The relocation appears to be in serious jeopardy as Jeremy Law, the head coach of the Tilt, has resigned this evening.

Clarification: the relocation is not in jeopardy due to the resignation, but due to similar reasons. What I'm trying to say is this wasn't Jeremy's fault.

Marc

so whats the story then? who's fault is it? is the move on or off? thanks marc

If it matters anymore

OK, let's say you get 1000 fans per game, each buying a ticket. The building has a contract with some sort of vendor I'm sure. That vendor has to pay to be there, pay help, pay food costs and is not going to make any money. Then, quality or quantity of concessions disapears. Fans get mad and move on.

It is a shame that it looks very slim now that this will happen anyway, but it might save some people a lot of heartache in the long run.

Someone nip this in the bud, please!!

Are the Tilt moving to Topeka or not? The V100 morning show were discussing hockey and, admittedly, I caught the tail end of the conversation. It sounded as if all bets were off about hockey coming back to the Capital City.

Say it ain't so!!

Re: If it matters anymore

hockeynutz13 wrote:

OK, let's say you get 1000 fans per game, each buying a ticket. The building has a contract with some sort of vendor I'm sure. That vendor has to pay to be there, pay help, pay food costs and is not going to make any money. Then, quality or quantity of concessions disapears. Fans get mad and move on. It is a shame that it looks very slim now that this will happen anyway, but it might save some people a lot of heartache in the long run.

First off the vendor doesn't pay to be there. The Expo gets a percentage of the revenues. Secondly the help is volunteers to raise money for their organizations. They get a percentage of the revenues. The vendors can't lose money.
Although it may look slim, there is still hope. When we get more answers we will let all know what is going on. I really don't want to speculate until all of the facts come out.

OK then

Assuming this is correct, I would assume that SMG or the county must take some sort of $$ amount from concessions into consideration when setting prices. Won't they be disappointed with only 100 people? If the lease is the same as the last few owners, I'm certain it was based on the belief there would be substantial concession $$.

Anyway, it looks like we will probably be holding a non-memorial service soon for what could have been......R.I.P. Tilt Hockey.

mctopeka wrote:

If there is one thing we as Topeka Hockey Fans know and understand and have come to enjoy is DISAPPOINTMENT, and yet we still keep our hopes up.

Son of a bitch !!!!
I didn't think we would be disappointed so soon.

Re: OK then

hockeynutz13 wrote:

Assuming this is correct, I would assume that SMG or the county must take some sort of $$ amount from concessions into consideration when setting prices. Won't they be disappointed with only 100 people? If the lease is the same as the last few owners, I'm certain it was based on the belief there would be substantial concession $$. Anyway, it looks like we will probably be holding a non-memorial service soon for what could have been......R.I.P. Tilt Hockey.

The Expocentre took into account decreased attendance when setting the fees for the team this time around. They are not expecting the 3,000 fans per game we had with the CHL, or necessarily even the 1800 or so we had with the USHL. I don't think 100 people is any more of a realistic projection than 5,000 people. The USHL drew 1,800-2.000 and there really is no reason to think that any new team could not draw at least 1,000 without really even trying much at all.

It all may be academic now, but those who think that Topeka could not bring in enough fans to make a Junior B team viable are just plain wrong. Topeka would very likely lead all Junior B teams in attendance, and this is in a league that does not really require any attendance to make things work.

KEV is right Topeka is the perfect Junior B market with the RIGHT owners...see link below to decide if the Tilt is the right owner.

http://www.blogger.com/publish-comment.do?blogID=8302452&postID=116520205590630390&r=ok

slapshotaz wrote:

KEV is right Topeka is the perfect Junior B market with the RIGHT owners...see link below to decide if the Tilt is the right owner. http://www.blogger.com/publish-comment.do?blogID=8302452&postID=116520205590630390&r=ok

I'm not sure if it is the owners or the GM. Either way, something appears to stink. I guess we will see what shakes out. I really think Topeka is a good Junior A market as well, especially NAHL. I think the USHL could work with a top notch, hard working front office that approaches the Topeka market right.

