Has anybody heard of the ECHL adding a team in Roanoke?

[Expressman]

We've been hearing in Roanoke that the ECHL may be considering bringing a team back here. I know there had been quite a bit of speculation last year that the SPHL was coming. Now it seems to be the ECHL is interested. I know there isn't any better place to come for people in the know than right here so has anybody heard anything about this?

[Bob Rotruck]

Where have you been hearing this? Is it just a few people speculating more along the lines of, "the ECHL could come back here too?"

The league has publicly stated that they would like to expand in the south. If somebody had a good plan for putting a team in Roanoke I'm sure the ECHL would be interested. But there actually has to be somebody out there who wants to spend the money to bring a team there. Is there an investor/potential owner out there to do this?

A couple articles from last year point towards Richmond, Greenville and Greensboro. Where those situations stand I have no idea and it's certaily possible that things could change.

But some people in the area saying that "maybe the ECHL will come back to Roanoke" really doesn't amount to much in my book.

http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=416511

http://shorthandedbreakaway.com/2009/07/12/echl-commissioner-brian-mckenna/


McKenna: We have an interest in returning to several markets. Richmond has had a team in the Southern Professional (Hockey) League for several years, but it's a market that's of interest. Other markets like Greensboro and Greenville, we're having discussions as we speak about the possibility of going back into some of those places. But history dictates that when we do it properly, we have a very high-percentage chance of succeeding for the longer term. We need a year’s time to do it right. We don’t want to rush anything. The emphasis is on long-term success. We’re also looking at other things like flexibility on our expansion fee. We’re more focused on teams spending their money on the start-up instead of spending it on the expansion fee.



Do you think there’s any chance of the league going back to some of these defunct markets?

I don’t see Augusta in the near future. I think Fresno would certainly be a market that under the right circumstances we would like to go back to. There are some other ones in places like Greenville, Richmond, VA, Greensboro, NC, San Diego, Fresno, some of those markets make sense. If there’s an interested ownership group, if there’s a good business plan and proper lead time, I think all those markets would be of interest to us in the future.

[Expressman]

Actually there have been a few mentions of it in passing here on the news but nothing of an official statement. We know our Civic Center management is in negotiations to bring a team here but we don't know for sure what league. The SPHL denies it is them (typical sports denial?)

[Bob Rotruck]

any links you could provide would be helpful. I didn't find much about this on google.

[paulydog79]

Expressman,
I sure would like to know who you are hearing this from. Is it just chatter at
a Civic Center event or someone that might actually know something. Is there an ownership that you know of ready to put something together?
To be honest I just don't see enough open dates at the civic center to support an ECHL Schedule. Maybe the SPHL might be the way to go, IF hockey is ever to return to Roanoke.

[Expressman]

There has been some talk about it. Apparently the Civic Center management is in negotiations now. We don't know with what league though. There has been a guy that started a fan campaign on facebook. So far he has got over 1100 people to join in just a week or so. There seems to be some info there and he had made a website as well. I called the Roanoke Times to check it out and they said yes they had information on a new team but were trying to decide what to do with it WTF? I thought you were reporters? Anyway it seems as if something could be in the works soon.

http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=244153260824&ref=mf

http://www.bringhockeybacktoroanoke.com/

[Primis]

http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=244153260824&ref=mf

http://www.bringhockeybacktoroanoke.com/

While it's nice thee are groups wanting hockey in Roanoke, until we see something in print/internet media that indicates something's in the works, I have to say it's just wishful thinking...