ECHL: Attendance to blame for loss of teams

by James Mirtle on Apr 2, 2009 9:00 AM CDT Comment 17 comments

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You really never do know what posts are going to strike a chord. For whatever reason, this one a few days ago on three ECHL teams pulling the plug resulted in quite a few emails, including one from the league's head office.

Go figure.

Jack Carnefix, senior vice president of communications/new media for the ECHL, sent me an email yesterday to clarify a few things, including the reason behind the loss of so many teams lately. (Or the official one, anyway.)

"Travel costs are not really an issue as teams from the East and West are not required to play each other during the regular season," Carnefix said. "Even for teams in the West who fly more frequently, travel costs are approximately 8.5 per cent of their budget.

"The overall reasons for most minor league teams ceasing and suspending operations are financial, however, it has more to do with attendance than travel costs. It is a very tough time for minor-league sports."

No kidding.

So, time for a quick look at ECHL attendance, based on figures provided by the league. Overall, the numbers are up, although that's based on the fact that three poor markets closed up shop after 2007-08 and the one new club, the Ontario (Calif.) Reign, has been a huge success story (relatively speaking) with an average of 5,900 fans per game.

Eliminating the teams that left the league last summer and the Reign, ECHL attendance is down by an average of a little more than 7 per cent among the remaining 22 teams. Only four teams have seen an increase this season.

The five that will not play in 2009-10 are in bold:

		2007-08		2008-09
	Team	Total	Avg	Total	Avg	Diff	%
1	Cincinnati	90,832	2,523	93,903	2,846	323	12.8%
2	Wheeling	101,837	2,829	98,000	2,882	53	1.9%
3	Victoria	175,354	4,871	177,244	4,923	52	1.1%
4	Dayton	131,881	3,663	132,454	3,679	16	0.4%
5	S. Carolina	180,309	5,009	180,048	5,001	-8	-0.2%
6	Alaska	169,820	4,717	168,547	4,682	-35	-0.7%
7	Augusta	102,044	2,835	19,053	2,722	-113	-4.0%
8	Gwinnett	203,624	5,656	193,827	5,538	-118	-2.1%
9	Johnstown	84,459	2,346	79,642	2,212	-134	-5.7%
10	Bakersfield	202,596	5,628	186,305	5,480	-148	-2.6%
11	Elmira	126,905	3,525	112,826	3,318	-207	-5.9%
12	Phoenix	120,495	3,347	108,890	3,025	-322	-9.6%
13	Utah	138,018	3,834	117,689	3,461	-373	-9.7%
14	Florida	217,185	6,033	185,923	5,634	-399	-6.6%
15	Las Vegas	178,921	4,970	154,966	4,558	-412	-8.3%
16	Stockton	239,337	6,648	223,854	6,218	-430	-6.5%
17	Idaho	158,005	4,389	130,319	3,949	-440	-10.0%
18	Reading	195,481	5,430	168,749	4,963	-467	-8.6%
19	Trenton	119,344	3,315	93,629	2,675	-640	-19.3%
20	Mississippi	138,413	3,845	113,632	3,156	-689	-17.9%
21	Charlotte	215,215	5,978	177,464	5,220	-758	-12.7%
22	Fresno	181,271	5,035	52,549	3,284	-1,751	-34.8%
	Est. Teams	3,471,346	4,383	2,969,513	4,065	-318	-7.3%
	League	3,756,191	4,174	3,180,314	4,218	44	1.1%

I know some of the response to this post will be "who cares about the ECHL?" but I think it's a pretty important league for the NHL. Many teams have direct affiliations now and a ton of current players began their development in the league.

There's a very real strain on minor-league hockey in the U.S. right now, and that could leave a lot of players without a place to play. This also affects more hockey fans than you think, something I'll talk about here in the near future.

As one commenter noted on this site on my original post, there's a place for a reasonably priced version of the pro game in the U.S. and it's important on some level that be maintained. Right now, it looks grim for these leagues and the players in them.

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Thanks for the numbers, James. My first pro hockey game was in Biloxi and I’m saddened to see them close their doors again. The first time was beyond their control, but it now seems that the economic climate and population issues may kill the franchise. Thankfully, I’ve got the Blazers in OKC (who are rumored to be courting the Oilers and planning a move up to the A) to get my hockey fix. I think your theory on travel costs being to egregious for a league with the kind of attendance has some weight, but I imagine most, if not all, of the blame for these closings with be placed at the doorstep of the horrible US Economy.

2008-2009 Colorado Avalanche: Dry Humping Mediocrity

by Mike @ MHH on Apr 2, 2009 9:30 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Worried that the Cyclones will be lost too.

I’m scared that Cincinnati will eventually be on that chopping block too. We lost all hockey here in Cincy for several years and then thankfully they brought the Cyclones back. But as a realist, I look at the empty seats in the arena and I know that if things don’t improve, no matter how many Kelly Cups they may win, it doesn’t ensure their future. Seeing Dayton get the axe shows me that it’s all too possible here as well.

by Jennemy on Apr 2, 2009 10:31 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

I thought the main problem in Cinncy was the arena for some reason. I remember reading an article where the Cyclones were awarded something like the “Ohio based Pro Sports Team of the Year Award” and it complimented them on improving attendance in a terrible building. Obviously, winning the Kelly Cup went a long way to doing that.

