Here we go again, professional hockey tries once again to establish a fan base in Cleveland, and this time the goal is to establish a whole new identity and fan base by creating the a name and logo the entire Lake Erie shoreline can be proud of, I give you the Lake Erie Monsters.
The Monsters take to ice this fall for the 2007-08 season as an American Hockey League franchise, the top minor league affiliate of the National Hockey League’s Colorado Avalanche. The new name, colors and logo were revealed at a news conference recently as part of a fan fest at Quicken Loans Arena b y team owner Dan Gilbert, who also happens to be the head of the National Basketball Association’s Cleveland Cavaliers ownership group, the primary tenants of Quicken Loans Arena in downtown Cleveland.
A dormant franchise based in Utah was purchased last year by Gilbert, and was shelved for the 2006-07 season so that Gilbert and Cavaliers President Len Komoroski and Vice President Kerry Bubloz could produce a “game plan” that would distance themselves as far as possible from the previous hockey regime of the third incarnation of the Cleveland Barons in Cleveland which left for Worcester Massachusetts in the Spring of 2006, and also allow ample time to thoughtfully consider names and other factors that could reverse the fortunes of professional hockey in Cleveland.
Believe or not, this could work for at least a few reasons. Cleveland DOES have a proud hockey history. The old Cleveland Barons were the premier team of the American Hockey League that played in the old Cleveland Arena at 36th and Euclid Avenue. The building is long gone now, but there are still those, including myself that still remembers cramming into this barely 10,000 seat drafty, damp arena with chicken wire, not Plexiglas on Saturday nights to see hockey played the way it should be played, with fans right on top of the action. The Barons were supposed to be the 7th team in the NHL, the first such addition after the original six teams, The Boston Bruins, Detroit Red Wings, Chicago Blackhawks, Toronto Maple Leafs, New York Rangers and Montreal Canadians, but then owner, the late Al Sutphin did want to lose some control over the running his to the NHL leadership, so he passed on the invitation.
When entrepreneur Nick Mileti decided to bring the Cleveland Crusaders to town as part of the upstart professional league, the World Hockey Association (WHA), the Barons all of sudden were looked upon as nothing more than minor leaguers, and were essentially doomed. Crowds dwindled to sad and embarrassing totals, and the BARONS left town for Jacksonville Florida of all places. The returned a few short years later for two dismal seasons as the renamed Cleveland Barons (formerly the California Golden Seals) who were so poorly marketed in two short seasons that I believe to this day that there are people that truly can’t remember them being here. Playing out in the Richfield Coliseum, a beautiful facility that was way ahead of its time in fan comforts was another drawback because this magnificent building was 45 minutes away from downtown Cleveland, in the middle of virtually nowhere.
The Cleveland Lumberjacks and the third installment of the Barons had brief periods of success, but with Cleveland being a city that is rapidly dwindling in population, it is going to be a challenge to create excitement for minor league hockey, but if anyone can Gilbert and his team can.
Second, from a financial standpoint, success is much more within reach as Gilbert will essentially be paying rent o himself, as he owns Quicken Loans Arena. Also, Komoroski, Bubolz and Randy Domain all have experience marketing the Lumberjacks and Barons in Cleveland effectively; I know this first hand dealing with all these gentlemen in a past life representing sponsorship interests for beer suppliers for a distributorship in Cleveland. They are thorough, professional and will give the fans their money’s worth not only on the ice, but with the entire experience of being at the game itself.
Finally, the name didn’t do it for me at first, but has already grown on me, as I believe now the right thing to do is truly create something brand new that looks forward, instead of trying to recapture past glories, Cleveland as a city could learn well from this strategy being employed by the Monsters. Youth hockey continues to grow in greater Cleveland, and with the right emphasis put on a grass roots campaign to reach this built in fan base, there should be no reason, along with family friendly ticket pricing) that this version of professional hockey should ultimately succeed in the heart of downtown in beautiful Quicken Loans Arena.
I for one am rooting for the success of the Lake Erie Monsters, and the leadership in place for the team many of whom I know personally as true pros at what they do. Cleveland, now it is time for you to do your part, visit the teams website, www.lakeeriemonsters.com, and get more information about the team, ticket prices and some of what we true hockey fans can expect this fall. Let me be the first to say: GO MONSTERS!!
Reference:
- “High Sticks & Hat Tricks” A History of Hockey in Cleveland by Gene Kiczek
