The Adirondack Phantoms?

Glens Falls is my home. It has been for many years now. Our little city famously lost its AHL franchise, the mighty Adirondack Red Wings, in 1999. That’s when the league decided that two of its franchises could survive just 50 miles away from each other. They gave the River Rats the go ahead to set up shop at the Knick and the rest is history.

They were wrong and both hockey markets have suffered many seasons of low turnout and disappointed fans ever since. In Glens Falls, this has meant that we, the taxpayers, have been left to foot the bill for a 5,000 seat arena with a population of just over 14,000 people.

Since the Wings left home, two UHL franchises have tried their luck and failed; the Icehawks and the Frostbite. While those of us who love hockey latched right on to both, we all knew that this new hockey was not the same as the old hockey. Many came to see an occasional game but few religiously marked their calendars and made a serious effort the way they did when the Wings were here.

There are many in our community who just want to throw in the towel. They are sick and tired of hearing about how badly the hockey community wants to see AHL level play again. I am an absolute believer, though. I know there is a stalwart community of hockey fans here that will pony up the money to buy season tickets when the AHL returns.

Last year, the city signed a deal with Global Spectrum, a private management company from Philadelphia, and they now handle booking, scheduling and promotion for all events at the Civic Center. It just so happens that Global Spectrum is also employed by an AHL team called the Philadelphia Phantoms and, it just so happens that the Phantoms will be homeless for about three or four years as their new arena is being built back home. Can anyone say, “Welcome back, great hockey, to Glens Falls?” I would be lying if I said I was not excited at the idea of having truly great hockey played here again a mere stone’s throw away from my home and business.

That said, it was recently reported that Glens Falls suffered the highest unemployment spike in New York State and most of us are eager to see some relief. A badly made deal with big subsidies given to a sports team (which most taxpayers rightly view as a diversion, at best) would be a huge mistake.

I attended the final River Rats game in Glens Falls this past weekend and there were notices taped to the seats that warmed my heart. They were letting hockey fans know that the Phantoms are seriously considering coming to town and spelling out that the magic number is 2500 season tickets for them to see Glens Falls as a viable option. That’s a lot of tickets … but that’s also refreshingly direct.

As a business owner, I see most subsidies as little more than corporate welfare thinly-disguised as economic development and I love that this team is being so up front about their actual financial needs. I would have seen this as a respectable move in the best of economic times but, in a recession, this was, unquestionably, taking the high road. The Phantoms definitely have earned my respect for not pushing our community hard to make the many pay for the enjoyment of the few. That would not be fair and I am glad that they know this.

If the hockey community is really big enough and enthusiastic enough to support an AHL team here, then we need to sell those season tickets and we will have ourselves a team. If we don’t sell them, the Phantoms will (sadly) go somewhere else but, at least, the taxpayers won’t be saddled with yet one more burden.

The Phantoms are already proving themselves to be a class act. As far as I’m concerned, they’re already my team!