Quad City Flames (ex Omaha Ak-Sar-Ben Knights) leaving

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Greg S
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Re: Quad City Flames (ex Omaha Ak-Sar-Ben Knights) leaving

Post by Greg S »

It was year 2, once Ren Smith took over. You could do it for season tickets or single games, it was great for families. They did have some weeknight games, but plenty on the weekends.

If you want to talk families and weeknight, the Chasers play April and May, plus with schools starting in mid August, they still have just over half their season when kids are in school. Also look at Creighton basketball. They play plenty of games on weeknights and it's definitely a family event.

I will definitely agree though, weeknights are definitely a tougher sale for families. We go to NU basketball games in Lincoln, but almost always on the weekends.

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MadMartin8
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Re: Quad City Flames (ex Omaha Ak-Sar-Ben Knights) leaving

Post by MadMartin8 »

I just have to wonder as UNO leaves, does MECA attempt to get a new tennant, and would an AHL team be willing to give this place another chance?

I hope so.
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jag42
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Re: Quad City Flames (ex Omaha Ak-Sar-Ben Knights) leaving

Post by jag42 »

I don't see why Omaha can't get another shot at the AHL. Des Moines is on their second AHL franchise.
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Re: Quad City Flames (ex Omaha Ak-Sar-Ben Knights) leaving

Post by bigredmed »

MadMartin8 wrote:I just have to wonder as UNO leaves, does MECA attempt to get a new tennant, and would an AHL team be willing to give this place another chance?

I hope so.
I would think they would have even more schedule conflicts with the increased number of games that a pro team has. CU keeps pulling them in, and unless they completely fall apart, will for a while. Concerts are good business for them.
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Greg S
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Re: Quad City Flames (ex Omaha Ak-Sar-Ben Knights) leaving

Post by Greg S »

I think it will depend on how well MECA continues to do with events other than CU. Obviously some of the shows we used to get go to PBA now. I would think in the next 5 years you will see someone either bring a team or at least seriously look into it. The crazy thing is, if UNO with only 7,500 seats continues to play well, and the arena is as nice as UNO is saying, we could see a new sell out streak and that could draw more attention here.

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jag42
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Re: Quad City Flames (ex Omaha Ak-Sar-Ben Knights) leaving

Post by jag42 »

Cannot believe it has been 10 years already since the Omaha Aksarben Knights began their all-too-short 2 year stint in the AHL *sigh* Loved it when they played the St. Louis Blues triple-A team (Peoria Rivermen back then).
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Re: Quad City Flames (ex Omaha Ak-Sar-Ben Knights) leaving

Post by jag42 »

Just an idea here. The new Las Vegas NHL team will need an AHL affiliate. Is it time to give Omaha another shot at AHL hockey? I looked at MidAmerica Center arena specs, and it can hold almost 6800 for hockey...I know it's in Council Bluffs, but that would be a good size arena for the AHL.
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iamjacobm
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Re: Quad City Flames (ex Omaha Ak-Sar-Ben Knights) leaving

Post by iamjacobm »

Psh. NHL just needs to add another franchise to get to an even number again :;): .
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Re: Quad City Flames (ex Omaha Ak-Sar-Ben Knights) leaving

Post by jag42 »

From the Omaha Aksarben Knights to the Vegas Golden Knights...Former Omaha head coach Ryan McGill
named assistant coach of Vegas...(this was back in June but I just came across this.)


http://nhl.nbcsports.com/2017/06/29/veg ... ing-staff/
jag42
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Re: Quad City Flames (ex Omaha Ak-Sar-Ben Knights) leaving

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Ryan McGill, the coach of the Omaha AkSarBen Knights during their 2 seasons here, is now going to the Stanley Cup Final as an assistant with the Vegas Golden Knights.
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Brad
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Re: Quad City Flames (ex Omaha Ak-Sar-Ben Knights) leaving

Post by Brad »

jag42 wrote: Sun May 20, 2018 5:27 pm Ryan McGill, the coach of the Omaha AkSarBen Knights during their 2 seasons here, is now going to the Stanley Cup Final as an assistant with the Vegas Golden Knights.
That's really cool. Last night was such a fun game to watch. Crazy series... Either Ovechkin finally gets a cup or an expansion team does!
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Re: Quad City Flames (ex Omaha Ak-Sar-Ben Knights) leaving

Post by jag42 »

Nice article about Ryan McGill in the paper today


http://www.omaha.com/sports/plus/from-o ... 67724.html
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Greg S
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Re: Quad City Flames (ex Omaha Ak-Sar-Ben Knights) leaving

Post by Greg S »

As a hockey fan, the 2 years the Knights were here were the best. For only being here 2 years crazy how many future NHL'ers I saw play for and against the Knights. Between the Knights and UNO I saw so much good hockey downtown.

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Re: Quad City Flames (ex Omaha Ak-Sar-Ben Knights) leaving

Post by jag42 »

Totally agree Greg. I don't know if people just didn't get we had a hockey team one step below the NHL, just like the Storm chasers (back then the Royals) are one step below MLB.

Anyways, as much as I enjoyed the Knights, me being a St. Louis Blues fan, I went just about every time the Knights played the Peoria Rivermen. I can't remember if he was on a rehab stint or what when he was a St. Louis Blue, but I remember watching Patrick Lalime play goal for Peoria.

I wonder if the AHL would ever consider putting another franchise for the Omaha area in Council Bluffs at the Mid America Center. Des Moines got a second shot at having an AHL franchise and it seems to be going well.
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Re: Quad City Flames (ex Omaha Ak-Sar-Ben Knights) leaving

Post by Fort Calhoun »

It would probably be better if an AHL team played in Century Link-CHI Center. UNO liked playing at the Civic but one of the reasons they moved to the Century Link was that they were afraid an AHL team would move there if they did not. Many AHL teams play in large arenas and block off the upper seats to make the arena m ore intimate. That is what they do in Des Moines

Council Bluffs has a nice arena that is ideally sized but it nearly killed the Lancers when they played there. Their attendance plunged and they moved to the Civic before their new arena was built in Ralston. I never saw any reasons why there attendance plunged. other than most of the Lancer fans come from West Omaha.
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