Phoenix awarded a new pro team to play in the AWA!

[Brian in Mesa]

Nice.

Time to get out my old Roadrunners gear.

 

[coyoteshockeyfan]

http://www.azcentral.com/sports/coyotes/articles/0201echl0201.html

Play for our new ECHL team (basically a step below the AHL, or the equivalent of baseball's "AA") begins in October in the AWA, thats great news!

 

[Djaughe]

Hmmm...I wonder if they are gonna negotiate to take on the old roadrunners name and uni's....

 

[SunCityCarl]

Don't know but that will be the moniker...


http://www.echl.com/cgi-bin/mpublic.cgi?action=show_news&cat=1&id=3813

 

[coyoteshockeyfan]

Don't know but that will be the moniker...


http://www.echl.com/cgi-bin/mpublic.cgi?action=show_news&cat=1&id=3813

Interesting, the Toronto AHL team bought the name and logo several years ago, and the same franchise (different location now though) still uses the name, so I didnt think they could get it back. I really hope that we do get the name and early-to-mid-90s unis back though, that would be awesome!

 

[coyoteshockeyfan]

Another article, and the name "Roadrunners" has been confirmed, as Colangelo and Co. bought the name back it appears.
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2005/hockey/nhl/02/01/bc.hko.phoenixhockey.ap/

 

[sundevilscott]

I am 31 years old and

I have a puck from a RR game when i was 3 or 4 months old and my mother had to dive to the side to avoid us getting hit. The RR have always have a place in our family. They would not be smart if they do not use the Blue and silver colors.

 

[aznando]

I have to be honest i do not like the NHL at all for one reason and primarly one reason only. I can't stand ties. I only watch the NHL during the playoffs and i really like it then. I used to live in Charleston, SC and absolutly fell in love with hockey watching the South Carolina Stingrays of the ECHL. I know the league has changed for the better and i'm very excited to watch ECHL hockey again here in Phoenix. I for one will be going downtown for my hockey fix next year instead of driving to Glendale.

Aznando

 

[NickelBack]

I always wonder about minor league sports playing in big cities. Especially in a venue like AWA.

 

[Hordispack]

I loved the Roadrunners. Great fun at a reasonable price. And now at AWA?? Im as good as there.
Thanks Claude!...boy have I been waiting a looong time to say that.

 

[Hordispack]

I always wonder about minor league sports playing in big cities. Especially in a venue like AWA.

AWA does seem too big for a AA team though, I agree. It will be interesting to see how full it is.

 

[WizardOfAz]

AWA does seem too big for a AA team though, I agree. It will be interesting to see how full it is.

I think support will be modest....6150 per game would lead the league, afterall:


http://www.echl.com/attendance.shtml

 

[NickelBack]

Roadrunners dreaming?

Two interesting things got lost in the shuffle of the recent announcement that the old Phoenix Roadrunners are being resurrected and moved to America West Arena:

First, team executives said they will need to draw 5,000 fans to each home game just to break even on a nightly basis.

Hel-lo?

Only five of the ECHL's 28 teams are averaging 5,000-plus fans this season, and none of those teams is in the same market as an NHL team.

And, by the way, what do the Coyotes think about having to suddenly share the hockey market?

One executive with the team told THI that the NHL club isn't worried it will lose fans to its new neighbor, because the NHL and the ECHL aren't quite the same product.

"It's like comparing a Frank Sinatra concert to seeing a lounge singer in a bar," he said.

http://www.arizonasportsfans.com/vb/newreply.php?do=newreply&noquote=1&p=602412

 

[coyoteshockeyfan]

Two interesting things got lost in the shuffle of the recent announcement that the old Phoenix Roadrunners are being resurrected and moved to America West Arena:

First, team executives said they will need to draw 5,000 fans to each home game just to break even on a nightly basis.

Hel-lo?

Only five of the ECHL's 28 teams are averaging 5,000-plus fans this season, and none of those teams is in the same market as an NHL team.

The Arizona Sting average over that 5k amount if Im not mistaken, so decent minor league hockey could probably do about the same. And most of those other ECHL teams are in nearly as big of a market as Phoenix. It wouldnt surprise me if they hover around 5000 even with the Coyotes around.

