Post Anholt Thoughts...

[smilly]

Good good

[Canefollower]

This is now a large modern city with a population of over 115,000 and a non resident populace of 80,000 which is just starting a 7 Billion dollar downtown rejuvenization with a WHL standards arena. Three major corporations have committed to the purchase of a franchise.the people there have disposable income and will support any team coming there. A CFL preseason game was announced to be be played there and the tickets were sold out in 14 minutes. The Toronto Argonauts are having their regular season home opener there due to stadium issues in Toronto. Can't see this ever happening in Lethbridge if you think Moon that the population has zero connection to the city you are way off base
Average season ticket holder age in Lethbridge is 62. Up there I would quess it to be mid 30's not even going to mention the corporate sponsorship available
Travel is an issue but I'm sure the league will work around that to land a deep pocketed franchise
Now I'm not saying the Hurricanes are moving there but don't be naive and think that when the city's timing is right and a team is available Fort Mcmurray is not an option

[Canefollower]

With our fickle fan base the whole attitude of they should do this or that should have happened and when somebody does something I approve of then I might go to a few games is exactly what will have this franchise moved.
Say what you want about private ownership being tha saviour if this attitude is kept up and private money is lost they will move the team to better conditions.and does it really matter where? Moving the team is a reality. You can say what you wish about good points of the city, geographic, venue size and condition, or population, but fact is the franchise at minimum needs to break even financially to stay here.
I have roughly four years to retirement and am so looking forward to taking my grandchildren to the games and share some of the things I enjoy with them at the games but to have the team in turmoil and having to listen to "fans" with some idea that they have an entitlement and refuse to do anything to help out this franchise. I for one will be doing whatever I'm capable of doing to help out the Hurricanes
Thank you . Rant over. For now

[smilly]

Good to hear something from some people who live in the real world(canefollewer ,Blacksheep )rather than that know it all moon lol

[canes watcher]

Canefollower and smilly, have you considered the best way to get the team respectable again is to pull your support until the team goes bankrupt early in the season and is sold to a deep-pocketed owner?

[blacksheep]

Canefollower and smilly, have you considered the best way to get the team respectable again is to pull your support until the team goes bankrupt early in the season and is sold to a deep-pocketed owner?

A deep pocketed owner. Lol. Think about this.. they are deep pockets because they make money. A couple of years loss at 200 k a year and they will be gone faster than you can say deep pockets.

[loudi94]

Canefollower and smilly, have you considered the best way to get the team respectable again is to pull your support until the team goes bankrupt early in the season and is sold to a deep-pocketed owner?

A competitive team with a strong front office will put butts in the seats. That will result in increased revenue. It ultimately doesn't matter who owns the team.

[smilly]

Blacksheep another one who hasn't got a clue on business and how you make money.

[moon]

I am a know it all because I hold a different opinion than you?

Have you added anything to this thread other than petty insults to those with a different opinion?

[moon]

Canefollower:

I certainly didn't mean todos miss Ft. Mac as an option I was just pointing out it is a worse option than Lethbridge and comes with a lot of problems for the league. I would also say there are more desirable options (SC, MJ) to move there before Lethbridge. I think getting guys out for a one of CFL game is much easier than getting a commitment for a 40 game 8 month season, but we won't know for sure until a team is there.

Moving is a possibility if the team goes up for sale I just see it as a very small possibility considering Lethbridge vs other markets and the fact there are at least two local groups with interest in buying the team.

As for the 2nd rant I don't think the team needs to make moves that only I approve of but I think three basic things should be done if they want my money:

1. Dont treat fans like crap. I was a season ticket holder for 3 years despite missing more games than I could physically go to (work out of town). I had an issue with my renewal and instead of listening to my concern, trying to work something out I was told too bad you paid we have your money nothing more we can/will do. I had paid less than 5 minutes before and yet now was told to beat it. I am not saying I needed s refund (that would have been nice) but being treated with a little concern for my issue would have been nice.

2. Don't run a $150,000 debt and act like there is no problem. With bad teams (which were the fault of the BOD) there are going to be tough times but listening to the morons running the team you would think everything is peachy and staying the course is somehow going to result in 100% different results. The BOD has shown zero will I guess to change their approach, zero willingness to try and improve things and zero willingness to do anything other than try and keep their spots in the board.

3. Hire competant (I don't even need great or better than average) hockey people to run the team. Preston was an o virus disaster from day 1. He had a mediocre-bad coaching record for 2 seasons 10 years prior to being hired and had done very little in that time to indicate he would improve on that. He had zero qualifications as a GM, let alone Coach/GM combo. The dual role seems like a bad idea for any person in hockey and rarely done in successful WHL franchises outside the coach/GM/Owners like Sutter and Mccrimmin and those guys have light years more credibility than Preston.

Moving to Robson screamed of cheapness as all Robson had as qualifications for GM was a horrible record as Asst. GM in Lethbridge. I can't imagine how the thought process could have been "hey let's replace that crappy GM with the guy that was largely responsible for bringing in the lack of talent we have now" how could anyone have thought that was going to work out.

And coupling him with Drake Betehowsky who again came with a crappy record in a sub par league seemed doomed to fail from the start. What indication at all was there that Betehowsky would do a good job? He wasn't good in his previous head coaching job, he didn't have history as a successful Asst coach from a solid franchise. So when he came in and sucked so bad it should have been no surprise.

Now we have Peter Anholdt. I will say he is an upgrade on the others we have had but really it's hard not to be. He is another guy with a mediocre to bad record as a coach and no indication that he can build a winner as a GM.

Maybe I am asking too much for this team to be competent, maybe I should just be happy to have s team and go out and watch bottom 5 team after bottom 5 team but it gets pretty depressing supporting a franchise that treats its fans like crap and then shows that it has no desire to make the team better on or off the ice.