No NHL Preseason Game in KC Makes Jack a Dull Boy

As NHL training caps are just around the corner, let us remember that Kansas City doesn't have an NHL exhibition game.  Oh, but there is an NBA exhibition game.  So never mind no big deal.  Except IT IS A BIG DEAL.  The last hockey game at the Sprint Center was the October 13th match last year between Notre Dame and Nebraska-Omaha.  And that's the last one for the foreseeable future.  Why?

#1: The NHL lockout
To a small degree, the lockout can be blamed for Kansas City missing out on a hockey game this year.  KC was set to host the Rangers and Avalanche in a preseason game, but it was canceled due to the lockout.  This disrupted a trend of exhibition games at Sprint Center for the past three of four years at the arena.  But, it's not like the NHL's popularity dwindled due to the lockout.  In fact, NBCSN set ratings records, and local ratings were up in many markets. (though it was nice to say we would never watch the NHL again if the whole season was canceled.  Truth is the NHL knows your viewing habits better than you do).

#2: Sly James doesn't understand hockey
You've seen the quote.  Major James doesn't understand the business of bringing a professional sports team to the Sprint Center.  That's AEG's job.  Who brought the Ice Breaker tournament?  NHL exhibition games?  All AEG.  To Mayor James's credit, he has no clue.  But it's not like he's supposed to have a clue.  He's the figurehead, because who do you talk to at AEG about anything happening at the Sprint Center?

#3: Tim Leiweke doesn't work for AEG anymore
Tim Leiweke – KC's AEG representative, former AEG President and CEO, and everyone's favorite anti-hero – left AEG this year to join Maple Leafs Sports and Entertainment where he's made a big splash.  Now Dan Beckerman is in charge, a guy with no ties to an arena in the middle of America nor has to throw disgruntled KC constituents a bone now and then because he lied to them over seven years ago.  Kansas City is an afterthought, and though we get the Miami Heat and Charlotte Name Pendings for an NBA exhibition game, this caters to the local college basketball audience around town more than any hope of an NBA team coming to KC.

So, when is the next hockey game in the Sprint Center?  This reiterates that Kansas City does not appear to be in the running for an anchor tenant anytime soon.  Most importantly, though, how long can Sprint Center maintain it's profitability?  With an anchor tenant, the city, arena management, and team ownership all act as checks on the arena, making sure the facilities stay as up to date as possible.  Instead, it's clear the city defers to AEG on all happenings at this arena.  If the arena is no longer profitable and modern, will AEG look to sell it?  If we look at a recent example, it took the city of Kansas City over ten years after the Kings left for Sacramento to give Kemper a much needed renovation.  As we have seen, professional sports ownership typically requests renovations to arenas or stadiums, or threatens to leave.  This is an extreme example, yes, but how long do we really expect this to be a "Top American Arena" or whatever the hell?

Let's look at last year, KC had the highest visibility of hockey in the city since the days of the Blades last year (Ice Breaker, potential Rangers-Avalanche game, the Mavericks).  Instead, we only have the Mavericks to look forward to this year.  A year ago this time the future looked bright.  This year may be a glimpse into our possible future: the Mavericks, and that's it.

Yes, let's enjoy our world class arena with all of it's fun events, and let's enjoy our Missouri Mavericks and the success they have had in just a few short years.  But, it's okay to be cautiously pessimistic of the future of Kansas City hockey.

So, to paraphrase a statement by mayor Sly James, "What would you rather have, events at the Sprint Center or no events.  What do you think would make more money for the city in the long run?"  Maybe shoehorning one hockey event in Sprint Center this year would not have been such a bad idea, and would give the city one more "event" to boast about.

Always Tip Your Busboy

This can't be true...

Kansas City is the smallest market for AEG, and its presence here was prompted by unique circumstances. 

Phil Anschutz, the Denver billionaire owner of Anschutz Co., is a University of Kansas alumnus and native of Russell, Kan. 

