Basketball/Hockey Doubleheader

[Tipped Off]

February 17th Gametime Changed to 8:30

01/08/07 - Western Hockey League (WHL) Spokane Chiefs

The Spokane Chiefs have announced that the start time for the Chiefs-Kootenay Ice game on Saturday, February 17th has been changed to 8:30 to help accommodate the broadcast of the Gonzaga- Memphis NCAA basketball game on ESPN from the Spokane Arena. Gonzaga and Memphis will play the first half of a basketball-hockey doubleheader at 3:00. Gates will re-open for the Chiefs game at 7:30.

"We are very grateful to Brett Sports, the Spokane Chiefs and the Spokane Arena for their cooperation in changing the start time of the Chiefs' game in order for ESPN to televise the Gonzaga-Memphis game at 3 p.m.," Gonzaga Athletic Director Mike Roth said. "We have always had a great relationship with all of these entities and this is another example of everyone working together to come up with a solution."

"The Public Facilities District and Gonzaga University are our partners," Chiefs President Bobby Brett said. "We are happy to cooperate because we know how important these events are to Spokane sports fans. It will be a great sports day in the Spokane Arena with Gonzaga Basketball in the afternoon and Chiefs Hockey at 8:30 that night."

"We are very pleased that the revised schedule will allow two great events at the Arena on February 17th. We are expecting between 18 and 20,000 great sports fans that day," the Spokane Arena General Manager Kevin Twohig said. "Go Zags. Go Chiefs Go."

The Chiefs will "Turn Back the Clock" in more ways than one when they honor the 1980 Spokane Flyers Allan Cup Championship Team by wearing replica jerseys. Turn Back the Clock Night is presented by Miller Brewing Company, Cat Country 94 and KAYU Fox 28.

Tickets for all home games are available by calling the Chiefs office at (509) 535-PUCK or TicketsWest at (800) 325-SEAT.

[Jimmypop316]

nothing worse than basketball pushing hockey an hour back.

yuck.

[TC Autograph Guy]

I may see that doubleheader. Heck, I'd be interested to watch how fast they remove the basketball court and put up the boards.

GO ZAGS!

[LifelongChiefsFan]

I may see that doubleheader. Heck, I'd be interested to watch how fast they remove the basketball court and put up the boards.

GO ZAGS!

They do a real good job of switching from Bball to hockey, it's pretty cool. Over thanksgiving I went to see the Cougars play Boise State at the arena and then saw the Chiefs play Kelowna that night. I think there were only about 4 hours difference between the end of the Cougs game and the start of the Chiefs game and the ice wasn't bad at all. They did however already have the player benches set up even during the basketball game, which obviously saves them some time.

Speaking of the actual game, I sure hope the Zags take it to Memphis. They could sure use it after that abysmal stretch of out of conference games they just had.

[chiefs20167]

I may see that doubleheader. Heck, I'd be interested to watch how fast they remove the basketball court and put up the boards.

GO ZAGS!

The change over is the best part of this type of double header. What's interesting is to see who is out on the "floor/ice" getting things changed over. I'm talking high up people from the arena. I work there doing security there during the game and it's a blast to watch, then I become a hockey fan.

What they don't do I'm afraid is let the public watch. The building will be cleared our prior to the start of the change over. It only takes a couple hours at most if all goes well.

All the boards are still up during the bball game, except a couple to allow teams to the floor. They just take out the glass. All the benches remain in place too. It's alot of fun to watch them set it up to bball and then tear it back down to hockey. The crew does a great job and the ice doesn't seem to take that much of a beating.