Brendan goes off on the Frankes

Well in some cases he has a point. That is the problem when you try to keep something alive and are hopeful that someone would come along and buy the club. How much longer can an owner continue to "bankroll" a hockey club as well as your own club?

The FHL is going strong.

Hockeys teams.....they are bank-rolling more than just Flint and Fort Wayne. What about Dayton and Bloomington?

I am not sure I even have the energy anymore to form a comment on all of this. What is the point anymore? It is shameful if you ask me. Why in the h e double hockey sticks are we Komet Fans bank-rolling this entire league? Who out there that has season tickets enjoys the fact that we are paying our hard-earned money to support the Komets....and all the teams they play too. And we are in 3rd place.

Is it time to move on? Is it time to join a league where we concentrate on the Komets and not Flint, and Dayton, and Bloomington, and Evansville, and Chicago???

This is the proof right here that we could move to and AHL or ECHL and do just fine and not have to raise the ticket prices at all, or not much. Our money could go towards just the Komets.

Wonder if the Frankes will go on record on this one? Doubtful. People should be ticked off at this BS that is going on. This league is finally, once and for all, a joke.

Go Komets!!!

Well, well, well.......

Hit I don't think anyone is worrying about Bloomington. At least this year I don't remember reading about them having any financial problems and from all indications they are building a following there to go with a nice arena and entertaining team. I hope whatever leave the Komets are involved with next year includes the PT.

With 2 minutes to go.... The Canadian Women are showing how to get it done!

The PT are in a nice arena, that is on shakey ground. The arena is for sell as the local government there doesn't want to run it anymore as it doesn't make any money. It mostly has lost money. And the fan support in Bloomy has not been exactly great.....I guess if 1/3 full arenas are considered a success, then you have me there.

I am still not happy that we are propping up a crap league.

This coming from a guy that has verbally supported this IHL from the start.....but now.....it is a joke.

I think what Hit is referring to is that Stephen Franke is a minority owner in the Thunder........or was at one point....

I agree with Hit and JR... Could those of you who keep telling us how our ticket prices HAVE to go up if we change leagues, please explain to us (with some actual figures or statistical data) how or why our ticket prices would have to go up if we are no longer supporting several teams instead of just our own. When I say statistical data and actual figures, I'm not talking about just saying "entrance fees" then throwing out some number like $500,000 or $1 million and trying to stop the discussion at that because I don't see/believe that the cost of owning and operating 5 teams in this league costs less than the $500,000 or $1 million guestimations that have been used to try and sway support in this argument previously. I'm also still having trouble swallowing the "fact" that the Frankes are losing any money with the Komets. IF they are losing money, it's probably going out through Flint, Dayton, and whoever else the Jungle residents are paying for. And since we're all paying for these other teams, where are my tickets? Are they at the back of my season ticket holder package?

I'm really surprised I'm saying this, but GREAT article, Brendan!

I guess I am curious to see what is Blake's take on Mr. Savage's article. He just called out the owners of K's, will the organization respond to either confirm or deny? Will Blake throw down with Savage on Saturday nite at the opening face off? Will Shawn Dundon have to serve as both the K's trainer and Flint's traniner Saturday night?

...I don't know if I am getting tickets next year. I am a student and only expect the best. If I had lots of money, of course i would get tickets every year, but at this point, my money is becoming more and more precious. At the same time, the komets are getting less and less spectacular...the league itself is getting way beyond "fantastic"...

Alan, if I could ever use a good book for some rhyme and reason, now would be the time. At this point I'm leaning towards agreeing with Hit, JR, FW, and even possibly breslyn...

Sigh you guys don't see it. After this season there are going to be teams folding, scrambling and moving all over the place. The IHL, AHL, ECHL and all will not look nearly the same next year as they do now. It isn't about changing league names. It is about getting the leagues to function properly with stable franchises. The AHL and ECHL have plenty of teams in financial trouble although you don't hear about it as much with the NHL teams helping prop them up. But how long will that go on? Many NHL teams aren't doing as well as they should.
So please... relax...
As for Brendans article... sounds like our government who wants everyone to become dependant on them and then when the money runs out, instead of people being grateful for the assistance they already got, they get angry and the government and demand more. When did the Franke family ever say they would pay all of the expenses for the Generals? And why should they? Flint will fail because the fan base has no money and no confidence in the owners or the arena they play in.
But again... stop begging to change leagues because when teams in those leagues go belly up or move etc, you all will be complaining about the league stability all over again.

++ Mr Snufflupugus

breslyn- I understand not having money for tickets but what do you mean by "I only expect the best" and tying it to "the Komets are getting less and less spectacular"?

It looks like you're saying you'll only support the Komets if they are winning and winning big. Oh, that's right, this is Fort Wayne and fans here only support winners.

If the FHL league is going next year, I don't think I'll get my seats=22yr. season ticket holder & best seats in the place.

Plenty of us "see" whats going on and plenty of those people have been saying that there is major change on the horizon and have been tagged as negative... Please dont preach to those who have been realistically posting comments saying basically the same thing that you did minus telling everyone to relax. Fans shouldnt be relaxing! They're paying the big bucks to watch AHL....er I mean IHL hockey and deserve to have thier voices heard concerning the product on the ice or the instability of the league that their team plays in... Plenty of companies take the time to review customer satisfaction reports and make changes should the need to do so surfaces. I think the Frankes and the league need to start listening to their customers and stop treating us like uninformed blind fans and start treating us like the lifeline that the paying fans are. Whether they like it or not more and more hardcore fans and STH's are starting to get fed up with the stigma of the Franke's Hockey League.............

Great article. Finally somebody had the guts to put it in print.

All of you people complaining need to pay for your playoff tickets.... Flint needs some equipment. LOL!!!

