And I'll preface this by saying I haven't had a chance to talk to anyone yet this week, so this is probably incredibly stupid of me to post about yet, but it won't be the first time or the last. ;)
Here goes: I really don't think as much is happening with this as a lot of people think. I think the CHL and the IHL are talking, but not about a merger but more of an association. I think they are trying to work out a way to play some inter-league games against SOME of the CHL teams located in the Midwest (Anyone remember the old Eastern League in the early 1960s?), but the IHL is still going to be around in the same format it has been the last three years and there won't be an official merger. Why do I think this? It really doesn't make any financial sense for it to be anything more than that for either league. What does either side gain from a merger other than being able to say they added teams? Nothing, really, and that's not good enough to gamble in this economic environment. As I reported two weeks ago, the IHL was already considering cutting the number of vets and the salary cap, which I still think will happen. I also think the IHL will play 70 games. These discussions have been going on forever, and there was no reason for the IHL to announce 70 games then if they weren't going to play 70 games.
I'm wondering if a lot of fans are trying to put 2 and 2 together and come up with 6 because they want the IHL to fail. I'm not convinced a merger with the CHL answers any of the problems the IHL or the CHL has, though. Right now, I don't see another better option which makes as much sense financially than for each league to stay where it is and experiment with this a little.
When the Komets announced their season-ticket package for this season, they also talked about the possibility of a champions playoff series against another leauge, which was one of the reasons given for tightening the schedule. I wonder about how and if that would work. Would fans in anyplace else but Fort Wayne and Colorado pay for this? Would it mean as much to the players as going for their regular league title? Would this be something that the fans care a lot more about than the players, sort of like an all-star game? Does that diminish the league titles? Would you drive to Port Huron or Flint or Bloomington to watch those games if the Komets were not involved?
Hopefully we'll find out a lot more definitive answers this week.
Comments
Is Blake not allowed to tell you what he thinks or give his educated opinion on his own blog?
RunningKomet, it is always good to hear from you.
Believe me when I understand your feelings about this whole situation. I understand completely the hesitancy of some to pay for something when they aren't sure what the final product is. I don't have any problem with those who want to wait and see.
I have made my deposit on my four tickets. I'll tell you why I did it. ( This is just me and no one should feel like I'm preaching to them or anything like that. You all do what you need to do.)
I thought about holding up and waiting, got my deposit extension letter ( I had already paid mine though) and decided that I trust the Franke family to make the correct decision for the franchise. Now everyone can argue about the past and whether they should do this or that. I just know that in the past few years I've seen some pretty exciting hockey. I've seen some pretty good hockey players ( Komets and opponents) too the last few years. I would like to see that continue and I think, in spite of some who post here and on the other blog, most K's fans would also. I sure don't agree with everything they do but I know enough to know that I'm glad they are the owners and not some out of town group who has no sense of Komet history.
Whether this post makes any sense to anyone, I'm not sure. I guess the easy way to say it is I'm putting my faith in them. They have earned it and until they give me a reason to question that faith I will continue my support.
I know these are tough times. Believe me, I'm not immune to the financial pressures the cost of these tickets bare.
For anyone who truly feels they cannot put that faith into a down payment now, I would say call the office and explain your feelings. I cannot guarantee but I would bet they would be good listeners and do whatever was necessary to keep their season ticket holders happy.
Yea, I agree with you that nothing in minor league hockey seems to make sense anymore. Maybe, just maybe this is the first step of a common sense approach to the running of AA hockey for now and into the future. If it is, I'd sure hate to think we squandered it away fearing the mistakes of the past and discounting this effort. If it isn't, well then, we'll know soon enough won't we?
My advice for others is simple. As I quoted Shakespeare the other day reacting to your post, RunningKomet, "to thine own self be true". It's always worked for me.
RunningKomet, I hope you are doing well. I always appreciate your offerings.
my source tells me that Dayton is talking to alot of "rough-tough" hockey players
And for the record, I don't have any problem with people having opinions or wanting the best level of hockey possible for the Komets. I don't even have a problem with people having a pipe dream about the AHL working in Fort Wayne.
I do have a problem with idiots who can't even spell the name of the owner correctly announcing to the world they are taking their season tickets and stomping off to Deja Vu and being insulting of the owners for wanting to do a silly thing like make a profit instead of losing money like 90% of the other minor league teams do.
Bottom line, don't like the product, don't support the product. But if it is ok for people to act the fool because they don't like how the FRANKE family runs things, then it is also ok for me to call them out on it.
