News Article: The Edmonton Rush moving to Saskatoon

[joestevens29]

Yep, i bet the OEG brings it in. Maybe they don't because of the junior team but i think Calgary made it pretty apparent the market is there without taking anything away from hockey. What's sad is we had a team built for continued dominance after years of building it up to this point and we'll have to go through some lean years again.

By the sounds of it I doubt we'll ever see a team like this again. However the current Rush may not last themselves. Don't players reject Cities in the NLL? Didn't we get rejected at one time? What's to say guys are going to want to play in Saskatoon?

This might not just hurt the people that would've cheered for the Rush in Edmonton, but the Rush going forward could fall apart.

 

[Samus44]

By the sounds of it I doubt we'll ever see a team like this again. However the current Rush may not last themselves. Don't players reject Cities in the NLL? Didn't we get rejected at one time? What's to say guys are going to want to play in Saskatoon?

This might not just hurt the people that would've cheered for the Rush in Edmonton, but the Rush going forward could fall apart.

If a player was willing to play in Edmonton why the heck not Saskatoon?

 

[McHilman]

EDMONTON RUSH RELOCATE
07/20/2015, 1:30pm MDT
By The Edmonton Rush
Bruce Urban, Owner/Governor of the Edmonton Rush Lacrosse Club, announced today that the franchise will relocate from Edmonton to Saskatoon and be known as the Saskatchewan Rush.

The Rush applied to the National Lacrosse League to relocate and received approval from the NLL Board of Governors.

This move takes effect immediately and the Saskatchewan Rush will be part of the 2016 National Lacrosse League season.

“This is a day of mixed emotions as we are very excited about what is to come in Saskatchewan, but at the same time, we are saddened to leave our outstanding Edmonton fans,†said Urban.

“However, I sincerely hope the great fans of Rush Nation will continue to follow the team into Saskatchewan for 2016 and help join in the celebration of the Champion’s Cup season.â€

Through 10 years in Edmonton, Urban was committed to building professional lacrosse, but without the ability to secure a long-term arena option, the only choice remaining was to relocate.

“I would like to thank our fans, friends, and corporate partners. Without them, the Rush would not have survived long enough to celebrate our 10th anniversary,†added Urban.

“We had an incredible end to the 2015 season, and our loyal and passionate fans were a big reason for that. But this is a business decision and it is in our best interest for the continuing future of the franchise to move to Saskatchewan.â€

The Saskatchewan Rush will play out of the SaskTel Centre, home to the Western Hockey League’s Saskatoon Blades, and seating 15,100 for hockey and lacrosse.

http://www.edmontonrush.com/news_article/show/535902?referrer_id=698126

 

[joestevens29]

If a player was willing to play in Edmonton why the heck not Saskatoon?

Smaller city, playing in front of smaller crowds? Tougher city to get to, not sure if the team pays for their flight from their homes or not. Harder city to relocate to if you do decide to bring your family.

 

[Gord]

http://www.edmontonrush.com/news_article/show/535902?referrer_id=698126

"Through 10 years in Edmonton, Urban was committed to building professional lacrosse, but without the ability to secure a long-term arena option, the only choice remaining was to relocate."

really?

should read
"without the ability to sucessfully petition the city for no strings funding, nor the inclination to engage the community, Urban is going to take his ball and go home."

 

[Tyrolean]

Can we move this thread out of sight? It sickens me to to reminded we lost a championship frnachise.

 

[Playa Hejda]

Can we move this thread out of sight? It sickens me to to reminded we lost a championship frnachise.

Nope! Discussion needs to be discussed. Speaking of, where is the Capitals thread and when will Edmonton be getting its championship baseball team back?

 

[Philly85*]

Sorry I just don't care at all...

 

[PBandJ]

It seems like the EIG had the same issues. Even Northlands seems to have the same issues. The one constant with the Oilers would've been Laforge, but he's now gone too.

Just seems like Urban was out of his element and didn't realize he isn't the big fish.

And ultimately, if you're going to try and pull the power moves Bruce was trying to pull, you better be a real big fish. Bruce ****ed this up pretty badly, unfortunately.

 

[SK13]

Edmonton is not a sports town. It's never been a sports town, it will never be a sports town.

It's an Oilers town.

 

[guymez]

Edmonton is not a sports town. It's never been a sports town, it will never be a sports town.

It's an Oilers town.

/thread.

 

[Dimensha]

Edmonton is not a sports town. It's never been a sports town, it will never be a sports town.

It's an Oilers town.

I would say its an Oilers town and an event town. People usually come out in droves for the big one off or short events as well. Outside of that it seems even the Eskimos are having a tougher time drawing crowds like they used to.

 

[iCanada]

Can we move this thread out of sight? It sickens me to to reminded we lost a championship frnachise.

Makes me kind of sad... but at the same time they played music during play...



That **** was such a huge turn off for me. If they turned the damn radio off I'd have likely been a STH.

 

[Hockey Nightmare]

Edmonton is not a sports town. It's never been a sports town, it will never be a sports town.

It's an Oilers town.

Bull. We're a town that likes some sports/teams over other sports/teams. Just like every other city.

