One of the thoughts I have on building a new arena for basketball is just what that would do in terms of promoting sports in the Tri-Cities.

I've said it before- not just a shiny new venue for ETSU that will probably result in a shot in the arm for the program, but also a place where the concerts that once came to Johnson City could come back to and the chance for minor professional sports (ECHL, AFL2, etc.).

Now, let's focus on those last two items.

I think we are all in agreement that ETSU is NOT going to raise $100,000,000 for its athletic programs. They're short on their beloved pharmacy school funding and facilities like the soccer and softball fields are slow in getting built.

So, it seems to me that what needs to happen are the local politicians have got to lobby for the state to pay for a new arena for Johnson City.

Here's my question. If they did that, and an indoor football team came to Johnson City (which would be very plausible), would the football fans' appetite be whetted?

Let me ask you this Pitt. If Johnson City is the worst sports town of all time, which you claim on a regular basis, what makes you think we could support a AFL2 team or a hockey team? If we are that bad of a town, why would anyone want to bring a franchise here. According to you, noone would probably show up anyways.

And I don't know if it would go.

But the deal is the market size. This is a Top 100 market, but we don't have the SPORTS of a Top 100 market.

Obviously there's BMS, but that's not a day in and day out event type of thing. There isn't a community rallying cry.

It's an event- we're fortunate to have it- but since the vast majority of the crowd comes from more than 100 miles away it's more like a tourist attraction.

I think there definitely is a market for an AFL2 team. I would LOVE that. Hockey...well I'm not a fan. I wasnt under the impression that there were alot of hockey fans in this area, so I'm not sure if that would work.

Hockey would go and probably lead more to the growth of the area more than any other sport.

There are community groups who try to get people to relocate from here from northern corridors along I-81.

What better way to do that than have the cultural entities that would make such people comfortable?

A new arena would be able to attract an ECHL franchise, which would be team sport at the highest level its ever been played here.

Now, the thing here is the media probably doesn't know how to cover it, but then again that's why I wear a cape.

And if there is enough ad revenue behind it- well- look for instance how Colonial Downs has taken off.

Quote:Hockey would go and probably lead more to the growth of the area more than any other sport.

Oh give me a break

Quote:And if there is enough ad revenue behind it- well- look for instance how Colonial Downs has taken off.

I think Colonial Downs is a little different because gambling is involved. For instance how many people do you think go to Colonial Downs to JUST watch horse racing?? Very little I would imagine. Almost everyone that goes there is probably there for gambling aspect. At least I know thats why I go, I could give a damn about horse racing in general.

But the fact is Colonial Downs is well promoted. I've heard ads for them on the Knoxville radio stations.

This is what a minor league hockey team would have to do. You see how the local baseball teams are ignored.

For the hockey teams to make it, you'd have to realize that local media knows nothing about "the best game you can name."

But the local minor league baseball teams are not well promoted. To promote a hockey team you'd need the radio, the ads, and the print articles- probably offering to pay the local papers to follow you on the road.

Colonial Downs doesn't have to do the latter, but they do the first two, and you see their success.

What Colonial Downs has done is offer everyone who has ever moved here from a place that used to have an OTB a place to go and hang out.

Not only would a hockey team do that, but consider-

If the Tri-Cities had an ECHL team, they would actually have something SUPERIOR to Knoxville, which is only an SPHL team.

Not to mention Asheville, Richmond, etc.

If the Tri-Cities had an SPHL team, you'd be in the running- a real "We can beat you and no longer have to take a back seat to you" rivalry with Knoxville and Asheville the community does not currently have.

No other sport would lead to the growth of the area than hockey. And if you can't see that, then you are the epitome of what I talk about when I say

BAD SPORTS TOWN

Why couldnt we just have an AFL2 team. Neither Knoxville or Asheville have one.

You dont have to have hockey to one up those cities.

The problem with that logic is that it would be perceived as Knoxville has the high and mighty Vols- while Johnson City only has dinky little poo indoor football.

Hockey is an Even Steven situation. As it should be.

However, I'm not against indoor football at all.

But if AFL2 came to town, I think it would severly hamper the efforts to ever revive ETSU football.

The reason being is to succeed, this team would take the ETSU role of being the community football team.

I'm not saying that AFL2 should make people forget about ETSU football, but I think it could easily be sold as such and likely would.

That's essentially what the Mountain Empire Warriors and Tennessee Raptors were trying to do. The only problem was they really weren't well run. When I saw the Warriors were trying to be an NAFL team and offer $125 per game for a Taxi Squad, I knew that was doomed from the start.

Semipro teams do NOT pay their players if they want to survive.

Something else. If Mullins and Stanton were smart, they'd contact one of these joke indoor football leagues.

It would probably take a new arena for the AFL2 to come, but there are six other indoor football leagues who would look at Memorial Center as a premier arena.

They could rent the place in the summer to a potential owner, make added revenue, and then make another PR attempt to appease the football people.

They're not that smart, though.