Jerseys and Hockey Love

West Coast Hockey Tour Monkey Wrench 1: Fresno Falcons Fold

My West Coast Hockey Tour has hit it’s first scheduling hiccup, as the Fresno Falcons, part of the ECHL, folded today due to financial issues. This is the second team to fold mid-season in the ECHL (the Augusta Lynx being the first of the season). Fans of the Falcons thought they could save the team from extinction by going to city hall today, but there was no stopping this.  The team was reportedly losing $10,000 dollars a game.  This is small change compared to teams like the Coyotes (who can’t even remember where they put their wallets), but to an operation as small as this, it’s huge money.

This leaves me with some room on my plate. What should I do now to fill the gap? Two days off between Bakersfield and Stockton. Maybe a stop in Fresno to talk to the mourning fans?

Update: Please take the time to read the comments below.  There is some good stuff.

James Gralian

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4 responses to “West Coast Hockey Tour Monkey Wrench 1: Fresno Falcons Fold”

  2. They switched arenas and were dropped as the San Jose Sharks affiliate, but in truth the Sharks were not very involved at the ECHL level. They did not send a lot of players down, although they did have an exhibition game there a few years ago it only drew about 7000 people. Fresno hosted the Allstar Game a few years back and even that came a couple thousand short of a sellout.

    Drop me a line before you head up to Stockton or to San Jose. The next Stockton home games are Saturday and Sunday. Tuesday’s Sharks vs Vancouver game should be a good one.

  3. The Falcons saved a ton of money by moving from the SMC to downtown Seland arena. ($13 million was spent by the city to prepare for their move) This was not enough for the owners. In an effor to save even more money, they cut staff and expenses. This showed in the decreas in ticket sales, even though season tickets were even or higher than last year. They were financially unable to ice a team and were voted out of the ECHL by the Board of Directors. It is a sad day when a 60 yr old team folds due to miss management.

    There are alot of things to do in Fresno while here. Check out the newly remodeled Met Musesum and it’s neighbor Arte Americas. Walk the Tower district for some novelty and thrift shopping or stop in one of the many restaurants or bars. There is a variety from American to Thai and Brazilian. Or Head out north and take in an IMAX movie.

    Fresno is truely a melting pot. You can easily find some authentic food from many cultures. Just look around or ask around Downtown Fresno. Good luck and enjoy your stay.

    PS: If none of that interests you, go check out the Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks. There you can see the Nations Christmas Tree. or there is also Yosemite where you can skate on the outdoor pond.