Avalon East League

[HockeyOutsider]

This league is the model of consistency for senior hockey in this province. They made a tough decision this year not to allow the Blades and CeeBee back in, but that was just pay back and nothing wrong with it. It seems every year the "other" senior league has to re-invent itself with no long term vision and poor leadership. Games don't sell out any more and if it wasn't for the Allan Cup this year, I doubt if it would survive based on low fan support. Most teams are broke and all will have to take a serious look at how they operate next year....maybe they should contact the executive of the AESHL for advice.

[The Bottom Line]

You should join the hnl circus ! Keep wishing, it may come true someday.

[PurpleandGold]

You should join the hnl circus ! Keep wishing, it may come true someday.

Shouldn't be so quick to jump on him here Bottom Line....I am as big a fan of this league as anyone but some self reflection is needed....HNL is not the root of all problems

[superfan]

This league is the model of consistency for senior hockey in this province. They made a tough decision this year not to allow the Blades and CeeBee back in, but that was just pay back and nothing wrong with it. It seems every year the "other" senior league has to re-invent itself with no long term vision and poor leadership. Games don't sell out any more and if it wasn't for the Allan Cup this year, I doubt if it would survive based on low fan support. Most teams are broke and all will have to take a serious look at how they operate next year....maybe they should contact the executive of the AESHL for advice.

800-100 fans is not bad attendance .


20-30 fans IS bad attendance .The AESHL is only a senior minor hockey league that nobody is interested in .


HNL/AESHL CAN FLY RIGHT STRAIGHT TO THE SESPOOL THEY CLIMED OUT OF .

[evanpenton]

This league is the model of consistency for senior hockey in this province. They made a tough decision this year not to allow the Blades and CeeBee back in, but that was just pay back and nothing wrong with it. It seems every year the "other" senior league has to re-invent itself with no long term vision and poor leadership. Games don't sell out any more and if it wasn't for the Allan Cup this year, I doubt if it would survive based on low fan support. Most teams are broke and all will have to take a serious look at how they operate next year....maybe they should contact the executive of the AESHL for advice.

I have to call utter bullsh!t on this one. The AESHL model isnt a model at all. It is a NON PAID LEAGUE. This so called model is called a rec league, however given the population and working community around the biggest city in our province you will tend to get more hockey players. There is no magic model the AESHL has created. It doesnt cost any money to run this league so of course it cant fail. But this is also the reason why the AESHL league averages about 80 fans a night. The AESHL is a glorified rec league wiht players who either couldnt make the CWSHL, or that are pretty good hockey players but due to work or school commitments cant travel on weekends.

The CWSHL would have money left over if they werent forced to follow HNLs rules. If we could bring back to 2 fight rule and we had our fighters on each team the seats would be full. Alot of old timers dont want to watch a game of hockey where there is almost no chance of fighting. The one fight rule has year after year slowly decreased the intensity of the games. Follow that up with every tream making the playoffs and you lower the intensity again.

[Flyer24]

Right now the two leagues are like apples and oranges. You will see this soon enough, no mater who wins the West league. The East is a long-standing league but as Evan said, you have a population of about 200k on the Avalon. I'm not sure that bragging that you have a 4-team "Sr" league such a great accomplishment.

Now having said that, personally I don't see how the CWSHL can continue to operate as it does now. In order to guarantee long term success I think the costs need to drop. I'm sure the number of imports will be reduced, but overall "expenses" have to come down. The volunteers for each team work tirelessly year-round, and there's only so much any one person can do.

Something has to change and it's my understanding that it will whether we like it or not. I have no knowledge of how HNL works or operates or dictates, but judging by Superfans passionate viewpoints on this I can assume it's not being handled properly.

[superfan]

Right now the two leagues are like apples and oranges. You will see this soon enough, no mater who wins the West league. The East is a long-standing league but as Evan said, you have a population of about 200k on the Avalon. I'm not sure that bragging that you have a 4-team "Sr" league such a great accomplishment.

