THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, March 23, 1995 TAG: 9503230683
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C5 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY HARRY MINIUM, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: NORFOLK LENGTH: Medium: 76 lines
Attendance was up slightly this season for the Hampton Roads Admirals, who drew 258,262 in 34 regular-season home games for an average of 7,596.
That's only five admissions more per game than last season. But a year ago, the Admirals won the East Division. This season, they finished fourth and were hurt by a schedule top-heavy with December games, when attendance is usually lowest.
The average is the third-highest for the Admirals in their six seasons, and the total attendance is their largest ever. The Admirals' best average came in 1992-93, when they drew 7,904 over 32 games.
Hampton Roads finished third in average attendance in the 18-team league, behind South Carolina (8,549) and Charlotte (7,902), and sold out Scope's 8,990 seats eight times. League attendance also increased, from an average of 4,931 last season to 5,316. Total attendance increased from 3,185,236 to 3,247,651.
TICKET PRICES: Admirals president Blake Cullen hasn't announced ticket prices for next season, in part because he's not sure in which league the Admirals will play. But it is almost certain ticket prices will increase.
The ECHL's players voted last Friday to unionize, and costs will rise as a result. The salary cap of $6,000 per week likely will be abolished and comprehensive medical insurance likely will be required. Cullen will be shelling out several hundred thousand more dollars as a result. Thus, ticket prices will rise beyond the current $6 and $7, second-lowest in the ECHL.
Ticket prices will go up significantly if the Admirals join the AHL. That is unlikely, given that most ECHL franchises that considered moving up to the AHL have said they're staying. But if the Admirals go, a ticket price of $10 or $12 is possible.
PASCUCCI OUT: All-ECHL defenseman Ron Pascucci will not play for the Admirals this weekend in the playoffs. He could be gone as long as two weeks.
Kansas City officials told coach John Brophy on Wednesday that they plan to keep Pascucci a while longer.
The IHL team asked for Pascucci last week on the condition that he be returned for the playoffs. However, Kansas City is in the playoff hunt and has a couple injured defensemen.
Hampton Roads meets Tallahassee in the first round of the ECHL playoffs Friday and Saturday at Scope. Game 3, and Game 4, if necessary, will be in Florida. Game 5 would be March 31 at Scope.
MORE EXPANSION: The ECHL has added expansion franchises in Louisville, Ky., Lafayette, La., and Mobile, Ala., and has allowed the dormant franchise that had been in Louisville to move to Jacksonville, Fla.
That gives the league 21 or 22 teams, depending on whether Greensboro bolts to the AHL, as the Monarchs have said they will.
But expansion might not be over. Evansville, Ind., Pensacola, Fla., Columbia, S.C., and Greenville, S.C., are expected to submit applications at the league's May 8 meeting. Greenville would not begin play until the 1996-97 season, but the rest would like to start next season.
``It's possible that one or more franchises might be approved'' on May 8, Kelly said.
It's likely the league will split into two divisions, though how it is split remains to be seen. An East-West divide would be preferred by the Admirals, who would like to remain in the same division with Charlotte and Raleigh. A North-South split likely would move those teams into the South and the Admirals, Richmond and Roanoke into the North.
SHORT STICKS: It appears that the troubled Johnstown franchise will remain in the storied Cambria County-War Memorial Coliseum. A local group appears likely to purchase the team from Ned J. Nakles Jr. The movie ``Slap Shot'' was filmed in Johnstown. The arena is the league's smallest, with 4,045 seats, and the Chiefs were 15th in ECHL attendance at 3,029 per game. But Admirals' forward Ron Majic summed up the feelings of most in the ECHL when he said: ``That's the best place in the league to play. It has so much tradition.'' . . move. Ownership is looking at several sites in Florida, according to Hockey Inc. by CNB