 

[MigratingOsprey]

it can be done

basically if they market hard towards families and people who can't shell out $80 for hockey tickets

in fact, it could be a good partnership if the coyotes co-operate with them .... use the roadrunners as a breeding ground for new hockey fans

I know the dynamic is different out here then other places I've lived, but i've seen pro and minor league hockey work ... pro and college hockey work ... etc

with 5M people, it shouldn't be too hard to find 5k that enjoy the sport of hockey and are willing to watch a minor league team for the family value of it all

 

[WizardOfAz]

I hope it can be done as well, however, using a business model that uses 5,000 as the 'break-even' point makes me nervous.

 

[Bob Chebat]

it can be done
with 5M people, it shouldn't be too hard to find 5k that enjoy the sport of hockey and are willing to watch a minor league team for the family value of it all

Especially when they are the only hockey game in town. The NHL has done a tremendous amount of damage to their product and it will be many years before you see people filling the buildings again, if ever.

Sure, cities like Boston, Detroit, Montreal, and maybe a few others will still have decent turnouts, but the game as a whole has been destroyed.

It amazes me. They knew this was coming for the last four years and still just let it happen.

Roadrunner games? Sure thing. Drive to Glendale and pay $40-$80 to watch the NHL? No way in hell.

 

[NickelBack]

I hope it can be done as well, however, using a business model that uses 5,000 as the 'break-even' point makes me nervous.

And, if they don't reach that mainatin that 'break-even' point, how quickly will they pull the plug on the operation. Clearly, this is an attempt to fill AWA for the dates they are losing to Glendale.

In my opinion, minor league hockey would fit much better at the colesium.

 

[coyoteshockeyfan]

And, if they don't reach that mainatin that 'break-even' point, how quickly will they pull the plug on the operation. Clearly, this is an attempt to fill AWA for the dates they are losing to Glendale.

In my opinion, minor league hockey would fit much better at the colesium.

The colesium has been falling apart, no?

 

[Brian in Mesa]

Our group of regulars at the Mesa Miners games are already planning to attend multiple Roadrunner games.

 

[Stronso]

If I was back in Phoenix I would get NHL season tickets instead of this ECHL crap.

Because of the lockout I was forced to watch other leagues (AHL, UHL). I went to games in IL and CT and while the AHL was good the UHL - which is the same level as that ECHL - sucked. It was hockey so how bad could it be? But it sucked. It would have been better to watch a beer league game

I am back in line for the first NHL game here in NYC - don't know where but I will be in an arena on 10/05/05 to watch the NHL

 

[Diamondback Jay]

If I was back in Phoenix I would get NHL season tickets instead of this ECHL crap.

Because of the lockout I was forced to watch other leagues (AHL, UHL). I went to games in IL and CT and while the AHL was good the UHL - which is the same level as that ECHL - sucked. It was hockey so how bad could it be? But it sucked. It would have been better to watch a beer league game

I am back in line for the first NHL game here in NYC - don't know where but I will be in an arena on 10/05/05 to watch the NHL

Different strokes I guess. Believe me, I am as big of an NHL supporter as anyone, however minor league hockey isn't nearly as bad as the beer league games.

I will give you one thing, and this goes for anyone with questions about the ECHL, I've been to quite a few Johnstown Chief games in recent years and I think it's a safe bet to say we're looking at two different worlds..

The ECHL I CAN say is a more fan friendly experience. The league does a LOT of fan activities. Basically, the person who compared it to AA baseball was pretty close to dead on.

Basically, making a long story short, if you want the pomp and circumstance, by all means take the trek to Glendale Arena. The overall play is going to be obviously better and you'll get the stability of a major league organization..

However, if you want to spend less and go to a game where it's more about the product on the ice, and not about the contracts (etc) check out the ECHL. You definately will have a good time at both, just basically depends on what your tastes are. Do you prefer Filet Mignon and wine or Pizza and Beer?

That's the main differences.

The only questionmarks I have about the team is the divisional alignment. The 'Runners are put in the West with Las Vegas, Utah, Idaho, Victoria and Alaska. It's not the Utah-Vegas part that has me wondering, it's the other three markets.. I can see natural rivalries between the Runners and Griz, or the Runners and Wranglers being both are relatively near.. However, an Alaska-Phoenix, Phoenix-British Columbia or Phoenix-Idaho rivalry doesn't quite cut the mustard for me.. I'd rather see San Diego and Long Beach moved in to the West with the 'Runners, Wranglers and Grizzlies, while the Aces (Alaska), Steelheads (Idaho) and Salmon Kings (Victoria) could be better suited in the Pacific with the Northern California teams.

Small gripe..Nothing major.