It has been interesting to watch this story unfold as much took place behind the scenes. The Classic Center Authority built a $151,000,000 arena and Paul Cramer, the executive director, went on the hunt for a minor league hockey team, His goal was a Class AA East Coat Hockey League club, but that fell through. The authority settled for a Class A FPHL franchise.
While the ownership structure is opaque (some might say very opaque) the management of the team was very active in getting community involvement and buy-in. They held a contest to name the team, and after first round voting, the choice came down to the panic (in honor of Athens jam band Widespread Panic) and the Rock Lobsters (in honor of Athens rock legends The B-52s).
Artist rendering of Akins Ford Arena in Athens, GA (Courtesy The Classic Center, Athens, GA)
The Rock Lobsters prevailed and the team selected a logo produced by a local artist. How this all sells with the local populace remains to be seen. Athens, being the home of the University of Georgia, is very much a college football team. Some people like basketball team when they are playing well. Others have consistently sold out UGA's Stegeman Coliseum for women's gymnastics, at many points outdrawing men's basketball.
Throwing hockey into the mix might seem a little strange.
However, the UGA club hockey team (a co-ed team at times) consistently drew a couple to 3,000 for their games in the portable rink at the Classic Center. A big plus is that tickets were affordable for these games. It was not that you were paying to the the best collegiate hockey, you were paying a fair price to see any hockey at all.
And this is what may be the biggest challenge for the fledgling Rock Lobsters franchise; The price to see the game. You see, their ticket prices are by far the highest in the league at $28 a ticket plus $10-$15 to park plus "ticketing fees" if you buy on-line. This could significantly impact attendance at really is a low rung of quality professional hockey.
Many teams struggle to fill seats in this league. Three teams in the 14 team league put less than 700 people a game into seats. The Hudson Valley (NY) Venom, a relocated FPHL failed franchise from Elmira, NY at the bottom with 328/game, and they charged $10 a game.
Interestingly, all of the Venom home games at least through January have been cancelled "due to an (sic) unforeseen arena logistical and personnel issues," as stated on the FPHL web site. Perhaps it is more related to the fact that 11 Venom players were reported as "Suspended by league indefinitely - Failure to Report" on December 2, 2024. Perhaps the team is just flat-out broke and cannot pay their bills.
This life in a league like this. At least one owner owns multiple teams in the league. Two teams with the same owner - the Binghamton Black Bears and the Watertown Wolves are owned by Andreas Johansson. While the Wolves draw poorly (657/game), the Black Bears draw 4,161 a game in a 5,000 seat capacity arena (83.22%). If you understand the hockey-crazy history of the area and the dearth of other things to do with the entertainment dollar in Binghamton you will understand why.
The Rock Lobsters, Paul Cramer, and the Classic Center Authority, which reportedly has an ownership stake that is unconfirmed, have their work cut out for them if they want to fill the 5,500 seat Akins Ford Arena for these games consistently over the season. Individual tickets start at $28 and go up to $71. There are no discounts for retired, students, or any groups. The Black Bears, on the other hand, sell their tickets from the low of $14/ticket to a high of $22/Ticket for prime seats. Their opponent Friday evening sells tickets from $12-$26 a game.
This life in a league like this. At least one owner owns multiple teams in the league. Two teams with the same owner - the Binghamton Black Bears and the Watertown Wolves are owned by Andreas Johansson. While the Wolves draw poorly (657/game), the Black Bears draw 4,161 a game in a 5,000 seat capacity arena (83.22%). If you understand the hockey-crazy history of the area and the dearth of other things to do with the entertainment dollar in Binghamton you will understand why.
The Rock Lobsters, Paul Cramer, and the Classic Center Authority, which reportedly has an ownership stake that is unconfirmed, have their work cut out for them if they want to fill the 5,500 seat Akins Ford Arena for these games consistently over the season. Individual tickets start at $28 and go up to $71. There are no discounts for retired, students, or any groups. The Black Bears, on the other hand, sell their tickets from the low of $14/ticket to a high of $22/Ticket for prime seats. Their opponent Friday evening sells tickets from $12-$26 a game.
On its face, the Binghamton ownership understands their market and what price point fans will tolerate for the product they are going to see. They know if they fill the seats they will sell more concessions. There is ample free and cheap parking available for fans. Not so in Athens.
There is little to no doubt that the Rock Lobsters will see a whole lot of seats in the first game because it is something "new" and "different." It is another thing to keep filling the seats when the all-in pricing (ticket + fee+ plus parking) for a single game ticket is $44.
Finally, there is another major factor that will impact the Rock Lobsters: lack of local media coverage. Last year when Binghamton won the FPHL championship, fans complained of little to no coverage of the team and its success in local media. Up there in Binghamton, they have three local TV stations and the Gannet owned and skeleton staffed Binghamton Evening Press. The team flourished despite what people thought was poor coverage and the fact that the team had little competition in the sports news market.
Here in Athens we have the Athens Banner-Herald, which is also a Gannet-owned, skeleton-staffed newspaper with a declining subscription base. There is one staff writer and one sports reporter on staff, and they gave to cover UGA sports, local high school sports, and now the Rock Lobsters. There is also the Red & Black, the UGA "Student" run newspaper. "Student" is in quotes because it is not affiliated with the university and serves as a training ground for young journalists. More times than often they deliver better coverage of local news than the Banner-Herald. But their audience is UGA students who most likely don't have $28 for a game ticket for multiple games.
There are no local TV stations and one very popular sports talk radio station.
Cramer, a native of another minor league hockey hotbed - Rochester, NY - is a believer and he has had an uncanny golden touch when it comes to the Classic Center in Athens. In his 30 or so years in the position, every time he has worked to get new services or facilities at the Center he has fought to overcome opposition from local government officials and other naysayers. And he has won and delivered on every promise.
Who is to say that his magic touch will work with the Rock Lobsters. Only time and turnstile numbers will tell.
There is little to no doubt that the Rock Lobsters will see a whole lot of seats in the first game because it is something "new" and "different." It is another thing to keep filling the seats when the all-in pricing (ticket + fee+ plus parking) for a single game ticket is $44.
Finally, there is another major factor that will impact the Rock Lobsters: lack of local media coverage. Last year when Binghamton won the FPHL championship, fans complained of little to no coverage of the team and its success in local media. Up there in Binghamton, they have three local TV stations and the Gannet owned and skeleton staffed Binghamton Evening Press. The team flourished despite what people thought was poor coverage and the fact that the team had little competition in the sports news market.
Here in Athens we have the Athens Banner-Herald, which is also a Gannet-owned, skeleton-staffed newspaper with a declining subscription base. There is one staff writer and one sports reporter on staff, and they gave to cover UGA sports, local high school sports, and now the Rock Lobsters. There is also the Red & Black, the UGA "Student" run newspaper. "Student" is in quotes because it is not affiliated with the university and serves as a training ground for young journalists. More times than often they deliver better coverage of local news than the Banner-Herald. But their audience is UGA students who most likely don't have $28 for a game ticket for multiple games.
There are no local TV stations and one very popular sports talk radio station.
Cramer, a native of another minor league hockey hotbed - Rochester, NY - is a believer and he has had an uncanny golden touch when it comes to the Classic Center in Athens. In his 30 or so years in the position, every time he has worked to get new services or facilities at the Center he has fought to overcome opposition from local government officials and other naysayers. And he has won and delivered on every promise.
Who is to say that his magic touch will work with the Rock Lobsters. Only time and turnstile numbers will tell.
Here are some game notes for the opener..
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