I'm out

[Motown]

Hey all,
Fisrt time, long time board 'watcher' here. I have to say, after having season tickets for the better part of the last 6 seasons, I am out. I was one of those people that was skeptical on how Lencheski was going to do things. Bottom line, this has bombed so bad that I am hearing rumblings of the team folding within weeks. The same stuff I heard when the Flames left and the Mallards before them. Get ready because a big I told ya so is coming. Another QC hockey team is going by the waistside. Another sad tale of ownership and a bad team gone wrong. One day, we will get somebody in here that knows what he/she is doing.

Duke

[mfrerkes]

Hey all,
Fisrt time, long time board 'watcher' here. I have to say, after having season tickets for the better part of the last 6 seasons, I am out. I was one of those people that was skeptical on how Lencheski was going to do things. Bottom line, this has bombed so bad that I am hearing rumblings of the team folding within weeks.
As the board's resident Doom & Gloomer, I think you might be a little pessimistic here. Yes, the team sucks. Yes, Lencheski has taken a smoke-and-mirrors approach to everything. Yes, some die-hards are losing patience...

BUT!

The Mallards have received strong corporate support this season. The attendance is certainly up (even with recalibrated figures which account for the early-season padding) from last year. The local media hasn't been reporting the team's imminent demise like they did with the Flames.

Those three things tell me the Mallards will, at a bare minimum, finish out this season without any problems. We'll just see how the season ticket renewals go for 2010-11 before making any wild predictions about the Mallards ceasing operations. I'm pretty confident the team will see another season in the IHL. I'd be even more optimistic about our chances if Anzalone gets the axe before January 1st.

[pioneer98]

Hey all,
Fisrt time, long time board 'watcher' here. I have to say, after having season tickets for the better part of the last 6 seasons, I am out. I was one of those people that was skeptical on how Lencheski was going to do things. Bottom line, this has bombed so bad that I am hearing rumblings of the team folding within weeks. The same stuff I heard when the Flames left and the Mallards before them. Get ready because a big I told ya so is coming. Another QC hockey team is going by the waistside. Another sad tale of ownership and a bad team gone wrong. One day, we will get somebody in here that knows what he/she is doing.

Duke

I don't know where this crap starts, but it is way off base. This should probably be technically in the Rumors section, if it even rises to that level.

Another sad tale of people without all the facts letting their imaginations run wild.

[VOR]

Hey all,
Fisrt time, long time board 'watcher' here. I have to say, after having season tickets for the better part of the last 6 seasons, I am out. I was one of those people that was skeptical on how Lencheski was going to do things. Bottom line, this has bombed so bad that I am hearing rumblings of the team folding within weeks. The same stuff I heard when the Flames left and the Mallards before them. Get ready because a big I told ya so is coming. Another QC hockey team is going by the waistside. Another sad tale of ownership and a bad team gone wrong. One day, we will get somebody in here that knows what he/she is doing.

Duke

The waistside????

[Guardian]

Aren't you the one telling people to MYOB in the league forum?
And now you're in a team forum trying to start crap.
Hypocrisy, gotta love that particular troll quality.

[mfrerkes]

I don't know where this crap starts, but it is way off base. This should probably be technically in the Rumors section, if it even rises to that level.
Perhaps Motown could elaborate on these rumblings. There's absolutely no reason to believe the Mallards are facing a grave financial crisis. They might not be churning out a huge profit, but they are at least paying the bills.

[QuackerBacker35]

The waistside????

*Please God, let this troll's computer experience permanent failure, while also banning stores from selling him/her a new one*

[Jeeves]

Yes this should be in the rumor form. But that being said. And it is here for the time being. I have heard the same thing from a few people. I chose not to post anything here about it knowing it would be blown up. Like it has. I hope they were wrong. As a mater of fact. I pray they were wrong. Just for the fact that there are quite a few people here that still love hockey here. But with the few games I have been to this year. I don't see it lasting past this season(that sentence was only my opinion. Nothing more). Please people. Don't take these boards so damn serious. State your rebuttal. And let it be.

[mfrerkes]

Just for the fact that there are quite a few people here that still love hockey here. But with the few games I have been to this year. I don't see it lasting past this season(that sentence was only my opinion. Nothing more). Please people. Don't take these boards so damn serious. State your rebuttal. And let it be.
Nothing would surprise me. I just don't think such a thing is very likely. The two biggest problems Lencheski faces might not be within the Quad Cities community:

1) There's still a lawsuit (I guess?) filed by his former business partners over the acquisition of the Mallards franchise. If this goes to court and Lencheski loses, there will be a whole bunch of things up in the air for the team. Does anybody even know if these legal proceedings are moving forward?