He met former Kansas City Mayor Kay Barnes at KU when he was a bus boy at her sorority house. That acquaintance helped encourage Anschutz’s later interest in backing the Sprint Center.

Small world.

Read more here: http://www.kansascity.com/2012/09/19/3823017/potential-sale-of-aeg-would-not.html#storylink=cpy

Calling All Kansas City Billionaires: AEG Up For Sale

AEG (Anschutz Entertainment Group), the owner and operator of our own Sprint Center, is for sale.  It's not exactly known what will come from this, or if our good friend Tim Leiweke will be kicked to the curb and forced to be an organ grinder just to make a living, but it will mean a change in the management if all of AEG's properties.

The AP article goes on to say that everything is just fine for LA's futile prospects of courting an NFL franchise, what will this mean for Kansas City.  Will we continue to see an exhibition game each year, or even have tournaments like Ice Breaker or any other hockey events?  Coupled with the NHL lockout, and the real possibility that the Rangers-Avs game will be cancelled, has the Sprint Center peaked too soon, and sealed its fate as a decent concert venue for the next thirty years?  The pessimist in us all wants to say 'yes,' and we wouldn't be wrong.  But – and bear with me here – what if this new company, whoever it is, demands more out of a world class venue like the Sprint Center despite owning and operation showpieces around the globe?  What if Kansas City becomes a testing ground, or the crown jewel of the Midwest?  Maybe they won't lure an NHL or NBA franchise (if anything, the NHL is headed for contraction...hopefully not of all thirty teams...), but bring in more sporting events.  Not even just hockey.  A Frozen Four, a March Madness regional, the Big XII, the SEC, youth events, exhibition games, etc.  They can make it happen.  Please do, whoever you are, for the sake of our city's sports sanity.

Selling Kemper Arena to the Swedes? Oh, Sorry, Kømpår Arena

Whadda you want? Quit yer starin', ain't you never seen a nose before?

Kemper Arena: home of numerous Big Eight tournaments, one NCAA Final Four basketball championship, the only KC NHL and NBA franchises, uh...that Owen Hart incident...err...the Brigade.  Now, potential home of ready-to-assemble furniture super giant IKEA?  Perhaps.

You may recall AEG's decision last month to hand over control of Kemper Arena to the city since, well, the arena isn't doing anything.  There have been talks to mothball it, or turn it into an equine center for the American Royal, or even placing a retail store or stores inside of the building.  Even some are suggesting we do something crazy and utilize the space for something that could bring visitors and revenue to the city – but, again, that's totally crazy.

Well, now there may be some discussions about IKEA taking over the building for one of their massive furniture stores.  Well, according to Twitter anyway.

Jump because this started to get too long.

So, Sly Fox is cool with it.  This has been discussed before, but the only reason this is somewhat worth mentioning is because the panelists on KCPT's This Week in Kansas City discussed this last year or a so ago when the rodeo left Kemper (unfortunately I cannot find the video).  

If IKEA is indeed looking to expand to the KC area, why would it go to Kemper and the West Bottoms?  Yeah, there's the space, but there is also space at the Legends, along with other retail outlets.  Or in Independence near Bass Pro and the IEC.  Could IKEA alone draw people to the West Bottoms?  Probably not.  So, the issue still remains of finding a use for Kemper, or biting the bullet financially and tearing it down lest it cost the city more money just to heat and cool it while they decide what to do with it.  They should do something, that's for sure.  And soon, preferably.

Here is the current discussion going on at This Week in Kansas City about Kemper after AEG handed control over to the city.

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Overlooked in all of this is THE SWEDISH ARE COMING THE SWEDISH ARE COMING!!!

Which may not be such a bad thing after all.  I for, one, welcome our new Swedish overlords.  I'd like to remind them that as a random dude on the Internet, I can be helpful in rounding up others to toil in their home furnishings distribution centers.

Also, this is Mayor Sly James's Twitter background.  I think City Hall needs a new logo...

New York Rangers and Colorado Avalanche Come to Sprint Center October 6th!!!

