SPHL, ECHL or CHL?

[RCAJUN90]

I don't know about anyone else but there is a big drop off I feel from the ECHL to the SPHL. The teams have got better now we are in the thick of the season but you still see so many missed passes and shots to go way wide of the goal. The ECHL would be a long bus league today that I would think would be way to expensive. The CHL would be expensive also but we would have Shreveport as a natural rival. I don't think we have much of a choice and we should all be thankful that Danny Smith brought the IceGators back from the dead and we have hockey once again in South Louisiana but I wish we were in a higher league. What do you think?

[chuck b]

Not to open a can of worms, but I would say yes to the Higher league..
But, my question would be, Would they have prepared a team for the CHL or ECHL in the same fashion that they put this team together for the SPHL.
Unfortunately I think the answer would be yes, and we would still be in the Same Situation, just in a different league..

[Volstate]

Knoxville has been in the ECHL and the UHL (now the IHL) and I agree there is a dropoff of talent no doubt about it. However, this level of hockey will grow on you once you come to the realization that with your current location and economy it's all that is economically feasible. I would love to be back in the ECHL because the game is faster and there are more teams and more professionally run in my opinion. But, i know price wise it'd never work so i just accept what I have and am thankful for it. You guys just need to taste some success and then this league will be a little more acceptable. I still travel to Gwinnette a few times a season to see the Gladiators play because I enjoy the speed and skill of the game much more. Support what you have though or you'll be without hockey again. Your team will get better...

[dannysmith]

Whenever there is a lower salary cap in one league, it is natural for that league to have less talent. The Board of Governors of the SPHL have set a lower salary cap (and tighter geographical footprint, weekend loaded schedule, etc) not to line their pockets, but rather to have a susatainable business model with which mid size markets can keep hockey alive. Look at the trend in the ECHL and CHL. They lose teams each year and few new teams enter. The SP is growing slowly but surely, picking good markets for long term survivial, not short term money (franchise fees). Single A hockey is the future of the sport at the Minor league level. Long gone are the days of big budget franchises.

[RCAJUN90]

Whenever there is a lower salary cap in one league, it is natural for that league to have less talent. The Board of Governors of the SPHL have set a lower salary cap (and tighter geographical footprint, weekend loaded schedule, etc) not to line their pockets, but rather to have a susatainable business model with which mid size markets can keep hockey alive. Look at the trend in the ECHL and CHL. They lose teams each year and few new teams enter. The SP is growing slowly but surely, picking good markets for long term survivial, not short term money (franchise fees). Single A hockey is the future of the sport at the Minor league level. Long gone are the days of big budget franchises.

Thanks Danny for putting everything into prospective. Do you see the Mudbugs maybe moving down? The North vs. South Louisiana I think would be an awesome rivalry.

[justjoshin]

I have to disagree with the statements about the growth of the SPHL. The league is in it's 6th season and is no larger than when it began. Here is a list of teams that could not make it in the league:

Jacksonville Barracudas
Macon Trax
Asheville Aces
Winston-Salem Polar Twins
Florida Seals
Pee Dee Cyclones
Richmond Renegades
Twin City Cyclones

But I do agree with your statements about the league going with a business model suited for the small markets. It is the same thing that the SIFL is doing.

[RCAJUN90]

I have to disagree with the statements about the growth of the SPHL. The league is in it's 6th season and is no larger than when it began. Here is a list of teams that could not make it in the league:

Jacksonville Barracudas
Macon Trax
Asheville Aces
Winston-Salem Polar Twins
Florida Seals
Pee Dee Cyclones
Richmond Renegades
Twin City Cyclones

But I do agree with your statements about the league going with a business model suited for the small markets. It is the same thing that the SIFL is doing.

Call me crazy. I've been called worse but in the IceGator ECHL glory days when we were putting 12,000 in the Cajundome I thought we should have moved up to the AHL. The one business class I took taught me that which is not growing is dying. I wonder how that would have turned out? Probably a disaster but then again I was the guy back in 1985 telling my buddies at USL that we should have turned Blackham into ice hockey rink. They all thought I was crazy...

[Volstate]

I have to disagree with the statements about the growth of the SPHL. The league is in it's 6th season and is no larger than when it began. Here is a list of teams that could not make it in the league:

Jacksonville Barracudas
Macon Trax
Asheville Aces
Winston-Salem Polar Twins
Florida Seals
Pee Dee Cyclones
Richmond Renegades
Twin City Cyclones

But I do agree with your statements about the league going with a business model suited for the small markets. It is the same thing that the SIFL is doing.

In retrospect, take the upper leagues such as the ECHL, ChL, and IHL and see if they have grown in the last five years. I think if you do a count, you will see that all those leagues have gone backwards while the SPHL has managed to gain 1 team overall in the last five years. If you really want to be more accurate, the SPHL started out as the SEHL and that was a 4 team league. So, technically the SPHL has grown by 3 in the last 5 years, far better than any of the upper leagues. I think Mr. Smith's statements hold true..

[justjoshin]

Well I think had Lafayette moved up to the AHL with the right personnel on board it would have been successful. By the same token, had the right personnel stayed on board with the old club, I think it could have continued a good level of success. Do the reseach on the old team and other failed teams and you will see a pattern. Also I was not comparing this league to others, simply making a note that the history of the "SPHL" league (not SEHL) shows no growth. It only shows movement.

[Volstate]

Well I think had Lafayette moved up to the AHL with the right personnel on board it would have been successful. By the same token, had the right personnel stayed on board with the old club, I think it could have continued a good level of success. Do the reseach on the old team and other failed teams and you will see a pattern. Also I was not comparing this league to others, simply making a note that the history of the "SPHL" league (not SEHL) shows no growth. It only shows movement.

Gaining teams is growth, which the SPHL has done, or am I missing something? Gaining even 1 team is growth not just movement.

[justjoshin]

Gaining teams is growth, which the SPHL has done, or am I missing something? Gaining even 1 team is growth not just movement.

Yes you are, first year as SPHL there were 8 teams. This year 7 teams, any questions?

[Volstate]

Yes you are, first year as SPHL there were 8 teams. This year 7 teams, any questions?

I guess it depends on what you are looking for...quality or quantity. The SPHL with 7 teams is leaps and bounds a stronger league today than they were in year 1. That's quite obvious since 4 of the 8 are gone except technically Jacksonville is still a part of this league only on suspension. For what it's worth, the chairman of the board for the SPHL said there will be for sure 1 new team next year with possibly 3 coming in on tonight's Knoxville coach's show. The SPHL is very healthy...