Is camp moving permanently to Forum?

Has the Lightning held its last training camp at the Ice Sports Forum in Brandon?

The team has held camp there every year since 1998. But because of this year’s short camp (thanks to the trip through Europe that begins after a Sept. 25 exhibition game in New York), and an added 3,000 square feet to the St. Pete Times Forum weight room, camp will be held for the first time in Tampa.

“If it’s a success,” coach Barry Melrose said, “You’d be crazy not to do it again.”

In fact, Melrose said he pushed for camp to be held at the Times Forum.

“That was one of the things coming in that I asked for,” he said. “It’s a beautiful building. It’s our building. We’re making huge improvements to the weight room. We want to become one of the best organizations in the NHL. This is one of the steps, having state-of-the-art surroundings for these players.”

Camp begins Sept. 16 with physicals. First day on the ice is Sept. 17. Team spokesman Bill Wickett said practice sessions Sept. 17-19 will be open to the public, parking in the west lot is free, and FanFest is Sept. 21. But that pretty much ends camp as Tampa Bay plays home games Sept. 22 and 23 against the Penguins and Rangers, and then takes off for New York and the start of its European adventure that ends with season-opening games in Prague.

Certainly playing at the Times Forum will take some stress off the equipment guys, who otherwise would be scrambling to haul gear on consecutive game days between Brandon and Tampa. But Melrose had more benefits.

“You’ve got the hotels right close to the arena; you don’t have to worry about buses in the morning to take the guys to practice. They can walk,” he said. “It’s easy for the medical staff to get there; just a great location. The dressing rooms are much superior to the practice facility. It’s just a first-class way to have training camp. I think it’s awesome.”

From a fan perspective, the move has its down side. The Ice Sports Forum, which has four years left on a contract to be the Lightning's alternate practice facility, was terrific for getting very close to the action and the players. It was noisy. It was fun. The cavernous Times Forum may cut down on some of that ambiance.

As Brenda Sholl, Ice Sports Forum manager, said, “Fans are very disappointed.”

Wickett said the team has no intention of separating itself from its fans, and decisions on future training camps have not been reached.

“Our election to hold training camp at the St. Pete Times Forum this season is by no means an indicator that we are making any sort of permanent move,” he said. “But it is acknowledgment that our improved and expanded training facilities in the arena are an important upgrade for us. It’s fair to say the new ownership and the hockey operations management will evaluate the year’s camp before making any decisions for the future.”

Comments

[coach bill]

sorry about the "check" "Just ran off a blog and the storm deleted it as I posted.(frustrating)

Vickie,Wade,Shane,et.al.-about the move to a less friendly camp.Get over it! The players really don't care about us ( not in an individual sense). These are not like the old days when players were part of a community. These are highly paid,highly skilled and very well traveled people. Most are not around long enough to make any "bonds" with the community (should they even want to).
Remember last year in pre-season when the non-dressing players were to walk a red carpet into the SPT and sign autographs and pose for pictures with the fans? Jaiden,my 8 yr old grandson, and I stood in that line twice ( once in the rain) so he could get to meet the stars. In fairness,some did show and were very gratious. Marc Denis was great to my boy,posing for pics and goofing with him. What a really nice guy he is.
But where was Vinny and Marty and Danny Boy? They showed up 30 mins AFTER gametime(in seperate cars). What's up with that??? Did they get lost? Did they not know the gametime? Or did they just not want to mingle with the commoners?
Don't take it personal,folks. This is not their team. It's OURS! We were there at the fairgrounds (Jaiden wasn't born yet,but I brought his mom),and we'll be there when V4 is a grandfather.
Hughie Tommason and The Outlaws sing " We're just the players. You are the show... ooo....ooo. You are the show".Great song! Check it out!
The players are just passing through. Cheer for them. Embrace them. Support them. and wish them well when they go (leaving nothing of theirs behind).*Don't take it personal.
We're just the players.You are the show...ooo...ooo..You are the show...ooo...ooo..You are the show.
RIP Hughie.

* apologies to Vinny. What you've done for Tampa with your generosity at the hospital is admirable! God bless you!

[coach bill]

Check

[coach bill]

Gentlemen! I believe this is a hockey channel?

[Purplehaze65]

And what does your rant have to do with THE BOLTS twine ??? Hmmm ???

