Allen embraces the Americans

ALLEN, TX – Residents in the city of Allen, Texas have become familiar with hockey throughout the last several years, thanks in part to the success of the NHL’s Dallas Stars since their move to the Lone Star state in 1993. Now, they are getting more of an up close and personal look at the game thanks to the Central Hockey League’s expansion Allen Americans, who call the new Allen Event Center home.

Not only has the inaugural season been successful from an attendance standpoint (the team averaged 3,810 fans through 32 regular season home games), but the on-ice product has flourished as well. The Americans posted a record of 42-17-5, which clinched the second seed in the CHL’s Southern Conference playoff race. Their regular season home record of 23-5-4 ranked them fourth league-wide in home wins. They are currently tied with third seeded Laredo Bucks 1-1 in the Southern Conference semi-finals. To appraise how the organization has found such success so early, one must look at the history of how the team first came to be. It’s no secret that the sport of hockey is popular in the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex; The Dallas Stars top the list of four teams in the region, with the Americans’ CHL rival Texas Brahmas playing in North Richland Hills, and the North American Hockey League’s Texas Tornado calling Frisco home. Why Allen? Americans Executive Vice President Matt Canavan answered that question after the Americans’ 3-2 home win over the Laredo Bucks on March 27th. “Doug Miller (team owner and CEO of EXCO Resources) has been a financial supporter of youth hockey in the area since it started,” Canavan said. “His interest and passion for the sport grew as hockey in the area grew. He wanted to expand his hockey world and looked at purchasing a Junior A amateur program or a pro hockey team. He wanted to do it locally because he is from Dallas and wanted to be involved as an owner.”Canavan said that Miller, along with minority owner/president Steve Duchesne and head coach/general manager Dwight Mullins looked at some options in the area before hearing about the facility being proposed in Allen. Through contacts that both Miller and Mullins had with the CHL they learned that the opportunity existed in Allen. The paperwork was then signed around April, 2009. “As competitive and as many sports teams there are in the area, there is really nothing up in this corner of the metroplex,” Canavan said. “It’s a good spot to put something with the growth in the area. Fans like the fact that its affordable and they don’t have to drive all the way downtown (Dallas) to catch a hockey game.” According to Canavan, the team has seen steady growth in fan base since the season began. “We got a late start because the arena was under construction but we’ve seen our crowds grow every month, completing with a sellout in our last game of the regular season,” Canavan said. “When we launched the team, there were some challenges in the market. “I think as things are recovering we’re seeing a positive influence in our renewals and new season tickets for next year and we’re real excited and optimistic about having a good year next year.” The fact that the team made the playoffs and received home ice advantage in their first series has also seemed to help at the box office.
On March 27, during the team’s second playoff game, 3,377 fans were in attendance cheering on their squad. In terms of playoff game attendance, it sits as the second largest single game total for a this season’s Southern Conference playoffs thus far.It took the crowd a little while to get into the game and raise the noise level. But when Nino Musitelli scored the tying goal in the second period the fans erupted. It would be all good times from there. After the Americans went on to take a 3-1 lead into the second intermission, fans joined in for a sing-along to Neil Diamond’s “Sweet Caroline.” The noise level after they had won the first playoff game in franchise history would rival that of most CHL arenas. However, what does not only making it to the playoffs, but also winning in the playoffs mean to a team that is new enough to still be trying to find it’s true identity? “Winning is not everything, but it is everything,” Canavan said. “It really helps build your program and gets the word out. Had we not had such a successful season on the ice, we wouldn’t have these additional games to promote the team and get the word out.” “One of our challenges this year is just establishing who we are in such a big, competitive sports marketplace and letting people know that the Allen Event Center is here and is open now,” Canavan said. “Winning has certainly helped. To finish second in the Southern Conference and qualify as early as we did for the playoffs is great momentum to carry us into building our fan base, season ticket renewals and things for next year.” Contact the author at john.hall@prohockeynews.com
 
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