Jump to content

Quad City Flames on the Move


Brian in Boston

Recommended Posts

The Quad City Flames appear to be on the verge of getting snuffed out.

Despite denials from both Calgary and Quad City Flames officials to the contrary, rumors persist that the parent Calgary Flames plan to move their American Hockey League affiliate to Abbotsford, British Columbia's new $64-million arena - scheduled to open this March - in time for the 2009-2010 season.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Replies 55
  • Created
  • Last Reply
The Quad City Flames appear to be on the verge of being snuffed out.

Despite denials from both Calgary and Quad City Flames officials to the contrary, rumors persist that the parent Calgary Flames plan to move their American Hockey League affiliate to Abbotsford, British Columbia's new $64-million arena - scheduled to open this March - in time for the 2009-2010 season.

I thought this deal burnt out in December do we have a source?

 

JETS|PACK|JAYS|NUFC|BAMA|BOMBERS|RAPS|ORANJE|

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I thought this deal burnt out in December do we have a source?

ArenaDigest.com

Well back in December the Flames apparently signed a 5 year agreement to stay in Quad City but could have fizzled out, and if they do go through the move this will be a lot better for call ups to get here quicker.

 

JETS|PACK|JAYS|NUFC|BAMA|BOMBERS|RAPS|ORANJE|

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Oh brother...

It seems like the Flames can't decide on where they want to have their affilate located. Moncton, St. John's, Omaha, Quad Cities, Abbotsford. Man... That's a very convoluted team history there.

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The Quad City Flames appear to be on the verge of getting snuffed out.

Despite denials from both Calgary and Quad City Flames officials to the contrary, rumors persist that the parent Calgary Flames plan to move their American Hockey League affiliate to Abbotsford, British Columbia's new $64-million arena - scheduled to open this March - in time for the 2009-2010 season.

Will this be approved by the league? I have trouble seeing this working without Calgary essentially promising to subsidize the road trips for the entire league.

On 8/1/2010 at 4:01 PM, winters in buffalo said:
You manage to balance agitation with just enough salient points to keep things interesting. Kind of a low-rent DG_Now.
On 1/2/2011 at 9:07 PM, Sodboy13 said:
Today, we are all otaku.

"The city of Peoria was once the site of the largest distillery in the world and later became the site for mass production of penicillin. So it is safe to assume that present-day Peorians are descended from syphilitic boozehounds."-Stephen Colbert

POTD: February 15, 2010, June 20, 2010

The Glorious Bloom State Penguins (NCFAF) 2014: 2-9, 2015: 7-5 (L Pineapple Bowl), 2016: 1-0 (NCFAB) 2014-15: 10-8, 2015-16: 14-5 (SMC Champs, L 1st Round February Frenzy)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Oh brother...

It seems like the Flames can't decide on where they want to have their affilate located. Moncton, St. John's, Omaha, Quad Cities, Abbotsford. Man... That's a very convoluted team history there.

And Lowell for 2 seasons, splitting with Carolina.

Back-to-Back Fatal Forty Champion 2015 & 2016

Link to comment
Share on other sites

http://www.bclocalnews.com/sports/36349864.html

This article is dated, but note what Andrews is saying.

On 8/1/2010 at 4:01 PM, winters in buffalo said:
You manage to balance agitation with just enough salient points to keep things interesting. Kind of a low-rent DG_Now.
On 1/2/2011 at 9:07 PM, Sodboy13 said:
Today, we are all otaku.

"The city of Peoria was once the site of the largest distillery in the world and later became the site for mass production of penicillin. So it is safe to assume that present-day Peorians are descended from syphilitic boozehounds."-Stephen Colbert

POTD: February 15, 2010, June 20, 2010

The Glorious Bloom State Penguins (NCFAF) 2014: 2-9, 2015: 7-5 (L Pineapple Bowl), 2016: 1-0 (NCFAB) 2014-15: 10-8, 2015-16: 14-5 (SMC Champs, L 1st Round February Frenzy)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Salt Lake City couldn't handle being the westernmost outpost of the AHL, so what on earth makes a town in British Columbia think they're gonna be sustainable? Even if Abbotsford were to be placed in an all-Canada division, their closest opponent would be roughly halfway across the country in Winnipeg. There is absolutely no way to make that financially sustainable, especially in a 7,000-seat small market, save for convincing the good people of Abbotsford that $100 a ticket is reasonable for minor-league hockey. This one's gonna go the way of the 1996-97 IHL Victoria Spiders.

