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Independence, MO —
About 275 miles east of Independence, the Missouri Mavericks are going to have a new rival that team president and general manager Brent Thiessen hopes one day will equal that of the Wichita Thunder.
“You can’t manufacture a rivalry,” Thiessen said, when asked about the 2013-14 CHL entry St. Charles Chill, who will call St. Charles, Mo., their home following this season.
“But this has all the makings of a great rivalry – they’re in-state, they are from St. Louis, they are so close our fans can drive or take a bus to the games – this might be the most exciting CHL announcement for me personally since we came to Independence four years ago."
The Central Hockey League announced July 31 that the Laredo Bucks franchise rights have been transferred to the market of St. Charles County. The St. Charles ownership group consists of Gustavo Hernandez, Alfonso Arguindegui, and Glenn Hart and the team will play its games at The Family Arena in St. Charles in suburban St. Louis.
“We’re familiar with the group from their days in Laredo,” Thiessen said, “and I know they will work hard to make the Chill a first-class, competitive organization.
“I don’t know if our fans realize just how big this news is. To be talking about adding a team to the CHL – a team that is just a few hours away – instead of talking about losing teams, is very exciting. And I know so many local hockey fans with ties to St. Louis. I don’t know if anything could surpass our rivalry with Wichita – we don’t like them and they don’t like us – but this has the potential to be a great rivalry.”
The game plan of the Chill ownership group sounds much like the successful game plan followed by the Mavericks.
“The Family Arena is very excited to see hockey returning to our market in addition to bringing back the ice to our venue,” said Mark Reifsteck, Family Arena general manager. “We have plans to utilize the ice in other revenue producing capacities such as league play, public skates and special events. We are especially pleased to welcome the reputable Central Hockey League into our building. Old rivalries will return, such as the Quad City Mallards in Moline, Ill., and new ones will be formed with the Bloomington Blaze in Bloomington, Ill., and the Missouri Mavericks in Independence.”
Thiessen said talks between the Laredo group and officials in St. Charles have been going on nearly one and a half years.
“We’ve known about this, and like I have said, we’re excited about this,” Thiessen said. “It will be interesting to see what the group does over the next year to prepare for the start of the 2013 season.”
About 275 miles east of Independence, the Missouri Mavericks are going to have a new rival that team president and general manager Brent Thiessen hopes one day will equal that of the Wichita Thunder.
“You can’t manufacture a rivalry,” Thiessen said, when asked about the 2013-14 CHL entry St. Charles Chill, who will call St. Charles, Mo., their home following this season.
“But this has all the makings of a great rivalry – they’re in-state, they are from St. Louis, they are so close our fans can drive or take a bus to the games – this might be the most exciting CHL announcement for me personally since we came to Independence four years ago."
The Central Hockey League announced July 31 that the Laredo Bucks franchise rights have been transferred to the market of St. Charles County. The St. Charles ownership group consists of Gustavo Hernandez, Alfonso Arguindegui, and Glenn Hart and the team will play its games at The Family Arena in St. Charles in suburban St. Louis.
“We’re familiar with the group from their days in Laredo,” Thiessen said, “and I know they will work hard to make the Chill a first-class, competitive organization.
“I don’t know if our fans realize just how big this news is. To be talking about adding a team to the CHL – a team that is just a few hours away – instead of talking about losing teams, is very exciting. And I know so many local hockey fans with ties to St. Louis. I don’t know if anything could surpass our rivalry with Wichita – we don’t like them and they don’t like us – but this has the potential to be a great rivalry.”
The game plan of the Chill ownership group sounds much like the successful game plan followed by the Mavericks.
“The Family Arena is very excited to see hockey returning to our market in addition to bringing back the ice to our venue,” said Mark Reifsteck, Family Arena general manager. “We have plans to utilize the ice in other revenue producing capacities such as league play, public skates and special events. We are especially pleased to welcome the reputable Central Hockey League into our building. Old rivalries will return, such as the Quad City Mallards in Moline, Ill., and new ones will be formed with the Bloomington Blaze in Bloomington, Ill., and the Missouri Mavericks in Independence.”
Thiessen said talks between the Laredo group and officials in St. Charles have been going on nearly one and a half years.
“We’ve known about this, and like I have said, we’re excited about this,” Thiessen said. “It will be interesting to see what the group does over the next year to prepare for the start of the 2013 season.”