2) Several IHL franchises are either on the verge of folding (Flint, Dayton) or looking at possible league changes (Muskegon, Bloomington) as soon as next season. Lencheski could be looking at an impromptu league change if one or several of these teams disappear from the IHL. There's no guarantee he'll be able or willing to follow suit.

Financially speaking, I don't see how the Mallards can be hurting all that bad. Corporate sponsorships seem to be plentiful. Ticket sales aren't Earth-shattering, but they are better than every other IHL franchise except Fort Wayne. Keep in mind the Mallards have sold quite a few $950 season seats and are getting $18 for lower bowl and $13 for upper bowl sideline seats. Overhead in the IHL is much lower than the AHL. This team is raking in more money than the Flames did, and they're not spending $1,000,000 per season on NHL affiliation fees...or travelling to Manitoba or Houston.

As inclined as I am to see things from a critical/pessimistic viewpoint, I just don't see it happening with QC; at least not this season, anyway.

[pioneer98]

Financially speaking, I don't see how the Mallards can be hurting all that bad. Corporate sponsorships seem to be plentiful. Ticket sales aren't Earth-shattering, but they are better than every other IHL franchise except Fort Wayne. Keep in mind the Mallards have sold quite a few $950 season seats and are getting $18 for lower bowl and $13 for upper bowl sideline seats. Overhead in the IHL is much lower than the AHL. This team is raking in more money than the Flames did, and they're not spending $1,000,000 per season on NHL affiliation fees...or travelling to Manitoba or Houston.

As inclined as I am to see things from a critical/pessimistic viewpoint, I just don't see it happening with QC; at least not this season, anyway.

I don't see it, either. Also keep in mind that many (if not the vast majority) of season ticket holders are paying on the monthly plan they offered. They'd be leaving a lot of money on the table if they folded mid-season, not to mention all the other money they'd walk away from, and problems it would cause. Who knows about next year. They have to show us something this year first.

[qcpuckhead]

Here is my question: How can the situation be improved?

There are a pair of easy answers: more wins and more fights. Around here, the only real way the casual fans seem to be willing to support a losing team is if it fights A LOT. But, in the middle of the season, it is hard to fix either of those problems, unless the coach suddenly decides to let Goulet loose more often.

So, what else can be done? Lencheski has done an excellent job of getting money from area businesses, and he has done a pretty good job of setting up and marketing promotions. Despite that, the fans aren't coming in. There's got to be some way to bring the fans in, but I think that it will just about have to involve setting up a team that will win almost every night.

[mfrerkes]

So, what else can be done? Lencheski has done an excellent job of getting money from area businesses, and he has done a pretty good job of setting up and marketing promotions. Despite that, the fans aren't coming in. There's got to be some way to bring the fans in, but I think that it will just about have to involve setting up a team that will win almost every night.
We're in a league where 3,000 through the door and a decent base of corporate sponsors will probably cover most every expense. As long as Lencheski keeps that going, and the IHL doesn't crumble beneath the weight of its own stupidity, we really have nothing to worry about.

The days of a sold-out Marsh on a Saturday night are long gone and never coming back. From this point forward, I don't see the Mallards ever averaging much more than 4,000 per game. Those casual fans who flocked to see hockey back in the 90s have now found other distractions. What we are left with is a few thousand die-hards and another few thousand infrequent spectators.

Luckily, that's all we really need to stay afloat in the IHL.

[Quacky]

Nothing would surprise me. I just don't think such a thing is very likely. The two biggest problems Lencheski faces might not be within the Quad Cities community:

1) There's still a lawsuit (I guess?) filed by his former business partners over the acquisition of the Mallards franchise. If this goes to court and Lencheski loses, there will be a whole bunch of things up in the air for the team. Does anybody even know if these legal proceedings are moving forward?



I was told that the legal team for the group suing Lencheski has withdrawn from the case. Since they wouldn't have done that without some kind of cause, I'd say that's a good sign for us!!

[mfrerkes]

I was told that the legal team for the group suing Lencheski has withdrawn from the case. Since they wouldn't have done that without some kind of cause, I'd say that's a good sign for us!!
I'd say that means there is no case. At least not one that will be adjudicated, anyway.

[mfrerkes]

Get ready because a big I told ya so is coming. Another QC hockey team is going by the wayside. Duke
I hope you're wrong...but they've dismissed the marketing guy and one other employee.

Deja vu all over again.

[hawkeybawl]

2) Several IHL franchises are either on the verge of folding (Flint, Dayton) or looking at possible league changes (Muskegon, Bloomington) as soon as next season. Lencheski could be looking at an impromptu league change if one or several of these teams disappear from the IHL. There's no guarantee he'll be able or willing to follow suit.


What other league would these teams possibly go to?

[hockey]

what other league would these teams possibly go to?

ushl/echl/nahl