Professional Hockey in BG???

[pdt1081]

The TV stations have been talking a lot lately about the Toledo Storm not playing for the next two years because of the possibility of the Sports Arena being razed. Anybody else like the idea of the Storm moving to the Ice Arena for two years or so while a new arena is built for them?

[NY-BG-FAN]

Speculation says the Storm will be purchased by the Mud Hens, and might go bye-bye for a couple years until the new arena is bulit in Toledo. The goal then will apparently be to field a team in the American Hockey League with a nice new home. But the ECHL still might be the league Toledo plays in with a new facility, only time will tell.

[Altoid_storm]

I'm not sure if this is entirely true, but I have a friend that interns for the Storm and he told me that the Storm will completely fold on June 1st and they will be removed. He went to a few meetings and a few of the people said they wanted to kind of erase the storm from Toledo and bring in a better team with a new arena and try to weed out some of the idiot fans. I'm not sure if they will continue to play after the arena is closed, but I doubt it. Hope that helped.

[orangeandbrown]

The Storm are not looking for a place to play for two years.

[falcons86]

The Storm have been purchased by the consortium that owns the Mud Hens. The team has been given the go ahead from the ECHL to suspend operations for 2 years while the Lucas County Arena is being built. The Mud Hens looked at bringing an AHL team to Toledo, but it was decided that it would be more economically feasible to bring back an ECHL team. They will not be known as the Storm when they return, that came directly from Joe Napoli who is the head management director for the Mud Hens. I wouldn't be surprised if they come back known as the GoalDiggers.
Gonna kinda miss hockey in Toledo, but when the 2009 season starts, they will have a fresh start with a brand new 10,000 seat arena.

GO FALCONS!!!!

[It's the Journey...]

This could be a real boost for BG Hockey. What if we offered all storm season ticket holders a price break on season tickets for BG? We could fill the void of not having hockey in Toledo and maybe keep some of those fans. The marketing opportunities are endless. Also, if there are any parts we could use from the barn the Storm used to play in I would hope we are trying to buy them now.

[bgbill]

I know this is painting with a broad brush, but BG hockey probably won't attract very many Storm fans if there's no beer at the concession stands.

[BGDrew]

Perhaps they should make it that all season ticket holders get access to the lounge that serves beer? This could potentially be a huge draw for the AD to increase attendance for BG games.

[bgbill]

It was pretty cool that one of the fans who was making comments to a TV reporter at the last Storm game was holding his little son who was wearing a BG hockey jersey.

[Schadenfreude]

They will not be known as the Storm when they return,

Thank the Lord. That was the worst logo in professional sports.

That's not hyperbole, either. A professional design firm or something like that once looked at them all -- and the Storm logo made the top of the list.

It looks like somethnig Beavis or Butthead scrawled in their notebook during study hall.

I think "Goaldiggers" would be cool to bring back.

[Puckhead]

BGBILL hit it on the head, without beer would they come?
Without out beer sales how would they pay the players?
I doubt if adminisrtation would allow Storm fans in the lounge, but maybe we could set up a big tent in the tennis courts?
Scheduling would be a challenge.

Probably a moot point, sounds like they want to shut down for 2 years

[bgbill]

I think we were talking about having Storm fans attend BG games.