Omaha Racers

drew89 · Post by **drew89** » Mon Feb 05, 2007 10:07 pm

This website help me bring back some of the great memories i had when the Racers were here in Omaha

http://www.cbamuseum.com

BRING BACK THE RACERS!!!!!!!![/img]

Stargazer · Post by **Stargazer** » Mon Feb 05, 2007 10:11 pm

I'd rather focus on building/solidifying support for our AHL hockey franchise... before trying to further splinter the winter sports market with another basketball team. Â Besides... Creighton games already provide an 'NBA' like atmosphere.

thenewguy · Post by **thenewguy** » Sat Nov 03, 2007 6:47 am

I was thinking the other day about the Racers, and wondered what happened to them? Â Obviously i know that they went away, but why? Â Was it an attendance issue? Â Was it that the pro team they played for (they did, right?) wanted a different minor league city? Â I was there a couple times as a youte (<--my cousin vinnie, haha) and it seemed decently packed. Â Then again, i was young. Â They may not have pulled crowds in like an NBA venue but it was somethin nice to have, in case you wanted to see something besides hockey (i like going to hockey games, dont get me wrong). Â Also, while we're thinking of 'racers' has any developer ever thought of building another horse racing track? Â I know there's horsemen's park but from what i hear it isn't quite on the scale of the old Ak-sar-ben track. Â My fiance went to horsemen's this year and she said it was |expletive| over elbows busy there. Â I just wonder why so many of these good old time things go away? Â Oh, and what ever happened to omaha's soccer team? Â Were they for the KC flames?

OmahaJaysCU · Post by **OmahaJaysCU** » Sat Nov 03, 2007 12:54 pm

I am pretty sure it was an attendance thing. Â The owner tried desperately to increase the season ticket numbers, but if I remember correctly, he practically went bankrupt over the team.

cp jay 07 · Post by **cp jay 07** » Sun Nov 04, 2007 2:32 am

I was actually wondering if any one knows where or if anyone has old racer pics or just even pics of the AK. My grandfather and I had season tix for every year the racers were here and didn't miss a game, I actually got to be a ball boy in the teams last year and was probably one of the best experiences of my life. I became friends with some of the players and personnel on the team and it was one of the funnest times of my life. Not a day goes by where I don't think about going to the AK on a Saturday night when Sioux Falls was coming to town and we needed a win. Walking in to the AK and just smelling that smell of the AK, i cant even describe it. I wonder every day what it would have been like if they stayed alive.

As to why they left, it was a money thing. I think Idleman was a great owner but just tried to do to much with to little, TVs in the concession area, big time halftime acts stuff like that. Attendance wasn't that great either, averaging around 3000 a game at the AK was decent but there was no way to keep the team around, I salute the Idelmans for keeping the team around that long as they didn't have a year where they made a dime.

I just don't get why Omaha cant support pro teams. Don't get me wrong I love Creighton basketball and went to those games as much as I could when the racers were in town, but the racers were still professional basketball and was fast, exciting, high scoring and fun. (I also know that Creighton didn't draw much back in those days either). This city really disappoints me when it comes to sports, the racers were a part of my family for 10 years and were taking away from me which sucked, I'm not going to lie i cried the day Idelman said the racers were folded, I had lost my first of many jobs lol.

Then the knights came to town and i couldn't get season tix for them because i was always busy with my own hockey games on the weekend but i went to as many games as i could, i would bring friends to game and try to get them interested but some didn't care. Omaha had a great hockey team right in front of them but people would still rather go watch, boring and slow college and Jr. hockey. Don't get me wrong i love hockey and use to love the mavericks but when you have AHL hockey in town you should support them. When I heard the knights were gone i didn't cry but i was upset off, i still wont go to a UNO game because of their dick fans who wouldn't go support the knights because they thought they were trying to steal UNO fans, some UNO fans would go to games and have a good time but some couldn't wait to get the knights out of Omaha soon enough, oh UNOs attendance still sucks this year.

I know i went on a little rant here but this really upsets me off about Omaha.
But back to my original question, if any one has old pics of racer games or just the AK inside or outside could you post them and bring back some good memories.

HskrFanMike · Post by **HskrFanMike** » Mon Nov 05, 2007 12:52 pm

cp jay 07 wrote:I just don't get why Omaha cant support pro teams. Don't get me wrong I love Creighton basketball and went to those games as much as I could when the racers were in town, but the racers were still professional basketball and was fast, exciting, high scoring and fun. (I also know that Creighton didn't draw much back in those days either). This city really disappoints me when it comes to sports, the racers were a part of my family for 10 years and were taking away from me which sucked, I'm not going to lie i cried the day Idelman said the racers were folded, I had lost my first of many jobs lol.

