The CHL should explore the possibilty of franchise start-ups in border towns, they'd make history if it could stick.
Border towns in Mexico are really sloppy and corrupt. As you get deeper into the country the cities become more pleasent with the exception of Mexico City IMPO. So teams in border towns would be tough to keep alive but a team in say Monterrey would be great because it is so americanized and a really nice place to travel and enjoy, therefore fans could go for more than a hockey game. Now for teams in the CHL already in border towns in the US the Laredo Bucks and Rio Grande Valley Killer Bees are both near mexico, I know the Bees arena is literally two minutes away from the mexican border. (great for a hockey game then cheap margaritas and some sketchy tacos)
oh and Laredos been around for i think 5-6 years and RGV 3-4 years
Last edited by TXslapshot: 05-31-2007 at 01:38 PM.
Reason: forgot
Border towns in Mexico are really sloppy and corrupt. As you get deeper into the country the cities become more pleasent with the exception of Mexico City IMPO. So teams in border towns would be tough to keep alive but a team in say Monterrey would be great because it is so americanized and a really nice place to travel and enjoy, therefore fans could go for more than a hockey game. Now for teams in the CHL already in border towns in the US the Laredo Bucks and Rio Grande Valley Killer Bees are both near mexico, I know the Bees arena is literally two minutes away from the mexican border. (great for a hockey game then cheap margaritas and some sketchy tacos)
oh and Laredos been around for i think 5-6 years and RGV 3-4 years
Yeah, I was kind of thinking of Monterrey as a border town, but I guess it's far enough into Mexico. It would seem a good spot for a CHL team: big enough, wealthy enough, close enough to the heart of CHL country. Tijuana would be an interesting spot, too, but I don't know which league could accomodate a franchise there. I can't imagine an American minor pro league being able to integrate a team as far away as Mexico City.
Seems to me they have a competitive national team and junior team, at least at the Division 3 level. Also seems to me their national team plays a pre-season tour of the Central Hockey League every year. In fact, I'm pretty sure they've won a fair share of those games.
Really, I don't see how this is a bad thing. At the very least if they put teams in the resort cities of Cancun and Mazatlan, there will be enough Canadian and American tourists that might check out a game, that they can be successful. However, I don't think finances is the main reason for this. I think the main reason for creating this league is to further develop Mexican hockey. I'd be willing to guess that within 10 years of this league starting, at least one player will be drafted into the NHL.
Like we really need more Mexicans coming over the boarder.
I met a mexican man in Puerto Vallarta who was a fan of Gretzky and the Oilers back in the 80's, so at least we know some of them watch the NHL
USED to watch the NHL. Mexicans could only get the NHL on ESPN. But the NHL is no longer shown on ESPN so therefore its impossible to get the games on TV down there.
I travel to Mexico sometimes, and back when the NHL was on ESPN I would often see Mexican hockey fans in sports bars catching a game on TV.
USED to watch the NHL. Mexicans could only get the NHL on ESPN. But the NHL is no longer shown on ESPN so therefore its impossible to get the games on TV down there.
I travel to Mexico sometimes, and back when the NHL was on ESPN I would often see Mexican hockey fans in sports bars catching a game on TV.
Interesting story, at one Long Beach Ice Dogs game I attended back a few years ago, there was this family of about six or seven from Mexicali. They were big hockey fans, and one of them even had a Mexico national jersey on. Fun people to sit near, they were loud.
When I was living in Mexico the Mexicans were quite interested in hockey. I had some video on my laptop and showed it to them. Then when I was playing fastball I got number "99" because "Wayne Gretzky...el mejor...great one"
__________________
"I channeled my inner Morneau, took the stick and hit the mother****** to the moooon!"
I can see Mexicans liking the game, but I think it has a snowballs chance in hell of ever competing with football, or baseball in that country. I could be wrong, but I doubt it.
"I could be wrong!"...you say. You are dead wrong, my friend. However, it's ok to be wrong, don't feel bad, we all make mistakes, that's part of being human.
I am Hispanic and I have been playing and coaching hockey now for over thirty years. Probably longer than you were born.
Plus, I had the good fortune on going to Mexico, where I helped jump start there youth program from 1993 to 1996. I built a youth program from 100 kids to over 900 kids in just under two years, "in the land of Soccer" I might add.
Today they have over 5 to 6 rinks around the country with the majority of the rinks in Mexico City. As for the other comments that I have read in this posting about the condition of the ice, most of the rinks are indoors and have a roof over head, just link the ones in California. Plus, they also have a machine called a Zamboni to resurface the ice, just like they do in other rinks. Imagine that.
As for the pro-league. It's coming! The Scorpions in the CHL has just signed a Mexican hockey player to play for their team. He was a leading scorer on a junior team last year and his skating and balance is up there with NHL players. It's just a matter of time. This players name is Brian Baxter Arroyo Lopez
He is just one of hundreds of players that are currently playing in Mexico. He's just one that got away. All he's doing is setting an example for kids to follow.
As a resident in Mexico it is pretty difficult to imagine a pro (or even semi-pro) league here. Yes, they have a couple of rinks as well as a considerable number of (young) players.
But a league with only four teams is in IMHO not the best way to get things started. Either you have a pretty short season or the same opponents over and over again.
