BREAKING NEWS – Chiefs will announce they're leaving town

[irvingtwosmokes]

JOHNSTOWN — The Johnstown Chiefs franchise will move to Greenville, S.C., after the current ECHL season concludes, pending approval by a Greenville arena authority and then the league, owner Neil Smith confirmed before Sunday’s game at Cambria County War Memorial Arena.

Smith said the Chiefs would distribute an official news release after the game against the Cincinnati Cyclones.

“It was a combination of things,” Smith said, noting that his attempts to find a local owner to buy the team had been unsuccessful. “With the economy and the attendance going down and the cost going up, and the other thing that people might not know is our lease is up, and this is not against SMG, but early indications are the cost of the lease is going up. It’s not going down. We have to make a decision. What do we do? Really, we were left with no choice.”

Smith has been primary owner of the Chiefs since 2002, though he said he had openly invited local businessmen to either purchase the team from him or invest in the franchise in order to solidify its foundation in Johnstown during the past five years.

http://www.tribune-democrat.com/local/local_story_045202110.html

[kittycat]

Honestly I am surprised they have stayed this long.....ticket prices just kept going up and then till you buy food/beverages, etc it gets crazy for a family to have a night out....

[Cobnobuler]

Whether one likes hockey or not, Johnstown loses about the last thing that put it on the map as almost everyone in the game knows all about Johnstown and its legendary hockey history. People have no idea what their losing. They might as well close the War Memorial, the Holiday Inn and Scots By Damm along with the Chiefs demise.
The quality of life here just sucked a little harder.

[tigersucs]

This has been rumored all weekend on another board I visit.  The Greenville media first reported this possibility on Friday and then Neil Smith's quote in Sunday's paper.  Not surprised at all especially after the past few seasons and the management group that nearly killed the franchise last summer.  Have to give a lot of credit to Mr. Smith for keeping this team here as long as he did.  Too bad I never could win Powerball when it was up there.  The ECHL owes Johnstown a very big debt of gratitude because if not for this team and this town in 1988 the league would never of been formed. 

Thanks for the memories to all the current and former Chiefs as well as opponents who came through here.

[kittycat]

Great games and even better memories of fun times!  It is indeed a sad day

[RobinQuillonsHair]

Greenville, SC? 

I thought they would move to Tacoma, WA.

[tigersucs]

Greenville, SC? 

I thought they would move to Tacoma, WA.

Minority owner Ned Nakles owned a team in Greenville, SC about 10 years ago now right after he sold the Chiefs to the Mayer's around 95 or 96.  I believe he sold them shortly after they won the championship in 2002 and then the team folded several seasons later.

I will give Nakles credit though for trying to keep the team in Johnstown when his father and law partner owned the franchise in the mid-90s as well as up to the end.

[RobinQuillonsHair]

The late law partner's office is right next door.  Should I go egg it?

Believe it or not the Wheeling Nailers are considered to be the local team here in Nakles backyard.  TV ads are on Comcast and the Tribune Review highlights Wheeling in the standings and the Chiefs move isn't even mentioned in today's edition.

[Mr.Johnstown]

Just go in his office and gawk at him.

[RobinQuillonsHair]

I'll tell them to lower their flag to half staff while I'm there!

[tigersucs]

The late law partner's office is right next door.  Should I go egg it?

Believe it or not the Wheeling Nailers are considered to be the local team here in Nakles backyard.  TV ads are on Comcast and the Tribune Review highlights Wheeling in the standings and the Chiefs move isn't even mentioned in today's edition.

No egging of the law office RQH.

BTW the biggest reason Wheeling is on Comcast ads, FSP and highlighted in the Trib is the affiliation with the Penguins.  There are reasons that the Chiefs didn't take that affiliation in the mid 90s that make sense now in some ways.  In others could an affiliation with the Penguins have saved the Chiefs or helped them find local ownership?  IMO it could have but where are the local business leaders such as Pasquerilla or Polacek now?

[Alfred E. Neuman]

Prisuta on WDVE today mentioned the loss of the Chiefs........Morning Show was very upset.....

[b]

A very funny tribute to the Chiefs by Johnstown cartoonist Katie Sekelsky:
http://magpieluck.com/onelastshot/

[Alfred E. Neuman]

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5glrneInOL-qR7eHJBNTwg8PpqqtAD9EO96TO0



Real Life "Slap Shot".......again........