Hockey Returns to Cleveland
Monday December 18, 2006
Professional Hockey has come one step closer to becoming a reality again in Cleveland with the annoucement December 17 of an agreement with Cleveland and the Colorado Avalanche. Dan Gilbert, majority owner of the new Cleveland hockey team as well as the Cleveland Cavaliers, announced that the Cleveland team will begin playing for the 2007/2008 season as an AHL affiliate of the Avalanche.The team, which is yet to be named, will play at Quicken Loans Arena and practice at Iceland in Strongsville.
The Colorado Avalanche, formerly the Quebec Nordique franchise, moved to Denver for the 1995/1996 season. They have won two Stanley Cups in their short history.
(Photo© istockphoto; licensed to About, Inc.)
Comments
Aboot time, eh?!?
finally to see faceoff again
WOW! With prices like they now offering, I don’t know how they expect to sell any tickets. Management is definitely deluded here. Glass seats for $60. $9 seats now $20. Its unfortunate because marketed correctly, even in a major league city, AHL hockey could be successful in Cleveland again. They really missed the boat here though. Do you think Joe Average is gonna regularly pluck down $30 for a decent seat to a minor league hockey game? I’m sure opening night will be packed, but by the middle of the season, it’s gonna be a sea of empty seats as usual. In the poorest big city in America, they definitely have no idea who their true market is. Looks like they are more concerned with recouping their money from the purchase of their franchise as fast as they can, rather than building up a fanbase and ensuring hockey can ultimately last in the city. Very unfortunate indeed.
http://www.myspace.com/saveclevelandhockey