Game On
hockey, so they withdrew from the ECHL, changed the name to the Carolina Monarchs, and joined the American Hockey League as the Triple-A affiliate of the Florida Panthers. Surely, fans would flock to the coliseum to see these prospects who were but one step away from the NFL. Wrong. While most die-hard fans and observers of the sport applauded the move, there was a fly in the ointment — the casual fans did not. The AHL is a developmental league, meaning player development takes precedence over winning. It was stocked with players, many of whom had a legitimate shot at reaching the NHL. Unlike the rough-and-tumble journeymen of years past, they seemed — whether by choice or directions from above — not willing to risk a career-ending injury by dropping the gloves. Or, in the words of Brubaker, “Not only were they boring, but they didn’t fight and they didn’t win. It was a case of fixing something that wasn’t broken.” Moreover, as attendance dwindled, costs skyrocketed, particularly travel costs in a league that included two teams in Canada, which proved to be a lethal combination. Matt Brown, coliseum manager then and now, explains: “It’s amazing the implications a few dollars have. The schedule went from thirty-six to forty-one games and they raised ticket prices by $5. It was more than the market could bear, and suddenly season ticket holders became a thing of the past.” And after two lackluster years, the AHL Monarchs also became a thing of the past. But in a development that seemed to come out of nowhere, the NHL’s Hartford (Connecticut) Whalers, owned by Peter Karmanos, decided to relocate to Raleigh. Nevermind that the state capital didn’t have an arena. So for two years while Raleigh was building an icy home for their team, Greensboro became the interim home of the newly-christened Carolina Hurricanes. Now, for the serious hockey fan, getting to see the NHL stars of the day, names like Wayne Gretzky, Mark Messier, Paul Coffey, Jaromír Jágr, Raymond Borque, etc., in our own backyard was a slice of heaven. But for the other 99 percent of the population, it was an overpriced yawner. The Hurricanes did make the playoffs after the 1998–99 season, but their real claim to fame was a dubious one. Sports Illustrated ran a derogatory story, complete with a full page photo of the nearempty stands at the coliseum, with perhaps two-dozen fans in the shot. All of a sudden, Greensboro had gone from a prized hockey market to a laughingstock. In retrospect, what seemed a once-in-a-lifetime chance to be an NFL city turned Greensboro into a disposable commodity, an arena-for-hire. Faced with the prospect of no hockey at all post-Hurricanes, local attorney Art Donaldson stepped up in an attempt to keep the sport alive in Greensboro by a) bringing back the Generals name, b) hiring Jeff Brubaker as coach and c) rejoining the ECHL. On the surface, it seemed like a good idea, but trying to catch lightning in a bottle proved an impossible task. The team as well as the front office was hastily formed, losing games and money from day one. The finger-pointing soon began and escalated with Brubaker being fired after two years and suing Donaldson for the final year of his contract (he was eventually paid). After six years and one playoff appearance (the 2002–03 season with Rick Adduono at the helm), Donaldson decided to cut his losses — reportedly as high as $2 million — and fold the team. Hockey had died in Greensboro with barely a whimper. This time for good. Or did it? A decade later, no person or group has stepped forward to attempt to revive ice hockey in these parts. The downside indicators are, admittedly, daunting: The market demographics have changed; the ECHL is so far-flung that travel costs would be prohibitive; there are no natural geographic rivalries anymore; the area has not fully recovered from the recession of 2008; and there have been no noticeable hockey withdrawal symptoms from the fans. Still, that does not mean there is not interest from fans or investors. Matt Brown insists he is constantly talking to potential suitors and is convinced there is still a critical mass of support from the public and private sectors. Obviously, he would love to have another permanent winter tenant besides the UNCG basketball team. The Art & Soul of Greensboro
A Step in the
Right Direction
From left to right: Rob Mitchell Senior Vice President/Investments Portfolio Manager – Solutions Program Gregory E. Gonzales Senior Vice President/Investments Jacqueline T. Wieland First Vice President/Investments Paul A. Vidovich, AAMS® Branch Manager First Vice President/Investments Phillip H. Joyce Vice President/Investments
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April 2015
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