AHL Attendance? OKC will fill the void!

[Laramie]

I was looking at the AHL attendance figures and if Oklahoma City is starved for ice-hockey after a one-year hiatus; we should be among the AHL attendance leaders.

AHL Attendance December 5:

intotheboards.net Minor pro Hockey news and Information

AMERICAN HOCKEY LEAGUE - ATTENDANCE

Team Games
Att.
Avg.

Hershey 12 109,033 9,086
Manitoba 16 115,774 7,236
Grand Rapids 13 86,331 6,641
WB/Scranton 11 69,012 6,274
Chicago 14 83,395 5,957
Providence 13 69,008 5,308
Houston 13 74,570 5,736
Lake Erie 15 74,884 4,992
Texas 12 61,588 5,132
Syracuse 11 51,787 4,708
Manchester 14 63,822 4,559
Hamilton 10 47,869 4,787
San Antonio 13 57,316 4,409
Portland 12 46,106 3,842
Adirondack 12 57,270 4,773
Bridgeport 16 60,361 3,773
Peoria 15 58,413 3,894
Rochester 11 42,414 3,856
Milwaukee 9 36,259 4,029
Binghamton 13 46,774 3,598
Abbotsford 13 45,364 3,490
Albany 15 50,513 3,368
Hartford 11 37,489 3,408
Rockford 14 46,698 3,336
Norfolk 9 29,156 3,240
Springfield 13 41,443 3,188
Toronto 13 39,602 3,046
Worcester 13 40,369 3,105
Lowell 14 25,160 1,797
TOTALS 370 1,667,780 4,509

















Question(?):

Are we getting the Springfield franchise -Or- a dormant Edmond team?

[LIL_WAYNE_2012_PREZIDENT]

will they still be called the Blazers?

[smooth]

will they still be called the Blazers?

Since Bob Funk is a major investor, then my guess is yes. Even if he wasn't, the Blazers name would probably stay.

[Millie]

Why would they keep the Blazers name if the whole reason for folding the CHL team was to get a (still minor league but) "real" hockey team? If the Blazers weren't good enough for people when they were here, why keep the name association?

[Laramie]

Why would they keep the Blazers name if the whole reason for folding the CHL team was to get a (still minor league but) "real" hockey team? If the Blazers weren't good enough for people when they were here, why keep the name association?

It didn't have anything to do with the Blazers (namesake); more to do with the quality of players in the league and the CHL was labeling itself as double-A brand. Too many times I went to games and saw players miss open nets from point blank range; also, some stupid passes across ice that were intercepted.

You could market the name Blazers much better than you can come up with a new name.

Remember, Oklahoma City is not a hockeytown but a Blazertown!

This one year hiatus will be great for the return of hockey to Oklahoma City and at the Cox Convention Center (Myriad) where it will be ideal for crowds ranging from 6,000 - 11,0000.

I would predict that the Blazers will average 8,000 - 10,000 upon their return.

[Easy180]

The name of the club has changed...Hate to be annoying but I can't say what it is...I have mortgage payments

[decepticobra]

Why would they keep the Blazers name if the whole reason for folding the CHL team was to get a (still minor league but) "real" hockey team? If the Blazers weren't good enough for people when they were here, why keep the name association?

because the blazers logo kicks ass. hockey is all about the kick ass jersey logos and the fights the players get into. the game itself is only the secondary nature for fandom.

[smooth]

because the blazers logo kicks ass. hockey is all about the kick ass jersey logos and the fights the players get into. the game itself is only the secondary nature for fandom.

I guess if you think a crudely drawn logo of a capitol dome "kicks ass (that shows the lack of quality of your grammar)," then more power to you. Frankly, it is horrible.

[bluedogok]

I guess if you think a crudely drawn logo of a capitol dome "kicks ass (that shows the lack of quality of your grammar)," then more power to you. Frankly, it is horrible.

I think most of us are referring to the older Blazers logos, not the "Funk era" logos which seemed to change every few years. The last few were pretty bad and too busy, the color change was bad as well.

[smooth]

I think most of us are referring to the older Blazers logos, not the "Funk era" logos which seemed to change every few years. The last few were pretty bad and too busy, the color change was bad as well.

Then they should have said the former logos.

[Laramie]

I think most of us are referring to the older Blazers logos, not the "Funk era" logos which seemed to change every few years. The last few were pretty bad and too busy, the color change was bad as well.

Funk changed Blazer uniforms more than some people changed their draws (underwear) .

[bluedogok]

Because the "Blazers" is the traditional OKC team name and was a long, long time ago. The only time that I don't remember it being Blazers was when they were a Minnesota North Stars farm team (still in the old CHL) and they named the OKC team the Stars. It was just never right. I think an appropriates city team name is better than a copy of the parent name.

[betts]

I've heard the Edmondton deal is definitely going to happen from an individual who seems to think he knows, but we certainly aren't hearing any news about it.

[Dave Cook]

Millie....

Just to add a little bit to what is already being stated, the original 'Blazers' of the pre-1967 NHL expansion days was one of the best minor league teams of all time. Most of the players from those teams went on to long NHL careers with goaltenders Bernie Parent and Gerry Cheevers eventually being inducted into the Hall of Fame in Toronto.

Renaming the team to something like the 'Rampage' or 'Ice Okies' or some such silliness would really insult the long history of hockey in this city. Other teams, such as the Fort Wayne Komets and Peoria Rivermen, have bounced from league to league, level to level over the years and retained the historical team name.

Keep it traditional....keep it 'Blazers'.

[Lord Helmet]

If this happens i hope they go with the old colors. The red just never looked right to me.

[Laramie]

If they decide to rename the team--that will be OK.

There are some great potential cities for rivalries--Houston, San Antonio, Milwaukee, Chicago, Toronto (also in NBA with OKC) and Texas (Austin)--former CHL city.

I still predict that there is a strong possibility that the AHL will be relocating some franchbises to Tulsa, Wichita (new arena under construction) and Kansas City.

[HockeyFan4Life]

Does anyone know if the Cox Center renovations were passed today?

[warreng88]

Does anyone know if the Cox Center renovations were passed today?

Here you go:

NewsOK

[HockeyFan4Life]

Thanks!

[Dio]

I don't know about all this- the core of this team would be this year's Springfield (Mass) Falcons, and they suck.

[Kerry]

I'll be happy as long as the name isn't the IceDawgz

[HockeyFan4Life]

OKC Roughnecks???

[Dio]

Wasn't there supposed to be a deal by Dec 31? Anybody heard anything?

[HockeyFan4Life]

Wasn't there supposed to be a deal by Dec 31? Anybody heard anything?

I'm sure it's done, but there has to be league approval. And I have heard a time frame of March, but deadlines are made to be broken. If you go to prodigalhockey.com , you can sign up for an email announcement.

[Domi28]

Looks like things are progressing. The arena sounds like it will be pretty fancy. Hopefully we get this done soon. Sounds like the 31st deadline wasn't such a hard fast deadline. I was worried if they didn't do something by then, then we wouldn't have a team by 2010-2011.
The Journal Record - Article

Just in case the link doesn't work. I tried hyperlink it.
The Journal Record - Article