Hartford Hockey pt 3: Meanwhile....In Bridgeport

The sun rose.  The birds were singing. The outside weather was warm and despite it being only the middle of the week, Hump Day if you will, life was looking positive for Greater Fairfield County and the surrounding area.  Despite only being located about 45 min to an hour from New York City  and a short Ferry ride across Long Island Sound to Nassau, New York, life seemed to be pretty normal for the Sound Tiger faithful this time of a year.  Earlier this week Islanders Rookie Camp opened and the dreams of a possible Calder Cup began dancing in the heads of the Sound Tigers faithful.  Of course life in Bridgeport is good, unlike its rival up 91/95, the city is sitting on a 20 year lease with the league which guarantees an AHL presence in Webster Bank Arena at Harbor Yard until the year 2021.  Prospects such as Ryan Strome and Griffin Reinhart are making waves at Islanders camp and while no roster is set for the Sound Tigers, the future apparently looks bright on the ice.  Life on the Sound seems good for hockey fans that rezide in Harbor Yard. Why wouldn’t it?  The future of Bridgeport hockey is secure.  Its safe and unlike its neighbor to the North, the Sound Tigers are the only hockey team Bridgeport knows.  There is no tension between former NHL fans who used to reside in Harbor Yard and current AHL residents because this is all Bridgeport knows.  Yes, there are some ill feelings from former New Haven hockey fans who still think they deserved a new arena after the old New Haven Coliseum was torn down, since New Haven was a hockey hot bead for so long but its not at a fever pitch.  The building isn’t a concrete fortress that was built decades ago for a professional team, Harbor Yard is the perfect size for an AHL level team.  One of the big talks this off season for the Sound Tigers was a new light board that circles in permiter inside Harbor Yard.  Despite lower than wanted attendance, Harbor Yard never looks empty so of course the AHL would sign a 20 year deal with the company that manages the building.  Its also “easy on, easy off” from 95 so you don’t have to even go into Downtown Bridgeport. There is, however, a looming shadow that hangs over this franchise and its fan base. Talk has arose from New York that the Rangers would be interested in moving its Affiliation from Hartford to Bridgeport in 5 to 10 years (see my article entitled Hockey in Connecticut: Hartford; New England Falling Star)

So my question is:

What is Bridgeports role in all of this?

Well lets think about it...What does Bridgeport have to lose?  Nothing.  This means that their building will at least still have another hockey team until the contract they currently signed runs out in 2021.  Will they lose fans? No.  I seriously doubt that the long time fans of this team will run for the doors and go on boycotts if the Rangers are in charge and not the Islanders.  I also doubt that a name change from Bridgeport Sound Tigers to Connecticut Rangers is going to sway them.  Why would it? They still have a team, actually I think that a Rangers presence in Bridgeport might attract more fans than the Islanders do, after all, 90% of the building are Rangers fans anyway (at least the ones I know).  I’ll bet there are more Rangers fans in Bridgeport/Fairfield County than there are Islanders fans so more people might be enticed to pack the Arena.  Harbor Yard is the perfect size for a minor league hockey team and is as close to “state of the art” as it gets, and the Rangers know this and are probably salivating at the mouth to take hold of this building that is so close to MSG anyway.  

Despite all of the intangeables, I decided to ask a few Sound Tigers “faithful” to see what they thought about a possible Rangers presence in Bridgeport.  I asked Mike Landona, Sound Tigers die hard since 2002 what he thought about the Islanders moving their Affiliation to Long Island and the Rangers calling Harbor Yard home:

“Hate it. I've been a fan since year 1. While the main idea of an AHL team is to support their NHL team, it's downright wrong from a fan's perspective. (See also: Hartford Whalers but about a 10th of how it felt in 1997). As for the Rangers moving to Bridgeport, it's progress. The Rangers need a closer place to MSG, Bridgeport has a contract stating a hockey team be there until AT LEAST 2020. It's a hollow victory in knowing there will be a team”

I then asked him if the Bridgeport fan base would support a Rangers Affiliation:

“Yes and no. But then again the main fanbase is Rangers oriented (with the Bruins a close second).”

