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CalallenWildcat

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  1. I will be composing a comprehensive plan to bring more hockey fans to the Tyler/Longview area tomorrow. Look for that on the blog.
  2. Greenville Texas was just awarded a team. I will be updating the blog with pertinent information later in the week.
  3. I totally agree with you. In the same regard, you have to look at the fact that Shreveport/Bossier (Metro area population is around 381,000) and Corpus Christi (Metro area pop. 410,000) have more entertainment options than Tyler/Longview (Combined Census Bureau-designated Metropolitan areas have a population of 386,000, if you add Palestine Micropolitan area it goes up to 440,000), then you see that East Texas has a minor league market.
  4. Let's review your thinking for a second... The only sport Shreveport has a hard time supporting is baseball. This could be due to a lack of marketing for the team, or a populace that is generally apathetic toward baseball. Corpus has two minor league baseball teams, a minor league hockey team, an arena football team, a semipro basketball team, and a college basketball team. Not to mention a lot of other entertainment options. All their minor league teams are supported. In Tyler, where there are relatively few entertainment options for a minor league team to compete with, logic says it would work. Heck, the CHL is interested in locating a team in Joplin, MO, population 40,000. The only reason why Tyler doesn't have a minor league team right now is because the majority of people are saying that it will never happen. That's the same reason why Corpus didn't have any minor league sports for a long time...then hockey came into the market. Now, the Corpus market is one of the most successful minor league markets in America. All it took was a change in attitude of the local populace.
  5. I agree with everything you said about the fan support and such. Texarkana's team is a junior league-equivalent team in the NAHL. But it is NOT an East Texas hockey team. They play at Four States Fairgrounds in Arkansas.
  6. Rhino, the Ford Park idea might work (perhaps between Tyler and Longview). The only obstacle is securing enough funding for that type of project. Cheaptrick, I'd say the target size for an arena *inside Tyler city limits* would be 5,500, and between Longview and Tyler 6,000. I wouldn't put the arena in Longview, as that is too close to Bossier City for the league's liking. In Tyler, I would advocate an expansion of Harvey Convention Center to include an additional corridor of banquet rooms as well as an arena.
  7. The WPHL deeming the Oil Palace "too small" was a cop-out excuse by the league. If it was too small, why did they grant a franchise to Corpus Christi, whose arena seated 3,500? Odessa (5316)? Alexandria (5600)? El Paso (5600)? Monroe (4712)? San Angelo (5250)? Amarillo (4986)? Franchises granted by CHL after merger: Arizona (Prescott Valley, AZ) (5100) begins play 06-07 Rocky Mountain (Broomfield, CO) (6000) begins play 06-07 Youngstown (5700) Colorado (Loveland, CO) (5289) Laredo (8000) Rio Grande Valley (5500) Note: All franchises granted by the CHL after the merger have been granted only after the promise of a new arena. Quite honestly, all it takes is for someone to buy out the Oil Palace, renovate it to where it's up to date, stick a name on it (Perhaps the PennzOil Palace), and put some ice down.
  8. Y'all wouldn't happen to have any old, dingy, small coliseums in East Texas, would y'all? Something that seats about 3500 and is about 50 years old? Because if y'all do... That would be the best arena in the CHL. I must admit that I was glad when the Rayz moved out of Memorial to the AmericanBank Center (new...hockey capacity 7,495), but after two years (Ok, a year and a half) of hockey there, I still prefer the intimacy of the Coliseum to the spaciousness and amenities of the ABC. So, East Texas, give us your old, dilapidated buildings that you have given up on! It will soon be the most magical barn in the CHL! ... If only there was a team...
  9. The blog will begin to be updated with lots of information regarding minor league hockey starting on January 4.
  10. :thumbsup: If we ever get a team I'm going to recommend you as the head of public relations. We need to somehow get this info to our local politicians, city council people and area economic development groups. And maybe try to make the CHL aware of our area. Bottom line...try and peak a little interest! I'm currently working on getting some contact info for local and league officials for my next post on there. Let the PR war begin!
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