I'm saddened that they couldn't get things worked out. Unlike the NHL, the ECHL doesn't have the kind of budget where it can keep a team afloat for most of a year. The revamp of the schedule is going to be the worst part. It will mostly effect the South Division, which includes the Gwinnett Gladiators.
Augusta Suspends Operations
PRINCETON, N.J. – The ECHL announced that the Augusta Lynx have suspended operations, effective immediately and voluntarily relinquished their membership back to the League.
The move comes as a result of the Augusta ownership group being unable to continue to operate in 2008-09.
“We are very disappointed for our fans, league partners and the other member teams of the ECHL,” said ECHL Commissioner Brian McKenna. “The ECHL would like to thank the Lynx fans for all of their support.”
Augusta players will immediately become unrestricted free agents.
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Looks like Bryan Esner gets the chance to play for Phoenix after all. If they'll make a spot for him.
This is sad. I've been to Augusta a couple of times...I didn't care for the downright hostile (violent, even) reaction of some of their supporters to fans in visiting jerseys, but the layout of the James Brown Arena and that reduced ice surface I thought was perfectly charming; it reminded me of the minor league-hockey version of Fenway Park. And no matter how skilled the Gladiators were they always seemed to have problems playing there.
My heart goes out to Augusta fans...even the nasty ones. No one deserves to have their team taken away from them, and I know some of the folks who regularly made the trip to support them in GWT have to be feeling pretty bad. I'll buy any of 'em a beverage of their choice if I see that they've made the trip to Gladiators games for the rest of the season.
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