Rivermen Sale Imminent?

[Airmule]

http://www.pjstar.com/stories/031908/TRI_BG3K8KT4.055.php

[210]

Several of us were laughing at this Wednesday night at the Worcester Sharks game because history is coming full circle.

Roy Boe used to own the Icecats, and basically forced the Blues to buy the team when Boe was granted an expansion franchise in Bridgeport.

The Blues didn't want to own the team, and after a few seasons got an offer from Bruce Saurs and Anne Griffith to purchase the team and move it to Peoria and renamed the franchise the Riverman.

And now, although for different reason than the Boe fiasco, the Blues are forced to purchase the Rivermen from Saurs and Griffith.

Luckily for Peoria fans the ownership group of the Blues isn't the same bunch of idiots that used to own the team, so I think they'll be fine for the near future.

[majikle]

Newest article......

http://pjstar.com/stories/032108/DAV_BG464NG4.077.php

[Airmule]

Sorry Maj, I didn't see you had already posted this in the main forum.

[majikle]

NP. I only hope the partial "local" ownership pans out. If not...I got a gut feeling that you'll be getting your hocky fix in Bloomington in another two years.

[Airmule]

I've been to a few games over there. The hockey sux but the atmosphere is pretty fun.

[majikle]

Sale update. Things not sounding real good.....

Saurs Wants to Sell, Keep Hockey in Peoria
Reported by: Kurt Pegler - WMBD/WYZZ-TV
Monday, Apr 14, 2008 @09:12pm CST

WMBD/WYZZ-TV - Bruce Saurs is frustrated his hockey team didn't make the American Hockey League playoffs. But he's even more frustrated by the possibility his hockey team could be leaving Peoria.

Saurs, 81, is entertaining offers to sell the Rivermen because he thinks its time for some "new blood" to come to the franchise. But he wants to keep hockey in Peoria and atleast two of the would-be buyers have told him they'd move the team from central Illinois if they paid out the estimated $3.5 million asking price.

"We would like to keep it here," said Saurs, who co-owns the team with Anne Griffith. "We still think that Peoria is the place to keep it. So the (St. Louis) Blues."

The Rivermen are the AAA affiliate of the NHL's Blues, who are also reportedly interested in buying the team. And Saurs says the Blues would keep the franchise in Peoria, where the minor league team is a roughly a 3-hour drive from the parent club.

"The Blues (ownership) has to help. It would help us get better players, better everything," said Saurs.

*snip*

But will they do it in Peoria or in another city?

"If (the team) doesn't stay in town, it won't be Anne Griffith or Bruce Saurs' fault," added Saurs. "We've done everything we possibly can."

http://centralillinoisproud.com/content/fulltext/?cid=7184

[blueline]

It hasn't been a secret that the ownership needs to move on. If it wasn't for Mr. Sauers this team wouldn't of played here this year. Bloomington begged them to come over. At the tender age of 81 he needs to move on. His heart and pride is in Peoria. There are several problems with Peoria Hockey in general.
1. The fan base are Peoria fans not hockey fans. This only applies to a few not all. Yes it sucks that we've missed the playoffs. But this isn't the beer chugging ECHL days where the low paying players would gladly take a free drink or a meal from the fan base. The AHL is a whole different level that today the Peoria fan base cannot grasp. I counted 6 players alone in the Nashville/Red Panty series alone that have played in Peoria. Ask the casual season ticket holder. They wouldn't know. Example: The couple next to me didn't even know who Ziggimanis was last week.

2. The Civic Center is an absolute slum lord. This is the number one reason Peoria will not have a team after next season. The Civic Center Authority needs to turn an about face in how they treat their tenants and customer base. The team is is treated like 2nd class citizens to Bradley Basketball and other events.

Keep in mind prior to the Blues taking on our AHL affiliate we were very close to becoming Blackhawks AHL club. Pricing fell through. So Saurs and Griffen have wanted to sell for some time.
In the end we fans can thank the Civic Center and there poor management of the facility for the demise of Peoria hockey!!

Early odds are 4-1 Bloomington and 10-1 at the former River Otters place. Which is much nicer than Bloomington.