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Edmonton Journal: CMISL considers expansion


DoyleG

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CMISL considers expansion

Scott Petersen, The Edmonton Journal

Published: Sunday, April 22, 2007

EDMONTON - The Canadian Major Indoor Soccer League could be adding to its ranks before it ever launches a regular season.

League president Mel Kowalchuk said Sunday that several potential new owners are "knocking" on the CMISL's door after positive first returns from its showcase season. He noted that two or three mid-market B.C. cities have a good chance of landing teams soon. It's expected Kelowna is in that mix.

"We all know expansion is going to happen, we just don't know if we're going to do it right away or not," said Kowalchuk, adding that the league will likely be slower in expanding to the east, despite strong interest there as well.

Adding to the four-team league was one of more than 50 items discussed in a meeting Sunday night by the current team owners from Edmonton, Calgary, Saskatoon and Winnipeg. Other pressing items included whether the CMISL will jump straight into regular-season play in November, scheduling issues, and if it would require any new teams to also hold showcase games as a learning curve.

"Right now things are looking pretty good for us as a league starting up this November," said Kowalchuk, adding that more definite information from the meeting will be announced sometime next week.

"We're very positive about things. We surpassed everything we wanted with the showcases."

A total of 15,177 fans attended the league's four-match showcases this year, including 7,727 for a double-header at Winnipeg's MTS Centre.

spetersen@thejournal.canwest.com

© The Edmonton Journal 2007

http://www.canada.com/edmontonjournal/news/sports/story.html?id=fb00242f-c316-4966-99e8-f3c2515aed97

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  • 2 months later...

I have heard rumblings that were as of the middle of June considering expanding by two teams, one in BC and one in Alberta. The rumour has it that I have heard is that their will be a season starting in the middle of November.

I also heard that the Winnipeg Alliance was suppose to have a new and updated website up OR around July 1st and Alliance season tickets were suppose to go on sale around july 1st from the sources I got.

That being said, I would be patient and wait untill the end of the week for more information. I would also think that perhaps they havent finalized all of the CMISL scheduling yet, probably due to lease commitments because of the tenants of the buildings (re: Manitoba Moose= MTS Centre, have not had their AHL schedule out yet, and Saskatoon Blades probably have not had their WHL schedule out either.

Key thing is if no one hears anything by the end of this week, I would start emailing people.

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Thanks. Here in Saskatoon it seemed like there was maybe two articles in the paper regarding the Accelerators around the Showcase Series and then nothing. I would have thought there would have been a big push to keep the team in the public eye since then.

But you are likely right regarding the Moose/Blades/Oilers schedules being released before the CMISL schedule can be released. In all of these cities the CMISL is not the primary tenant so they have to wait for the dates. In fact, in Edmonton the Drillers would be 4th in line for dates as they'd fall behind the Oilers, Oil Kings and Rush in the pecking order.

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That is good news. I'm skeptical about Saskatoon succeeding though. Seems like Mel hasn't done much in the way of any promotion. In fact the team's website hasn't been updated since the Showcase Series. I certainly hope that the Accelerators don't become the newest team to fall into the graveyard of Saskatoon professional sports.

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Well, neither has the Alliance website been updated, even though I heard rumors it was suppose to be updated near or around July 1st. Well it is past July 1st. I am hoping that I hear something soon. I mean it is almost the middle of July. You would think the CMISL would be promoting away between now and the middle of November.

I know that the Edmonton Drillers site is updated with ticket prices.

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quote:Originally posted by mrpopulistfutebol

I have actually emailed the CMISL of what is going on. Been pretty quiet. The Winnipeg Alliance website has not been updated. I am starting to wonder.......

Did they reply your email?

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Mel didn't reply to my email either. I'm beginning to wonder what's going on with the league. The only sign of life in the league that I can see from here in Saskatoon is on the Drillers website. I certainly hope that this is just a summertime thing and not a sign that this league is in a coma and heading toward the great, big soccer pitch in the sky.

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I don't see how to edit posts on here, so I will put another reply. I just checked out the Drillers' site and looks like Rexall Place is out for their venue next year. It seems they are moving to the Servus Centre in St. Albert. If you click on the seating chart on their site, it appears the arena holds 2,023 seats. So it looks like this league is realizing that it is not the top level money attraction it thought.

