The Pensacola Ice Flyers released today their schedule for 2017-2018 season. From Nov. 15, 2016-April 15, 2017, the hockey team has only 23 Fridays and Saturdays that they aren’t playing at the Pensacola Bay Center. See 2017-18 Pensacola Ice Flyers Full Schedule.
The New Orleans Pelicans’s Request for Proposals for its development team requires the facility “provide a minimum of twenty-five (25) evenly-distributed Friday or Saturday nights from November 15 to April 15 each year (or during the Regular Season timeframe as defined by the league). Dates can neither include NBA All-Star Weekend nor NBA G League Showcase, including the day before and the day after each event. Dates should also exclude major holidays.”
The NBA All-Star Weekend for 2018 is Feb 18 and doesn’t pose a problem. The NBA G League Showcase for 2018 hasn’t been set, but last year it was Jan. 20 so the team could lose two more home dates.
Plus, Pensacon has scheduled Feb. 23-25, 2018 – which cuts another Friday and Saturday off the schedule, reducing the available Fridays and Saturdays to 19.
The NBA affiliate will begin its season 2018-2019. It’s uncertain how may Fridays and Saturdays will be available, but the number will probably be less than the 25-game minimum.
Is the City of Pensacola asking the county to get rid of the Ice Flyers and Pensacon?
Cue up the “sports franchise consultant” who will magically demonstrate the economic superiority of having a minor league basketball team over minor league hockey or Pensacon. They’ll have a great Powerpoint presentation and collect their payment on the way out the door.
Mayor Hayward is stupid. We DO NOT need a Basketball team. We have a successful Hockey team and Baseball team, that’s more than enough sports franchises for our small city. Stop trying to waste tax money on bullshit we don’t need and put it towards actually making the city better.