40 replies to this topic

[DevsMan84]

Not sure if this was posted but I remember how there was a topic last year and mentions of them throughout the past year about the NJ Outlaws. It looks like this week they officially announced they are packing up the team and moving to Williamsport, PA. Since this was done in such haste, the city does not currently have a suitable arena so they are playing this coming year on an outdoor rink that is being built on a ballfield.

Outlaws ride into Williamsport PA

NJ?town unaware its hockey team plans to leave


I have heard stories and rumors about this team for the past couple of months and a lot of it sounded like the owner and the coach were not too pleased about the attendance and the income the team made. What is baffling though is that they are moving to an even smaller town with no arena and they did it without even telling the town council of Wayne, NJ.

[DevilMinder]

I Just saw this on my facebook feed, damn what a way to leave.

[TheMazz]

It's sad. It really is. I worked for the Outlaws as a Member of Game Day Operations. The attendence was never really awful...at least I never thought so. It's just that the ice vault had minimum seating for Outlaws games. However from what I remember they made up for this by selling quite a few "Standing Room Only" tickets...letting people with those seats stand anywhere in the arena. As far as move - it baffled me as well. When I worked there I couldn't believe the "horror stories" some had about the FHL because the Outlaws staff and organization ran thinks pretty well and put out a great product. The plan was to build an arena next to the ice vault or move to South Mountain the year after...I guess both fell through. Such, a shame. Me, my pop and my GF loved going to games, I loved working there - what's more sad? There have only been two FHL Commisioners Cup Champions. Both are either out of the league or in the case of the Outlaws...moving. No stablity within the FHL.

[DevsMan84]

It's sad. It really is. I worked for the Outlaws as a Member of Game Day Operations. The attendence was never really awful...at least I never thought so. It's just that the ice vault had minimum seating for Outlaws games. However from what I remember they made up for this by selling quite a few "Standing Room Only" tickets...letting people with those seats stand anywhere in the arena. As far as move - it baffled me as well. When I worked there I couldn't believe the "horror stories" some had about the FHL because the Outlaws staff and organization ran thinks pretty well and put out a great product. The plan was to build an arena next to the ice vault or move to South Mountain the year after...I guess both fell through. Such, a shame. Me, my pop and my GF loved going to games, I loved working there - what's more sad? There have only been two FHL Commisioners Cup Champions. Both are either out of the league or in the case of the Outlaws...moving. No stablity within the FHL.

Over the past few months I have heard different rumors on a variety of things.

For the rumors that pertain to this situation what I have heard is that a lot of nights they would barely crack 100 in a place that listed 1,100 as their capacity (which would make it the smallest venue in the league). Another rumor I heard is that between the renting of the arena, startup costs, players and staff salary, the owner dumped approximately $3 million this past year alone just to win a trophy that looks like this:



I can't blame her if she is a little upset/disappointed with the way things went in Wayne if the attendance rumors are correct.

[NJDevils1214]

I used to go to school in williamsport. Awful place.

[Quinn01]

I went to a playoff game last year before they won. The seating was horrible. These cheap ass plastic uncomfortable seats. The team however and the game were alot of fun. Im sad to see them go because I would have gone to see more games this season. As far as attendance goes, the game I went to there were probably like 50 of us for the outlaws and maybe 30 for Danbury.

They should have looked at moving the team up to Skylands in Stockholm, NJ.

Edited by Quinn01, 27 July 2012 - 09:38 AM.

[JohnnyP.]

"No time for the old in-out, love, I've just come to read the meter."

[msweet]

you know.. I was trying to do a marketing deal with them and all of a sudden they stopped contacting me

hummm

[TheMazz]

http://www.facebook....ewJerseyOutlaws

Their FB pages redirects you to "Bring the FHL back to NJ"

Apparently you can "choose the name of the new FHL New Jersey team"

I came up with the idea of "New Jersey Continentals" Or "Jersey Core"

[RizzMB30]

I live in Williamsport and have for my entire life. I'm going to school at one one of the colleges in town. I've been playing roller hockey here since I was 8. This is something I've been waiting for since I was really young. A lot of the people here are excited to finally have an ice rink. They're going to try and play on the baseball field of the local minor league team. It's a longshot, but the city is trying to find the money to build the arena. This is great for this place and there is a lot of hockey interest here and it will great to see younger kids come up through the programs that start there.

[mxm262]

Bring back the Rockhoppers

[sirbutlust]

i went to college in Williamsport in the mid 90's. The thugs were big in that town. Then Philidelphia sent their drug dealers etc there in a choice of that or go to jail. they beat up the old thugs and took over. Have fun out there. Cant see anyone in that general area wanting to see hockey. The only way i could imagine you could sell the locals a ticket to a game is if you slapped nascar stickers all over the players and had them make loud engine noises while skating in a circle. Zamboni would have to be painted to resemble a tractor. Shame about the Outlaws. just heard about them last year but never got to go to a game. it looked like fun.

