The Dayton Gems are taking tickets today, or rather reserverations for tickets. The team has scheduled its coming-out press conference for 10 a.m., June 9, with the first coach to be named then. Their season tickets cost $550, $450 and $350 and include exhibition games and parking.
The team is hoping to have its first home game on Oct. 31, which would be 45 years to the day of the old Dayton Gems' first IHL game. This is also the 50th anniversary of Hara Arena.
How do I know all this? Matt Goshert, the team's director of sales and marketing, is a 1999 Homestead graduate.
"This is the most fun I've had at work in the last year," said Goshert, who has been working as a radio DJ. "We've had a lot of interest at this point. We had a good first day number. I am very pleased with the amount of interest that we've gotten from the community so far."
Former long-time Gem Guy Trottier will be the team's director of hockey operations, and former Gems' player and coach Warren Beck will be the director of business operations. That's a very solid foundation to start with.
Comments
Wow.
There is a reason why "Sir Blake" is the IHL's #1 reporter. Great job Blake. I have said for years it is not what you know but who you know. I sure hope Dayton is for real and is certainly sounds like it.
Blake -
Kalamazoo just announced they're leaving the IHL.
http://www.oursportscentral.com/services/releases/?id=3833494
OK everybody. Just what is going on here? As a season ticket holder I feel I have some right to know the league situation. Kalamazoo is a solid franchise of the IHL. If it is true that they are leaving (and it seeems hard to deny the fact since it has been reported by the Kalamazoo Gazette) than I feel the Komets owe us some sort of explanation. I sure have other places to put my money and feel like the true picture of the league has been hidden from me. I have read time after time that all six franchises would be back. No worries. Well, if Kalamazoo leaving the league is true, then the value of my purchase has been diminished. If the Komets are forced to join the ECHL (which allows only four veterans) the value of my tickets have been comprimised also. Up until this time I have put my trust and faith in the Frankes. I still prefer to do this but it will be somewhat harder if the league loses one of its strongest franchises when we have been told everything is OK with the league and its members. Whatever the situation, just tell me the truth. I am an adult and I can handle it. If this news is true than I am truly disappointed. I am disappointed with the league, the K-Wings, and most especially the Komet organization for taking my money while all this uncertainty goes on.
Well said Alan.
We only ask for the honest truth....shoot us straight for once and stop BSing us. Alot of us have been questioning what is being said for the past 4 months about the IHL and the teams in and around and we always get the company line from the Frankes...."Everything is just FINE" Well, do they think everything is just fine now?
I want the Komets Organization to give us some straight answers now.
Blake is a dang fine reporter, stop messing him around and give him the story of where this league is and where it is going. We deserve the truth told to Blake.
Since it has been only a few hours since this was announced (is oursportscentral even an official press source?) I think it would be prudent to give some time here for official announcements and responses. I'm sure there will be more to follow.
As Blake mentioned in a former topic, Kalamazoo could be expected to move to the ECHL in order to fend off other interests in the city.
Let's give it some time, at least more then a few hours.
I think it was me that said that...but oh well...(about K-Zoo going to the ECHL)....I was one of the guys that was getting blasted for bringing this and other questions about the league up.....and was told to stop talking about it.
Well, now K-Zoo is gone. Franke's are going full speed ahead and Buddy and his pizza are at the wheel!!!
Watch this.
http://www.wane.com/dpp/sports/video_page_sports/ihlexpansion