Albany was easy to take shots at, that's why people here did it. Opting instead to constant insulting of the fans who supported the teams and taking shots at the few dedicated fans on this site who supported the teams in Albany. Utica's days weren't always bright. They didn't support the Devils well, they poorly supported the Utica Bull Dogs of the Colonial League. The Utica Blizzard had some strong crowds but were not regular sellouts. Nobody here ever brings up the Mohawk Valley Prowlers either, absolute disasters. What about Utica-Rome's FHL days, anyone want to bring that up? Utica is very lucky that after having gone dark for so many years their local hometown boy stepped up and was backed by Frank DuRoss who once had stake in the Providence Bruins and knows how to run a minor professional sports operation. Same with Binghamton, their UHL days as the Broome Ice Men filled a void but not with over whelming success. Tom Mitchell is a local man who cares and is well known in AHL hockey. Albany does not have those advantages. Nobody local other then talks of Billy Fucililo (Islanders to Albany few years back) is left to bring minor league hockey to a government town. Without Robert Esche doing what he did Utica was never in a position to get pro hockey back, let alone the success they have enjoyed at the AHL level. Binghamton, great little hockey town and they are lucky. They grabbed the NYS basketball championship from Glens Falls last year and avoided losing the Binghamton Mets to Albany back before the Valley Cats arrived in nearby Troy. Nobody is safe, the off season moves have proven that. It comes down to timing, luck, local support, and few other things. Springfield is also very fortunate as well. Even as Albany drew better then Springfield, Lowell, and Portland it always seemed Albany was taking the shots unfairly. Albany's fans will survive, this isn't devastating to Albany and the local economic impact is basically non existent. Albany hosts huge concerts the likes these other small northeast cities don't host, including the bigger Syracuse and Rochester. My advice to the Albany area fans is to not let this ruin your support the rest of the season, continue to support until the very last game. Send the players and coaching staff out with much respect and appreciation and see what happens down the road.