Phoenix awarded a new pro team to play in the AWA!

Brian in Mesa · February 1st, 2005, 09:55 PM

Nice.

Time to get out my old Roadrunners gear.

coyoteshockeyfan · February 1st, 2005, 10:19 PM

http://www.azcentral.com/sports/coyo...1echl0201.html

Play for our new ECHL team (basically a step below the AHL, or the equivalent of baseball's "AA") begins in October in the AWA, thats great news!

DjaugheOld · February 1st, 2005, 10:58 PM

Hmmm...I wonder if they are gonna negotiate to take on the old roadrunners name and uni's....

SunCityCarl · February 1st, 2005, 11:17 PM

Don't know but that will be the moniker...

http://www.echl.com/cgi-bin/mpublic....&cat=1&id=3813

coyoteshockeyfan · February 1st, 2005, 11:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SunCityCarl

Don't know but that will be the moniker...

http://www.echl.com/cgi-bin/mpublic....&cat=1&id=3813

Interesting, the Toronto AHL team bought the name and logo several years ago, and the same franchise (different location now though) still uses the name, so I didnt think they could get it back. I really hope that we do get the name and early-to-mid-90s unis back though, that would be awesome!

coyoteshockeyfan · February 2nd, 2005, 03:42 AM

Another article, and the name "Roadrunners" has been confirmed, as Colangelo and Co. bought the name back it appears.
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/200...enixhockey.ap/

sundevilscott · February 2nd, 2005, 05:04 AM

I have a puck from a RR game when i was 3 or 4 months old and my mother had to dive to the side to avoid us getting hit. The RR have always have a place in our family. They would not be smart if they do not use the Blue and silver colors.

aznando · February 2nd, 2005, 01:15 PM

I have to be honest i do not like the NHL at all for one reason and primarly one reason only. I can't stand ties. I only watch the NHL during the playoffs and i really like it then. I used to live in Charleston, SC and absolutly fell in love with hockey watching the South Carolina Stingrays of the ECHL. I know the league has changed for the better and i'm very excited to watch ECHL hockey again here in Phoenix. I for one will be going downtown for my hockey fix next year instead of driving to Glendale.

Aznando

NickelBack · February 3rd, 2005, 01:18 PM

I always wonder about minor league sports playing in big cities. Especially in a venue like AWA.

Hordispack · February 3rd, 2005, 08:36 PM

I loved the Roadrunners. Great fun at a reasonable price. And now at AWA?? Im as good as there.
Thanks Claude!...boy have I been waiting a looong time to say that.

Hordispack · February 6th, 2005, 01:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NickelBack

I always wonder about minor league sports playing in big cities. Especially in a venue like AWA.

AWA does seem too big for a AA team though, I agree. It will be interesting to see how full it is.

WizardOfAz · February 6th, 2005, 04:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hordispack

AWA does seem too big for a AA team though, I agree. It will be interesting to see how full it is.

I think support will be modest....6150 per game would lead the league, afterall:

http://www.echl.com/attendance.shtml

NickelBack · February 8th, 2005, 09:18 AM

Two interesting things got lost in the shuffle of the recent announcement that the old Phoenix Roadrunners are being resurrected and moved to America West Arena:

First, team executives said they will need to draw 5,000 fans to each home game just to break even on a nightly basis.

Hel-lo?

Only five of the ECHL's 28 teams are averaging 5,000-plus fans this season, and none of those teams is in the same market as an NHL team.

And, by the way, what do the Coyotes think about having to suddenly share the hockey market?

One executive with the team told THI that the NHL club isn't worried it will lose fans to its new neighbor, because the NHL and the ECHL aren't quite the same product.

"It's like comparing a Frank Sinatra concert to seeing a lounge singer in a bar," he said.

http://www.arizonasportsfans.com/vb/...ote=1&p=602412

coyoteshockeyfan · February 8th, 2005, 02:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NickelBack

Two interesting things got lost in the shuffle of the recent announcement that the old Phoenix Roadrunners are being resurrected and moved to America West Arena:

First, team executives said they will need to draw 5,000 fans to each home game just to break even on a nightly basis.

Hel-lo?

Only five of the ECHL's 28 teams are averaging 5,000-plus fans this season, and none of those teams is in the same market as an NHL team.

The Arizona Sting average over that 5k amount if Im not mistaken, so decent minor league hockey could probably do about the same. And most of those other ECHL teams are in nearly as big of a market as Phoenix. It wouldnt surprise me if they hover around 5000 even with the Coyotes around.

MigratingOsprey · February 10th, 2005, 07:52 AM

it can be done

basically if they market hard towards families and people who can't shell out $80 for hockey tickets

in fact, it could be a good partnership if the coyotes co-operate with them .... use the roadrunners as a breeding ground for new hockey fans

I know the dynamic is different out here then other places I've lived, but i've seen pro and minor league hockey work ... pro and college hockey work ... etc

with 5M people, it shouldn't be too hard to find 5k that enjoy the sport of hockey and are willing to watch a minor league team for the family value of it all

Phoenix awarded a new pro team to play in the AWA!

I am 31 years old and

Roadrunners dreaming?