The Anaheim Ducks have pulled their affiliation with the Iowa Chops. A year before their contract was up. IN THE MIDDLE OF THE PLAYOFFS! That tells me that the relationship between Anaheim, the Chops, and maybe most important Schlegel Sports is as bad as it gets.
KCCI has been told by sources that financial reasons led to the break up. The Chops had a rise in attendence, so that leaves Schlegel Sports, the Chops owner, smelling of economy woes.
But dollars and cents aside, for the 2nd time in just over a year the Des Moines AHL team has no NHL affiliate.
What do you think? Will the AHL ever work? Is it time for local ownership? Is it just the economy claiming another victim?
AI
I’m not sure what to think. I just purchased my tickets for next season this past Wednesday and now I have no team to watch. Regardless if you liked the name or not, Chops hockey was fun and you couldn’t help but have a good time.
I totally agree. I loved the Chops and was/am a huge fan! I was dissapointed that they really fell apart at the end of this last season and missed the playoffs. It is sad to read all the comments here on KCCI and other local news sites of people bashing hockey and a sport they know nothing about. I was glad to see the attendance up this year and ticket prices far more reasonable. The Chops have done what the Stars could only dream of in regards to attendance and buzz. It is very sad that the owners would let it get to this point. This is pretty scary because if there are no available NHL teams to hook up with, then Schelegel faces the real possibility of a 12.5 million lawsuit and worst of all – no hockey!!!
I hope that all of this is resolved. If I couldn’t go and watch hockey at Wells Fargo that would make for a long long winter… The Bucs don’t do it for me.
Finally the ownership group of the Chops smells of incompetence. There is not reason any reputable owner would not PAY what is DUE to the people that are making your team possible! If this mess gets resolved I think we need a very local ownership. Unbelievable!
I’m wondering if it wasn’t something else. The Chops really couldn’t have done anything more to get people in the seats. LiveStrong Night had almost 12,000! That’s the most people to watch semi-pro hockey in Iowa!! One of the other teams, Hartford, had one of the worst attendance records and they still have an NHL affiliate! Plus, the Chops had one of the best attendance records in the whole AHL last season. I’m going to miss the guys that I have come to call my team and have gotten to know over the last season. Hopefully next year we’ll be able to have a team/players for more than 1 season at a time and not have to worry about them leaving!! Good Luck guys and don’t forget Des Moines! =D
As a season ticket holder since the STARS, I guess good professional hockey in the Des Moines area really was a “pipe dream.” I guess I smell lawsuit and the only other thing I can say, is…….. LET’S GO REDWINGS !!!!!!!