Losing Lloyd Loses Us Another Team

Baltimore lost the Colts in 1984. Winnecke has now lost 2 teams!

In yet another sign that Lloyd Winnecke's strategy is based on smoke, mirrors, and just plain hot air, it was announced that Evansville will be losing another team.

The Evansville Rage...

Will now become the Owensboro Rage...



Back in November of last year, Lloyd asked me, "Shouldn't we be trying to push all of our events into one arena-the Ford Center?" A few of his supporters have even gone so far as to say that the Coliseum or putting the curtains around the upper level of the Ford Center would suffice.

Well, let me be the first one to deliver the message to Winnecke- You're strategy isn't working. Indoor football, just like indoor soccer, minor league basketball, mid-sized concerts, and so many other events cannot afford the Ford Center, they don't need a facility as big as the Ford Center, and there has never been, nor will there ever be, enough open dates for these type of teams. As long as Winnecke stays on course to demolish Roberts Stadium, indoor football will never prosper in Evansville. We've seen this with the Bluecats and now we are seeing this with the Rage.

This marks the second team to express interest in relocating to a scaled down Roberts Stadium only to be rebuffed by Winnecke and Company. Previously, Mr. David Reed, who formerly owned the Evansville Rage, wanted to move his minor league basketball team, the Evansville SkyHawks, into Roberts Stadium. Once Winnecke gave him the cold shoulder, Reed moved to Ohio where he is still putting together a bid for a team there and is currently managing his newly created radio station- Ohio Sports News & Radio...

http://ohiosportsradionetwork.net/

Although we are down to just the Evansville Crush indoor soccer team as far as local existing teams go, I want to make it very clear that this does not mean that we cannot restock Roberts Stadium should the City Council make the correct decision. Earlier this year, I talked to SMG Regional Vice-President Sandie Aaron about it as well as Ford Center Director Scott Schoenike. Scott said that he could book events in there while booking Ford Center events with the greatest of ease, while Sandie said, "There's always teams out there that you can acquire." And I think Sandie would know a little thing or two about making Roberts Stadium profitable...

http://local.evpl.org/views/viewimage.asp?ID=717553

So, this is where you the residents of Evansville and supporters of Roberts Stadium need to make a decision. Do you want an $8 million dog and skate park that will recruit absolutely zero people to Evansville while racking up a high maintenance bill for the Parks Dept. each year (they can't manage the Gresham House yet want to manage this lot?). Or, do you want a facility that will maintain the solvency of the lot, recruit mid-sized events and sports that will bring in tourists and guests from all over the region?

If you're fine with a dog park, do nothing. But if you believe that there is a better plan, one that involves scaling Roberts Stadium down to a mid-sized arena, then I ask that you become vocal in your opposition to the demolition of Roberts Stadium.

Email Lloyd Winnecke & the Evansville City Council. Let them know that you are tired of losing teams to other cities. You want to grow, you want Roberts Stadium!

StadiumJourney.com