The most important thing will be bringing back hockey coverage back to the screens here, you might very well understand how much we are suffering with zero pictures. Next step could be bringing an exhibition game (or regular season) to Mexico City. Coyotes vs. Panthers played here might be easier than that experiment in London. When the NFL held a game between the 49ers and the Arizona Cardinals here it attracted more than 100k spectators, the largest attendance in league history. I believe, with appropriate marketing you could sell at least 5000 tickets.
Add another friendly game (or a series around the country) between the Mexican Ntl Team and say a "University All Star Team" or something similar, preferably consisting of ethnic latinos, this might be a smart start. But a league out of the blue? Difficult task, IMHO
Last edited by mexicohockey: 09-24-2007 at 05:42 PM.
As a resident in Mexico it is pretty difficult to imagine a pro (or even semi-pro) league here. Yes, they have a couple of rinks as well as a considerable number of (young) players.
But a league with only four teams is in IMHO not the best way to get things started. Either you have a pretty short season or the same opponents over and over again.
The most important thing will be bringing back hockey coverage back to the screens here, you might very well understand how much we are suffering with zero pictures. Next step could be bringing an exhibition game (or regular season) to Mexico City. Coyotes vs. Panthers played here might be easier than that experiment in London. When the NFL held a game between the 49ers and the Arizona Cardinals here it attracted more than 100k spectators, the largest attendance in league history. I believe, with appropriate marketing you could sell at least 5000 tickets.
Add another friendly game (or a series around the country) between the Mexican Ntl Team and say a "University All Star Team" or something similar, preferably consisting of ethnic latinos, this might be a smart start. But a league out of the blue? Difficult task, IMHO
I take it that you play hockey in Mexico? How many years have you been playing? As you might know, there are several rinks in Mexico City DF. However, they all belong to Televisa. If you are not a member of those rinks, you will not be able to participate in any tournament hockey in Mexico.
When I was in Mexico, back in 1993 to 1995, Daniel Gendrone and I built a program in Mexico at a rink called Sportica. It was located in Bosques de las Palmas, very close to Colegio Peterson.
Now it is a grocery store. Back then, if the the finest rink on the continent. Better than rinks you will find in Canada or in the USA.
We built a youth program with over 900 kids. I would bet you that the majority of the kids that are playing on the national team today, were trained at our ice rink at Sportica.
The main problem with hockey in Mexico, is the backward thinking that the federation has. They want to control hockey in Mexico and that is fine, they just need to control it at there level, not at the grass roots level.
What do I mean by that? They should promote the sport at all facilties, not just the Televisa rinks and they should have all the kids register with the federation and have the kids pay an annual due, just like they do here in the USA. All kids that play competitive hockey here in the USA has to pay around $35.00 to USA Hockey if they want to play here in the US.
What does this pay for? It pays for insurance, in case the kid get hurt and it pays for other administrative fees to help run the national office. This is where the national office gets a lot of there funding.
Now, if the sport is to grow in Mexico, the federation will have to change the way they think. Instead of trying to get a years wage from one person, it's better to get a small wage from more people and make more money than trying to get it all from just one person. This is how they think!
In order to have a pro-league in Mexico, you first have to have the number of kids to make it work, both as players and as a support base. Once you have about 5000 kids playing nation wide, then you can start thinking about starting a league for the kids to shoot for. But first you need to have a base to select from.
Yes, there are some kids in Mexcio, Canada and the USA that play hockey and have a Hispanic last name....this is all fine and well. But a handful of kids will not get you a pro-league.
Now this is for you Mr. Alfonso Gomez Haro. If you would like for me to help you, I will. I would be more than happy to come down there and help you build a national program. You know that I can do it because I have done it in the past for a private rink. You know that I know what I am doing because you saw me build that program to 950 kids. If you want me to do this for you at all your rinks...all's you have to do is ask me and I'm on the next plane down there. I could have over 900 kids playing in all your rinks in just under two years.
Divided into the Traditional Mexican Confrence and the Amexican Confrence
Man, you forgot the most important meaning :
Tequila Division
Mescal Division
Unforgivable.
Yet i would be very positive on mexican teams.
They have no less reasons to have a team than San José, Annaheim or Carolina.
Then, no need of having mexican players ... look at German teams, depending on the teams, more than 70% of players are AHL'ers (Canadians ).
I believe that the penetration power of hockey is strongly underestimated. It is a sport of action, where things take place. (i am european so played soccer being youg = 60% of youngs ... i love soccer. but soccer games can be quite boring while hockey games are much less boring.) it is the new sport of Arena, type of modern gladiators. i am convinced that in 50 Years the whole world will play hockey.
i know it sounds crazy but ... i am convinced.
i am from geneva, we have no natural ice. We had a small team playing in 3rd swiss ligue. they started to play better, went up to 2nd league, then went up to 1st league. Now it is almost full, childrens play in the street hockey ... (in line rollers) and tennis ball of course. and number of clubs in the city multiplied by 4, all teams of young people are full and they will build other ice
even in winter some places in the center of the city are transformed into skating plces !!! never seeen that.
week products follow fashion
strong products make the fashion ... hockey is a strong product
They seem to be doing it right too, 4-6 teams to start out with and careful reviews of each team before opening the doors to play. Although Mexico has poverty, there are tons of wealthy people in Mexico, and in Mexico City you have a population of about 10 miliion confirmed, so surely there will be one or two hockey die hards there.
If hockey takes off anything like American Football has done in terms of popularity, they will have a problem with ice time like we've never seen North of the border.
I wonder which other cities they are looking at... I figured at least one tourist town, like Cancun, would be in the plans.
