Quote Originally Posted by Downriviera View Post
I think many fans will still enjoy the ambiance of the lower division teams. The Jr Wings packed the Joe. Sure many of the tix were giveaways but fans still came there and spent money to park, eat and drink. Plymouth Whalers did well as did the Detroit Vipers. In fact, the MLS team may spark an interest in the lower level teams. I will attend both MLS and Detroit FC if given the opportunity.
The Plymouth Whalers DID NOT do well, financially anyway. The arena in Plymouth holds nearly 4000 people, and most nights had less than 2000, by the time they moved. Even in the better days in the early 2000s, it rarely surpassed 2500. That's a big reason why the arena and team were sold, and the team was relocated to Flint. Before they were sold, a friend with the organization told me they were hemorrhaging money, and had been for a few years.

There is no denying the success they had as the Jr. Wings, however [[before moving to Plymouth). They set a CHL record for attendance that I believe still stands. Being in Detroit, really opened them up to the Windsor market and the rabid Canadian hockey fans that would cross the border regularly to see any hockey game, even though they have the Windsor Spitfires who play in the same division in the OHL. An unfortunate fued between the Ilitch family and Peter Karmanos, led to their relocation to suburbia.

The IHL was a dumpster fire of it's own...

There is a certain draw to the lower level teams, but no one from the city is going to travel to the suburbs to see them. As long as they are in the city, they will draw a crowd, as DCFC does today.