That being said, I have no reason to believe that the QC Flames will live on past this year. Once again, the Calgary Flames have salted the earth of a potentially fruitful hockey market. A note to those who believe the AHL should be about player development uber alles: this is the product of such thinking.

On 1/25/2013 at 1:53 PM, 'Atom said:

For all the bird de lis haters I think the bird de lis isnt supposed to be a pelican and a fleur de lis I think its just a fleur de lis with a pelicans head. Thats what it looks like to me. Also the flair around the tip of the beak is just flair that fleur de lis have sometimes source I am from NOLA.

PotD: 10/19/07, 08/25/08, 07/22/10, 08/13/10, 04/15/11, 05/19/11, 01/02/12, and 01/05/12.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Well, crap. Might as well affiliate Abbotsford with Vancouver and Winnipeg with Calgary, but even that's logistically impossible for the AHL. Having seen some of the towns that do have WHL teams while Abbotsford doesn't hardly leads me to believe that Abbotsford is a viable AHL market, and that's not even taking into account that surely most British Columbians don't much care for the Flames.

Why do the Calgary Flames keep destroying all these minor league hockey towns? The folks in Rock Island are probably like "man we gave up the Mallards for THIS?"

Fun fact: on my National Geographic wall map, I can spot Kamloops, Chilliwack, Kelowna, Burnaby, and Salmon Arm. No Abbotsford.

♫ oh yeah, board goes on, long after the thrill of postin' is gone ♫

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Where in Alberta can they support the AHL where they

1) aren't supporting an NHL team

2) aren't supporting a WHL team

3) have an AHL-ready arena ready

♫ oh yeah, board goes on, long after the thrill of postin' is gone ♫

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Red Deer I believe has the 3rd largest arena in Alberta after Pengrowth and Rexall and the thing with Red Deer is there half Oiler half Flames fans

But most of the mid sized Western Canadian cities have WHL teams, Flames should stay in the Quad Cities but I don't know what the Fan support is there, I could see the Flames somewhere in Montana possibly Billings they did have a WHL team but would need a new arena.

 

JETS|PACK|JAYS|NUFC|BAMA|BOMBERS|RAPS|ORANJE|

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The Quad City Flames appear to be on the verge of getting snuffed out.

Despite denials from both Calgary and Quad City Flames officials to the contrary, rumors persist that the parent Calgary Flames plan to move their American Hockey League affiliate to Abbotsford, British Columbia's new $64-million arena - scheduled to open this March - in time for the 2009-2010 season.

Will this be approved by the league? I have trouble seeing this working without Calgary essentially promising to subsidize the road trips for the entire league.

I don't think the AHL can afford to have a team out in British Columbia in terms of the travel costs, so the move out of the Quad Cities to that far west, I believe, won't happen any time soon.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

keep the flames out of British Columbia!!!!!!

i know those in Manitoba are big Moose fans and many have grown into Canucks fans, but if the Baby Flames MUST move, send Manitoba to Abbotsford (or even better Seattle), and move the baby flames to Winnepeg (or better yet move Phoenix back!)

so..my proposal...

1. Quad City Flames move to Phoenix. Become the Phoenix Flames.

2. Phoenix Coyotes move to Winnepeg. Become Manitoba Moose. Or Winnepeg Jets.

3. Canucks AHL affiliate moves to Seattle, WA. Becomes the Seattle Metropolitans.

4. Party.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

so..my proposal...

Man, they do sell the potent sh** up in the Pacific Northwest, don't they?

On 1/25/2013 at 1:53 PM, 'Atom said:

For all the bird de lis haters I think the bird de lis isnt supposed to be a pelican and a fleur de lis I think its just a fleur de lis with a pelicans head. Thats what it looks like to me. Also the flair around the tip of the beak is just flair that fleur de lis have sometimes source I am from NOLA.

PotD: 10/19/07, 08/25/08, 07/22/10, 08/13/10, 04/15/11, 05/19/11, 01/02/12, and 01/05/12.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Now, in defense of Abbotsford, Chilliwack is nearby and they're home to a WHL franchise.

Yes, I do see the difference between the AHL, a minor league, and the WHL, which is a junior league. But, if Chilliwack can draw a decent crowd at home with a junior league team, then maybe Abbotsford has a chance.

Now, maybe I see why the Flames want to move again: Quad City has the second lowest total attendance in the AHL (Lowell is the lowest averaging only 1700 fans at a home. Quad City gets 2750 per home game).

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.




×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

By using this site, you agree to our Terms of Use.