Personally I am glad to see hockey played at the Chevy Centre this year but I hope that it is only temporary that the Phantoms are the main attraction. Yes, they are high caliber Junior A players from all across the country but the possibility of having an NHL affliated team in the area is exciting. Yes, the Steelhounds were "affiliated" with the Blue Jackets but Columbus never planned on working on players through the CHL when they have a better talent pool in the Dayton Bombers (ECHL) and Syracuse Stars (AHL). The only way that the Phantoms should stay at the Chevy Centre is if they move to either the OHL (Canadian Major Junior League where guys like Jordan Staal, Steve Stamkos, and Wayne Gretzky emerged) or a USHL team (American Tier I Jr.A). My main question is why hasn't the YSU Men's Ice Hockey team been asked to fill some of the dates. They have ex-Phantoms on their team and are made of former Junior A players from across the country. Instead they practice and play their games at the Ice Zone where they are treated as second rate citizens to the Phantoms (rumor has it they are sometimes forced from their locker room for the Phantoms Midget AAA ,AKA High School team, to get dressed)and have trouble getting students to the games because of the distance from campus (they average about 500 people per game but have sold out the Ice Zone). They are offered free ice but do not profit on ticket sales, merchandise sales, or basically anything at all. Instead these guys pay $1,000 each out of pocket to play the sport they love. YSU only funds league entry payments and road trips (excluding meals) because they are an ACHA D-I team rather than NCAA. Penn State, West Virginia, Illinois, etc are all ACHA D-I as well. I say give the ice at the Chevy Centre for free to YSU, charge $5 tickets and promote the game to YSU students and the area. Rather than let local businessmen get involved in the sport let a single college team that is just as exciting and profits NOTHING play there and all profits go to the Centre to cover ice costs and make a profit for the city. Imagine the recruiting class they could bring in by showing off the Chevy Centre and letting those kids imagine the stands full. Any thoughts?
Bruce Zoldan’s Phantoms expected to play at the Chevy Centre
Personally I am glad to see hockey played at the Chevy Centre this year but I hope that it is only temporary that the Phantoms are the main attraction. Yes, they are high caliber Junior A players from all across the country but the possibility of having an NHL affliated team in the area is exciting. Yes, the Steelhounds were "affiliated" with the Blue Jackets but Columbus never planned on working on players through the CHL when they have a better talent pool in the Dayton Bombers (ECHL) and Syracuse Stars (AHL). The only way that the Phantoms should stay at the Chevy Centre is if they move to either the OHL (Canadian Major Junior League where guys like Jordan Staal, Steve Stamkos, and Wayne Gretzky emerged) or a USHL team (American Tier I Jr.A). My main question is why hasn't the YSU Men's Ice Hockey team been asked to fill some of the dates. They have ex-Phantoms on their team and are made of former Junior A players from across the country. Instead they practice and play their games at the Ice Zone where they are treated as second rate citizens to the Phantoms (rumor has it they are sometimes forced from their locker room for the Phantoms Midget AAA ,AKA High School team, to get dressed)and have trouble getting students to the games because of the distance from campus (they average about 500 people per game but have sold out the Ice Zone). They are offered free ice but do not profit on ticket sales, merchandise sales, or basically anything at all. Instead these guys pay $1,000 each out of pocket to play the sport they love. YSU only funds league entry payments and road trips (excluding meals) because they are an ACHA D-I team rather than NCAA. Penn State, West Virginia, Illinois, etc are all ACHA D-I as well. I say give the ice at the Chevy Centre for free to YSU, charge $5 tickets and promote the game to YSU students and the area. Rather than let local businessmen get involved in the sport let a single college team that is just as exciting and profits NOTHING play there and all profits go to the Centre to cover ice costs and make a profit for the city. Imagine the recruiting class they could bring in by showing off the Chevy Centre and letting those kids imagine the stands full. Any thoughts?
August 13, 2008 at 11 a.m. permalink suggest removal