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yea. I guess it would be. I could understand that part. I am just curious if the WHL schedule is out for the Saskatoon Blades, just because it would allow whatever spaces on weekends are availiable for the Saskatoon Aviators for Credit Union Place.

I know from my understanding the AHL schedule is not out for the Manitoba Moose, and the Moose are primary tenants of the MTS Centre.

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quote:Originally posted by mrpopulistfutebol

yea. I guess it would be. I could understand that part. I am just curious if the WHL schedule is out for the Saskatoon Blades, just because it would allow whatever spaces on weekends are availiable for the Saskatoon Aviators for Credit Union Place.

I know from my understanding the AHL schedule is not out for the Manitoba Moose, and the Moose are primary tenants of the MTS Centre.

Did the Accelerators change their name? I certainly hope that wasn't just an error on your part, Aviators is a better name if you ask me.

But to answer your question, no the WHL schedule hasn't been released yet, so when Credit Union Centre is available will remain to be seen. However, with only 7 games and possible playoff games to fit into the schedule, I doubt the Accelerators will have much trouble working around the Blades. I would assume the CMISL has designs on running every weekend, so I would assume that means one week home, one week road. Since the Blades seem to run the same style of schedule, it should not be that difficult to get on the opposite cycle.

I just wonder if, since the Drillers have moved to a 2,000 seat arena and the United FC play in the 7,000 seat Stampede Corral, both Winnipeg and Saskatoon will look at smaller arenas to play in for the winter as well? I doubt Saskatoon will as there is only one other "public" arena that has any sort of seating and that's Harold Latrace Arena and most weekends it is jammed with minor hockey and ringette, not to mention 4 Midget AAA teams and 3 Junior B teams all vying for ice time. Is there a smaller arena in or around Winnipeg that the Alliance could conceivably move to?

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quote:Originally posted by jasonm

The rent at rexall place is a killer and also with three tenants ahead (Oilers, Oil Kings and Rush). Chance of scoring a weekend game is tough.

That's very true and I'm not surprised at the move away from Rexall Place. Just a little surprised that they would move to an arena with such a small capacity. I would have thought that the Northlands Agricom where the Edmonton Ice WHL team played, would have worked better. Seems to me that sat around 5,000.

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quote:Originally posted by Shootmaster_44

Did the Accelerators change their name? I certainly hope that wasn't just an error on your part, Aviators is a better name if you ask me.

But to answer your question, no the WHL schedule hasn't been released yet, so when Credit Union Centre is available will remain to be seen. However, with only 7 games and possible playoff games to fit into the schedule, I doubt the Accelerators will have much trouble working around the Blades. I would assume the CMISL has designs on running every weekend, so I would assume that means one week home, one week road. Since the Blades seem to run the same style of schedule, it should not be that difficult to get on the opposite cycle.

I just wonder if, since the Drillers have moved to a 2,000 seat arena and the United FC play in the 7,000 seat Stampede Corral, both Winnipeg and Saskatoon will look at smaller arenas to play in for the winter as well? I doubt Saskatoon will as there is only one other "public" arena that has any sort of seating and that's Harold Latrace Arena and most weekends it is jammed with minor hockey and ringette, not to mention 4 Midget AAA teams and 3 Junior B teams all vying for ice time. Is there a smaller arena in or around Winnipeg that the Alliance could conceivably move to?

I think I have heard that the MTS Centre has been booked by the Alliance rumour has it. The MTS Centre can also be used only by the lower bowl, meaning that the upper bowl can ben covered. So (if) the CMISL gets of the ground only the lower bowl will (could) be used, meaning a capacity of around almost 8000.

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quote:Originally posted by Shootmaster_44

I don't see how to edit posts on here, so I will put another reply. I just checked out the Drillers' site and looks like Rexall Place is out for their venue next year. It seems they are moving to the Servus Centre in St. Albert. If you click on the seating chart on their site, it appears the arena holds 2,023 seats. So it looks like this league is realizing that it is not the top level money attraction it thought.

How much do you know about the arena?

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quote:Originally posted by DoyleG

How much do you know about the arena?