My family also had season tickets to the Racers, but I thought it was bad basketball. Â It reminded me of ten guys playing one-on-one; every man for himself trying to position themselves for the NBA. Â The rosters changed from day-to-day, so there wasn't much continuity to the team. Â I think that's why they were regularly outdrawn by Creighton (and some nights, by UNO)...

cp jay 07 · Post by **cp jay 07** » Mon Nov 05, 2007 4:00 pm

HskrFanMike wrote:
cp jay 07 wrote:I just don't get why Omaha cant support pro teams. Don't get me wrong I love Creighton basketball and went to those games as much as I could when the racers were in town, but the racers were still professional basketball and was fast, exciting, high scoring and fun. (I also know that Creighton didn't draw much back in those days either). This city really disappoints me when it comes to sports, the racers were a part of my family for 10 years and were taking away from me which sucked, I'm not going to lie i cried the day Idelman said the racers were folded, I had lost my first of many jobs lol.
My family also had season tickets to the Racers, but I thought it was bad basketball. It reminded me of ten guys playing one-on-one; every man for himself trying to position themselves for the NBA. The rosters changed from day-to-day, so there wasn't much continuity to the team. I think that's why they were regularly outdrawn by Creighton (and some nights, by UNO)...

Well i dont think they ever got outdrawn by UNO ever and remember Creighton was in the cellar of the valley then to during the Rick Johnson era( still gives me night mares) and the early years of Dana. Actually it took Cu a while to start getting good numbers at the civic, I remember nights in the early 2000s where 6000 would show up at the civic and i would say wow great crowd tonight. Omaha was not a basketball town then, it is starting to become one, I would love to see a NBDL team in town now, give them a few former jays and huskers and I think they could draw pretty good, they might have to play at the MAC but I would go in a heartbeat. heck Des Moines got one to play at the wells Fargo and loaded it with former players from University's in Iowa. Also Sioux Falls is in the NBDL now, i would love to beat those assholes in the playoffs again like 97, great year.

DTO Luv · Post by **DTO Luv** » Mon Nov 05, 2007 4:27 pm

I don't think the NBDL would work in Omaha. The NBDL seems to be in smaller places if I remember correctly.

cp jay 07 · Post by **cp jay 07** » Mon Nov 05, 2007 7:25 pm

DTO Luv wrote:I don't think the NBDL would work in Omaha. The NBDL seems to be in smaller places if I remember correctly.

That use to be the case DTO but now that it is starting to get more attention and really becoming like a AAA affiliate for basketball cities like Austin, Des Moines, Anaheim, Tulsa and Albuquerque all have teams now. BRING BACK THE RACERS.

DTO Luv · Post by **DTO Luv** » Mon Nov 05, 2007 7:52 pm

I think goes back to why our support of pro teams is poor. Any NBDL league would be up against CU baseketball which is a major contendor. With all of the hockey teams we had the Knights couldn't (didn't) make a go of things. The Royals are a bit different since their is no college level 'equivalent'.

Swift · Post by **Swift** » Mon Nov 05, 2007 10:10 pm

I think I speak for most Omahans when I say that I'd rather have a top-tier college team than a second-tier pro team.

Now I'm sure we could argue about the definition of "second-tier"....

OmahaJaysCU · Post by **OmahaJaysCU** » Mon Nov 05, 2007 11:24 pm

Swift wrote:I think I speak for most Omahans when I say that I'd rather have a top-tier college team than a second-tier pro team.

Now I'm sure we could argue about the definition of "second-tier"....

NBA-DL would be a third tier, the money is in Europe for nonNBA level athletes.

cp jay 07 · Post by **cp jay 07** » Tue Nov 06, 2007 12:27 am

OmahaJaysCU wrote:
Swift wrote:I think I speak for most Omahans when I say that I'd rather have a top-tier college team than a second-tier pro team.

Now I'm sure we could argue about the definition of "second-tier"....
NBA-DL would be a third tier, the money is in Europe for nonNBA level athletes.

Actually the future of the NBA is probably playing in the NBDL. Many young players dont go to Europe anymore because the NBA actually set up a develpmental leaugue, each NBDL team has about 2 parent teams who call up and send players down. That doesnt happen in Europe,the money may be better but do you actually think players like going to a country all the way in Europe and being away from friends and family for that long, plus with Europeans getting better at basketball it just might be better to stay in the states. The NBDL is AAA for basketball, Ive heard rumors that Anthony Tolliver will be playing in Des Moines this year actually if he does not get callled back up to the show. Tolliver played the entire pre season with the cavs this year to. I love Creighton basketball and going to games but it would be nice to see some pro ball back in town. I know it wont happend but hey i can dream still, I just dont like the persona that Omaha gets in being a college sports town, we should become a sports town in general and support all our teams.

Post by **Brad** » Thu Jul 05, 2012 3:08 pm

Steve Idleman was just on 1620 for Kevin's Last day.

Apparently next year, the Racers are going to have a Reunion in Omaha for the 20th Anniversary of the of the Racers winning the CBA Championship.

thenewguy · Post by **thenewguy** » Thu Jul 05, 2012 3:15 pm

Nearly 5 year revival

cp jay 07 · Post by **cp jay 07** » Thu Jul 05, 2012 3:31 pm

Brad wrote:Steve Idleman was just on 1620 for Kevin's Last day.

Apparently next year, the Racers are going to have a Reunion in Omaha for the 20th Anniversary of the of the Racers winning the CBA Championship.

THERE IS A GOD!!

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