16 February 2010
While we celebrate our hopes, a moment of silence...
...Johnstown is apparently set to lose the Chiefs to Greenville, SC. While I have a soft spot for Southern hockey fans--and Greenville had a good run with the Grrrowl (am I getting the number of r's correct there?)--Johnstown is the last original franchise still in its original city in the ECHL. This has potential ramifications down and across the state line in Wheeling, which for geographic and economic reasons is seemingly always paired with Johnstown when relocation/franchise fold rumors pop up...
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8 comments:
The ECHL will self destruct and wind up being 'overhauled' by the AHL and the NHL.
Hopefully, by the time this actually happens, Gary Bettman will no longer have his hands in the cookie jar...
I concur to a degree--the larger markets have been slowly but surely moving over to the AHL, with Charlotte and OKC coming on board next season, while what constitutes "AA" hockey is proving to be unsustainable and/or criminally mismanaged.
My question/concern is, what happens to the Johnstowns? Do the smaller markets go to juniors, do the low minors figure out a way to function with some modicum of stability (which so far IMO only the SPHL has managed), or do they just fade out of the picture altogether?
Sad news... I love that rink..
I don't think pro hockey is dead in the Johnstowns of the world. As the AHL and ECHL move into newer buildings and larger cities they will leave behind markets that will still support the game. But if those left behinds are to form an "A" league or what have you I would think it would be foolish of them not to seek advice from the SPHL. These guys are selling the game (and succeeding)in markets where the novelty of the game has long since worn off.
I'm curious to see what happens with this Federal League that's apparently looking at Johnstown... this is at least the third go-around for what I recognize as the old EPHL footprint, but it seems like they're looking to stick to larger rinks this time around.
Until these groups look to building that hold more than 2,000 seats I don't think any of these leagues have a chance.... Personally I think Johnstown, Wheeling, Youngstown, and Huntington sounds like a good divisoin for a solid "A" venture but that's just me.
I think it would be a fantastic subdivision in any league :^D
hey if you really want your mind to wonder add them to Roanoke-Richmond-Greensboro-and Baltimore/DC....
Bloody 'ell, all we need are investors now :^D
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