Last time I was on the radio I had VERY short notice, but this time around I can say next week I'll be on Tri-State Talk with Bobby Nelson on
WRVC-AM/FM (930/94.1). Not sure what day--it may have to be on the phone, as they're inducing my wife on Tuesday!
8 comments:
Lenny- Congrats on the new arrival.
Side Note: Do you know how big Tri-State Ice Arena is (seating wise)
Just running something around my head
Thanks
Not entirely sure of the seating arrangements at Tri-State, as the building has been converted into a church since the rink closed in 2005. I know capacity at South Charleston Memorial Ice Arena is 750, and that's the closest rink to us at present...
well, I was unaware of that. thanks, I was looking at a team map on the AAHL web site and thinking if they keep expanding east they could be close to Huntington
The last think y'all want at this point in time, is an AAHL franchise. It's not even as high a level as the USHL.
Please spare yourself the difficulties of dealing with a league that is having major growing pains, amongst them trying to run teams with skelton staffs on shoestring budgets, plus an inability to know how to interact with it's fan base. Of all the leagues right now below the AHL, perhaps the most stable is the USHL.
First I said nothing of want. I was merely looking at a team map and speculating. Of course they have skeleton staffs and shoestring budgets it's their second season and every league starts at the bottom the best ones find a way to stick around.
Second as a hockey fan I'm going to have to say who cares what level it is. It's hockey were none was before, I say feast and be merry.
I actually know someone who briefly was interested in getting the AAHL in Charleston... there is a connection between the league and this market, as Evansville GM Chip Rossetti's previous job was GM of the old Huntington Heroes indoor football team.
Ultimately though I think between geography and stability (I'm rather skeptical of the business model of what I call "rec-rink-A" pro hockey) I don't see this area working for the AAHL.
Rick,
I didn't mean to imply you wanted an AAHL team, I used that term in a general sense.
Lenny is right. It is nothing more than rec-rink A level hockey. While perhaps I could accept the level of play in a more traditional setting, I find it quite unacceptable in the setting they present it.
It is one thing for a start-up team to have a tight budget. But, these teams go into business with a sales force of one or two, hire marketing directors who, in some cases are not qualified for the position, and usually no media relations director.(Read the typical press release out of the AAHL or one of it's member teams. It would make any self-respecting high school english or journalism teacher cringe.) Marketing Directors and Media Relations Director are critical positions in a sports franchise. If an owner can't budget for these positions from day one, then that owner shouldn't be in business period.
And the advertising budgets of these teams in the AAHL are either quite miniscule, or virtually nonexistant. They rely too much on word of mouth, or internet traffic on message boards, facebook or twitter to get the word out that their teams are playing games. Not everyone goes to the internet for everything.
The AAHL is a smoke-and-mirrors act. A lot of people who spend serious time watching the business side of minor league hockey, are quite surprised the AAHL is still alive. A league that admits owners with little or no money, folds up a team then puts a new franchise into the same market the next season, announces teams with no city or owner disclosed, isn't doing business in a straight-forward or legitimate way. Are you that hungry for hockey that you'd want a team that operates in that manner in your city? I sure hope not.
Be careful for what you wish for.
Excellent points all, and I know all about smoke and mirrors I used to go to MAHL games. I understand the skepticism regarding these "A" level leagues and it's more than warranted.
Leagues that play at rec. rinks will never last. no matter how you add it up it's not going to last.
I know that in the long haul it hurts minor pro hockey in any city it burns. For fans in a city that had and wants hockey to return(Huntington)adding a fly by night team is no good, the hardcore fans hate the way the team is run and the casual fan is turned of to hockey all together.(see the revolving door in Danbury CT)
Yet if I'm in the area I will go see any team play. I have the luxury of being a visiting fan. (I'm lucky enough to have the hershey bears in my backyard)
I love to go see a game and I admit sometimes I forget about what happens to these cities when the team leaves. I suppose I'm an optimist, part of me expects every team that starts to last.
I hope the game goes back to Huntington and when it does I hope it never leaves.
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