Now having said that, personally I don't see how the CWSHL can continue to operate as it does now. In order to guarantee long term success I think the costs need to drop. I'm sure the number of imports will be reduced, but overall "expenses" have to come down. The volunteers for each team work tirelessly year-round, and there's only so much any one person can do.

Something has to change and it's my understanding that it will whether we like it or not. I have no knowledge of how HNL works or operates or dictates, but judging by Superfans passionate viewpoints on this I can assume it's not being handled properly.

HNL/AESHL are trying to get significance by watering down the CWSHL .


They don't care about our money problems . It is just a ploy designed to shut down the CWSHL .

[PurpleandGold]

This league is the model of consistency for senior hockey in this province. They made a tough decision this year not to allow the Blades and CeeBee back in, but that was just pay back and nothing wrong with it. It seems every year the "other" senior league has to re-invent itself with no long term vision and poor leadership. Games don't sell out any more and if it wasn't for the Allan Cup this year, I doubt if it would survive based on low fan support. Most teams are broke and all will have to take a serious look at how they operate next year....maybe they should contact the executive of the AESHL for advice.

I have to call utter bullsh!t on this one. The AESHL model isnt a model at all. It is a NON PAID LEAGUE. This so called model is called a rec league, however given the population and working community around the biggest city in our province you will tend to get more hockey players. There is no magic model the AESHL has created. It doesnt cost any money to run this league so of course it cant fail. But this is also the reason why the AESHL league averages about 80 fans a night. The AESHL is a glorified rec league wiht players who either couldnt make the CWSHL, or that are pretty good hockey players but due to work or school commitments cant travel on weekends.

The CWSHL would have money left over if they werent forced to follow HNLs rules. If we could bring back to 2 fight rule and we had our fighters on each team the seats would be full. Alot of old timers dont want to watch a game of hockey where there is almost no chance of fighting. The one fight rule has year after year slowly decreased the intensity of the games. Follow that up with every tream making the playoffs and you lower the intensity again.

The 2 fight rule is a Hockey Canada rule is it not? Even so you have to play by the rules your given that's all you can do. Do I agree with it no but in reality its a decision the local clubs have no control over. Does the league want to deem its self professional? Well that's a good question I guess

Every team making the playoffs is a league decision. Guess what I am trying to say here is that everyone here seems to like to beat up on HNL. Not saying that there is not room for improvement there but end of the day this is an extremely costly league to operate in. If the league suffers or folds or restructures etc etc some of it is its own doing. Too much money going out and not enough coming in. Those who forget history are doomed to repeat it. We role our eyes at Hockey Eyes and some of the pro-AESHL posters who take pot shots at our league and they get us riled up but some of what they say rings true.

To be competitive comes at a high cost in this league. A very high cost. Volunteers working 12 months of the year fundraising like crazy to try and catch up or stay on par with the next team. We need a 1,000 peopel a night to break even. No longer is the Herder good enough but the Allan Cup is the top prize. Is this sustainable?

League and team has to reign in costs (Salaries,etc) For everyone who says but there is a salary cap. oh brother. Teams have to budget conservatively and not based on best case scenarios. Teams have to be concerned about league as a whole not Me Me Me....Revenue sharing? League itself taking stronger role for promotion...shared broadcast package with revenue shared amongst all teams...I don't know just throwing things out there just off the top of my head....but League has to take leadership role in developing a business model overall that works not just every team fends for it self.

Yes HNL and Hockey Canada creates obstacles but end of the day the CWSHL has to stand on its own and be the creator of its own destiny. Just making it through year to year is not good enough. Have some foresight and plan for 5 - 10 years of what you want the league to look like. Create an environment where new teams my actually want to enter and not be scared off by huge personal finanicial liabilities or turf wars over players.

Anyways sorry for the rant but here lately its HNL is ruining us and like I said in a previous thread there has to be some self reflection there. This is a great league and there is no bigger supporter around but decisions made by the teams themselves will have the biggest impact on the future of this league.

