OT: Winnipeg ICE sold - Moving to Wenatchee, Washington renamed Wenatchee Wild

[Gabe Kupari]

Without a building they were doomed from the start. Thought they were close, i even saw drawings for a building out near ikea then the covid hit. You could make the argument that covid killed the ice

 

[Tom ServoMST3K]

Wasn't it just this year that ownership was claiming reports the team was in trouble were fake news?

 

[None]

Wasn't it just this year that ownership was claiming reports the team was in trouble were fake news?

I think that was specifically related to the reported $500k fine from the WHL for the facilities not being up to par? I think the WHL corroborated that the fine was bogus or at least that the amount was wrong.

 

[Tom ServoMST3K]

All-caps graphic - yeesh that's annoying to read.

 

[Gabe Kupari]

Friesen is a scam but he's not completely wrong

 

[BigZ65]

Comes down to the BC/US teams believing they shouldn’t have to travel east of Calgary.

There’s no way Butthole, Washington brings more value than Winnipeg does as a media market giving attention to junior hockey even if there’s 150 people in the stands.

 

[None]

All-caps graphic - yeesh that's annoying to read.

Fired their social media manager or graphics designer apparently because that's brutal to read

 

[Tom ServoMST3K]

 

[jetsmooseice]

Without a building they were doomed from the start. Thought they were close, i even saw drawings for a building out near ikea then the covid hit. You could make the argument that covid killed the ice

100%. COVID killed the playoffs that first year when the team could have easily gone a couple of rounds. It wiped out the entire second season in Winnipeg including playoffs. That is a hard way to start up in a new town. Then after that skyrocketing interest rates and inflation made an already tough project that much harder.

Friesen is a scam but he's not completely wrong

I don't get it, what's the "scam" he's talking about? The ICE tried and failed to get an arena built. They ran a great team for four seasons. As a season ticket holder I certainly got my money's worth. I don't feel "scammed". Although in hindsight I kind of regret dropping $40 on a new hat during the playoffs, haha.

Comes down to the BC/US teams believing they shouldn’t have to travel east of Calgary.

There’s no way Butthole, Washington brings more value than Winnipeg does as a media market giving attention to junior hockey even if there’s 150 people in the stands.

That's what I don't get. As crowded as Winnipeg is when it comes to sports, surely Winnipeg has more value in terms of media, recruitment, exposure, ticket buying fans/sponsors than this town? Yet the WHL did not have much patience for it.

If we can't play in their leagues, I'd love to see Winnipeg and Thunder Bay say eff you to the CHL and get USHL franchises.

 

[CorgisPer60]

Damn cold.

 

[snowkiddin]

All-caps graphic - yeesh that's annoying to read.

That and the poor grammar make it look very unprofessional.

 

[Guardian17]

Western Hockey League

Headquartered in Calgary, Albert, the Western Hockey League (WHL) consists of 22 Member Clubs located throughout Western Canada and the U.S. Pacific Northwest.

whl.ca

Wenatchee Wild

www.wenatcheewildhockey.com

https://twitter.com/WenatcheeWild1

 

[jetsmooseice]

Damn cold.

OK, well that killed any fleeting thoughts I may have had about supporting the Wheat Kings...

 

[wasup]

From what I have heard over the last year or so is that they wanted to build a 5000 seat arena just off the back of their current Ice facility on MacGuillvery . Problem was the facility was on RM of MacDonald property and the RM does not have the infastructure { sewer and water } to be able to support such a facility . Heard they were trying to nego... with the City of Winnipeg to have them extend their infastructure to the RM and were having troubles with this .

Remember this is what I have been hearing and might not be actual fact .

Also the Wayne Flemming arena sucked for viewing hockey , sight lines were horrible and tickets were a little bit to expensive cause seating capacity was 1600 . I went to some games but a different arena would have had me going way more often .

 

[None]

I fixed the letter.

That and the poor grammar make it look very unprofessional.

