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Relocations and Rebrands
#1

1021 Words
Ready for grading

Relocations and rebrands seem to be trending up over the past few seasons. It just seems like it is more frequent than it used to be. Storied franchises like the Montreal Impact/Militia and Halifax Raiders are now relics of the past. Replaced by Kraken and Timber. Lethbridge, a relatively newer franchise, had barely finished painting their locker room before moving and becoming the Beserkers. These relocations have been met with heavy criticism by some, jokes and memes by others, and indifference by most. I am not here to criticize or support these moves. I’m just here to make money (eventually). But aside from that, this is a weird trend that warrants a little commentary.

It seems to me, at least through the commentary I have read, that when a new GM comes in they want to put their own personal stamp on a franchise. Some teams will update color schemes and logos which is fairly normal and keeps the league modern and fresh similar to real leagues. Some GMs come in and just decide to relocate the team and change everything. The reasons given for this vary but it seems like the team will have a culture of losing or have limited to no success for a long period of time. So they move as if that will change their fortune. I have to admit there have been times where I have felt Simon T wrote a hidden code in the sim that said “No matter what, fuck Halifax.”

While these relocations are virtually harmless and don’t actually change anything about the talent on the team, it still seems like an odd priority. Graphics and names as opposed to building a better team. I know that no self-respecting GM would ever say that relocation is their priority so please spare us that response. But perception is a real thing and it is certainly perceived that this is the first priority of many GMs. I know for a fact I am not alone in that line of thinking but I don’t post Discord screencaps.

I know that if I was ever the GM of a team, something I have absolutely no desire to do in the foreseeable future nor would I ever be approved to be one, my first priority would be to get good. Changing colors and mascots and cities is just fluff. I would evaluate talent and come up with a five season plan. Who do I have? Who can I get? How is my salary cap? How is my prospect pool? How are my draft picks looking? Can I make any trades? My first question would not be “Orange or blue? Timber or Eskimo?” I realize I am just an outsider looking in and I am content to stay that way.

While I would never propose stopping these moves as they have to be approved by peers and people of power, I would suggest pumping the brakes on them or at least put a few restrictions in the way. Nothing life-altering but some realistic hurdles. Now I already know what’s coming so again, please spare us. “This is a fake league on the internet where everything is made up. Who cares? It’s not realistic anyway.” That is a fair point but do we not have contracts, salary caps, drafts, regression, suspensions, and many other features that make this more realistic? Yes, we do. So that is a bad counter. Don’t use it.

First, I would make a GM be in place five seasons prior to relocation. The relocation and rebranding can be approved during their fourth season in charge and they can move and change after their fifth season. When I say relocation and rebrand, I don’t mean changing logos or team colors. If Texas wants to change their colors to blue and gold and change their logo but still be the Texas Renegades, that can be done during any offseason. But if Texas wanted to become the Texas Muppets, dankoa would have to GM for five years before making the change. Relocation would be the same.

Next, top teams cannot relocate or rebrand. You have to finish in the bottom half of your league (SMJHL) or miss the playoffs (SHL) three seasons in a row. Then approval in the fourth season, do your thing in the fifth. If you somehow manage to win a championship in the fourth of fifth season, you can still do your thing. Montreal was more of an outlier when they won the Four Star and then moved to Carolina.

Next, and this one will be controversial, the GM must spend their own money to relocate or rebrand. They should be separate charges. If you want to change your name or mascot or colors, that is one price. If you want to change location, that is another hefty price. It should not be cheap. I would say a rebrand should be $20 million and a relocation should be $40 million. Those are just spitball numbers. Prices could be lower for Junior teams but still hefty. I haven’t looked at the average GMs bank account so that can be adjusted to the median. This is not to punish but rather deter this from being on the to-do list for new GMs.

I have no real dog in this fight as I will play my ass off for the Renegades, Whalers, Timber, Kraken, whoever I wind up with. But I have just noticed it happening a bit more frequently and while it isn’t hurting anything other than “our memories” I don’t think it should happen as much. If it is to happen, it should come at a price. I doubt anything will be cracked down on as we have way bigger things to worry about this season, but I definitely think this warrants some discussion by the important people.

I understand that it is fake but we don’t skirt the realism in other areas, why do it with something like this? But what do I know? Until next time. Be well.

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Whalers
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Renegades  raiders  Finland
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#2

Yeah fuck those selfish Kraken GMs for only relocating MTL to stamp their names on a franchise am i right @FuzzSHL

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Former USA Fed Head, Carolina Kraken Co-GM, Tampa Bay Barracuda GM
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#3

fuck anaheim

they didn't rebrand or relocate but still

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Germany Berserkers Stampede Stars Barracuda syndicate
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#4

Respectfully, I think you’re missing the point. First of all, I assume you haven’t read the announcement of the Montreal to Carolina rebrand. To refresh your memory even if you did: the rebrand wasn’t immediate, it wasn’t rushed. We put it on the back burner to focus on the aspect you stressed: building a better team. Montreal’s issue wasn’t wins or losses, it was deeper than that. The roster was mismanaged and had too many holes, the branding was generally seen as weak with the only strong ties people had to it being with the city (Montreal). I also assume you weren’t in the Montreal LR, because it was a ghost town. The organization as a whole wasn’t relevant, it wasn’t winning, and it wasn’t talking. The rebrand gave it, in my biased opinion, a better look and feel. The locker room since Trella and I took over hasn’t seen a dead day. Oh, and we won the organization’s first 4 Star since S33, and followed it up with a repeat in our second season.

Halifax has their own reasons, and if you have paid any attention to the J you will know that, while it may not have necessarily been *needed* per say, the timing was right with an engine switch to remove the stigma surrounding Halifax. When was the last time that organization won a cup? How much have they been ridiculed for it? It’s a fresh start.

