I can't see any logic to the Canucks calling them the Millionaires and dressing them in Maroon jerseys. It's almost as counterproductive as the Abbotsford Heat name and their red Flames' uniforms.
The Canucks marketing staff is not going to promote a 100 year old defunct team that wears maroon. If they put a team in Abbotsford they will want to extend their brand there. They should wear blue and green. My idea would be a Johnny Canuck theme. Actually, I think the Wolves should wear blue and green when they hit Abbotsford. That would be cool.
I agree with all of this. We'd follow suit with what Toronto has done with the Marlies/Leafs.
Regarding the Toronto Marlies, I'm pretty shocked to read that their attendance is only at 5500 a game, which puts them middle of the pack for attendance league wide. With the issue of cost/availability of Leafs tickets, I'd think that the Marlie games would be a big draw. The Marlies Arena is only 7 minutes away from the ACC, so arena location is no excuse.
Well Gilman(on 1040) just stated that the farm team is staying in Chicago for the next season at the very least.
That's obvious - the schedule has been set, training camps are set to open soon.
I highly bet this year is the last year of the Heat in Abbotsford.
Where there's smoke, there's fire...
I could see the team being called the "Fraser Valley Somethings" Not limited to just Abbotsford, and a Vancouver-named farm team playing in Abbotsford wouldn't go over very well in that town. And the Fraser Valley encompasses cities like Langley, Mission, Abbotsford, and Chilliwack.
for example, down the highway into Chilliwack, here's how things went with their WHL team last year (that moved to Victoria). Denial, denial, denial, and boom, they're gone.
An orca would be redundant. The Canucks already have 2 sweaters with that logo and no one would be compelled to buy a slightly different AHL version.
A Johnny Canuck logo jersey however, would differentiate the farm team a little yet still be recognizable as part of the Canuck's brand. This would be a great opportunity for the team to market and sell what are essentially 4th and 5th jerseys for the parent team.
Toronto sort of does this with the Marlboroughs. The problem is no one really has a lot of affection for the old Marlboroughs. The Canucks WHL sweaters on the other hand would sell like hotcakes if done right.
An orca would be redundant. The Canucks already have 2 sweaters with that logo and no one would be compelled to buy a slightly different AHL version.
A Johnny Canuck logo jersey however, would differentiate the farm team a little yet still be recognizable as part of the Canuck's brand. This would be a great opportunity for the team to market and sell what are essentially 4th and 5th jerseys for the parent team.
Toronto sort of does this with the Marlboroughs. The problem is no one really has a lot of affection for the old Marlboroughs. The Canucks WHL sweaters on the other hand would sell like hotcakes if done right.
I actually really like this idea, the Fraser Valley Foresters really rolls off the tongue, plays homage to BC's lumber history/industry, and will finally quell the people bickering about replacing the Whale with Johnny Canuck.
That said, I'm also alright if it becomes the Abbotsford Millionaires. Love those maroon jerseys. This is probably the most likely outcome since CSE spent millions in acquiring the rights for the Millionaires logo/design rights.
With Conair/Cascade based in Abbotsford and operating/supplying airtankers to BC, Alberta, Alaska, Yukon, France, and now the US. (Maybe hit them up for a sponsorship deal.)
Fraser Valley Firebombers
Complete opposite of the Abbotsford Heat to symbolically snuff out the last vestiges of the Calgary Flames in the Lower Mainland.
With Conair/Cascade based in Abbotsford and operating/supplying airtankers to BC, Alberta, Alaska, Yukon, France, and now the US. (Maybe hit them up for a sponsorship deal.)
Fraser Valley Firebombers
Complete opposite of the Abbotsford Heat to symbolically snuff out the last vestiges of the Calgary Flames in the Lower Mainland.
Except that Barry Marsden, chairman of the board for Conair and Cascade, is part of the Heat ownership group.
The structure of the Heat ownership is a little murky. I've read reports that the Flames are the owners, although they can only be part owners as I know for a fact that Barry Marsden and Lane Sweeting (of Conair/Cascade and Forsite Developments, respectively) are part owners. I've also read reports that Sweeting is the chairman of Abbotsford Heat Hockey Ltd.
Anyway, back to the point of my little blurb here: If Aquaman was to somehow land a AHL team in Abbotsford, I doubt anybody would think it's a good idea to relate the team to part of the current Heat ownership group. It just doesn't strike me as good form.
