ANCHORAGE, AK – Citing financial struggles, the ownership of the Alaska Aces announced Thursday that they will be shuttering the enterprise at the end of the 2016-2017 season.
The Alaskan economy has suffered recent job losses, and the state is undergoing a budget crisis. There is simply less money to go around, and entertainment is one of the first things families have to cut. Terry Parks, Managing Partner of the Alaska Aces ownership group, said that corporate sponsorships and season ticket sales were significantly lower than previous years. Attendance is averaging 1,500 fewer spectators per game than the past few seasons as well.
One of the main financial problems for sports in Alaska is the extreme travel costs. Where teams in the lower 48 can bus between games, the Alaskan teams and crew are obligated to fly. This can more than triple the travel budget, and these costs are not in other ECHL teams’ budgets.
Parks said the downward trend in the Alaska economy is expected to continue. “We are 100 percent convinced that this town can no longer generate the kind of revenue necessary to sustain a professional hockey team,” Parks said.
People around Anchorage are saddened, but most are not surprised. It will put a family of four out $100 to come to a game, and that is just to get in the door. Add in concessions and souvenirs, and it is easy to see how hockey gets cut out of an already tight budget.
Fans have at least nine more home games to see the Aces play at the Sullivan Arena. Alaska is still in the hunt for a playoff slot, so the season may extend into May 2017. Season ticket holders and the loyal Cowbell Crew members are devastated, and will now have to find something else to do during the dark months of an Alaskan winter.
This is not the first time minor league sports teams sell or close, and it will certainly not be the last time. It is always a difficult process for the owners, the employees, the players, and the fans, but the hockey business is just that: a business.
Contact the author at Liz.Ortiz@prohockeynews.com
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