Training camp in PEI?

The city of Charlottetown apparently has invited the Lightning to move part of next season 's training camp to the Prince Edward Island city. Stu MacFadyen, Charlottetown's deputy mayor, told the St. Petersburg Times he is expecting an answer either later this week or next week.

"I think we have a lot to offer here in our city and our province,'' MacFadyen said. "I think it would be great for the team and I think it would be great because Brad is there.''

Lightning center Brad Richards, the MVP of the 2004 Stanley Cup playoffs, is from the Prince Edward Island town of Murray Harbour.

McFadyen said a group of six to eight representatives from Charlottetown traveled to Tampa in late November and made the pitch. MacFadyen said the camp (likely the first week before games are played), would be at the city's new two-rink facility.

"The problem is we're waiting for them to say yes,'' MacFadyen said of the Lightning. "That's all we're waiting on.''

   I'll have more on this in tomorrow's paper.

Comments

[Shannon Munn]

LOL....Thats really funny !!!

[Fred]

Maybe the good people of PEI should be making a pitch for the Penguins...

[Shannon Munn]

Tampa Bay has been wonderful to Brad, it would be a nice opportunity for our community to display all the hospitality and thanks for that.

[Shannon Munn]

Hey Now Guys,

PEI is darn proud of Brad and the Tampa Bay Lightning. I bet you would be surprised by how many fans there actually are up there. It would be great opportunity for our city to host a team so close to our hearts.

We are not new to this, we have hosted the Philadelphia Flyers, Florida
Panthers, The Columbus Blue Jackets and we used to have out very own AHL team The PEI Senators. So we courted many of there developmental prospects.

Give us a chance, you get them all season....and we would just like ot share.

[Fred]

I have been a big Lightning fan for a decade now. I didn't think that I could be any more of a fan until I watched the Bolts in Brandon during training camp. The opportunity to get up close to the players is unmatched during the season. I have enjoyed watching the youngsters as they try to make an impression on the coaching staff and earn a roster spot. Seeing them in Brandon made me want to continue to follow them in Springfield and Johnstown. If the Bolts were smart, they'd do a better job promoting the preseason in Brandon. As hockey fans know, the best way to turn a person on to the game of hockey is to take them to a game. Watching the Bolts up close in Brandon is even better and could grow their fan base a lot. Sure, move camp to Canada-we definitely don't have enough Canadian hockey fans.

[sadie]

*In response to Kathy*
I apologize that I didnt read yours before I posted mine.
Not everyone can afford lightning tickets.Even the $10 tickets can add up if you have to but 4.And for them going to training camp and pratice is very exciting. Take that away and youre losing some fans.

[sadie]

BIG mistake if Lightning traning camp goes to Canada! We are the Lightnings' home, and we are the fans that will cheer for them all season long. I think that if it does go to PEI they will lose some fans who would go to the training camp to watch prospects,and the current players. The Lightning has done a so-so job in fan activity this year and if they push their fans away by stupid moves like this then they wont have any left come the season.

[keith]

Ditto Kathy.
Unless there is a miraculous turnaround this season ( not entirely out off the picture) I think TBL should be "campaigning" to not only generate new fans, but also retain some of the more "fairweather" type fans. They still have green money in their pockets, just like the "die hards" Playing in Richie's back yard may be construed as a snub. Fans can be fickle. I noticed we no longer hear or read how many home games have been consisitently sold out.

[Kathy]

While it's sounds great for PEI and Richards/Lightning fans there, the Lightning need to be careful not to alienate the Tampa fans. This season has already turned off some fans and if the Lightning decide to forego the training camp scrimmages in Brandon I don't see alot of people showing up in Brandon just to watch camp practices which are not very exciting for the average fan.

Fans want to see the scimmage game competitions for who will get to play in preseason games. Fans want to see all our prospects play in camp at least in scrimmages BEFORE a majority of them get sent to Springfield. If camp doesn't start in Brandon until week 2, historically at that time of camp most of the prospects are reassigned to Springfield while only a few prospects are held in Tampa for preseason games.

[Tony]

I thought Brandon pretty much was the TBL practice facility.

I would be ok with them going up for the second week of camp. That way I could still see them in Brandon the first week. The second week they tend to move to the Forum anyway.

Or maybe they could do the first week up @ PEI and the second one @ Brandon.

I think they should do it but only for one year (since it worked th first year for the Bucs!)

[Stacey Whitworth]

Well, I'm sure Brad’s pushing pretty hard for this! Is it normal for teams to train elsewhere like that? I would think they would want to be close to their own facilities. I just think the Lightning need a practice facility their OWN in Tampa. Other teams have their own practice rinks!

Good point but I think we need to try something new.

[Bobby]

This would not be bad. Get the Lightning in the media all over North America, get some fans, and try something new. The only negative is that this will take away from the Ice Sports Forum in Brandon and won't allow the Lightning fans from Tampa to see their team that much in the preseason.