Stephen,
You have some pretty good ideas there. In theory. In reality though, wouldn't road trips in the WSHL be too long to be taken in anything other than a bus? I'm not saying a sleeper bus, but an actually passenger(NOT school) bus. If the players aren't comfortable, they are going to find it that much more difficult to play well(read: win) on the road.

I'm not trying to be a smart aleck here. But why aren't you running a hockey team somewhere?

"This is looking and sounding good but till it's set in stone I'm going to be cautious. We all know the old saying, fool me once, shame on you, fool me twice(or thrice) shame on me."

Maybe now more than ever!
_________________

Kev, I am new to this board but everything you have written you have hit the nail on the head...start Junior B with good ownership for a season or two...work out all the kinks and prove to the community you're here to stay then move up to Jr. A and Topeka would take off from there.

As far as this situation in Tucson the head coach had the GM title to begin as with most Jr. B teams however, he had no dealings what so ever with the financials, only the owner/managing partner. As soon as the coach began to see things were not adding up he gave up the GM title and began trying to help in anyway possible to recover. Owner/Managing Partner is the only one who has access to the funds and there are no other owners...the coach has not been paid for three months.

nostinkinrootbeer wrote:

so whats the story then? who's fault is it? is the move on or off? thanks marc

The move has NEVER been "ON."

Talks took place (apparently) with Expo Center management about the POSSIBILITY of the Tilt moving from Tucson to Topeka. No agreement was ever reached to move the team. Now it's looking like there'll be no team to reach an agreement with.

I feel bad for the good fans who want hockey back in Topeka. No one should be saddled up and ridden that hard.

Now, how 'bout someone going to work and getting the USHL back in there?

Jrhockeyfan wrote:

nostinkinrootbeer wrote: so whats the story then? who's fault is it? is the move on or off? thanks marc The move has NEVER been "ON." Talks took place (apparently) with Expo Center management about the POSSIBILITY of the Tilt moving from Tucson to Topeka. No agreement was ever reached to move the team. Now it's looking like there'll be no team to reach an agreement with. I feel bad for the good fans who want hockey back in Topeka. No one should be saddled up and ridden that hard. Now, how 'bout someone going to work and getting the USHL back in there?

That's not entirely true. Now, maybe Jon was never serious about moving the team here, but Jon and the manager of the Expocentre had met, agreed to the contract terms, had a contract drafted up, and Jon flew out to Topeka this weekend with the plans to sign the contract today. There was also at least two radio interviews lined up for today with Jon in Topeka to announce the team was coming here. This went way beyond simply talking about the possibility of moving the team to Topeka.

I hadn't heard things had progressed that far Kev. Thanks for filling in the blanks. If the Tilt fails to complete this season for anything other than their rink closing, how would it change things in Expo Center management's minds?

Jrhockeyfan wrote:

I hadn't heard things had progressed that far Kev. Thanks for filling in the blanks. If the Tilt fails to complete this season for anything other than their rink closing, how would it change things in Expo Center management's minds?

I don't know. The Expocentre has been burned enough times, that I have a feeling if they even smell something that kind of stinks, they may avoid it like the plague. I think Jon was supposed to meet with the manager of the Expo today, we will see what comes of that meeting.

Jrhockeyfan wrote:

I hadn't heard things had progressed that far Kev. Thanks for filling in the blanks. If the Tilt fails to complete this season for anything other than their rink closing, how would it change things in Expo Center management's minds?

It would change everything in my opinion. The Tilt would have to come up with a lot of up front money for one. I do believe the Expo is open to suggestions for where to go now. Jason and I will not give up on bringing a Hockey Team here. We will keep plugging.

FYI: THe Tilt had 3 games scheduled for this past weekend with the Idaho Rattlers. All were postponed. No explanation anywhere as to the whys/wherefore/possible reschedule. No explanation on the Tilt's or Rattlers websites, not even on the league's website.

Interesting.

The Idaho team folded.