St. Charles Missouri Future

mk80

Registered User
Jul 30, 2012
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The Family Arena in St. Charles, MO just went up for sale. Previously it has hosted the UHL Missouri River Otters in the late 90s early 2000s, and the most recent one and done year St. Charles Chill in 2013.

I work for a tenant of the building now, and while we don't know the company that has submitted the offer to purchase the building, or the amount offered, etc. according to people with the arena the company has talked about bringing in pro hockey. That's the insider knowledge as I know it, and will be interested to follow. Hockey, especially with the Chill hasn't exactly worked well, but maybe a hockey tenant owned by the arena operator could fair a tad better.

St. Charles County looks to sell Family Arena
 

CrazyEddie20

Hey RuZZia - Cut Your Losses and Go Home.
Jun 26, 2007
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Hahahaha! The Chill.

Remember when that "reporter" predicted on here that they'd be around for a "long time?" How'd that work out?

St. Louis is an NHL market. Good luck to whoever buys that white elephant.
 

mk80

Registered User
Jul 30, 2012
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Hahahaha! The Chill.

Remember when that "reporter" predicted on here that they'd be around for a "long time?" How'd that work out?

St. Louis is an NHL market. Good luck to whoever buys that white elephant.

Anybody paying attention could see the Chill were doomed from the start, failing league desperately needing a team, team announced then abandoned with no communication for months, the league forced the [KC] Mavericks to take over operations at about this point in the summer before that season, high ticket prices for that level, competition from the Blues, etc. I went to a handful of games as it was better for my college budget at the time, and I was probably 1 of maybe 100 people in attendance at some. Best crowd I saw was two occasions where they realistically drew about 1,000 but that was two times I saw out of 12 games. I can't imagine the other games I didn't go to were much better.

Minor league hockey isn't a good fit in my opinion for the FA (Family Arena), however I will say that a team owned by the arena owners could certainly do better than the Chill, although it doesn't take much for that. Realistically the average drop count (physical butts in seats) for hockey at Family Arena should be in the 2k-2,500 range, that's certainly not a good number by any means. But I think the plan for this company is to bring in those crowds and sell some overpriced food and alcohol for 30 or so dates, and make their money by bringing in other shows and events for the off dates. Again I'm just trying to pass along what I've heard for discussion, that being said I've also heard they are talking about hockey and NBA D-League too, I have no idea what the viability is for D-League basketball as I don't follow any basketball other than my old college team.
 

CHRDANHUTCH

Registered User
Mar 4, 2002
35,232
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Auburn, Maine
Anybody paying attention could see the Chill were doomed from the start, failing league desperately needing a team, team announced then abandoned with no communication for months, the league forced the [KC] Mavericks to take over operations at about this point in the summer before that season, high ticket prices for that level, competition from the Blues, etc. I went to a handful of games as it was better for my college budget at the time, and I was probably 1 of maybe 100 people in attendance at some. Best crowd I saw was two occasions where they realistically drew about 1,000 but that was two times I saw out of 12 games. I can't imagine the other games I didn't go to were much better.

Minor league hockey isn't a good fit in my opinion for the FA (Family Arena), however I will say that a team owned by the arena owners could certainly do better than the Chill, although it doesn't take much for that. Realistically the average drop count (physical butts in seats) for hockey at Family Arena should be in the 2k-2,500 range, that's certainly not a good number by any means. But I think the plan for this company is to bring in those crowds and sell some overpriced food and alcohol for 30 or so dates, and make their money by bringing in other shows and events for the off dates. Again I'm just trying to pass along what I've heard for discussion, that being said I've also heard they are talking about hockey and NBA D-League too, I have no idea what the viability is for D-League basketball as I don't follow any basketball other than my old college team.
you're likely not getting a G-League team in Missouri, they follow the same formula, mk, The only real true NBA Team out there that hasn't got an affiliate is Denver.... pretty much most of the region is set with Minnesota being in Des Moines with both the Wild/Wolves..... Portland IS looking at Vancouver and New Orleans is looking at either Shreveport or Pensacola to place an affiliate or starting a franchise in the G-League
 
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Captain Crash

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Apr 9, 2015
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Totally spit-pucking here... but it reminds me a bit of how Evansville ended up in the SPHL. St. Charles wouldn't be a terrible geographic fit for the SPHL these days, either.
 

mk80

Registered User
Jul 30, 2012
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I'm still trying to find a St. Charles Chill logo puck. I could not get anyone from the team to help me out at that time.
Sounds about right, I sent them some emails asking about internships and never heard back.
 

