Atlantic City Sharks gone after March

[Guest]

Less rinks and teams is better for youth hockey because the quality of players is spread too thin. Put them back to where there's only a couple rinks within 25 miles of each other not 5 or 6 then the quality improves since players will be condensed into those couple of rinks to play out of.

[Guest]

Less rinks and teams is better for youth hockey because the quality of players is spread too thin. Put them back to where there's only a couple rinks within 25 miles of each other not 5 or 6 then the quality improves since players will be condensed into those couple of rinks to play out of.

This is a brilliant idea to grow the sport and have more kids involved in a sport where late development is common. I am sure the better 8 yo athletic kids will choose to travel 25 miles to try to play hockey in your model than basketball, football, baseball, soccer, or lacrosse in their back yards.

Let's make it one rink every 50 miles.

[Guest]

AC is only a small market because of the lack of investment and focus by Comcast over the years.  If you live in South Jersey, and don't play out of AC, you are playing out of Hollydell, Voorhees or Toms Rivers - all non-Black Bear rinks. Rarely people from South Jersey go to the Igloo to play (closest Black Bear rink).

It's short sighted for Black Bear to abandon the rink.  They are losing business to the surrounding rinks and not growing the sport in South Jersey. While AC may only have 6 teams this year they only have 1 sheet of ice.  Not bad when players are facing of losing the rink every year under these 1 year lease renewals.

As far a location of the rink, Black Bear/AHF doesn't care. It's the players/parents that pay the cost to travel to Atlantic City - not them.  The location is actually to the advantage of Black Bear.  It taps into the South Jersey market and it can be a great location for tournaments due to the surrounding area (casinos, beaches, etc). It's probably why they wanted it in the first place. It's to Black Bear's advantage to work it out with the city/CRDA.

[Guest]

city won't negotiate with Black Bear.  Nor will CRDA.  tough to get a new lease if they won't negotiate

[Guest]

If the city/CDRA is worried about how this could impact a deal for bader field then simply work in an "escape" clause into a new long term lease that would reimburse black bear for improvements (depreciated) made to the rink and give black bear ample advance coordination.  Advance coordination would be needed to move clubs (travel/high school), tournaments (CAN/AM) and any agreements they may have with Stockton University.  That'll mitigate risks for all parties while keeping the rink open, attract folks to AC for lodging/food/etc and give options for the future of bader field.

Seems a bit naïve to think one year leases is good or that they rink could be converted an entertainment complex (so I heard) that'll compete with the private entities on the island and surrounding areas.

[Guest]

The reimbursement would simply be factored into the sale of bader field.

[Guest]

If you can, please make a phone call to the CRDA: 609-347-0500, and advocate the following:

The CRDA should maintain operations (not the city of AC) until Bader Field plans gets underway (1-2 years?). The building can operate on minimal expenditure. "(Minimal expenditure" relative to a state governing body that is funded by a 1.25% tax on REVENUES, ...not profits, from all casinos in A.C.)

That rink is clearly surrounded by people who care, otherwise it would've already gone "belly-up." Hire them, CRDA!

The long-term and appropriate solution should be for the CRDA to build a two-sheet facility "off-shore." Could facilitate significant tourism with a two sheet facility.

Maybe partner with incoming DEEM enterprises to fund and facilitate? 2.7 billion for Bader, what's 3-4 million split a few ways?

[Guest]

at this point I'm just hoping the AHF is better at getting stats right. I don't want to hear about scorekeepers & managers being volunteers, I on the scoresheet or clock every home game. Twice, one home game and one away game my son won in net and got no credit. Our team manager admitted to putting it in wrong but wouldn't fix it and an away game were the coach signed the score sheet with the wrong goalie in net on it. When my son was younger I was told it didn't matter until midget, well i guess it still doesn't. If the AHF isn't any better than it's just meaningless hockey again.

[Guest]

this post has to be a joke, no? 

[Guest]

its a real shame for the younger kids doing learn to play learn to skate programs that live in that area