Hell yeah, another NHL exhibition game!  This October 6th, Kansas City-area hockey fans will have the treat of seeing the New York Rangers and Colorado Avalanche play a late-preseason hockey game.  At the Sprint Center.  Here, in KANSAS CITY!!!  This is an interesting matchup between two teams that have absolutely no reason to come here to play a game (let's get the rumor started that the Avalanche are relocating, shall we?).  It's already been said and assumed, but this is the first game that does not feature the Blues (the club with the closest geographic proximity), the Kings (owned by AEG), or teams with a history of wanting to relocate (Islanders and Penguins–the Pens after the fact, of course).  This means, presumably, that the NHL and AEG are either a) continuing to test the waters in Kansas City to see just how popular the NHL brand is here or b) just giving us what we want.  I know I speak for all KC hockey fans when saying who gives a crap why we get another exhibition game here, I'm just glad we get one.  Also, OH WELL WHO CARES LOL HOCKEY!!!!!


I've mentioned it before, and I will do it again and again and again every year that at least one exhibition game plays here, but this means something to KC hockey fans.  If you are a hockey fan in or around KC, and this doesn't mean something to you, "well, then, that's, like, your opinion, man," and your opinion is wrong.  Yes, we all enjoy the Mavericks, and yes, we all want an NHL team, but it's just not a reality at the moment.  Five years from now, though, could be a different story.  This is our game (not "Our Time," because holy crap) to enjoy the NHL.  Just think how much fun our cross state neighbors had this season with the Blues.  Or think about those hockey fans in South Florida, finally getting to see playoff hockey for the first time since 2000.  Or, jeez, if I could find a video of the LA Kings Fanzone/LA Live pre-game stuff for their playoff games, wow, THATS a party any hockey fan can enjoy.  We may have that one day, but for right now, for at least one night, that's us, man.  That's freakin' us.

And, for you local Avs and Rangers fans, I can tell you as a Kings fan, seeing the team I follow in the arena in my hometown is like a dream come true.  It's just...well, let me put it this way: It's better than sex, if sex was performed on ice.

For one game we have a hockey team to follow right here in our own hometown, that's why it's so frustrating to read an interview with ESPN's senior vice-president Vince Doria who says, "hockey doesn't...transfer much to a national discussion" when asked why ESPN doesn't have much hockey coverage.  Pardon my French (kids, close your eyes for the next few words), but I call bullshit.  It's bullshit that hockey isn't in "the national discussion."  It's bullshit that radio/TV talk shows don't talk about it.  He goes on to say, "For whatever reason, and this is my unsubstantiated research on it, hockey doesn't generate that same kind of interest nationwide [Ed: bold is mine]," which is somehow even bigger bullshit that saying hockey isn't part of a national discussion.  Doria, as a professional in his field, holds a myopic view of American culture.  Patrick Burns over at Deadspin is right to say that ESPN, for better or worse, forms the national discussion.  They have risen to a point of dictating all talking points of the casual sports fan, but saying that sports conversations can't  happen organically makes us hockey fans seem like grain-defying hipsters.  No, KC isn't an NHL or NBA market, so no, our talk radio shows will not give them a lot of air time.  But, there are fans of all teams here (yes, even Blackhawk fans), and it's not like the NHL is only spoken about in a 23-city vacuum in America.  Hey look, here's a Kings fan (me).  Oh, wow, Blues fans (most hockey fans around the state of Missouri).  Oh, look over there, Pens fans (80% of the exhibition crowd last year, apparently).  Wow, even a Rangers fan.  How exotic.

The point to all of this: For one night we get to have our own conversation, and hopefully one day, sooner rather than later (but definitely not that soon), we will have about 82 of these conversations every year.

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Oh, yeah, also, don't forget to follow me on Twitter: @FlubberMcGee.  I already have a bunch of KC related hockey links for you to check out, and even more now with the news of the exhibition game.  Check it out and stay up to date.