.

 

[Nightsquad]

You have to realize certain cities in the country are more into college than pro. You certainly could argue OKC loves its college athletics.

This thread has gotten into the "well how about this place" just because they could doesn't mean they should. League is big enough now. Really need contraction but these days everyone believes that anywhere that could, should have a team.

Contract, why? If a city has the support, good arena, good economic sustainability then why not grow. Doesn't make sense not to. Just because one individual doesn't like a certain number of teams.

 

[Sports Enthusiast]

Contract, why? If a city has the support, good arena, good economic sustainability then why not grow. Doesn't make sense not to. Just because one individual doesn't like a certain number of teams.

This league has it's head up its butt. There's franchises like Wheeling and Elmira who bleed red badly every year. Then they absorbed some questionable CHL markets(like Quad City) and yeah I'm not surprised the CHL teams had better attendance in 2015 than 2014 but when the novelty of being in the league wears off let's see if that remains.

 

[Sports Enthusiast]

There ya go again, prior to the AHL arrival OKC was in the top five of attendance in minor league hockey. The sad part was it was the AHL is the best minor pro attitude that just presumed AHL was going to be a success in OKC. Before at the AA level OKC has nearby rivals, controlled with local loyal ownership, not a destiny controlled by the NHL club. Nothing wrong at all with AA hockey if it is done to the liking of the local fans and maintains a local identity.

AA hockey being what it should be died the day this league decided to get in bed with the affiliate game.

 

[Predarat]

There ya go again, prior to the AHL arrival OKC was in the top five of attendance in minor league hockey. The sad part was it was the AHL is the best minor pro attitude that just presumed AHL was going to be a success in OKC. Before at the AA level OKC has nearby rivals, controlled with local loyal ownership, not a destiny controlled by the NHL club. Nothing wrong at all with AA hockey if it is done to the liking of the local fans and maintains a local identity.

Pretty much every weekend game at the Incomparable Myriad was a sellout, or close to it and that arena seated around 14K if I remember correctly. Even with the Thunder I think they can be viable in the ECHL.

 

[PCSPounder]

AA hockey being what it should be died the day this league decided to get in bed with the affiliate game.

Except it seems the other self-proclaimed "AA" leagues are the dead ones. So I question that "affiliations" should, in any way whatsoever, be included in the same sentence with the word "dead" in the meaning you prescribed.

Now maybe the NHL would rather be in the junior hockey business. Then you can pretty much write off the ECHL. But I see no indications of this happening (thing being I'm not so sure it shouldn't happen).

 

[Speed]

Simple.

No LOCAL ownership group.

Slight correction.

 

[Sports Enthusiast]

Except it seems the other self-proclaimed "AA" leagues are the dead ones. So I question that "affiliations" should, in any way whatsoever, be included in the same sentence with the word "dead" in the meaning you prescribed.

Now maybe the NHL would rather be in the junior hockey business. Then you can pretty much write off the ECHL. But I see no indications of this happening (thing being I'm not so sure it shouldn't happen).

Speaking of that...I have noticed in the past some teams do have logos of NHL teams. Kitchener Rangers for example. They have the rangers logo on a patch on their jersey. Rangers isn't an uncommon name but why is the logo the same?