We'd still have the Trappers if the Powers That Be hadn't sold us out. And if other cities in Western Canada could support their own teams we'd be watching pro baseball in Edmonton this summer.

Attendance at Eskimos games is still almost always the league highest despite drops in recent years. It just never seems that way because our stadium is so frickin' huge.

International organizations like bringing their events here because they know we'll get behind them.

 

[Gord]

Can we move this thread out of sight? It sickens me to to reminded we lost a championship frnachise.

you could always just put the thread on ignore.
We didn't lose it. Urban threw it away.

that being said, I wonder how many people going boo hoo about the team leaving actually went to games on a regular basis.

 

[Beerfish]

you could always just put the thread on ignore.
We didn't lose it. Urban threw it away.

that being said, I wonder how many people going boo hoo about the team leaving actually went to games on a regular basis.

Same people that were going boo hoo when the oilers were drawing 12,000 and in real jeopardy I would imagine.

Sport I like, justify almost any behavior. Sport I don't care about? Who cares it was their own fault.

 

[Samus44]

Bull. We're a town that likes some sports/teams over other sports/teams. Just like every other city.

We'd still have the Trappers if the Powers That Be hadn't sold us out. And if other cities in Western Canada could support their own teams we'd be watching pro baseball in Edmonton this summer.

Attendance at Eskimos games is still almost always the league highest despite drops in recent years. It just never seems that way because our stadium is so frickin' huge.

International organizations like bringing their events here because they know we'll get behind them.

It's unfortunate but the reality is the PCL wanted us out, all of the surrounding teams like the Cannons in Calgary had moved so Edmonton was a massive commute relative to the rest of the league.

But i agree Edmonton supports our sports just fine, we just don't have a lot of time for semi pro leagues. The Rush wasn't really all that strongly promoted or covered, i also think the Oilers were trying to keep them down as they viewed them as a rival to them and even more so the Oil Kings. I think Lacrosse can thrive here, it's really sad that he would move the team right now if he had an option for a lease for a season or two he could have made it a much stronger brand coming off a championship.

 

[MoneyGuy]

If a player was willing to play in Edmonton why the heck not Saskatoon?

I've already heard that some players aren't happy about Saskatoon because of the difficulty in getting there and having to take more time off of work for travel.

It really sucks losing the best team in the league.

 

[Samus44]

I've already heard that some players aren't happy about Saskatoon because of the difficulty in getting there and having to take more time off of work for travel.

It really sucks losing the best team in the league.

How is it any more difficult to get to? With most of the players in the East you'd think it would be a slightly shorter commute, they have an international airport. Saskatoon is just like a smaller Edmonton. I'll be honest if they were to go anywhere i'm glad it's Saskatoon.

It does suck.

 

[Playa Hejda]

How is it any more difficult to get to? With most of the players in the East you'd think it would be a slightly shorter commute, they have an international airport. Saskatoon is just like a smaller Edmonton. I'll be honest if they were to go anywhere i'm glad it's Saskatoon.

It does suck.

Most people have a very strong instinct to immediately hate change. I'm not sure where the home hotel for the Saskatchewan Rush will be, but it seems very convenient that the airport is literally across the street from the arena.

 

[Master Lok]

Edmonton is not a sports town. It's never been a sports town, it will never be a sports town.

It's an Oilers town.

Riiiight, because no one came to watch a sport and league that no one cared about in the first place.

Before the Rush came to town - how many people were demanding lacrosse come to town and were committed to buying tickets?

Why are you suprised then that they're leaving and now blaming the residents?

 

[Narnia]

Bull. We're a town that likes some sports/teams over other sports/teams. Just like every other city.

We'd still have the Trappers if the Powers That Be hadn't sold us out. And if other cities in Western Canada could support their own teams we'd be watching pro baseball in Edmonton this summer.

Attendance at Eskimos games is still almost always the league highest despite drops in recent years. It just never seems that way because our stadium is so frickin' huge.

International organizations like bringing their events here because they know we'll get behind them.

The PCL forced the Trappers out. The Eskimos owned the Trappers and the head of the PCL forced them to move saying that the other teams were too far away and the teams in MLB didn't want to be affiliated with a team that far away.

 

[Raab]

This was all politics. Katz want his own Lacrosse team and the city/Katz wasn't going to accommodate Urban to help him keep the team here. Edmonton will have another team within 5 years under the Rexall Sports and Entertainment group. Kind of ********, but what do you expect from a weasel like Iverson and a businessman like Katz?

 

[Supermassive]

The PCL forced the Trappers out. The Eskimos owned the Trappers and the head of the PCL forced them to move saying that the other teams were too far away and the teams in MLB didn't want to be affiliated with a team that far away.

I believe it had more to do with cost of travel, and moreso, securing Canadian work visas for every player in the league when only one team is Canadian. We can complain, but losing the Trappers was inevitable.

 

[Playa Hejda]

I believe it had more to do with cost of travel, and moreso, securing Canadian work visas for every player in the league when only one team is Canadian. We can complain, but losing the Trappers was inevitable.

My memory is fuzzy, but I'm almost certain the PCL created two different schedules for the 2005 season. One if the Trappers were sold and that featured 24 April home games if the Esks didn't sell.

The blame for the Trappers leaving is 100% on Calgary and Vancouver.