Lethbridge was an emergency expansion team that was never meant to last in the first place. The branding and the team, Anaheim included, were either meant to be disbanded or rebranded and never were. Anaheim reworked a stolen logo and has found success. Lethbridge has shotty branding and managing until JNH/Corey came around. Sure, you may not like the branding as it is either, but it is light years better than the Lions branding was.

I’m not gonna dive into the rebrands that’s happened before I got here, but man, you really missed the mark here.

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Aleksi Kettu
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#5

Bring back MTL

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#6
(This post was last modified: 03-09-2020, 08:37 PM by Leoben.)

03-09-2020, 08:24 PMFuzzSHL Wrote: Respectfully, I think you’re missing the point. First of all, I assume you haven’t read the announcement of the Montreal to Carolina rebrand. To refresh your memory even if you did: the rebrand wasn’t immediate, it wasn’t rushed. We put it on the back burner to focus on the aspect you stressed: building a better team. Montreal’s issue wasn’t wins or losses, it was deeper than that. The roster was mismanaged and had too many holes, the branding was generally seen as weak with the only strong ties people had to it being with the city (Montreal). I also assume you weren’t in the Montreal LR, because it was a ghost town. The organization as a whole wasn’t relevant, it wasn’t winning, and it wasn’t talking. The rebrand gave it, in my biased opinion, a better look and feel. The locker room since Trella and I took over hasn’t seen a dead day. Oh, and we won the organization’s first 4 Star since S33, and followed it up with a repeat in our second season.

Thanks for the response. I actually was in the LR when you took over. I was one of the alumni that left at your request/suggestion. We were just taking up space and not really contributing to anything so I checked out. It was the appropriate thing to do. I wasn't really active and wasn't on the team and yea, it was a ghost town. Congrats on turning it around. I followed your first season closely (I was on that S33 squad).

For what it's worth I don't pay attention to much outside my own team. I vaguely remember the relocation post but whatever, wasn't too concerned. You didn't have to explain yourself. Most of my articles are tabloid nonsense but cheers! Congrats on the success.

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Whalers
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Renegades  raiders  Finland
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#7

03-09-2020, 08:35 PMLeoben Wrote: Thanks for the response.  I actually was in the LR when you took over.  I was one of the alumni that left at your request/suggestion.  We were just taking up space and not really contributing to anything so I checked out.  It was the appropriate thing to do.  I wasn't really active and wasn't on the team and yea, it was a ghost town.  Congrats on turning it around.  I followed your first season closely (I was on that S33 squad).

For what it's worth I don't pay attention to much outside my own team.  I vaguely remember the relocation post but whatever, wasn't too concerned.  You didn't have to explain yourself.  Most of my articles are tabloid nonsense but cheers!  Congrats on the success.

Well now I feel like a dick Cry

I hope you didn’t feel like I was trying to push anyone out that wanted to stay, I feel like those who left saw it more as one less place to worry about. If you wanted to stay and felt like I was pushing you out, I wholeheartedly apologize, and just send me a PM and I’ll get you an inv link back.

Hope you’re doing well, I’m definitely going to have to double check for “tabloid nonsense” before I get all defensive next time. Cheers

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Aleksi Kettu
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#8

I find it interesting that you would include Montreal/Carolina when saying "While these relocations are virtually harmless and don’t actually change anything about the talent on the team, it still seems like an odd priority. Graphics and names as opposed to building a better team.", when, as Fuzz mentioned, MTL/CAR won the 4 Star Cup in their last season as the Militia and their first season as the Kraken. In addition, you bring up the idea of restricting rebrands from GMs who have not served for 5 season and compound it with the requirements of GMs paying for it themselves and needing to be in the bottom half of the standings to rebrand. The latter incentivizes teams who wish to rebrand to do poorly, and the former has zero bearing on the interest/ability of a GM to rebrand as it is only a financial barrier unrelated to the ability to rebrand well. I do agree some of these relocations seem heavy handed and more frequent in recent memory, in the end this is a fake hockey league. If a fake team being from a location means the people on it, especially in the SMJHL, are going to enjoy themselves more, then it's probably for the best interest of the League to allow it when done well.

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S66 Damian Littleton


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Battleborn | Barracuda | Usa
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#9

article is correct, bring back mtl

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#10

03-09-2020, 07:50 PMNeonLime Wrote: fuck anaheim

they didn't rebrand or relocate but still

I guess you guys even took my #NeverLethbridge to heart. Guess I'll give you that.

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Sig credit: Ragnar, Carpy48, High Stick King

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#11

Fuck trella

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UsaScarecrowsBlizzardSpecters | [Image: specterspp.png][Image: spectersupdate.png] | TimberArmadaSpectersFinland

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#12

03-09-2020, 09:28 PMSlashACM Wrote: Fuck trella
downrepped

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Thanks to @karey and @JSS for the sigs!


Former USA Fed Head, Carolina Kraken Co-GM, Tampa Bay Barracuda GM
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#13

@"cpetrella"

Double downrepped

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2x 4Star Cup Champ s49 s50

1x commissioners excellence award s 50
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#14

03-09-2020, 09:34 PMcpetrella Wrote:
03-09-2020, 09:28 PMSlashACM Wrote: I want to Fuck trella
downrepped

:(

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UsaScarecrowsBlizzardSpecters | [Image: specterspp.png][Image: spectersupdate.png] | TimberArmadaSpectersFinland

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#15

Aye, here's something I agree with.
Y'all wanna build dynastis but fail to honor your past, all you see is your own legacy.

A sports club is supposed to be prestigious and have history, but I guess that's all to foreign here.



RETIRED

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