Hockey returning to Jacksonville?

[TimmyB]

I think the Lightning's one year deal with Kalamazoo is up in May. http://kwings.com/News/Article/176/K-Wings-strike-deal-to-become-Tampa-Bay-Light

They have a great farm system usually (even through their rough season this year) and it could make sense for the Lightning franchise to get more of a foothold in this area for marketing and other purposes.

Likewise, I imagine the league is more focused on playing their own divisions so we have Ft. Myers, Orlando, Charleston, Atlanta, and Norfolk all within a nice range. The AHL, on the other hand, has no one in the South except Charlotte.

The K-Wings got their name because they originally (1974) were a farm team of Detroit, only 120 miles away.  Why in the world they stopped with that never made any sense, unless Detroit feels their market presence was already good enough that it didn't matter. 

Couldn't agree more about the nice cluster of teams within a relatively short distance.  That will make the rivalries much more natural.

[Ocklawaha]

Glad the word is out! One of the guys is an old family friend, and a lot the same folks are behind the Solar Bears down in Orlando. If the ECHL is successful in Amway in a region with much competition for entertainment dollars than Jax, they should be able to make it work in a here in a city with a long history of supporting minor league and niche sports.

I see the large problem for a minor league, niche sport in a city of Jacksonville's size if using Orlando as a measure of 'could-be.'  While the Orlando metro is larger it also has 30 Million visitors annually many determined to blow through the entire life savings in a week. That comes to something like a half million extra citizens each week, not working and wanting to play. I don't think this should effect us in going after the NBA or MLS or keeping the NFL happy, it might not play well with Polo, Hockey, Rugby etc...

[Tacachale]

Glad the word is out! One of the guys is an old family friend, and a lot the same folks are behind the Solar Bears down in Orlando. If the ECHL is successful in Amway in a region with much competition for entertainment dollars than Jax, they should be able to make it work in a here in a city with a long history of supporting minor league and niche sports.

I see the large problem for a minor league, niche sport in a city of Jacksonville's size if using Orlando as a measure of 'could-be.'  While the Orlando metro is larger it also has 30 Million visitors annually many determined to blow through the entire life savings in a week. That comes to something like a half million extra citizens each week, not working and wanting to play. I don't think this should effect us in going after the NBA or MLS or keeping the NFL happy, it might not play well with Polo, Hockey, Rugby etc...

Orlando's a bigger market with a lot more visitors, but it also has a lot more competition. I don't know how many tourists are going to Solar Bears games.

[fsujax]

Will be fun to see Jacksonville play in Anchorage. I know who I will be cheering for in that game.

Who?

Jacksonville of course! I cheer for the Aces for every other game. I live in Alaska.

[I-10east]

I'm glad that hockey has come back to Jax. The name 'Icemen' leaves much to be desired though; It's like a comical oxymoron, like the Flint Tropics.

[Adam White]

Will be fun to see Jacksonville play in Anchorage. I know who I will be cheering for in that game.

Who?

Jacksonville of course! I cheer for the Aces for every other game. I live in Alaska.

I thought you likely meant Jax - but I also remembered you mentioning you live in Alaska, so I wasn't sure.

[RatTownRyan]

Jax's new team president hopes to revitalize The Landing through hockey.

http://www.bizjournals.com/jacksonville/news/2017/02/08/one-on-one-with-team-presidenticemen-have-hopes-to.html

Can someone summarizes for me?

[KenFSU]

Winnipeg Jets are now the official NHL affiliate of the Jacksonville Icemen.

https://www.jacksonvilleicemen.com/blog/nhlpartners

Can't wait for opening day.

[pierre]

I am looking forward to going to some games this year. And it's nice to see them have an affiliation with an NHL franchise.

But I do not understand why they still do not have any merchandise available for purchase. Anytime I look at their Twitter account, they get plenty of questions about it. The team was announced in February and you still cannot buy a shirt or hat.

[spuwho]

I am looking forward to going to some games this year. And it's nice to see them have an affiliation with an NHL franchise.

But I do not understand why they still do not have any merchandise available for purchase. Anytime I look at their Twitter account, they get plenty of questions about it. The team was announced in February and you still cannot buy a shirt or hat.

Probably because they either havent hired a marketing director OR they dont have the money to front it.

Probably both.

[pierre]

Anybody going to the first game tomorrow?

[KenFSU]

^I heard it's sold out.

Good for them.

[Tacachale]

^I'm supposed to go but have a wedding in Orlando earlier that day so I may not make it. If anybody does go, take pictures and share them! Could be a good article.

[Ken_FSU]

13,000 in attendance for this morning's game.

Great promotion and partnerships by the team.

https://www.jacksonville.com/sports/20191114/icemen-draw-jacksonville-record-hockey-crowd-in-loss-to-atlanta

[Tacachale]

13,000 in attendance for this morning's game.

Great promotion and partnerships by the team.

https://www.jacksonville.com/sports/20191114/icemen-draw-jacksonville-record-hockey-crowd-in-loss-to-atlanta

Really cool!