Hockey blogging can't get any flatter.

by saskhab on Apr 2, 2009 11:03 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Another way to look at it is that the level of the game worldwide will improve as these players will now head overseas to play. I’m sure the folks over in England will be happy to see better hockey come their way. And if I recall, the KHL just got themselves an international tv contract so maybe some talent will filter over there – granted their league is a tad higher than ECHL level.

Then again, there could be backlash and more limits on imports, as those leagues wanted to do during the NHL lockout. It is an interesting situation and definitely one to keep an eye on.

I have a blog too! www.scottyhockey.com
Let's Go Rangers!

by Scotty Hockey on Apr 2, 2009 10:43 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Or maybe they’ll just retire from hockey altogether. Playing in Europe is a pretty big hassle for a dead-end career that doesn’t pay well and eliminates any chance of family life. Remember that ECHL players are generally very young and still have other options besides hockey.

by bostonblueline.blogspot.com on Apr 2, 2009 10:58 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Agreed. But also young enough to still want to chase the dream……my guess is most would try to catch on somewhere.

by mc keeper on Apr 2, 2009 11:21 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

I hope the league can make it through these tough times. Maybe Canadian expansion would be something they can look into. The first pro hockey game I ever went to was an ECHL game between the Richmond Renegades and the Columbus Chill in 94.

by chileiceman on Apr 2, 2009 1:06 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

One of the main issues there is that pretty much every Canadian market already has either a junior team or an AHL one. Tough for the ECHL to find a home in those situations.

by James Mirtle on Apr 2, 2009 1:23 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Not only in Canada, but it’s the same situation in the northern US. Also, Minnesota has a large high school hockey following, as well as the NCAA.

Hockey blogging can't get any flatter.

by saskhab on Apr 2, 2009 1:26 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Turf war

There’s a bit of a turf war in Canada between major junior and minor professional leagues. The AHL is in Hamilton and Winnipeg, two cities without major junior or NHL franchise, and the ECHL is in Victoria, which also has no major junior franchise. There is a controversial proposal to move the Flames’ AHL affiliate to Abbotsford, and the WHL is amongst the groups very mad about it. The WHL recently put an expansion franchise in Chilliwack, which is only 43 km away and they are accusing the AHL of “invading their territory”.

There isn’t much of Canada that doesn’t have a major junior representitive nearby. St. John’s, NF is about the only one, as the AHL pulled out of there a couple years back and the QMJHL franchise there failed and moved to Montreal.

Hockey blogging can't get any flatter.

by saskhab on Apr 2, 2009 1:24 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Canadian Expansion

Doubt it would work. In the Centre of the Hockey Universe.

The Marlies draw flies and the attendance at the two area Major Junior teams, St. Mike’s and Brampton, are mostly pitiful.

by John Richardson on Apr 2, 2009 2:01 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

No, definitely not in Toronto. I wish there was a junior hockey team in the downtown somewhere, but they just haven’t been able to make a go of it.

by James Mirtle on Apr 2, 2009 3:19 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

I must admit I’m surprised by the success of the Ontario Reign (they sold out the last two games of the regular season at 9600+). Hockey has never had much of a footprint in “the Inland Empire” and I’m sure the new arena has a lot to do with their success. Still, they are doing it without any local television or radio broadcasts as far as I can tell and I’m sure the LA-based media doesn’t even know they exist. Its an area where minor league baseball has been successful, an area that is more blue collar than most of SoCAl, and there’s always been a craving there for a locally-based professional sports team to identify with. Hopefully it will be more than a one-year wonder but the ECHL’s got its work cut out for it if it expects to remain viable on the West Coast.

by Big Picture Guy on Apr 2, 2009 2:38 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

The IE (as a resident thereof) always has had a decent amount of diehard hockey folks, thanks to the rink in Ontario. Fans from the area used to make the trek to Inglewood to see the Kings, so the sports not completely new to everyone out here. And the extra rinks in the area (a second in Ontario, one in Riverside) definitely helps.

And you’re right: no local TV (we hear they are looking at options for the playoffs), no local radio (the Reign streams the other team’s radio broadcasts on its Web site) and the local media coverage is limited to one reporter (the region’s other paper only runs briefs).

It’s helped that A) they’ve won; B) done a ton of ticket deals; and C) they’re in the new arena. And getting the Kings affiliation is a big sell (even though there’s only been four Kings prospects there all season). I don’t foresee it being a one-year wonder, but it will be interesting to see what happens with the rest of the West coast teams, and how it affects the team and league.

by FlashBN on Apr 2, 2009 6:33 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

I really think the Reign are a viable product in the IE (I live in Long Beach) since the Anaheim Ducks drew up an affiliation with the Bakersfield Condors, creating a bit of a rivalry that always works in So Cal. And if the Ducks are serious about relocating an AHL team here, they will probably call on the Kings or the Sharks to “partner” a move and do the same (from what I’ve read, if one team relocates, then another must also relocate). The hard part is finding a place to play… that was the downfall of the Long Beach Ice Dogs.

by puck it dano on Apr 2, 2009 6:52 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs