News Article: VGK purchase AHL team from San Antonio, UPD BOG approved

[LadyStanley]

Of course they fly unless it's a short bus ride away. It's not like low level minor league baseball, the AHL pays rather well, just not the millions the NHL does. ECHL is the league that needs the bus rides, those guys make nothing.

They'll drive to Bakersfield (~4 hours), Ontario, Palm Springs (Seattle's AHL affiliate), and probably San Diego. Tucson is 9+ hours; San Jose 9+ hours; Stockton ~9 hours; maybe they'll fly, maybe they'll drive.


Sounds like they'll practice at new Henderson facility, but play at Orleans.

 

[Knightmare]

You got Vegas Golden Knights
Las Vegas Raiders.
They should go with Nevada Silver Knights.

or maybe perhaps the Pahrump Bunny Ranchers

 

[IceNeophyte]

You got Vegas Golden Knights
Las Vegas Raiders.
They should go with Nevada Silver Knights.

or maybe perhaps the Pahrump Bunny Ranchers

The Hendertucky Hicks

 

[theslatcher]

Golden Knights looking to buy AHL club and move it to Las Vegas

AHL President/CEO Dave Andrews officially announced Foley's desire to purchase an AHL franchise and relocate it to LV.

Now, to see which independently owned franchise owner is willing to sell.

That's wrong. Andrews made a guess at Vegas as one of the options for where it could be.

Don't be shocked if it'll be in Salt Lake.

 

[Vegan Knight]

That's wrong. Andrews made a guess at Vegas as one of the options for where it could be.

Don't be shocked if it'll be in Salt Lake.

There have been more reports since that confirm he wants it at the Orleans for a few seasons while he builds a new arena in Henderson and they play there.

He's also wanted an indoor lacrosse team, and that would be super cheap and fill dates at an arena so I imagine he could get that also.

 

[GKG18]

I like the whole Henderson Silver Knights thing, even though it's a mouthful. Would they draw at Orleans? Are there enough hockey fans to make an AHL franchise here profitable? Do more people want to find out that Foley teams are overpriced and fans undervalued? Who would broadcast the games (and would anyone watch)? So many questions.

 

[Vegan Knight]

I like the whole Henderson Silver Knights thing, even though it's a mouthful. Would they draw at Orleans? Are there enough hockey fans to make an AHL franchise here profitable? Do more people want to find out that Foley teams are overpriced and fans undervalued? Who would broadcast the games (and would anyone watch)? So many questions.

There are probably at least 2,000-3,000 VGK "whales" who they can farm for season tickets to both teams every season no matter the price. I think 2,000 or so other fans would trickle into games that would cost much less than VGK games and an AHL team pulling in 5,000 a game would be fine.

Especially since some teams owned by NHL franchises allow for losses if the development benefits the big club. And if they own the arena filling dates would always be important.

 

[HanSolo]

This organization can be incredibly shortsighted.

 

[Vegan Knight]

This organization can be incredibly shortsighted.

Owning an arena can be a lucrative business and the AHL team could be an afterthought with regards to profit. They've been pretty successful financially to this point.

In another question, shouldn't they be the Henderson Green Knights? I imagine the arena will be somewhere in the Green Valley area.

 

[LadyStanley]

Nevada is the Silver State. So Vegas Silver Knights or Nevada Silver Knights sounds good.

FWIW, my VGK-centric website is discodeplata.com (or silver puck in Spanish)

 

[nickp91]

Flames were scouting the Orleans about putting their AHL team there The NHL ultimately told them not to they wanted the market for the NHL

 

[DudeWhereIsMakar]

I think they should start with Salt Lake City or talk with them before deciding Orleans Arena.

But my question is which affiliate are they going to buy? I would think either Calgary, Florida or New Jersey's AHL Affiliate. They can't buy Chicago.

 

[Vegan Knight]

I think they should start with Salt Lake City or talk with them before deciding Orleans Arena.

But my question is which affiliate are they going to buy? I would think either Calgary, Florida or New Jersey's AHL Affiliate. They can't buy Chicago.

Orleans is only planned for two seasons. They want to build an arena in Henderson. That's what makes me think Vegas AHL is very far along.

I think articles have said that the Stockton team is an option but I think my reading of it was that the option seemingly on the front burner was the Blackhawks buying the IceHogs and selling them to Vegas, who would move them to Vegas.

I assume the Hawks would have another franchise lined up to affiliate, or possibly the Wolves would be forced to do it lol.

 

[DudeWhereIsMakar]

Orleans is only planned for two seasons. They want to build an arena in Henderson. That's what makes me think Vegas AHL is very far along.

I think articles have said that the Stockton team is an option but I think my reading of it was that the option seemingly on the front burner was the Blackhawks buying the IceHogs and selling them to Vegas, who would move them to Vegas.

I assume the Hawks would have another franchise lined up to affiliate, or possibly the Wolves would be forced to do it lol.

No............

Blackhawks and Wolves hate each other.

 

[ChanceVegas]

Owning an arena can be a lucrative business and the AHL team could be an afterthought with regards to profit. They've been pretty successful financially to this point.

In another question, shouldn't they be the Henderson Green Knights? I imagine the arena will be somewhere in the Green Valley area.

The arena would likely be in west Henderson near the Raiders practice facility. Lots of land available and Henderson is hungry to jump into the sports market however they can. Green Valley is built out.

 

[CupInSIX]

I think they should start with Salt Lake City or talk with them before deciding Orleans Arena.

But my question is which affiliate are they going to buy? I would think either Calgary, Florida or New Jersey's AHL Affiliate. They can't buy Chicago.

