ECHL adds Stockton, CA and Phoenix for 05-06

Cross Traffic · Post by **Cross Traffic** » Wed Feb 02, 2005 5:52 am

The ECHL has approved the transfer of Atlantic City to Stockton, CA and the establishment of a franchise in Phoenix to be called the Roadrunners. Stockton is to play in a new 10,000 seat arena and Phoenix is to play in that dump known as America West Arena. (with some supposed $70 million in improvements, probably nothing done to improve the shitty ice)

The West Division in its current configuration will now have 10 teams.

I'm sure the Stockton franchise will draw well like the other central valley teams (Bakersfield, Fresno), but I am not sure how Phoenix is going to draw, they never drew well in the IHL or even when the Coyotes were playing there. Hell, Long Beach is in the middle of the second largest metropolitan area of the country, yet draws 1500 a game for the league leading Ice Dogs.

scritti · Post by **scritti** » Wed Feb 02, 2005 3:20 pm

10 teams in one division?!? wtf...

Shoalzie · Post by **Shoalzie** » Thu Feb 03, 2005 1:04 am

I just love the East Coast Hockey League having teams in California...time for a name change for that league.

Cross Traffic · Post by **Cross Traffic** » Mon Mar 28, 2005 6:58 am

The finalists for Stockton's team name are: Brawlers, Fog, Skates, Spears, Stallions and Thunder.

Fog has already been used by Bakersfield, Thunder by Vegas, Stallions is the best out of that group.

Cross Traffic · Post by **Cross Traffic** » Fri Jun 17, 2005 2:00 am

Add a 3rd team to the ECHL Western Division for next season: the Utah Grizzlies., which is going to probably prompt a change in the divisional alignments. 11 teams in one division with only 4 playoff seeds isn't going to work.