Our new AHL rivals will be (?)

[BrettL]

I think high school hockey in Minnesota had better talent than the CHL. I won't miss it at all, especially once we see the AHL level of play.

[bluedogok]

The CHL went down hill when they started adding all of the teams from the lower level regional leagues that were folding.

The Stars are up 2-0 on Hershey with the next 3 games in Cedar Park (Austin). It is getting more attention in the media down here than I expected since it is not a UT sport.

[HockeyFan4Life]

The CHL went down hill when they started adding all of the teams from the lower level regional leagues that were folding.

The Stars are up 2-0 on Hershey with the next 3 games in Cedar Park (Austin). It is getting more attention in the media down here than I expected since it is not a UT sport.

The Stars deserve it, since this is their first season. Hopefully the Barons can do the same thing.

[Bazooka Joe]

ive always thought of okc as a minor league hockey type of town anyway, however, why we even have a pro basketball team is a different situation and one that im completely floored at.

[bombermwc]

Well Hockey is one of those things that you think mostly goes with northern lattitudes....not so much us 35 degree-ers. But then you have a metroplex like Dallas with a team. You do see minor league all over the south, but check out where the players are all from...sure isn't the south..lol.

Basketball, on the other hand, is like football. We play it a lot around here, and we play it well. We've got several teams from the state that do well on the national level in basketball, which is why we have produced so many collegiate players for other states as well...even NBA players. It's not like we're comparing OK to Vermont you know.

[kevinpate]

... why we even have a pro basketball team is a different situation and one that im completely floored at.

Nah, that's easy peasy.
Some folks wanted it. They could afford it. One was available.
Oh, and the local populace eating it up like hyenas at a midnight buffet didn't hurt none.

[Laramie]

One thing that makes Dallas so unique is the fact that people are relocating to the Metroplex from all over the U.S.

The Dallas Cowboys and Mavericks were established and it didn't take much to add ML B with the Rangers and the relocation of the Stars (formerly Minnesota North Stars).

Oklahoma has got to give up something to get something--become more business friendly (corporate tax breaks) and continue to build itself where we become more attractive.

We have all of the ingrediences in place (energy, water and roads) to make ourselves more attractive by becoming more aggressive.

Texas is quickly becoming overcrowed and this weighs into Oklahoma's favor especially since they (North Texas) now need our water.

We want the type of growth which is managable--not like Phoenix and Las Vegas were the places are becoming to big to manage or so greedy like Dallas where you're bursting out at the seames from overgrowth which becomes unmanageable.

[emw1973]

Has anyone seen the CHL website lately?. It appears that the CHL and IHL are doing some business together. I wonder if this could mean a merger of the two leagues or that they are just doing business together?.

It would be interesting to see what comes of this.

[Laramie]

I understand that there is going to be a merger:

"CHL and AHL Make Major Announcement"


Central Hockey League.com:
centralhockeyleague.com: News

[bombermwc]

IHL not AHL...totally not the same...it's AA not AAA.

[betts]

06/17/2010 Still without a coach, the Oklahoma City Barons now have a division. The American Hockey League announced its divisional alignment for next season Wednesday,...

Western Division

Chicago Wolves

Houston Aeros

Milwaukee Admirals

Oklahoma City Barons

Peoria Rivermen

Rockford IceHogs

San Antonio Rampage

Texas Stars



Read more: AHL divisional alignment | NewsOK.com

[Laramie]

I love this alignment especially with three Texas-size stakes (Austin-Houston-San Antonio) for the Oklahoma's ax to chop. The state of Texas is shaped like a nice steak and Oklahoma is shaped like a meat cleaver--what a party!

Can't hardly wait for Tulsa and Wichita to come on board after the CHL-IHL merger-expansion--as if that band of latex hasn't been stretched enough--POP.

Look for more teams east of the Mississippi to occupy the Tulsa and Wichita markets as time move on...

I'm not concerned about whether or not this team will survive in the AHL. Oklahoma City will lead the league in attendance its' first year.

The Thunder and Barons could work around each other's schedule to maximize the potential of both clubs. I eventually see some of the Barons games being moved to the Ford Center.

Remember when the State Fair Arena had to be utilized for the Blazers; that 9,750-seats just wasn't enough, the Myriad will be quickly outgrown once this brand of hockey reaches its' full potential.

[BrettL]

I had to post this... I can't wait to see this guy in OKC this fall. These moves are unreal.

Linus Omark Highlights - OKC Barons Hockey

[dmoor82]

^^Yea that dude is flat out sick!

[BigTulsa]

Wow, 12 games in and the attendance average is already less than Tulsa in the CHL. What is happening down there?

[dmoor82]

Wow, 12 games in and the attendance average is already less than Tulsa in the CHL. What is happening down there?

Lack of intrest,OKC Thunder,OU Football who knows!Yea Tulsa is a mecca sports metropolis!NBA-Dleaugue,WNBA,CHL,AA baseball,and The powerhose that is TU football!Tulsa it's The overall leader in sports for Oklahoma!

[theparkman81]

Okay, I am sick and tired of hearing about people complaining about the attendance at the games, I think some of you guys are Blazers fan, well get over it, the blazers are not coming back, and a another thing, dmoor82 your right, it is the lack of intrest, because of the Thunder and OU football, but this is their first year in OKC, people need to give these guys a chance.

[bluedogok]

I'd imagine attendance will pick up in a couple of weeks after the Big 12 Championship Game. Hockey attendance always suffers when the OU/OSU football seasons are still active. It isn't just a "Oklahoma thing" either, attendance is down in most places with competition from football. There are articles in the Denver paper about how poor the attendance for Avalanche games are right now even though the Broncos season is in the crapper and the Avs are doing pretty well. Attendance will pick up once the football season winds down, that is just the nature of the sport right now outside of Canada.

[Laramie]

Wow, 12 games in and the attendance average is already less than Tulsa in the CHL. What is happening down there?

Well, when you become a big league city then minor league sports will take a back seat. Of course, you wouldn't know about that since Tulsa has never had a real major league fab four sport (MLB, NFL, NBA, NHL).

[BrettL]

From tonights game.

[BigTulsa]

Well, when you become a big league city then minor league sports will take a back seat. Of course, you wouldn't know about that since Tulsa has never had a real major league fab four sport (MLB, NFL, NBA, NHL).

Yeah, because getting the NBA makes you a big league city. I don't see people dropping everything to go to Milwaukee...kinda the same with OKC, right?

[bombermwc]

Hey BigTulsa, we also have 41 games a year with about 18K people in attendance. So that's totalllly the same huh? Not to mention the fact that when you throw in an entirely new MINOR league team from a league that's never been here before, people aren't going to warm up instantly. It's not like a major league team that you probably already know some of the players from seeing them on TV or in the paper/magazines. It's minor league...you've probably never heard of them. And let me reimind you that OKC also was a top attendance city in the CHL.

Hockey across the country is in bad financial trouble because it's popularity is waning. But you go ahead and tout that CHL attendance in a town where that IS the major league. Even baseball in Tulsa is more minor league than CHL. Whoopie....totally the same, right?

[bluedogok]

Yep, the CHL Austin Ice Bats folded because they couldn't get over 1,000 to a game. They eventually moved into their practice facility and were getting around 500 a game. The CHL became a joke since the expansions diluted what was a decent AA product which was a shame because when it was the core CHL teams it was a pretty good, competitive league.

The Texas Stars AHL team here in the Cedar Park area have been averaging around 5,000 and getting close to 9,000 on weekend games. If the arena was more centrally located I would think they might get more but as it is the place is about 35 miles from our house here in South Austin. That makes it a bit more difficult for weekday games.