JMCx4

Censorship is the Sincerest Form of Flattery
Sep 3, 2017
13,476
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St. Louis, MO
I'm still trying to find a St. Charles Chill logo puck. I could not get anyone from the team to help me out at that time.
I've got one from their opening press conference. Subject to HF Boards restrictions ... what's your bid price? :)

... St. Louis is an NHL market. Good luck to whoever buys that white elephant.
Though I'm probably closer & a bit more sympathetic to the situation, I agree with Eddie on these points. Without a clear & sustained tie to The Blues (which the Chill sought & failed to foster), no minor pro nor upper tier junior league will ever succeed in St. Louis Metro in my remaining lifetime. The money-paying hockey fan base is simply too small to support a sub-NHL team, and the location & reputation of The Fam' makes it unsuitable to turn that all around.
 
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JMCx4

Censorship is the Sincerest Form of Flattery
Sep 3, 2017
13,476
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St. Louis, MO
What does the puck look like? I have seen about 2-3 different ones for that team.
Early version, not like the game pucks that I saw later.
 

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sbkbghockey

Registered User
Aug 26, 2008
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at the ice rink, USA
I've got one from their opening press conference. Subject to HF Boards restrictions ... what's your bid price? :)


Though I'm probably closer & a bit more sympathetic to the situation, I agree with Eddie on these points. Without a clear & sustained tie to The Blues (which the Chill sought & failed to foster), no minor pro nor upper tier junior league will ever succeed in St. Louis Metro in my remaining lifetime. The money-paying hockey fan base is simply too small to support a sub-NHL team, and the location & reputation of The Fam' makes it unsuitable to turn that all around.

I think a NAHL or USHL team could work, St. Louis hockey community is savvy enough to be excited about watching future D1 hockey and NHL prospects. Minor pro lower than the AHL is almost entirely "has beens" with little or no chance of making NHL. Yes there are some great stories, mostly goaltending log jams. There's also a major caveat is that if NAHL or USHL return to STL with a proper facility and management team, it's going to be at the new Blues backed ice center project across from St. Charles in Maryland Hts.

In addition to how the Chill and minor league teams in STL have been managed, the biggest problem with the Family Arena, is that the Fam is way to close to support minor pro hockey with the NHL a 20-30 min drive downtown STL. The metro area is too tightly packed. Minor pro works in cities like NYC/Northeast Megalopolis, NW sububurban Chi, and in Cali, because those metro areas are so spread out, traffic sucks, expensive tolls, etc... In addition, the Blues are still a fairly reasonable ticket price and parking price. Some other markets, the major league sports are so high priced that the minor league teams are 1) easier to access and 2) significantly cheaper for families.
 

JMCx4

Censorship is the Sincerest Form of Flattery
Sep 3, 2017
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St. Louis, MO
@sbkbghockey: You present valid points, but one condition you've overlooked is the Metro STL cultural divide that is geographically represented by the Missouri River. Residents on either side are biased against mingling with the others, and hesitant to cross the bridges between the two counties. So unless a sports team housed at The Fam' can develop & sustain a fan base largely located in St. Charles & the surrounding St. Chas. county north & west of the MO River, they will struggle with attendance just like previous attempts. Juniors would fair no better in St. Charles than they have in the Chesterfield Valley (Sting, Eagles, Bandits).
 

mk80

Registered User
Jul 30, 2012
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Lindenwood adds D1 men's hockey.
Boom.
Tenant.
2000-2500 fans.
Problem solved.
(yes, I know this isn't going to happen).

Actually Lindenwood has partnered with the Blues to play at their new practice facility (currently under construction) no word on whether the Men's team will become D1, I can tell you the school has some Title IX issues currently with more men's than women's athletic percentage, which would present the biggest issue adding men's NCAA D1 hockey.

Here's the article: Lindenwood Finds New Home in St. Louis Community Ice Center

The facility will have a 2-3k seat arena which it has been mentioned would be for a USHL team, however that was before Lindenwood partnered with them, since then no word about the USHL.
 

JMCx4

Censorship is the Sincerest Form of Flattery
Sep 3, 2017
13,476
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St. Louis, MO
... The (St. Louis Community Ice) facility will have a 2-3k seat arena which it has been mentioned would be for a USHL team, however that was before Lindenwood partnered with them, since then no word about the USHL.
Actually, nothing has been mentioned publicly a/b the possible St. Louis USHL franchise since well before the interrupted attempt at establishing the ice complex in Creve Coeur Lake Park. I'm thinkin' that idea was DOA, just like the park land tree clearing efforts that brought the conservationists into the conversation.
 

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