Nothing other than what the seating diagram on the Drillers site shows. It is a brand new arena, but what I meant was playing in the best 2,000 seat arena is still not playing in a NHL arena. I assumed the idea behind this league was to be the MISL. Which from what I understand plays in large arenas. If the CMISL is attempting to be on par with say Tier II Junior A hockey, that's fine, it just wasn't the impression I was getting from them. Either way I will support the Accelerators. But with the way the league seems to have gone silent, I will just buy single game tickets in case the league doesn't make it.

I know I sound skeptical, but sadly I've seen too many teams fold mid-season in this city. If the CMISL was out promoting itself in this city all summer and had ads running on radio and TV promoting season tickets and whatnot, I'd buy season tickets. But with the lack of promotion on their side, it seems like its best to buy tickets on a game-by-game basis this season. I hope the CMISL proves me wrong and becomes highly successful in this city.

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quote:Originally posted by Shootmaster_44

Nothing other than what the seating diagram on the Drillers site shows. It is a brand new arena, but what I meant was playing in the best 2,000 seat arena is still not playing in a NHL arena. I assumed the idea behind this league was to be the MISL. Which from what I understand plays in large arenas. If the CMISL is attempting to be on par with say Tier II Junior A hockey, that's fine, it just wasn't the impression I was getting from them. Either way I will support the Accelerators. But with the way the league seems to have gone silent, I will just buy single game tickets in case the league doesn't make it.

I know I sound skeptical, but sadly I've seen too many teams fold mid-season in this city. If the CMISL was out promoting itself in this city all summer and had ads running on radio and TV promoting season tickets and whatnot, I'd buy season tickets. But with the lack of promotion on their side, it seems like its best to buy tickets on a game-by-game basis this season. I hope the CMISL proves me wrong and becomes highly successful in this city.

I have to agree with you on this. I was really seriously thinking about buying season tickets for this "league". Now I will just buy tickets on a game by game basis. You think, in a town, especially like Winnipeg, where hockey and the Manitoba Moose are king, the Alliance and CMISL would be promoting the crap out of the product this summer, so they could get fans for November. Now they have almost lost my utter respect.... almost, because of this near fiasco of not promoting or no news releases.

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quote:Originally posted by Shootmaster_44

Nothing other than what the seating diagram on the Drillers site shows. It is a brand new arena, but what I meant was playing in the best 2,000 seat arena is still not playing in a NHL arena. I assumed the idea behind this league was to be the MISL. Which from what I understand plays in large arenas. If the CMISL is attempting to be on par with say Tier II Junior A hockey, that's fine, it just wasn't the impression I was getting from them. Either way I will support the Accelerators. But with the way the league seems to have gone silent, I will just buy single game tickets in case the league doesn't make it.

Seems you are rather naive about what is going on here.

- This league is in no way meant to match the MISL. The whole point of the CMISL was to provide a higher level of competition than what is currently provided. To be the MISL's equal qould require a massive infusion of money that would make the whole venture pointless.

- The MISL doesn't play all it's teams in NHL arenas. Unless they have the team being owned by an NHL club, there is no point in moving into their arenas.

- Going to a arena like Servus Credit Union Place doesn't say anything about the product. You would just rather jump to conclusions on the move without thinking. You should ask why they moved to St. Albert and the reason would become far more apparent to you.

quote:Originally posted by Shootmaster_44I know I sound skeptical, but sadly I've seen too many teams fold mid-season in this city. If the CMISL was out promoting itself in this city all summer and had ads running on radio and TV promoting season tickets and whatnot, I'd buy season tickets. But with the lack of promotion on their side, it seems like its best to buy tickets on a game-by-game basis this season. I hope the CMISL proves me wrong and becomes highly successful in this city.

Again, you tend not to think with much clarity here.

Go look at the number of winter teams who are promoting at this time of year. The results would rather shock you.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Well there appears to be a little life in the Accelerators after all. I was reading the Classified Ads in the Star-Phoenix (half-heartedly looking for a better job) and I noticed an ad looking for a GM for the team. I am by no means qualified to be the GM. But if anyone is interested in the job and moving to Saskatoon, you need sales experience and to email your resume to melk@shaw.ca. So I guess this team is still a go after all.

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  • 2 weeks later...

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