Dayton Pro Hockey to join FHL

cyclonesdiehard · 05-17-2012, 01:08 PM

Our goal is to see professional hockey continue on in this city for many years to come. We are willing to help with any transition that may be needed in order for this to happen. With that being said, we are glad to welcome the Federal Hockey League to Dayton. They will be operating a professional hockey franchise at Hara Arena for the 2012-13 season. More details will follow very soon regarding this new team, so stay tuned!

For those of you who have put down a deposit for 2012-13 season tickets with our organization, you have two options:

You can receive a full refund of your deposit by mail within 4 weeks.
We can pass along your contact information to the new FHL team and transfer your deposit for you at no additional charge.
Please let us know which option you prefer by emailing us at info@daytongems.net .

We’ve met a lot of great people and created some fantastic memories during the last few years and we hope that you will keep in touch. Thank you again for being there for us during this tremendous journey!

http://www.daytongems.com/?p=5721

sbkbghockey · 05-17-2012, 01:38 PM

Interesting development. Pro Hockey just hasn't worked in Dayton. Since the ECHL's Dayton Bombers left, the market has been home to a rotating door of teams and leagues. I'm not sure the FHL franchise will be more successful than the CHL Gems, or a few seasons ago the AAHL's Troy Bruins on the North side of the Dayton metro.

Dayton has been rumored to be going forward with a downtown/centralized arena for years and I think that is one factor why pro hockey hasn't been successful in Dayton. Also the city is quickly becoming incorporated into Cincy market/Southwest Ohio as more of a suburb to Cincy than a distinct market. Maybe that phenomenon is occurring with hockey fans in Dayton as they are traveling to Columbus for the Blue Jackets or Cincy for the well established Cyclones.

One of the more successful teams was the Troy Bruins Jr. team prior to their move to pro hockey and the AAHL. The team played in the independent NJHL but I've always thought the team could have been successful moving to NAHL or USHL instead of the AAHL. Dayton might be a good location for a high level junior team, rather than constant attempts to add pro teams sandwiched between two established pro hockey markets (Cincy and Columbus) .

scorps2012 · 05-17-2012, 06:06 PM

Wonder if they'll be called the Gems.

Kanka · 05-17-2012, 09:34 PM

Very interesting move by the FHL. Not sure how the Dayton hockey fans will accept a sub-par single 'A' league (or Tier III Single "A" I think someone said) with a poor track record of professionalism.

I mean, just look at the CHL website next to the FHL website; pro hockey website vs midget league website.

Anyone else think it's weird for a league to have a team like the NJ Outlaws playing in a aluminum rec rink and the Dayton team playing in a 5500 seat rink?

BK Triple Threat · 05-18-2012, 01:58 AM

So whats up with that arena??? I see Dayton had a few options. Where the Gems played and the Nutter Center. Most of the fans were clamoring that the Gems would use Hara from what I recall. From what I was told Hara isn't in an ideal location and it's older and run down. The nutter Center had horrific sightlines and they weren't the #1 tenant.

JeffNYI · 05-18-2012, 08:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Green Men Rule

So whats up with that arena??? I see Dayton had a few options. Where the Gems played and the Nutter Center. Most of the fans were clamoring that the Gems would use Hara from what I recall. From what I was told Hara isn't in an ideal location and it's older and run down. The nutter Center had horrific sightlines and they weren't the #1 tenant.

Nutter sold it's ice making equipment.

Hara is very old and has no corporate hospitality amenities.

Kanka · 05-18-2012, 09:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JeffNYI

Nutter sold it's ice making equipment.

Hara is very old and has no corporate hospitality amenities.

But still a drastic improvement for the FHL

All kidding aside, any talk of the league placing more teams out west to keep Dayton and Danville company?

Scoutin1 · 05-18-2012, 05:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Green Men Rule

So whats up with that arena??? I see Dayton had a few options. Where the Gems played and the Nutter Center. Most of the fans were clamoring that the Gems would use Hara from what I recall. From what I was told Hara isn't in an ideal location and it's older and run down. The nutter Center had horrific sightlines and they weren't the #1 tenant.

Hara is old and not particularly well-maintained. Its location is away from the city and not easily accessed from I-75. But even with all that, Dayton's issues aren't related to their home ice. It's a city that seems to have been burned by prior ownership groups and interest/trust was lost due to that more than anything.

Prussian_Blue · 05-19-2012, 11:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sbkbghockey

Dayton might be a good location for a high level junior team, rather than constant attempts to add pro teams sandwiched between two established pro hockey markets (Cincy and Columbus) .

Agreed... I think Dayton would be an excellent market for the USHL.

Cyclones Rock · 05-19-2012, 12:08 PM

Dayton needs a break from pro hockey.

The FHL isn't going to revitalize hockey in Dayton. It's a league which could hardly be called stable, has no close rivalries to Dayton and will be several notches below the quality of Dayton's former teams. It could be the fail nail in the Dayton hockey coffin.

The only hope for Dayton hockey is a new arena. It might be a pipe dream, but hockey has been a financial disaster ever since the Bombers left the Nutter Center in 1995 (or so). The Bombers and the Gems lost a lot of money, the Ice Bandits folded after one season and Troy (about 20 miles from Hara) has failed with a few teams as well.

The Dayton area is financially depressed. Its blue collar hockey base has been devastated by huge and irreplaceable job losses over the past two decades. A new arena would bring the corporate and novelty/white collar fans into the picture, something that the Gems and Bombers were unable to do for the past decade and a half plus.

Unfortunately, the odds of a new arena being built right now are long against. The FHL-with its absentee owner from Danville, IL-is bound to fail. The market needs a significant rest, not an ill advised beer league plus level replacement for AA hockey.

LadyStanley · 05-19-2012, 01:12 PM

http://www.pointstreaksites.com/view...box/news_48779

5/30 presser announced. Introducing Dayton, and other 12-13 plans.

BK Triple Threat · 05-19-2012, 03:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kanka

But still a drastic improvement for the FHL

All kidding aside, any talk of the league placing more teams out west to keep Dayton and Danville company?

Bloomington. From what I understand there is some stipulation with that arena that they HAVE TO ice a pro team.

arlingtonway · 05-19-2012, 11:51 PM

Bloomington has a pro team, the CHL Blaze

BK Triple Threat · 05-20-2012, 06:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by arlingtonway

Bloomington has a pro team, the CHL Blaze

I know, i'm talking in the future. Theres no way that DelBuono/Vitale duo can last that long.

Gibbie42 · 05-20-2012, 06:32 PM

DelBuono's been out since shortly after the start of this past season. Vitale bought him out. She's supposed to be bringing in new investors this off season. The "new investors" were the reason she didn't renew Gardner's contract. The new investors wanted a new coach.

BK Triple Threat · 05-21-2012, 01:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gibbie42

DelBuono's been out since shortly after the start of this past season. Vitale bought him out. She's supposed to be bringing in new investors this off season. The "new investors" were the reason she didn't renew Gardner's contract. The new investors wanted a new coach.

Dang...she has money??? I know she had the Blizzard in the AAHL and folded them fast. I wonder if investors have or will be found