For the rest of you TRUE fans... Lets give the new guys a chance. It's obvious that they want to win REAL bad. If they fall on their face, then so be it. I don't think that will be the case.

They have brought a new enthusiasm that has been missing the last few years. If anything else, they have given us something to look foward to.

The SAW boys and Mr. Mullet will make it exciting, thats for sure.

GO BOLTS !!!

[Don in St. Pete]

Twiney, Sorry to burst your bubble on the drill here drill now theme, but Big Oil currently own 61 million acres in leases that contain 75% of our proven reserves. Why aren't they drilling there? Because they don't want the price of Oil to go down. We also currently export millions of gallons of Oil a day to 73 countries, oil that should stay here. But guess what? Big Oil is going to sell it wherever they can get the largest profit. We'll still need oil in 10 years for things like fertilizer, plastics and pharmeceuticals. Big Oil wants the last 25% so they have a domestic monopoly.

[Twinebulge]

"It wouldn't be so bad if Exxon Mobil and the rest of the crooks would stop gouging us on fuel prices."

By "the rest of the crooks" we assume you mean the Congress, which refuses to let the big evil oil companies SPEND any of their profit on obtaining and delivering the energy we need--and then has the audacity to label the resultant accumulation of profit a "windfall". Isn't that cute? Nice try, sorry it didn't work. Oil company profit about 8% per gallon, govt tax about 15%. Do the math and try to figure out who's really hosing you. If Congress wanted to ease the burden on working people, they could suspend the gas tax tomorrow--but they don't want to ease the burden. If they had their way, gas would be $10/gal., so desperation would "fuel" the vote in Nov.

Instead of leadership or action, we get insipid absurdities. Everyone with any common sense has always known properly inflated tires will save a tiny bit, maybe 3-4% on MPG, extend the life of the tires and improve road safety. Nobody (well--almost nobody) is naive enough or out of touch with reality enough to actually believe it could save you "JUST AS MUCH" as using mainly domestic oil instead of buying it from people who loathe us. The mere suggestion that it could do so would be more hilariously ridiculous if it weren't so alarming in what it reveals about its inventor. I keep my tires pumped up tight...and to my complete astonishment, it STILL ran me $80 to fill up! Amazing. But being dependent on foreign oil suits a certain political agenda, so we can only HOPE to shell out more CHANGE at the register

/off soapbox

Good News of the Day: In less than ten years all this oil nonsense will be a thing of the past; cars will run on solar nanotechnology as they should already be doing. So guzzle it up while you still can! SUVs can be had for a song right now, you can get an absolute steal on any kind you want - Cheers

[Hockey Chic]

Okay guys and gals I hear ya and for a little moment I was being selfish. And Don it is not a love fest just a b&^*^&tch session there is a difference.

Of course whatever it takes for the team to get ready to play and gel. I guess I will miss the convenience as it a lot closer for me to the ISF that the SPTF.

But I am all for the new team and ownership. Just don't treat us like felons..

Go Bolts!!

[Bryan]

I agree Don, it kind of sucks for the fans but if this is what it takes to help put a superior product on the ice, i'm all for it. Besides, i'm sure most guys would still stop and sign things for ya.

[Don W]

I remember the days when Chrispy had training camp in Lakeland. Of course they also had their games in a Baseball stadium.

[Don in St. Pete]

Ladies, Sorry to have to inform you but this is a hockey training camp, not a love fest. The idea is to maximize the ice and training time for the team, though I commiserate on the loss of intimacy. I think management and ownership is more concerned with performance during this first season and with so many new faces, amd minimal time to build team chemistry, they are eliminating distractions and providing a better atmosphere to build team unity and maximize their opportunitie to evaluate the teams talent in a short time frame.

[Lisa]

I am soooo sad. I've been a season ticket holder for four years, but have never been to training camp. My Lightning Rep. told me that I HAD to go to Brandon to watch....now, I can't. I was really looking forward to it. :(

[Melissa]

I agree w/ Hockey Chic. To see the guys play in Brandon is an experience you could never get at the SPTF. The noise - the smell - the kids pressed up against the ice. It's amazing to see. It makes you feel like you're one of them. Like you belong and they're "your" team.

I have also been to a practice at the SPTF and it just doesn't have that "fan friendly" feeling. It's like being at a regular game.