++ JR (I'm not sure what the plusses mean, but I assume it means GREAT POST and I echo what you've said)

I don't think anyone is saying they won't support the Komets if they aren't winning. Where did you see that written? In fact, the chances of winning more are higher if we are the only team who can afford/support the better players in the FHL next year. What I am reading above is that people are tired of being yanked around from deception to deception about costs and "we will have an announcement by the end of the week" comments from the decision-makers of the league. People are tired of paying the higher prices for lower-grade hockey than the ticket prices are equivalent to. Long story short, the fans are saying they are tired of being treated like children who cannot do math or handle the information the ownership does not feel like giving them.

I thought "journalists" were supposed to report facts. This article was filled with opinion and no facts. So until I see cold hard facts I'm not putting the Frankes under the bus. Call me old fashioned but I see a lot of sour grapes here from Brendon.

Why would Brenden have a "sour grape" issue?.. If the Frankes didn't play superhero and save the Generals, Savage may still be unemployed.

Have we ever gotten solid facts from this organization? Blake has said on here time and time again that the Komets (and to be fair, probably any other team in sports out there today) is not going to release any figures to the public. Let's face it, if they did we'd probably see where our money is really going and, in their minds, WE CAN'T HANDLE THE TRUTH!

RunningKomet, I don't have a "book" for you on this one. I just read Brendan's atricle and I haven't had time to think it through. I'm going to see how this plays out in the next couple of days and reserve judgement until then. On the face of it, I wouldn't be surprised if the Franke's are doling out cash to Flint. Other Komet owners have tried to help struggling franchises in earlier times. I agree with what someone else posted, that the minor leagues in hockey are going to go through a turbulent time this summer and the face of "AA" hockey may be changing drastically before the start of next season. It's possible that the Franke's are trying to keep things together and alive until the fog lifts and everyone sees who survived. I wonder what Blake thinks. It's ironic to me that this has come up now, as I am just this moment getting ready to go to the K's office to pay for my playoff tickets. Let's see what happens. I'm sure that Brendan's story will be the cause for some more discussion.

OK, here's what I think. They run a private business, they can and will do what they want. You and I have no control over that and never have. They have declined to answer the question when Justin or I have asked them directly, which is their right. If true, which I believe it is, this kind of thing goes on every day in business and minor league sports.

There have always been strong teams and weak teams. Flint is pretty much always going to be a weak team. Same thing is happening all over sports right now in every league.

The option you have, as customers, is not to support the private business. It truly is that simple, and 95 percent of the paying public doesn't care about all of this. To them, it's just an entertainment option, something to take their kids to. I don't write that to be insulting, but to tell the truth. Think about it: Do you think that helps my business? Not at all.

Those of you who believe this proves ticket prices would not rise if the Komets went to the AHL are naive and very stubborn. Again, that's not said to insult you, that's life in business. Ticket prices would rise because they could and any ownership group would want to recoup their investment ASAP. Look at Canlan as an example.

And now I have to go write three basketball stories, a gymnastics story, a HS hockey story and three business features -- everything but Komets, because that's what the bosses say I have to. That's business life, too.

Sorry everyone. I am the one who asked what Blake thought and now I feel we've all been sent to the Principal's Office to get paddled.

THANK YOU BLAKE ++++++++++++++++++ :)

Yeah, that's what everyone says. It's been my experience people don't really want to know what I think, they want me to validate what they think. Then they say I'm lecturing when I don't necessarily agree with them. c'est le vie.

Look at it this way, you'll never accuse me of just telling you what I think you want to hear. I tell you what I'm really thinking.

Geez, Blake. I was just kidding. I was only trying to put a little humor in the thoughts expressed. Last week you used me as an example in your oxymoron thread. ( Alan-quick thought). Remember? I didn't take it personally but I believe if you can dish it out you should be able to take it also. From now on I will be more careful with you. Actually, what I meant by asking what you thought wasn't directed towards the Komets and their business model, it was more in the line of the offseason changes regarding leagues, franchises, and the like. I would rather have you tell us what you are really thinking, and like you said, not what we want to hear. How many times on this blog have I stated that I like to hear other reasoning so I can compare my thoughts to theirs? I learn a lot from listening to other people and I'm not afraid to admit when I am wrong. However, by the same token, I'm not afraid to challenge others if I believe they are off base. I appreciate your blog, the work you do ( as I also do with Justin's), but I'm not going to be a cheerleader, always adoring everything that is said. In this way, I too, will tell you what I'm really thinking and when I pass on a compliment, you will know it is real.

Blake - I must have missed where you thought Alan wanted validation on his thoughts. I think he truly wanted your opinion, nothing more, nothing less. I appreciate it when all bloggers share their true opinions of what is going on. I don't know about anyone else, but I don't think we ask others on here to validate what our thoughts are. In closing, I have to go to the Assistant Principals office. She just called me and said to come down...wonder what is going on.

They "have" to raise ticket prices because they "choose" to make a certain amount of money from the entire process, which is their right. I'm not sure any of us are all too naive, but if that makes you feel like you've justified your opinions, I guess you're allowed to break your own blog "rule" about name-calling. However, if we are dumb enough to keep paying the prices for something we don't like, then I guess we would be naive. Maybe a bunch of us need to smarten up and spend our money more wisely if the quality of the product doesn't improve.

Hey, guys and gals chill out. The game is almost on. How many of you are home sick today? LOL. Canada / U.S.A. final? Huge.
Anyway, the Flint thing is like you ask a poor homeless person into your home for dinner, you feed him a nice plate of spaghetti and meat balls then he complains because you didn't give him Filet Mignon medium rare. You can't win in those situations. IMHO. Go U.S.A.