True dat Mr S, but you also have to think that there are others that do like hockey in this town, but aren't privy to the IHL. Does that make us wrong for stating that?
It's obviously a bad idea to join the CHL from a financial standpoint, so if the Frankes (hope I got it right) do join the CHL and do make the travel commitment, doesn't that go against everything they said they started the IHL in the first place?
I hope they do join something else, I'm one that is waiting on the announcement to get season tix, if it's just an "understanding" and they don't bring in teams here and it isn't run by a more professional organization, then I doubt I will re-get my tix.
Because grammer and spelling are what this blog is all about. Good thing Abe Lincoln had proof-readers, think of how much less important the Emancipation Proclamation would have been if he would have spelled something wrong.
Alan: Doing well. Got a little toasted at the Indy 500 Sunday, but I love the sun and heat so I have no complaints. I've also already paid for next year's tickets, but not without hesitation. I'm not going to even remotely act like I know anything about running a hockey team, but some of the stuff people address on here is questions raised from common sense, or things not making sense. Some of those questions raised are automatically attacked by some who see any inquiries towards how things are currently as an attack on the F R A N K E S. I don't necessarily agree with that approach. I mean, they are human and I'm sure they make mistakes. I have no examples of them, no inside or outside sources on anything (actually, that's what I look to you people on here for when I talk to people who ask me about how the Komets are doing), but I just have never been one to put blind faith into anything or anyone, no matter the track record (other than God and I'm not about to start a religious post).
Due to being pretty busy here lately, I've been relegated to reading these posts several at a time and in doing so, it becomes very obvious who has to relegate to name-calling and other diversions when they have nothing constructive to add. I will say this though, some of you on here show a great deal more patience than I think/know I would. I'm not good at keeping my mouth shut (if you cannot tell). Regardless, this has all been pretty entertaining reading and I hope it continues. It's pretty fun to speculate IMO.
I'm one of those people who would really like to see more teams and some new ones throughout the season. I have no idea how to accomplish this, or who to play. It's just something that I feel would be cool to watch. This season when the Komets played Bloomington for what seemed like a month straight, I'll admit I got a little bored and considered actually missing some games.
FYI, The Ontario team in the ECHL is actually in Ontario, California not Ontario, Canada.
When I don't want to go or can not,I give them away or sell them.
@ komethockeyluckynumbersouvineerprogram....
Just to let you know, Ontario (ECHL) is NOT located in Toronto, Ontario. It's located in Ontario, California.
Chaulker I really don't think it is a matter of the Komets themselves joining something else as much as it is all of minor league hockey needing a reality check and realignment. AHL, IHL,UHL, ECHL, PODUNKHL it doesn't matter. What does matter is how stupid it is for a team in Philly to have to ever make a trip to British Columbia for a minor league hockey game. The Komets don't need to make any trips to Louisiana/ What needs to happen is AA teams within about 500 of each other need to align together. Call it whatever league name you want but unless that happens, we'll be back here going at it about this next summer and ever summer after that. Do you guys really think Flint, Muskegon, or even Kzoo are going to travel to Oklahoma? That is what it is about and until the rest of the hockey landscape figures it out, I am happy with the Komets surviving and thriving in a small regional league.
What???? An Ontario California???
What is next? A london in Canada? A Mars in Pennsylvania? A New York in New York???
Hey Mr Snufflupugus, don't forget about an Indiana in Pennsylvania!
No sweat, RunningKomet. At one of our local grocery stores Saturday morning four guys bought 128 of the 24oz cans of beer. I approached them and said that I didn't care where they were going but I wanted to go too. They laughed and told me they were heading for the infield down at the 500.
No one has all the answers but we all have a lot of questions. Cohn is reporting that statements from the CHL office and statements from the IHL office are coming later today.
Hopefully soon we'll know what is going on and then those who have not yet decided can make up their minds.
Mr Snuff, I am not happy in a league that we dominate, it's not entertaining at all and there is no competition. It's not entertaining being the college kid beating down 3rd graders.
K-Zoo travels down to Florida and did a preseason game in Alaska, so yes, they would travel to Oklahoma.
CHL/IHL complete Agreement
http://www.oursportscentral.com/services/releases/?id=4020316
Geesh, no one saw that one coming.
As much as people get a kick out of watching others trying to spend the Frankes money, it's even funnier to watch the posters that are out to save the Frankes money.