In fairness , i did go back two years ago. the area is rebuilding and my college is actually really respectable now. I wouldnt be accepted if i was to try now.

Edited by sirbutlust, 27 July 2012 - 06:39 PM.

[DevsMan84]

http://www.facebook.com/NewJerseyOutlaws

Their FB pages redirects you to "Bring the FHL back to NJ"

Apparently you can "choose the name of the new FHL New Jersey team"

I came up with the idea of "New Jersey Continentals" Or "Jersey Core"

Yeah I saw that before too. First they need a better venue and a bunch suggest south mountain or mennan arena. Either of those is def an improvement over the ice vault.

They also need to be in a better league. The FHL is a complete jabroni league. If they can be in a more stable league where the salary cap is higher than $5050 for the entire team per week then they might have a chance.

[devilsfan26]

Yeah I saw that before too. First they need a better venue and a bunch suggest south mountain or mennan arena. Either of those is def an improvement over the ice vault.

They also need to be in a better league. The FHL is a complete jabroni league. If they can be in a more stable league where the salary cap is higher than $5050 for the entire team per week then they might have a chance.

There isn't really a league like that in this area. You can't expect much money to be flying around in a league that is a level below the ECHL. An old roommate of mine played in a league at this level and I don't think he ever got paid. I believe some of his teammates did but not everybody.

[skeeter]

Bring back RHI. We could have some summer revenue for the Rock and something to kill the time from June to September.

[devilsfan26]

Bring back RHI. We could have some summer revenue for the Rock and something to kill the time from June to September.

There are some nationwide pro roller hockey leagues, Professional Inline Hockey Association (PIHA) and the American Inline Hockey League (AIHL), but neither of them have the money that RHI did. Players don't get paid and the games take place at local indoor roller hockey rinks rather than bigtime arenas. I play in the AIHL's minor league and even I don't think we will ever see a league like the RHI again unfortunately. Anything involving roller blades kind of peaked in the 90s and isn't as popular today.

[TheMazz]

Yeah I saw that before too. First they need a better venue and a bunch suggest south mountain or mennan arena. Either of those is def an improvement over the ice vault.

They also need to be in a better league. The FHL is a complete jabroni league. If they can be in a more stable league where the salary cap is higher than $5050 for the entire team per week then they might have a chance.

Apparently either South Mountain, Mennan, Ice Palace and Boardwalk Hall are the frontrunners for the arena of the yet to be named New Jersey FHL team.

I thought New Jersey Sting would be pretty good since the state insect is the honey bee. I also offered other name ideas, such as: New Jersey Americans (ABA homage), New Jersey Revolution (due to NJ's revolutionary war history, New Jersey Energy (Thomas Edison after all...), New Jersey Waves, New Jersey Tides (since we are close to the Ocean)and the New Jersey Mariners (due to the fact that he submarine was first used in New Jersey.) Bringing back the old New Jersey Rockin' Rollers name would be neat - I assume that old trademark can't possibly belong to anyone now since the league folded.

Others have suggested - New Jersey Knights, New Jersey Rebels, New Jersey Arsenal (to reflect Picatinny)

However I still like that "Jersey Core" idea, it's catchy, it rolls off the tongue and is a nice play on the "Jersey Shore" - the chants of "GO CORE GO" would be so addicting and marketable, how could you NOT fall in love with that?

If I knew there wouldn't be a lot of backlash and complaints I would suggest New Jersey Mob. However, I KNOW that wouldn't fly if that was picked.

Edited by TheMazz, 28 July 2012 - 11:36 AM.

[thefiestygoat]

Not New Jersey related but the roller hockey references in this thread reminded me of how much I miss Pro Beach Hockey. Bring it back!

[devilsfan26]

Not New Jersey related but the roller hockey references in this thread reminded me of how much I miss Pro Beach Hockey. Bring it back!

Pro Beach hockey was the best part about summer when I was in middle school haha. At the beginning of every summer I printed out the whole PBH schedule and had it posted on my bedroom wall so I made sure not to miss a game, even though there were all on at like 1 AM. The league kind of made a joke out of roller hockey but I still found it awesome and I was so mad when ESPN pulled the plug on it. One of my teammates said his academic advisor at I think County College of Morris is Rob Harmer from the Dawg Pac.

Edited by devilsfan26, 29 July 2012 - 11:34 AM.

[thelastonealive]

Pro Beach Hockey gave us the greatest jersey in professional hockey history: