Posted April 21, 200619 yr Good news for Hockey fans. But I can't help but think it's better for everyone if the whole RAILRAIDERS idea is nixed and the Cyclones move back to THE GARDENS. But seeing that U.S. BANK ARENA/NEDERLANDER own the Cyclones this would probably never happen. So how about just forget the whole RAILRAIDERS thing, and maybe attendance for the Cyclones games will get back to the way they used to be. Wishful thinking I know. Professional Hockey Officially Returns To Cincinnati Date: April 20, 2006 Cincinnati, OH –U.S. Bank Arena proudly announces that after suspending operations the past two seasons, the Cincinnati Cyclones will participate in the 2006-2007 ECHL season. The team will rejoin the ECHL’s American North Division. The upcoming season will be the Cyclones fourteenth overall season. The team originated in 1990 as part of the ECHL before moving to the IHL in 1992. The Cyclones returned to the ECHL in 2001. Season tickets are on sale now. Prices for the 36 game home season are: VIP Seats located within the first 2 rows from the ice $720, neutral zone seats (straightaways) $540, & endzones are $360. Half season packages are also available for $360, $270, and $180 respectably. Single game tickets will cost $22.50, $17.00, & $12.00 and will be available at a later date. Season tickets can be ordered by calling 513-421-PUCK (7825). More information on season ticket packages is available at www.cycloneshockey.com. “It is our distinct pleasure to bring hockey back to Cincinnati,” said U.S. Bank Arena/Nederlander Chief Financial Officer Ray Harris. “We have been working on bringing back the Cyclones for months and are excited to see our hard work come to fruition. We feel strongly that Cincinnati will support this team. We are dedicated to bringing the people of Cincinnati a great product come October.” “We are thrilled to have Cincinnati back in the ECHL,” commented ECHL commissioner Brian McKenna. “We see Cincinnati as a vital part of the league’s success and we share the organizations feelings that the community will support this team. The Cyclones history combined with a first class facility such as U.S. Bank Arena should make for a great season of hockey and a great future for Cincinnati hockey and the ECHL.” http://www.cycloneshockey.com/news_data.php?article=00001
April 22, 200619 yr Fantastic! I agree about the arena, though. It's just way too big for ECHL hockey.
May 15, 200619 yr I remember watching them play at the Gardens way back in the early 90s. Its one of the reasons I love minor league hockey and have never gotten into the NHL.
May 27, 200619 yr From the 5/26/06 Enquirer: Weber new coach of Cyclones Hiring latest step in rebuilding team BY COLLEEN KANE | ENQUIRER STAFF WRITER The Cincinnati Cyclones took another step toward bringing minor-league hockey back to the area Thursday when the rebuilding East Coast Hockey League organization announced the hiring of Chuck Weber as coach. It is the first head coaching job for Weber, a Lockport, N.Y., native who has spent seven years as a minor-league assistant in the ECHL, American Hockey League and the International Hockey League. Most recently, he was the assistant coach and assistant director of hockey operations for the ECHL's Utah Grizzlies. Brian McKenna, the ECHL commissioner, and Ray Harris, the chief financial officer for Cyclones owner Nederlander Entertainment, joined some area hockey fans in welcoming Weber at the press conference at U.S. Bank Arena, where the team will play next season. The Cyclones are returning after a two-year hiatus and will be the only pro hockey team in town next season after the AHL's Cincinnati RailRaiders franchise, formerly the Mighty Ducks, failed to secure the 2,000 season ticket deposits it needed to secure a team for a 2006-07 season. The two organizations co-existed from 1997 to 2004. Full article at http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060526/SPT/605260434/-1/rss
June 24, 200618 yr Holy stinky shit, has anyone noticed the ticket prices? I mean this is the ECHL and not the NHL. This is exactly why they should play at the Gardens. Don't get me wrong, I'll go to a few games but there won't be any big family outings. Take a look for yourselves. Maybe I'm over exaggerating. http://www.cycloneshockey.com/tickets_season.shtml#
June 24, 200618 yr It looks like the ticket prices are pretty much on par with the Dayton Bombers...but then again, no one seems to go to Bombers games since they left Hara. :|
July 18, 200618 yr Cyclones, Montreal team up BY RYAN ERNST | ENQUIRER STAFF WRITER Cincinnati’s latest run at maintaining a professional hockey franchise will get a little help from the most successful franchise in professional hockey history. The Cincinnati Cyclones, returning to U.S. Bank Arena after a two-year absence, this season will be a minor league affiliate of the Montreal Canadiens of the National Hockey League. The teams announced the agreement at a Tuesday press conference. The Cyclones’ return to the ECHL will mark the first professional hockey season in Cincinnati since 2004-05, when the Mighty Ducks lost their NHL affiliation with the Anaheim Mighty Ducks. The Canadiens, winners of a record 24 Stanley Cups, previously held an ECHL affiliation with the Long Beach Ice Dogs. Julien BriseBois, the team’s director of hockey operations, said it was important for the team to secure an affiliation closer to Montreal and to its top affiliate – the Hamilton (Ontario) Bulldogs. Full article at http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060719/SPT/607190412/1078/rss12
April 20, 200718 yr Cyclones skate by at bottom of list for hockey attendance BY STEVE WATKINS | [email protected] April 20, 2007 CINCINNATI - The presence of just one pro hockey team in Cincinnati hasn't worked out so far. The Cincinnati Cyclones finished last in the 25-team ECHL in attendance, despite fielding a team that made the playoffs. The Cyclones drew just 1,844 per game, or 66,396 for the 36 home games in the regular season, which ended April 6. The league, two notches below the National Hockey League, averaged 4,170 fans per game. For seven years through 2004, Cincinnati had two minor-league hockey teams. The Cyclones then went on hiatus for two season. The Mighty Ducks, of the higher-level American Hockey League, played one more season at Cincinnati Gardens before losing its NHL affiliate. Owner Pete Robinson tried but failed to bring in a new AHL team.
April 23, 200718 yr Another reason is exposure. Local sports news run highlights of The NBA before they even talk about the Cyclone's. IF they lead off with the Cyclone's first , it would be in a much better position.
January 29, 200817 yr Cincinnati Cyclones slash ticket prices January 28, 2008 | CINCINNATI BUSINESS COURIER DOWNTOWN - Minor league hockey team the Cincinnati Cyclones is offering fans a bargain on tickets in February and March. The team, part of the ECHL League, said Monday that ticket prices will continue at $10 a seat, beginning with the Wednesday game against the Charlotte (N.C.) Checkers. The team began discounting seats in January to boost attendance Prices will remain at $22.50 for VIP tickets, which include the first two rows of seating in the U.S. Bank Arena. A discounted price of $8 per seat for groups of 30 or more are also available. The Cyclones are 28-11-0 in league play, with attendance averaging 4,200 for January home games.
February 14, 200817 yr The cyclones are having a great year! 35-11-0 with 10 straight wins so far. They just beat the bombers 3-2 tonight.
February 14, 200817 yr Who remembers when the Gardens used to sell out regularly for The Cyclones? 10,000 people every weekend night game, $6 to get in. People don't want to spend $50 to take their family out and Riverfront Coliseum sucks for hockey.
March 2, 200817 yr The Cyclones have won 17 in a row, the longest winning streak in ECHL history! The sad part is ... is that the other cities' paper is giving this more thought than our own local newspaper. :-(
March 3, 200817 yr Hardly anyone in my area has even heard of the Cyclones. If they continue to be a dominant team in the ECHL, i'm sure they will become more well known. They are Cincinnati's little ray of light in sports right now lol.
April 30, 200817 yr Fans Trade Chad For Cyclones Tickets April 30, 2008 By Shannon Russell Cincinnati Enquirer CINCINNATI - A steady stream of Bengals fans entered Koch’s Sporting Goods downtown at noon today to pay their disrespects to the The Player Formerly Known As Chad. Each carried with him a JOHNSON 85 jersey, and a cathartic need to get rid of it. The jersey could have been kindling. It could have been a doormat. They wouldn’t have cared. The fact that fans could exchange the nylon keepsake for two tickets to a Cyclones playoff game was a bonus, icing on the cake of betrayal. As fan David Minnis explained, “Chad took the heart of Cincinnati and crushed it.’’ What you do is forget the lousy behavior and go on loving the game. Occasionally, you exorcise a demon by exchanging a JOHNSON 85 jersey for a couple minor league hockey tickets. More at http://www.enquirer.com
May 1, 200817 yr Tied the series up 2-2 last night. Was anyone there? Curious to know what the attendance was.
May 1, 200817 yr I've been wanting to go, but I never get around to it...it surely doesn't help that the Cyclones get like zero coverage locally. This makes it quite easy to lose track of what's going on and when/where/who they're playing.
May 2, 200817 yr The Cyclones are down 2-3 in the series after the 1-0 loss last night. Isn't the game in Reading on sat??
May 2, 200817 yr Yeah, they don't play in Cincy again until Monday so I guess I won't be going to either one now.
May 6, 200817 yr Does anybody know if the Cyclones are winning. I don't pick up 96 Rock where I live and I no longer have TV :cry:
May 6, 200817 yr Cyclones Headed To American Conference Finals! Date: Monday, May 5, 2008 CINCINNATI – The Cincinnati Cyclones advanced to the American Conference Finals with a 6-1 win over Reading Monday night in the seventh game of the best of seven series. Jason Deitsch and Mathieu Aubin each scored a goal and had tow assists to pace the offense. Cedrick Desjardins stopped 30 shots in taking the win. The five goal margin was the most lopsided victory in a seventh game in the 20 year history of the ECHL. There was no scoring in the first period, as the teams each ended with 15 shots on goal in the frame. For the first time in the Kelly Cup playoffs the Cyclones exploded for four goals in a period in opening a 4-0 edge. More at http://www.enquirer.com
May 6, 200817 yr I was at the game last night, had great seats for the 4 second period goals! And you're right airforce_jm, games 1 and 2 are at home Friday and Saturday at 7:30
May 6, 200817 yr I was at the game last night, had great seats for the 4 second period goals! And you're right airforce_jm, games 1 and 2 are at home Friday and Saturday at 7:30 Awesome! Thanks guys ... We'll more than likely go Friday after we watch Iron Man!
May 7, 200817 yr I wish I could go but I'll be out of state for the weekend so I won't be able to watch them this time either.
May 10, 200817 yr I went to the game last night and it was a blast! Tons of entertainment and topped it off with about 3 or 4 fights after the game with gloves and sticks flying across the ice! lol Cyclones W 6-2
May 10, 200817 yr I'll be there tonight :) Got some awesome seats (section 132, Row B, seats 1 - 4) Freaking rocks for the price! Should be a good time.
May 11, 200817 yr Well I missed a good one... Cyclones Rally In Thurd, Celebrate In Overtime! May 10, 2008 | CINCINNATI CYCLONES CINCINNATI – The Cincinnati Cyclones exploded for four third period goals, to erase a three goal lead and force overtime against South Carolina Saturday night. Thomas Beauregard’s goal 4:52 into the extra session gave the Cyclones a 5-4 win. The triumph was the first three-goal come-from-behind win in the two seasons that Chuck Weber has been Cincinnati’s coach. Beauregard re-directed a Barret Ehgoetz feed from behind the net for his eighth goal and league-leading fourth game winning goal to end the game. The win gives the Cyclones a two games to none lead over South Carolina in the best of seven American Conference championship. The winner of this series will advance to the Kelly Cup Finals which will begin Memorial Day weekend. It is the eleventh time in the Kelly Cup playoffs that a team jumped to a 2-0 edge won the series in nine of the previous ten. A crowd of 4853 watched the contest at U.S. Bank Arena –the second-largest playoff crowd in Cyclones history, behind last night’s throng. The weekend had 10,063 fans checking out Cincinnati postseason hockey.
