Pegula closing in on purchasing the Amerks!

Gary Majchrzak

Gary Majchrzak

Team RC
Amerks and Sabres fans rejoice!

Reported by: John Kucko
Multiple reports out of Buffalo suggest Sabres owner Terry Pegula is in the process of purchasing the Rochester Americans. WIVB-TV in Buffalo reports that the Sabres have signed a non-binding letter of intent to purchase the Amerks team. Amerks officials in Rochester have no comment. The Sabres are currently affiliated with the Portland Pirates, a partnership that is signed through the 2013-14 season. The Amerks had been affiliated with the Florida Panthers, but that partnership dissolved at the end of this past season. A final transfer in ownership from Curt Styres to Terry Pegula could take months to solidify.
 
Awesome news.

As a Season Ticket Holder for the Sabres and big time Amerks fan... this is huge.

Just hope Pegula treats the Amerks just like he is treating the Sabres.
 
Terry Pegula may be the best thing thats happened to this area in a long time! All of us Sabres fans still owe Mr. Golisano a whole lot of thank you's for saving our team though!

Having our farm team an hour down the road again would be a great thing!
 
Help an out-of-towner understand please. Why is this such a big deal? I hear the reports every time I turn on the radio, browse the net, even read Reef forums. I have yet to meet anyone in my 5 years in the area that actually go to games, nevermind hold parties...etc.. I will admit though that the house next to me has be vacant for 5 years thanx to a well known star former player skipping town on his mortgage.... so maybe I'm a little biased...
 
Steve Canyon said:
Help an out-of-towner understand please. Why is this such a big deal? I hear the reports every time I turn on the radio, browse the net, even read Reef forums. I have yet to meet anyone in my 5 years in the area that actually go to games, nevermind hold parties...etc.. I will admit though that the house next to me has be vacant for 5 years thanx to a well known star former player skipping town on his mortgage.... so maybe I'm a little biased...
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Well I can tell you why its important to me...

I grew up a fan of both teams. I grew up watching players like Pominville, Miller, Gaustad, Afinogenov, McKee, Roy, Biron... play in Rochester and then play several years in Buffalo. The ability to meet young prospects after Amerks games and then know that you saw them play for years in Buffalo is fantastic. I'm a lot more into hockey than your average American but for me this would be huge news. The Amerks have been nothing short of a joke for the last 3 years and they are probably another couple of seasons like the past few away from going under. They are the most storied franchises in the AHL and a fixture to this city. People haven't been going to games because the team has been a joke. No players are noticeable to the public eye, the new owners try hard but just aren't getting it done. Bringing a face like Terry Pegula to Rochester, along with the love for hockey, and the money to do as he pleases while owning the team. Add a figure like that with a new affiliation with Buffalo and that would no doubt put butts back into the seats.

Steve Donner gave a way a ton of comp tickets, in the early 2000's. After the renovation, they knew they couldn't fill the building so he gave away 3k+ tickets a game. While I agree that the War Memorial needed a face lift, it didn't need an extra 5k seats to go along with it. Even with Pegula and the Sabres an average weekend game might draw 8-9k or so. We will never live to see the days where the team sells out more than maybe (if they are lucky) 1-2 games a season.

This is AHL hockey... minor league sports generally don't cause people to host parties for games. Back in the 2004-05 season when the Amerks did so well, I organized a party at Tully's in Henrietta in with 52 Amerks fans showed up for an out of town playoff game in Manitoba. It was fun, but it was also mostly season ticket holders who shared love for the Amerks; not your average Rochesterian.
 
Thanx FS. Other folks input welcome as well. I want to understand the passion people have for them. As an added note, I've been PM'd and stand corrected regarding my comment about the "star" comment. I've learned he was a wannabe that bounced around the minor league...

FSU3NOLES28 said:
Well I can tell you why its important to me...

I grew up a fan of both teams. I grew up watching players like Pominville, Miller, Gaustad, Afinogenov, McKee, Roy, Biron... play in Rochester and then play several years in Buffalo. The ability to meet young prospects after Amerks games and then know that you saw them play for years in Buffalo is fantastic. I'm a lot more into hockey than your average American but for me this would be huge news. The Amerks have been nothing short of a joke for the last 3 years and they are probably another couple of seasons like the past few away from going under. They are the most storied franchises in the AHL and a fixture to this city. People haven't been going to games because the team has been a joke. No players are noticeable to the public eye, the new owners try hard but just aren't getting it done. Bringing a face like Terry Pegula to Rochester, along with the love for hockey, and the money to do as he pleases while owning the team. Add a figure like that with a new affiliation with Buffalo and that would no doubt put butts back into the seats.

Steve Donner gave a way a ton of comp tickets, in the early 2000's. After the renovation, they knew they couldn't fill the building so he gave away 3k+ tickets a game. While I agree that the War Memorial needed a face lift, it didn't need an extra 5k seats to go along with it. Even with Pegula and the Sabres an average weekend game might draw 8-9k or so. We will never live to see the days where the team sells out more than maybe (if they are lucky) 1-2 games a season.

This is AHL hockey... minor league sports generally don't cause people to host parties for games. Back in the 2004-05 season when the Amerks did so well, I organized a party at Tully's in Henrietta in with 52 Amerks fans showed up for an out of town playoff game in Manitoba. It was fun, but it was also mostly season ticket holders who shared love for the Amerks; not your average Rochesterian.
Click to expand...
 
I'm not a Sabres fan, but this is a good thing for the everyone around. This is also a GREAT thing for the city of Rochester. Having more fans attend the games brings in more money to the city, county, nearby restaurants, etc. I usually make it to a game or two a year.

I always enjoy going to games, but lately it seems the place is virtually empty. Even RIT draws more fans to games at the War Memorial than the Amerks do. The RIT games are way more fun to go to than any Amerks game though.
 
Steve Canyon said:
I have yet to meet anyone in my 5 years in the area that actually go to games
Click to expand...

:wavehand: It just never came up in conversation but hockey is actually the sport highest on my list. I'll admit to drifting away from it a bit back when the Hasek, Satan, Barnes, etc crew was split but it's still in the blood.
 
Hi Mel! At least now I can claim to have met 1 person that goes to the games! I bet there are other closet fans I've met that won't admit to it though.
GO (Detroit) RED WINGS! :beer:


dreaminmel said:
:wavehand: It just never came up in conversation but hockey is actually the sport highest on my list. I'll admit to drifting away from it a bit back when the Hasek, Satan, Barnes, etc crew was split but it's still in the blood.
Click to expand...
 
Steve Canyon said:
I have yet to meet anyone in my 5 years in the area that actually go to games
Click to expand...
the Sabres/Amerks affilliation was terminated 5 years ago and it's been downhill ever since.

I'm a long time Amerks/Sabres fan.

Rochester has a great hockey history but that past 5 years have been rough.

I have a feeling things are going to change.
 
Gary Majchrzak said:
the Sabres/Amerks affilliation was terminated 5 years ago and it's been downhill ever since.

I'm a long time Amerks/Sabres fan.

Rochester has a great hockey history but that past 5 years have been rough.

I have a feeling things are going to change.
Click to expand...

I would LOVE to see that happen. Hockey was one of the sports I truely enjoyed attending. Mike Illitch made sure the his teams were competitive. that and basketball- the Bad Boys made an amazing run. and baseball- Tom Monahan created some real memories. and arena football- Mike Illitch again!. and boxing- thanks to Emanual Steward and the Kronk Gym. and...
 
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