Sugar Land, Tx., NAHL expansion team

[Aero 75]

With the loss of the Houston Aeros still fresh on Houston hockey fans minds, news of an NAHL team possibly coming to Sugar Land, Tx. (30 miles SW of downtown Houston). If true, they better get busy now with renovations to the arena, because I don't think the current configuration allows for many fans.

http://blog.chron.com/hockeystop/2013/04/sugar-land-looks-to-bring-junior-hockey-team-to-town/

Click to read more...

 

[Slowe]

Sounds like it could be NAHL, NA3HL, or WSHL. Not exactly a replacement for AHL but good for junior hockey.

http://thejuniorhockeynews.com/?p=13688

 

[MinWild1]

Hopefully its at least the NAHL, Houston deserves better than the NA3HL and WSHL. Nothing wrong with thoughs two leagues, but Houston should have better quality hockey then that. Houston should have an AHL or ECHL team, if there gonna get junior hockey they should get one of the better junior leagues in the U.S.

 

[Aero 75]

Hopefully its at least the NAHL, Houston deserves better than the NA3HL and WSHL. Nothing wrong with thoughs two leagues, but Houston should have better quality hockey then that. Houston should have an AHL or ECHL team, if there gonna get junior hockey they should get one of the better junior leagues in the U.S.

Appears it will be NA3HL for Sugar Land, and to be honest, it would take more time than they have to update the arena to NAHL standards for next season. For comparison, Corpus Christi was 2nd in NAHL attendance at 3,300 per game. I can't see Sugar Land Ice coming close to that for capacity, but they should be OK for NA3HL with some refurbishments. I am just glad to finally see some junior hockey in the Houston area, and I will drive across town to catch a few games.

Although Sugar Land is a suburb of Houston, I wouldn't say this is a replacement for the Aeros. Houston needs to build a new arena, specific for a hockey team, before AHL (or ECHL) hockey returns to Houston. That's just the way it has to be, so Houston's hockey fans don't have to say goodbye to our team again. Not going to be an easy task, and it will be several years, before that happens.

 

[Aero 75]

The Sugar Land Imperials are now set to begin play this fall, and will be part of the South Division of the NA3HL, along with Euless, Tx., McKinney, Tx., and Topeka, Ks.

http://na3hl.com/news/story.cfm?id=8806

https://twitter.com/SLIHockey

 

[Aero 75]

Sugar Land Imperials preview.

http://na3hl.com/news/story.cfm?id=8997

http://texashockeynews.myfastforum.org/forum30.php

I suppose it's a good thing that “The demand for tickets has already reached the point that we are planning to expand our facilities seating capacity in the next year.”