May 12, 200817 yr The game was awesome, especially the third period. A ton of fun. We had awesome seats, on the glass, first four seats next to the penalty box. Freaking sweet -- real cheap for such nice seats. Only pain was when we tried to get in and I had my camera (digital SLR) and they said "You can't bring that kind of camera into the game." So I put the lens in the bag of one of my friends bags, and the body into my wife's purse. They gave her hell about it until I lied and said the lens was still in the car. Sheesh, it makes no sense that I can bring a non-slr but somehow an SLR is a nono. But consequently, I have no pictures :x Oh well, now I know to avoid that hassle.
May 12, 200817 yr Only pain was when we tried to get in and I had my camera (digital SLR) and they said "You can't bring that kind of camera into the game." So I put the lens in the bag of one of my friends bags, and the body into my wife's purse. They gave her hell about it until I lied and said the lens was still in the car. Sheesh, it makes no sense that I can bring a non-slr but somehow an SLR is a nono. But consequently, I have no pictures :x Oh well, now I know to avoid that hassle. I had that same exact problem when I tried to get into the Falcons/Bengals preseason game last year in Atlanta. I don't understand...I know that Jayson (aka cincyimages) has gone into a Bengals game with his SLR before. And really we're talking Cincinnati freaking Cyclones here. What's the big freaking deal?
May 12, 200817 yr ^^ Seriously? What did they expect you to do with it? Digital SLRs are pricey items. It's not like it's a disposable camera where you can just throw it away and still enjoy the game.
May 12, 200817 yr I had to walk back to the car (which made me late for the kickoff) and drop my camera off, because they had no available option for me to store it with officials at the game.
May 12, 200817 yr I called the Cyclones office about a month ago asking if they allowed dSLRs into the games. The answer that I got from the office was that the Cyclones don't care about the cameras, it's the event staff that care. (The event staff are employees of the arena and not the Cyclones.) So I brought mine with me on Friday's game and of course the event staff had a problem with it, but after talking to them for about 30 seconds I was allowed to bring it in to the game. They will ask you to put your name down on a list of people who are bringing a dSLR into the game, but for future reference they don't even check to make sure you game them legit information. No big deal.
May 12, 200817 yr When I went, we tried three different door people. Each of them insisted that there was no way that they would let me in with a dSLR. I told them I was parked all the way up in OTR (which is where we left the car) and EACH of them told me the only way I would get in was if I went back and left the camera in the car. I mean we were at the door at 7:15, and I walk fast, but there was no way I was making it from the arena out to 12th street and back before quite a bit of the game had passed. I asked to speak to their manager, same story. ^ I think you got really lucky that they let you in.... I had to resort to shenanigans to get it in the door...
May 12, 200817 yr I didn't talk to a door person, I talked to their manager. Put my name on a list (there were already a few others on there) and walked in the door. Calling the Cyclones office ahead of time was definitely a help too; I already knew I could get in the door with it, and they couldn't convince me otherwise. Next time just ask to talk to their manager and mention that you talked to the office before hand. Also, I came to the game in my work clothes, might have made a difference. I don't know.
May 12, 200817 yr Also, I came to the game in my work clothes, might have made a difference. I don't know. I doubt it, Hydrobond ...
May 17, 200817 yr Cyclones lead series 3-1 One victory from Kelly Cup finals BY ANDREW MILLER | ENQUIRER CONTRIBUTOR NORTH CHARLESTON, S.C. - The special teams were indeed special Friday night for the Cincinnati Cyclones. Jason Deitsch scored two power-play goals, and Cincinnati goalie Cedrick Desjardins stopped 35 shots to lead the Cyclones past the Stingrays 3-1 Friday in Game 4 of the American Conference finals before 4,982 at the North Charleston Coliseum. The Cyclones lead the best-of-seven ECHL Kelly Cup series 3-1 and can eliminate the Stingrays in Game 5 here tonight. The Cyclones scored three power-play goals in the first period and limited the Stingrays, who lost for the first time at home in the postseason, to one goal on the man advantage. More at http://www.enquirer.com
May 17, 200817 yr If the Cyclones don't wrap this series up tonight, then they'll have the next game in Cincinnati on Monday evening. I'll try to be at that one for sure.
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