"We are proud of what we were able to build as far as our organization both on and off the ice."

I re-read that 3-4 times making sure I didn't miss the other half of the sentence.

I'm curious about what he's heard now.

 

[DannyGallivan]

From what I have heard over the last year or so is that they wanted to build a 5000 seat arena just off the back of their current Ice facility on MacGuillvery . Problem was the facility was on RM of MacDonald property and the RM does not have the infastructure { sewer and water } to be able to support such a facility . Heard they were trying to nego... with the City of Winnipeg to have them extend their infastructure to the RM and were having troubles with this .

Remember this is what I have been hearing and might not be actual fact .

Also the Wayne Flemming arena sucked for viewing hockey , sight lines were horrible and tickets were a little bit to expensive cause seating capacity was 1600 . I went to some games but a different arena would have had me going way more often .

That’s just horrible due diligence by the ownership group. Their whole business plan seemed to be based on crossed fingers.

 

[RetroWinnipeg]

So...50 Below still owns the Blues and Freeze of the MJHL, tailoring them as farm clubs for the WHL Ice. What happens now?

 

[None]

So...50 Below still owns the Blues and Freeze of the MJHL, tailoring them as farm clubs for the WHL Ice. What happens now?

Maybe that's what Greg Fettes meant when he said supporting grassroots hockey, assuming he keeps ownership of those teams?

 

[RetroWinnipeg]

Maybe that's what Greg Fettes meant when he said supporting grassroots hockey, assuming he keeps ownership of those teams?

Don't they need a home?

 

[jetsmooseice]

So...50 Below still owns the Blues and Freeze of the MJHL, tailoring them as farm clubs for the WHL Ice. What happens now?

Good question. I'm curious to know myself. I can only speculate as to what the team books must look like, but I guess if they are profitable then there's no rush to get rid of them. Obviously neither team is any kind of box office draw, but if the players are playing over ten grand a pop to play as has been rumoured, then that more than makes up for it.

Personally I think the Freeze would be better off somewhere else, though. Altona, Brandon, Beausejour, Souris, etc. Or maybe the owners can let the Freeze adopt the ICE identity, play at Wayne Fleming Arena, and just carry on like nothing happened

 

[None]

Don't they need a home?

They both play out of the IcePlex which is already pretty premium for the MJHL

 

[jetsmooseice]

They both play out of the IcePlex which is already pretty premium for the MJHL

The Freeze have played somewhere different every year... The Rink, Dakota CC, the Iceplex... maybe Warren Arena this season?

I wouldn't say the Iceplex is necessarily that great by MJHL standards though, have you see the barns in Portage, Dauphin, Virden, etc?

 

[Tom ServoMST3K]

So...50 Below still owns the Blues and Freeze of the MJHL, tailoring them as farm clubs for the WHL Ice. What happens now?

Id put good money on the Blues sticking around.

The freeze? Honestly they might just fold.

Unless someone in Brandon wants to make a go of it.

Altona is a zero per cent chance - no idea on Souris. Maybe Morden? Although I assume the Flyers would kick up a stink.

I doubt the league wants to give beausejour another Crack, but if there's an owner I guess that might work.

They just got a Jr B team in there this year, but I haven't tracked attendance in the CRJHL.

 

[None]

I wouldn't say the Iceplex is necessarily that great by MJHL standards though, have you see the barns in Portage, Dauphin, Virden, etc?

I was speaking more from the perspective that the new arena wasn't necessarily needed for the Freeze or Blues. Junior A doesn't really get purpose built arenas.

The iceplex is good enough to support 2 MJHL teams I think.

 

[Tom ServoMST3K]

I was speaking more from the perspective that the new arena wasn't necessarily needed for the Freeze or Blues. Junior A doesn't really get purpose built arenas.

The iceplex is good enough to support 2 MJHL teams I think.

Yeah, the iceplex is nice for them from a dressing room/facility perspective- although I should note, the freeze basically stopped reporting attendance last year.