I'm not about autographs or the pictures. So this isn't even about that. It's about the feeling you get when you pull up to the Ice Forum and have to park in a lot across Faulkenburg b/c so many people showed up. It's standing against the glass w/ gloves on b/c you're freezing and gawking at the size of some of the boys on our team b/c you never realize how big they are until you're THAT close to them!

[Hockey Chic]

Well time for the chic to chime in. I have mulled over my response to this posting for a day and finally came up with something to say.

The article states that the weight room is bigger at the SPTF and it should be. The hotels are closer as they should be. The fact that coach says it is easier as they do not have to take a bus is nuts.

Those guys do not take buses to the ISF they take their cars. Maybe once during training camp they did but I never saw it.

If the thought is to make it more convenient and cost effective for the team then say so. If it is for security reasons then we all understand. But if it is to make this team a large market team then OK is missing the boat.

The thing that makes this team so great is the fact that the non- holding season ticket holders or potential NHL fan get to see what a NHL practice or trainng camp is like up close and personal.

If we really want to build a youth hockey program then spend the time to watch the kids faces when the guys skate. The big and little kids enjoys it. Maybe I am wrong but most of the players like the interaction with the fans as well.

What is the plus side for the fans. Quite honestly the only time I went and watched practice at the SPTF I felt like a criminal. Sit here, no signs, do this, do that. I aaid after that practice I would not return to one again and have not. It may take some coaxing for me to make it to the SPTF for training camp.

I understand the players should be number one in consideration with any move. However, it does seem to me some of the moves that are being made are not taking the people who fill the stands thoughts into considertaion.

Ajax I am giving you a run for your money this time buddy.

Go Bolts!!

[Worried]

Did anyone else get worried when they saw that picture of Denis in a Bolts uniform??

Thank God it's an old photo.

[Mike13]

Just to be clear, I love the idea of having practice at such a fine facility as the Ice Palace, but I will miss the fact that it was just a few minutes down the street at the Ice Sports Forum.

I wonder what times the practices are.

[Boltflasher]

Ahhh!! Camp news!! good to hear anything...means it will be starting soon and HOCKEY will be back!! Hurray!!!

[Michele]

Nope mike, it was an observation.

[Tim]

I think this is a smart move by the team - it's a better facility all around. No offense to the Ice Sports Forum, but their ice isn't the greatest. I'll definitely miss the intimacy of the ISF, but the Times Forum has more seats and parking, providing the ability to accommodate more fans. I recall multiple times being denied decent viewing because of the crowd at the ISF.

[Mike13]

Oh and Michele, is your statement, "Some people just have to complain, huh?" a complaint in and of itself?

[Mike13]

For me, its about the drive. I live just down the street from the Ice Sports Forum. Now, if I want to see them practice, I have to drive to downtown. It wouldn't be so bad if Exxon Mobil and the rest of the crooks would stop gouging us on fuel prices.

[Anne]

I'm with the last poster Michele. Plus what should matter most is whats best for the team. If some of you are so hard up on getting autographs, just go around back after practices. If they want to sign, they will stop. Plus,you got the whole season to do that too.

[shane]

i personally loved brandon because you could get autographs so much easier because you were there between the players and the car. Anyone you wanted to get an autograph from you could. If they didn't want to sign, they would have to look you in the eye or ignore you, which i'm sure is HORRIBLE public relations for the Tampa Bay Lightning...But you know what? I've stood after games and practices at the Forum and it's just as heartbreaking to see a car drive by, those tinted windows aren't hiding anything boys. The best autograph guys were always Fedotenko and Lukowich, every night they would be out of their car signing, that's why Tampa loved them. If Melrose wants to be loved, and for Tampa to jump on HIS bandwagon, he should tell players to take an extra 10 minutes (that's really all it takes) after practice and games and sign a stinkin autograph for the kids. Screw those EBAY autograph hounds, get a job!

[Michele]

Some people just have to complain, huh?

I'm excited to have some camp info. :)

[Vickie]

Boy aren't we TBL fans getting screwed over. But i still stay it won't be hard to meet these guys if they are fan friendly.

[HockeyBay.com]

Also it is great camp is during the week when Fans have to work to pay off their expensive season tickets...

[Wade]

Damn, their go the autographs after practice :(