We have already seen the demise of five ECHL teams (two while the season was being played), which shouldn’t surprise anyone who attends minor league hockey games. When you take a look at the ticket prices, then at the seats that need bodies in them, you can imagine that things are only going to get tougher to keep a team alive.

The latest potential casualty is one that has some history and legend behind it, the Johnstown Chiefs. I’m sure some of that name sounds familiar, and readers of this blog know what I’m talking about. You remember the Charlestown Chiefs, the fictional team of the movie Slap Shot. The Chiefs were based on the Johnstown Jets of Johnstown, PA. The games are played in the War Memorial, just like the film. The Jets shut down not long after the movie came out, but the Johnstown Chiefs were established 21 years ago to take up the torch. They are the only remaining original ECHL (back when that really stood for East Coast Hockey League, as opposed to now, where the league has spread to the western half of the continent), and a source of pride for the die hard fans of Johnstown. Talking to Chiefs fans borders on fanaticism. The pain of the Jets leaving town was hard for these people.

Now the Johnstown Chiefs are in jeopardy of being sent the way of the Charlestown Chiefs. Ownership is in negotiations with Cambria County about the arena, and frankly, it’s complicated. Here is a little snippet from WJAC at wjactv.com:

Cambria County commissioners have resumed negotiations with arena solutions group Roustan United after contract talks broke down between the two sides last week. Roustan is interested in purchasing the Johnstown Chiefs from current owner Neil Smith, but will do so only if its partner, Global Spectrum, assumes arena operations.

Roustan United president Scott Branovan said the commissioners unilaterally ended discussions with the Global-Roustan team last week.

So what does that mean? Talks have started again, but there isn’t much more news coming out of Johnstown.

But there was this. Going to the Chiefs website brings up this image, an open letter from co-owner Neil Smith:

None of this looks good for hockey existing in Johnstown, PA next season. Call your congressman. Call the President. Go over his head and call Don Cherry. Call someone. We should have hockey in Johnstown. The sport would be worse for losing the team. Hopefully it’s not too late,

I have pictures from my visit to Johnstown here and here.

Technorati Tags: ECHL, Johnstown Chiefs, Death Watch, Slap Shot