I get the impression Rockford might downsize to an ECHL team, and then Icehogs to Vegas, Wolves for (not Blackhawks), another AHL team swaps to ECHL so Indy Fuel can become an AHL team for Chicago

 

[Vegan Knight]

I get the impression Rockford might downsize to an ECHL team, and then Icehogs to Vegas, Wolves for (not Blackhawks), another AHL team swaps to ECHL so Indy Fuel can become an AHL team for Chicago

I don't know what animosity there would be left for the Hawks and Wolves. Ownership was different, the Wolves are no longer micromanaging their teams. The Wolves with Hawks prospects would probably make them money even more than now.

At any rate, couldn't they demote the Wolves so they could go chase championships with no worry about prospects because there are few in the ECHL and the AHL and NHL are rid of the headache. It doesn't matter about the Wolves being a successful financial AHL franchise, that helps no one but themselves, the AHL doesn't lose much by throwing them to the ECHL.

 

[CupInSIX]

I don't know what animosity there would be left for the Hawks and Wolves. Ownership was different, the Wolves are no longer micromanaging their teams. The Wolves with Hawks prospects would probably make them money even more than now.

At any rate, couldn't they demote the Wolves so they could go chase championships with no worry about prospects because there are few in the ECHL and the AHL and NHL are rid of the headache. It doesn't matter about the Wolves being a successful financial AHL franchise, that helps no one but themselves, the AHL doesn't lose much by throwing them to the ECHL.

Yeah I noticed that. There's this myth that the Wolves get teams to do their bidding when it's been kind of more win-win for both sides. I don't think the AHL would even let them operate like that any more anyway (especially with the developmental rule).

I think the fans like the myth of being a rebellious franchise though...

They can't kick them out of the league and their attendance is always good.

 

[Vegan Knight]

Yeah I noticed that. There's this myth that the Wolves get teams to do their bidding when it's been kind of more win-win for both sides. I don't think the AHL would even let them operate like that any more anyway (especially with the developmental rule).

I think the fans like the myth of being a rebellious franchise though...

They can't kick them out of the league and their attendance is always good.

I don't think Granger would talk of this unless it was far along. I don't think details of plans to move another team here and build an arena in Henderson would be this public if it wasn't already far along.

I think something will happen with someone and you're probably right that the IceHogs may be the franchise.

 

[mundyc3]

Foley looks to take care of an ambitious Henderson, wanting more than anything to create their own sports and entertainment district to go along with the Raiders facility and MAYBE an MLB stadium down the line. Giving Foley nearly free land to build whatever he wants helps them quite a bit to accomplish their goal. Foley only owns 15% of T-Mobile Arena, so he can have his very own venue to do as he pleases.

 

[Vegan Knight]

Foley looks to take care of an ambitious Henderson, wanting more than anything to create their own sports and entertainment district to go along with the Raiders facility and MAYBE an MLB stadium down the line. Giving Foley nearly free land to build whatever he wants helps them quite a bit to accomplish their goal. Foley only owns 15% of T-Mobile Arena, so he can have his very own venue to do as he pleases.

Weren't there also rumors Foley wanted an MLS and indoor lacrosse team?

The indoor lacrosse and AHL team playing at that smaller arena could eat up a lot of dates for an arena. It's a lucrative business for this town and I'm sure that part of the business would make money.

 

[LadyStanley]

Foley's MLS team would play in Allegiant.

 

[Vegan Knight]

Foley's MLS team would play in Allegiant.

Oh yeah, I didn't mean to imply they would play anywhere else, only that those seem to point to a desire from him to build a Vegas sports (and entertainment) empire of sorts.

 

[ChanceVegas]

Foley looks to take care of an ambitious Henderson, wanting more than anything to create their own sports and entertainment district to go along with the Raiders facility and MAYBE an MLB stadium down the line. Giving Foley nearly free land to build whatever he wants helps them quite a bit to accomplish their goal. Foley only owns 15% of T-Mobile Arena, so he can have his very own venue to do as he pleases.

Which is also why it will be the Henderson Silver Knights. Henderson wants their name on a jersey.

 

[CHRDANHUTCH]

They probably have a pretty good idea if they released the news before the AHL All Star game.




Currently the Wolves players are over 90% VGK contracts, and HC Rocky Thompson would probably continue his role in developing VGK young players and come to the new team to stay in the fold.

So the Wolves would have to find another NHL affiliation quick. The best thing to do would be swapping affiliates with an AHL team that's ready to sell.

When Norfolk was bought by the Ducks, they moved to San Diego and the Bakersfield ECHL team then went to Norfolk to replace the Admirals. Then Bakersfield got an AHL team from Oklahoma to make a new Pacific AHL division.

And Colorado brought an ECHL team to the AHL last season as an expansion team (most famous for the Kelly Cup debacle).


Back to the AHL players being on the Vegas payroll, this would ease the burden of having to tie up so many of the 50 contract slots. I wonder if Chicago not spending much on their team had anything to do with the sudden mid-season decision, or whether it was just the demand for more hockey + sending Roy & co back and forth constantly.

Pirri must be bummed. I wonder if he'll get traded to the Hawks.

actually, Edmonton has owned an AHL team going back to the failed Lyle Abraham experiment, MGK, AND the Oilers were actually in what is now Coca Cola Coliseum, in Toronto, currently the home of the Marlies, who were originally in Atlantic Canada, if not Ontario, and now returned to Newfoundland as the ECHL Growlers, Edmonton got so developmentally behind prospect-wise by not activating their affiliate (1 year was a 5 way affiliation), if they hadn't picked OKC, the League was ready to strip the Oilers of the affiliated franchise