[Flyer24]

Well said

[peterpuck]

This league is the model of consistency for senior hockey in this province. They made a tough decision this year not to allow the Blades and CeeBee back in, but that was just pay back and nothing wrong with it. It seems every year the "other" senior league has to re-invent itself with no long term vision and poor leadership. Games don't sell out any more and if it wasn't for the Allan Cup this year, I doubt if it would survive based on low fan support. Most teams are broke and all will have to take a serious look at how they operate next year....maybe they should contact the executive of the AESHL for advice.

I have to call utter bullsh!t on this one. The AESHL model isnt a model at all. It is a NON PAID LEAGUE. This so called model is called a rec league, however given the population and working community around the biggest city in our province you will tend to get more hockey players. There is no magic model the AESHL has created. It doesnt cost any money to run this league so of course it cant fail. But this is also the reason why the AESHL league averages about 80 fans a night. The AESHL is a glorified rec league wiht players who either couldnt make the CWSHL, or that are pretty good hockey players but due to work or school commitments cant travel on weekends.

The CWSHL would have money left over if they werent forced to follow HNLs rules. If we could bring back to 2 fight rule and we had our fighters on each team the seats would be full. Alot of old timers dont want to watch a game of hockey where there is almost no chance of fighting. The one fight rule has year after year slowly decreased the intensity of the games. Follow that up with every tream making the playoffs and you lower the intensity again.

The 2 fight rule is a Hockey Canada rule is it not? Even so you have to play by the rules your given that's all you can do. Do I agree with it no but in reality its a decision the local clubs have no control over. Does the league want to deem its self professional? Well that's a good question I guess

Every team making the playoffs is a league decision. Guess what I am trying to say here is that everyone here seems to like to beat up on HNL. Not saying that there is not room for improvement there but end of the day this is an extremely costly league to operate in. If the league suffers or folds or restructures etc etc some of it is its own doing. Too much money going out and not enough coming in. Those who forget history are doomed to repeat it. We role our eyes at Hockey Eyes and some of the pro-AESHL posters who take pot shots at our league and they get us riled up but some of what they say rings true.

To be competitive comes at a high cost in this league. A very high cost. Volunteers working 12 months of the year fundraising like crazy to try and catch up or stay on par with the next team. We need a 1,000 peopel a night to break even. No longer is the Herder good enough but the Allan Cup is the top prize. Is this sustainable?

League and team has to reign in costs (Salaries,etc) For everyone who says but there is a salary cap. oh brother. Teams have to budget conservatively and not based on best case scenarios. Teams have to be concerned about league as a whole not Me Me Me....Revenue sharing? League itself taking stronger role for promotion...shared broadcast package with revenue shared amongst all teams...I don't know just throwing things out there just off the top of my head....but League has to take leadership role in developing a business model overall that works not just every team fends for it self.

Yes HNL and Hockey Canada creates obstacles but end of the day the CWSHL has to stand on its own and be the creator of its own destiny. Just making it through year to year is not good enough. Have some foresight and plan for 5 - 10 years of what you want the league to look like. Create an environment where new teams my actually want to enter and not be scared off by huge personal finically liabilities or turf wars over players.

Anyways sorry for the rant but here lately its HNL is ruining us and like I said in a previous thread there has to be some self reflection there. This is a great league and there is no bigger supporter around but decisions made by the teams themselves will have the biggest impact on the future of this league.

A few post on here this morning make the site a little better to read and also makes some sense. I agree with you PurpleandGold 100%. The Avalon east league has been on going for many years and I spent many a night at the games going back to the 1970's when players like Andy Sullivan and so many others made the league a must for hockey fans to see. There was also Rockin Sockin fights that spelled over into the stands.
Today its a bit difference they play under the same rules as the CWSHL and fighting is not so much a part of the game and also keeps fans away. They have also lost a lot of there skilled players to the semi pro CWSHL.
So how can the CWSHL who haven't got a year under there belt down AESHL. To say they get 20 fans to the games is not correct. They do better than that and much better when playoffs comes. If the CWSHL league fails the players will go back to the AESHL and the league will improve. AESHL is not a rec league. AS hockey fans we should commend the efforts of all involved with the AESHL who have kept it going for so many years.