Grrreenville Grrrowl

[scman473]

I just heard the awful news too.

-The ECHL gave them until today to finalize the plans, but they didn't get them finalized in time.

[goodbye]

This news has made me absolutely SICK. It pretty much is a loss with a greater price than Greenville will ever know. I cannot bear it any longer. If the citizens/sports-fans of the Upstate can't be dealt with reasonably, the area's blackeye in the sports world will only grow larger and less options will be offered. I personally am not willing to live in a city this size (no matter how great it may be) when I have to travel to see a pro sports game during the winter months. We deserve better. Give us a fighting chance, or prepare to bid farewell to valuable citizens.

[whitehourseview]

I'd really like to know why the owners could not come up with a suitable financial plan for the club?

You would think that the Greenville area would be ripe for hockey, especially since there are now, or will be teams in Columbia, Myrtle Beach and Charleston, and a ECHL squad nearby in Charlotte and Gwinnett.

I'd like to know more, but I'm not counting on the Greenville news to tell more.

[Greenville]

Greenville is too big of a metro not to have minor league hockey again. It will happen. I can almost guarantee you that someone somewhere is planning to pitch the idea of minor league hockey in Greenville again. And hopefully, whoever that is knows that the public relations and marketing by the Grrrowl can be improved upon. There is a market here. There are more than enough people here with extra money to spend, and they will put their money toward a good product (e.g., Greenville Drive). If it's not hockey, it will be arena football. Something has to happen, guys, at least within the next 2-3 years. There is no way it won't.

[GSP Tiger]

Please do not tell me there will be no hockey in Greenville this year.

Greenville has shown it can support a hockey team. We need something on the same talent level as the ECHL. UHL and CHL come the closest. (Asheville, NC was home to the UHL's Smoke a couple years back.) If a dedicated group of investors passionate in keeping a stable and winning hoceky team in the Greenville area emerges, there will be much interest. Hopefully we will see hockey back in 2007.

[GvilleSC]

I believe that some time away from hockey could be good. One season is long enough, but a break will make folks realize what we had and show them that their support is needed. I think that strong attendance numbers will follow a time period (however short or long) off. Not too mention the hype over a new team. People WILL come.

[Subway Scoundrel]

I posted a comment on another subject (Bi-Lo Center) about the Grrrowl. I hate to see this.

I have always stated and had hoped this year (2006-07 season) that the Canes would play an exhibition game in Greenville because I thought it was a pretty strong hockey market and a good place to build support for a regional NHL team along with the Grrrrowl.

I have a question.

Was there any "rub-off" or "heat" created and bring hockey to the fore-front more in Greenville when the Carolina Hurricanes won the Stanley Cup? or could there be? Just wondering?

Or was it even covered in the local press ?

[GSP Tiger]

I would like to see the Hurricanes relocate an AHL affilate to the Carolinas instead of being way up in the northeastern United States. Raleigh had the Ice Caps before the Hartford Whalers relocated to become the Hurriances. Perhaps Greenville can be an AHL city.

I'm unaware of the Hurricanes currently having an ECHL affiliate.

[goodbye]

I posted a comment on another subject (Bi-Lo Center) about the Grrrowl. I hate to see this.

I have always stated and had hoped this year (2006-07 season) that the Canes would play an exhibition game in Greenville because I thought it was a pretty strong hockey market and a good place to build support for a regional NHL team along with the Grrrrowl.

I have a question.

Was there any "rub-off" or "heat" created and bring hockey to the fore-front more in Greenville when the Carolina Hurricanes won the Stanley Cup? or could there be? Just wondering?

Or was it even covered in the local press ?

You better believe there was a major rub-off from the Hurricanes' Stanley Cup victory! I've never seen or heard so much talk about the playoffs in Greenville until this year.

[whitehourseview]

I would like to see the Hurricanes relocate an AHL affilate to the Carolinas instead of being way up in the northeastern United States. Raleigh had the Ice Caps before the Hartford Whalers relocated to become the Hurriances. Perhaps Greenville can be an AHL city.

I'm unaware of the Hurricanes currently having an ECHL affiliate.

The Hurricanes ECHL affiliate is the Florida Everblades. The Hurricanes owner also owns the Everblades and their arena, in a suburb south of Fort Myers, FL.

The Hurricanes share an AHL affliate in Albany, NY with the Colorado Avanlache.

So, perhaps with the right leadership in Greenville, someone could convince the Hurricanes to start their own AHL affliate in Greenville?

The closest AHL affliate is in Norfolk, VA. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Hockey_League

I don't know about what financial considerations there are for an AHL franchise, though I would imagine they are higher than the ECHL. AHL clubs average about 5,900 fans per game, and ECHL clubs average about 4,000 per game.

To be honest with, and I hope Greenville can get the highest team it can, but I sorta like it that ECHL teams are local: Augusta, Columbia, Charlotte, Gwinnett, Charleston, etc.

[g-man430]

Well, you guys know how I feel about this.

[RestedTraveler]

Wow...some good news while I'm out of town and some bad, too.

R.I.P., Grrrowl.

[Sandlapper]

While it does stink that the Grrrowl is leaving, I personally think that Greenville just isn't a hockey town. We're more of a baseball/football kind of town.

[goodbye]

While it does stink that the Grrrowl is leaving, I personally think that Greenville just isn't a hockey town. We're more of a baseball/football kind of town.

It is sad that you and others think that. Greenville had (still has) great potential to fully embrace the sport. It should be as easy as going to a Drive game though, but it wasn't because of the cost to get in. I hope they remember that.

[Greenville]

I also do not buy the notion that hockey cannot work in Greenville. I think it can, but the first attempt (the Grrrowl) was not really optimal. Perhaps hockey truly can't succeed in Greenville, but a better attempt needs to be made by an ownership group before we conclude that.

[whitehourseview]

Greenville needs another ice rink, in addition to the Pavilion for the formation of stable leagues, etc.

[distortedlogic]

Whatever happened to that "state of the art" 3 rink complex they were supposed to build a few years ago, or the winter-time outside rink DT? Those would help!

[GSP Tiger]

Whatever happened to that "state of the art" 3 rink complex they were supposed to build a few years ago, or the winter-time outside rink DT? Those would help!

The three rink complex was a porject Carl Scheers wanted to build at The Point. It would have been a great asset to have a quality practice rink for a professional team to practice. Unfortunately, some leaders sat on their laurels and the project was shelved.

I hate to think of Mr. Scheers adn the glory days of the Grrrowl. He fought for Greenville to have professional hockey. It is a shame several individuals and groups made it go to waste recently. I will never return to the Bi-Lo Center until professional hockey returns.

[Greenville]

I appreciate what Carl Scheer did. He was very instrumental in us getting the Bi-Lo Center, as well as the Grrrowl. His hard work has benefitted our city a great deal. Was he also responsible for the financial arrangement between the Bi-Lo Center and the Grrrowl?