dean and the t-birds part company

woohoo...best news I've heard in a long time
I wish dean the best of luck...and hopefully the t-birds will be a solid team next year
:)

http://www.seattlethunderbirds.com/newsnotes/0304/032404.htm

Seattle Thunderbirds and Coach Chynoweth Part Company
Chynoweth Completes Four Years as Seattle Head Coach

SEATTLE, March 24, 2004 — The Seattle Thunderbirds and Head Coach, Dean Chynoweth, have mutually agreed that he will not return as the team’s head coach.

Kinda worried about the future of the 'birds. Thjere was an article not long ago in the paper about the finances and now this. I hope they can score some sort of new arena deal, (maybe in south sound area) because the key arena is NOT a good place for hockey. :dunno:

Kinda worried about the future of the 'birds. Thjere was an article not long ago in the paper about the finances and now this. I hope they can score some sort of new arena deal, (maybe in south sound area) because the key arena is NOT a good place for hockey. :dunno:


Losing Dean is a good thing

as far as the future of the T-Birds...I hear rumors...but I take them as that...rumors

they had more season ticket holders this year than last year
the key does screw them royally...but there isn't any place else to play...the tacoma dome is just as bad

I do agree that they need to market to the south though...they don't seem to understand that...but they need to

I think Tacoma is too far anyway, but you are right, the T-Dome sucks just as badley as the key. They need a hockey-first building that seats about 6,000-7,000 maybe near the airport, or Renton, or somewhere that will draw from Tacoma north, but that won't alienate their fan base that is used to downtown. When I lived in Poulsbo, I used to take the ferry as a walk-on and they played some games in the Seattle Center Arena (now "Mercer Arena") and some in the Coluseum before the re-muddling, er, remodeling. They used to out draw the sonics in the early 90's.

I think they could also consider the eastside, Bellevue/Redmond in particular.

I think Tacoma is too far anyway, but you are right, the T-Dome sucks just as badley as the key. They need a hockey-first building that seats about 6,000-7,000 maybe near the airport, or Renton, or somewhere that will draw from Tacoma north, but that won't alienate their fan base that is used to downtown. When I lived in Poulsbo, I used to take the ferry as a walk-on and they played some games in the Seattle Center Arena (now "Mercer Arena") and some in the Coluseum before the re-muddling, er, remodeling. They used to out draw the sonics in the early 90's.

I think they could also consider the eastside, Bellevue/Redmond in particular.
eastside would so seriously suck with the traffic...arenas cost money...lots of money..I don't think anyone is willing to put up the bucks to build a new one right now (although the east side is the area the powers that be are most seriously considering)

although I agree...a small arena made for hockey...like what your tips have...would be awesome for seattle...I just don't see it happening anytime soon

woohoo...best news I've heard in a long time
I wish dean the best of luck...and hopefully the t-birds will be a solid team next year
:)

http://www.seattlethunderbirds.com/newsnotes/0304/032404.htm

Seattle Thunderbirds and Coach Chynoweth Part Company
Chynoweth Completes Four Years as Seattle Head Coach

SEATTLE, March 24, 2004 — The Seattle Thunderbirds and Head Coach, Dean Chynoweth, have mutually agreed that he will not return as the team’s head coach.
I agree, I don't think he talked to the team for a month. NOT motivating at all.

I agree that WHL hockey at Key Arena sucks. However, it's my understanding that when the building was constructed they had in mind NHL hockey in addition to the NBA. Therefore, I suspect that there are alternate floor plans available to accomodate NHL size crowds. The problem with Key Arena is that the building is meant to handle crowds triple the size of the average WHL game. I, too, wish the T-Birds would leave Key Arena. But where else would they go? As much as I hate to say it, Bellevue wouldn't be a bad location for the team if there were an arena.

Even better, to my way of thinking, would be for Seattle to let Everett have the market for the WHL and try to get an AHL or ECHL team for the city. Perhaps AHL hockey would draw bigger crowds and make Key Arena a better place to see a game.

I agree that WHL hockey at Key Arena sucks. However, it's my understanding that when the building was constructed they had in mind NHL hockey in addition to the NBA. Therefore, I suspect that there are alternate floor plans available to accomodate NHL size crowds. The problem with Key Arena is that the building is meant to handle crowds triple the size of the average WHL game. I, too, wish the T-Birds would leave Key Arena. But where else would they go? As much as I hate to say it, Bellevue wouldn't be a bad location for the team if there were an arena.

Even better, to my way of thinking, would be for Seattle to let Everett have the market for the WHL and try to get an AHL or ECHL team for the city. Perhaps AHL hockey would draw bigger crowds and make Key Arena a better place to see a game.
actually...the key was built specifically to NOT fit NHL requirements...it's a long standing dispute between seattle and the NHL...with a former mayor vowing that seattle would never have an NHL team
goes back to the breaker days
I don't think seattle would support an ahl or echl team any better than the whl...portland would...but not seattle...the people here are just weird...the sports fans are only interested in the mariners...period...nice, safe, PC sport

I feel lucky to have the whl to be honest...and a smaller arena would rock but I don't think anyone is willing to put up the $$ for it

they will be closing off the upper bowl next year to give the key the appearance of a smaller arena...however, that doesn't fix the crappy ice the key has

actually...the key was built specifically to NOT fit NHL requirements...it's a long standing dispute between seattle and the NHL...

You could well be right. I just seem to remember that when the Coliseum was being torn down to be rebuilt as Key Arena one of the selling points was that the new building would be able to accomodate NHL hockey. Personally, I don't believe that the Ackerly family, who used to own the Sonics, wanted any competition from another team once they decided they could not afford to purchase an NHL franchise themselves - if indeed it's true that the Ackerley's even attempted to get a NHL franchise.

...I don't think seattle would support an ahl or echl team any better than the whl...portland would...but not seattle...the people here are just weird...the sports fans are only interested in the mariners...period...nice, safe, PC sport

I think that Seattle likes winning franchises above all else. It wasn't that many years ago when the Seahawks had a seven year waiting list for season tickets and the attendence at Mariners games was pathetic. The argument back then was that Seattle was a football town and would never support baseball so long as they had the Seahawks and the Huskies.

But I agree with you that Portland would be a great place for an AHL, ECHL, or even an NHL hockey team.

I'm new to the seattle scene...I've only been here for six years and it took me four of those to find the thunderbirds...so I don't know anything about the hockey climate first hand...but I've heard from several oldtimers that there is a history between the nhl and seattle...enough bad blood to keep an nhl team out of here for good....or at least a very, very long time

and I do know that the key is not large enough for nhl standards...and it was built that way on purpose...whether to avoid competition or exactly what, I don't know for sure

any city likes winning teams, but, I honestly don't think seattle is a hockey town...which is surprising considering how close to canada we are...but I honestly don't think it's a hockey town...it wouldn't matter if the t-birds won the memorial cup for the next 10 years straight....I still don't think we'd get the crowds...the fans we do have are great...but I just don't ever see us being able to support anything above the whl level...I could be wrong...but I just don't see it

personally, I'd love an ahl team here...I grew up watching ihl hockey...it's what I'm used to...but, once again, I don't think an ahl team would last more than a couple of years here...I'd rather just hold on to what we have and be grateful we have it

:)