Lastly, since he is an original Sound Tigers fan, I asked if he would support a Rangers Affiliate in Bridgeport:

“Absolutely not! I dislike their NHL affiliate, what makes them think I'd like the CT Rangers? I tolerated the Whale for a little bit but in the end, they're still the New York Rangers system.”

In my quest for greater understanding, I decided to also turn to the President of the Sound Tigers Booster Club, Debbie Lietuvninkas, and get her take on a possible Sound Tigers move to Long Island and Rangers take over of Harbor Yard:

“As to the reference of the possible moving of the Sound Tigers to Long Island ...I know changes can happen but until then, I will continue to support my Tigers right here in Bridgeport. I will watch "my boys" as they develop and be the proudest "Mama Tiger" when the call comes for them to play in the NHL. 

The owners are the only ones who know first hand what is in the future, we as fans really have no control over the decisions that they will make. I would love to have a guarantee that I will have my Sound Tiger team here forever but nothing in life is a guarantee. As I spoke with many AHL fans throughout the weekend I realized we are lucky to even have a team and even luckier that the entire Sound Tiger organization has supported our Booster Club from day one. Can't wait for opening night!”

As the season draws closer and the rosters are filled out, there is only one certain for Hockey in Connecticut, we need to support our teams.  From Hartford to Bridgeport, no matter what the team name or Affiliation, we need to pack our buildings and give our love and support to those men who strap on their skates in persuit of the Calder Cup this year and beyond.

With that said, it seems that its always sunny for Bridgeport hockey...

at least for now...

Hartford Hockey pt 2: The Husky Paradox

Hartford Hockey pt 2:

The Husky Paradox

In 2012, it was announced that the University of Connecticut Mens Hockey Team would begin play in the Hockey East Conference in 2014.  This is a big step for an otherwise unknown and uncovered program in not only the College Hockey world but also in the state of Connecticut.  Until this announcement, this program went otherwise unnoticed in its home state and had no impact on the Connecticut sports landscape, now it will play in the same Conference as UMass-Lowell, University of Massachusetts, Northeastern, Providence, and the University of New Hampshire.  This will also pit the UConn Mens Hockey Team against national powerhouses: Boston College and Boston University.  This is a very exciting time for UConn Hockey and for its fans and players.  It was also announced that the program would begin play in Downtown Hartford at the XL Center and this venue would be the home ice for the University of Connecticut starting in 2014 as it enters this prestigious Conference.  VERY EXCITING STUFF!  

Now for my question:

IS THIS THE FUTURE OF HARTFORD HOCKEY?

I have spoken with many hockey fans over the past few months and the idea is that the UConn Hockey Program cannot only save Hockey in Hartford but also turn around and heal the damaged reputation of the Hartford market in the hockey world.  Maybe it will, I don’t think so but...

Did the “powers that be” whom run our state get wind of the Rangers moving their Affiliation to Bridgeport?  Did they panic and contact the UConn Athletic Department and strike a deal that would bring the Huskies to Hartford to keep the sport alive in the Capital City?  Well, lets look at a different sport for a minute, College Basketball.  Since the UConn Mens Basketball Team began playing more games in the XL Center, they have outdrawn the Wolf Pack (AHL Hockey), does this mean that the UConn Mens Hockey Team will draw better than the American Hockey League?  Maybe, if they start winning games and contending for Conference Championships, I’m sure teams like Maine will have something to say about that, but you never know.  How about football?

The University of Connecticut Football team averaged 34,672 fans at Retschler Field in 2012, this is a DECREASE of 5% from 2011.  After getting stomped by Oklahoma in the Fiesta Bowl, UConn Football then went out and got crushed by Michigan in their season opener in Michigan.  Now, some are arguing that UConn Football attendance is down not because of the lack luster effort on the field but that the team plays too far away from the Storrs campus.  So does that mean that if the UConn Mens Hockey team does not do well, in a few years the XL Center will be to blame? Probably, its what we “Nutmegers” are good at, passing the buck.  UConn Football was going to be Connecticut's way of showing Robert Kraft and the New England Patriots that we are passionate about football and they made a mistake not coming to Hartford, that didn’t happen.  Now, the UConn Hockey Team joining Hockey East and playing some of the biggest names in College Hockey is our way of showing the Rangers, NHL and AHL that they made a mistake and we are truly a hockey market that deserves respect!

