If it's possible to keep his organization together for a season without play, Herb Washington would be far better off to stay out of the IHL and wait to get into the ECHL. The level of play in the IHL is not at all as entertaining to watch as either of the 2 other "AA" Leagues (ECHL or CHL). I don't think the core fans of the Steelhounds would change with IHL hockey, but selling it to new fans would be much harder. With the ECHL you know the players are primarily trying to advance to the next level, in the IHL the players are mostly are just trying to hang on for another season. The enthusiasm level is just not the same in the IHL as it is in the ECHL.
The history of the IHL is also questionable. It has gone through 3 name changes and a lot of now forgotten teams. The league has only 6 teams playing currently, and without the key team in Fort Wayne the league would fold at the drop of a puck. The CHL has been trying to absorb the IHL for the last two seasons and would if at all possible.
The ECHL offers 3 other teams in Ohio along with 2 other teams only a couple hours away: Dayton, Cincinnatti, Toledo (in 2009), Wheeling, W.VA, and Johnstown, PA. Youngstown is central to the teams that they would play in the ECHL meaning much easier scheduling since road games could be played in short trips rather than lengthy marathons. In the IHL Youngstown would have to make a circuit of all the other teams to play it's road games making it harder to schedule other events at the Chevy. For the City itself the ECHL would offer much more. It would even add to the attendance figures since aways teams would draw from their own fans (we have had a number of Wheeling fans coming to Steelhound games in the past).
The IHL may put pro hockey in the Chevy for '08, but the loss in potential benefits over playing in the ECHL would be hard to recover. In a season or 2 you probably would once again be looking for a new league when the little IHL folds again or gets absorbed by the CHL.
Hold out for the ECHL or even the OHL (Ontario Hockey League) and give Youngstown some good hockey to watch rather than some old guys just playing out the string.
’Hounds scramble to find a league
If it's possible to keep his organization together for a season without play, Herb Washington would be far better off to stay out of the IHL and wait to get into the ECHL. The level of play in the IHL is not at all as entertaining to watch as either of the 2 other "AA" Leagues (ECHL or CHL). I don't think the core fans of the Steelhounds would change with IHL hockey, but selling it to new fans would be much harder. With the ECHL you know the players are primarily trying to advance to the next level, in the IHL the players are mostly are just trying to hang on for another season. The enthusiasm level is just not the same in the IHL as it is in the ECHL.
The history of the IHL is also questionable. It has gone through 3 name changes and a lot of now forgotten teams. The league has only 6 teams playing currently, and without the key team in Fort Wayne the league would fold at the drop of a puck. The CHL has been trying to absorb the IHL for the last two seasons and would if at all possible.
The ECHL offers 3 other teams in Ohio along with 2 other teams only a couple hours away: Dayton, Cincinnatti, Toledo (in 2009), Wheeling, W.VA, and Johnstown, PA. Youngstown is central to the teams that they would play in the ECHL meaning much easier scheduling since road games could be played in short trips rather than lengthy marathons. In the IHL Youngstown would have to make a circuit of all the other teams to play it's road games making it harder to schedule other events at the Chevy. For the City itself the ECHL would offer much more. It would even add to the attendance figures since aways teams would draw from their own fans (we have had a number of Wheeling fans coming to Steelhound games in the past).
The IHL may put pro hockey in the Chevy for '08, but the loss in potential benefits over playing in the ECHL would be hard to recover. In a season or 2 you probably would once again be looking for a new league when the little IHL folds again or gets absorbed by the CHL.
Hold out for the ECHL or even the OHL (Ontario Hockey League) and give Youngstown some good hockey to watch rather than some old guys just playing out the string.
June 5, 2008 at 10:26 a.m. permalink suggest removal