  I hope UConn Hockey flourishes in Hartford, I just don’t think WE have the patience to let that happen and I don’t think WE should lean on them as Hartford's saving grace.

Patience is a Virtue....it just doesn’t exist in Connecticut

You can follow me on Twitter @therealJTizzle or on Google+

Hartford Hockey: New Englands Falling Star

Hartford Hockey: 

New Englands Falling Star

Since 1974 there has always been a Professional Hockey team in Hartford.  It began with the relocation of the New England Whalers of the WHA and in 1979 began play as the Hartford Whalers in the NHL but I'm sure you already knew that.  By now, I'm sure every reader of this article knows the history of Hartfords one and only big league franchise.  Right now I want to fast forward, lets fast forward 4 years.  The New York Islanders are nice and comfortable in their new home in Brooklyn, the Bridgeport Sound Tigers are all packed up and getting ready to jump on the Port Jeff Ferry for their big move to the Nassau Coliseum and the New York Rangers are designing the new jerseys for the Connecticut Rangers (MSG already has a copyright on the name and website instead of Wolf Pack), whom will move from Hartford to Bridgeport and replace the void left when the Islanders moved their affiliate to Long Island.  This triple switch is no secret, any hockey fan in Connecticut who pays close attention or is a member of any local hockey group on Facebook knows this already.  The one thing that is missing from all of this is the grand question is:

What about Hartford?

Nobody is asking that question.  Why? Is it the sense of entitlement that comes with being a Hartford Hockey fan? The fact that something will always come along and fill the place of the team that just left? What if nothing comes? Its no secret that the Wolf Pack average attendance has been declining since 1997 and have finished in the bottom third in the AHL for the past few years (and no, the name Connecticut Whale had nothing to do with it.)  Hockey in Hartford is dying, and its the fault of the fans.  When the Whalers left for Raleigh in 1997, many rabid Whalers fans refused to support the new Rangers Affiliate.  Many rabid Whalers fans kept pining for the NHLs return, Wolf Pack fans then started calling them "stubborn" and told them to "get over it".  Wolf Pack fans failed to see that they needed the Whalers fans to help keep hockey in our capital city, yet did everything in their power to drive them out.  When the Wolf Pack came under management by Howard Baldwin, the name and logo were changed to the Connecticut Whale.  This was the attempt to finally get the two sides to join together to help keep and eventually escalate the status of Hartford in the hockey world.  Many Wolf Pack fans hated this idea, and then abandoned the team, despite the fact that it was the exact same team they cheered for a year earlier, and attendance got even worse.  Now the team is going back to being called the Wolf Pack, the Whalers fans are once again excluded, the Wolf Pack fans are delusional and the team is moving to Bridgeport in a few short years.  Hartford hockey needs to be saved.  It needs every hockey fan in Connecticut to come out and support the team in the next few years.  WE won't get an NHL team again with things the way they are.  WE won't have anything if things stay the way they are.  Wolf Pack fans, don't mock and shun those who wear Whalers merchandise to the games.  Welcome them! Don't yell at them and mock them when you over hear a conversation about the Whalers coming back, give constructive advice or disagree kindly.  Whalers fans, GO TO THE GAMES! Go watch the sport you love, cheer on what is currently playing in the XL Center.  Stop calling the Wolf Pack, "Baby Rangers", respect their legitimacy as Hartfords team.  Both sides might have a different vision for Hartfords hockey future, but both sides are needed to see a future for Hartford hockey.  My daughter is the exact age I was when I first started attending games in Hartford, its a big part of my life and I want it to be a big part of her life too.  Think about what brought you to the XL/Civic Center and why you stayed, for either Whalers or Wolf Pack.  Its time both sides came together for the GOOD OF HARTFORD! Both sides need to end this "Civil War" and shake hands and cheer together, in one voice for the hockey team, NO MATTER THE NAME OR AFFILIATION, that plays in our city. In 30 something days hockey season begins, we all need to be there. 

Hartford hockey needs to be saved, if even from itself.