Officials of the Vail Avalanche of the American Frontier
Hockey League say they have "no problem" with the Denver NHL team
using the name Avalanche. Vail Team President John Packer told
THE SPORTS BUSINESS DAILY his team owns the rights to the name
but sees advantages in sharing it. Packer: "We're for it. We
feel it could benefit both programs." Packer said he has had
"informal" discussions with Nuggets personnel, but has yet to
speak with representatives of Comsat. When asked if the two
teams could form some sort of alliance, such as sharing training
facilities, Packer said he could not comment until he hears
something directly from Comsat. Packer was quick to note,
however, that people may be "jumping the gun" in assuming
Avalanche will end up as the team's name, as the Denver NHL team
could be "test marketing" possible names (THE DAILY). A ROCKY
MOUNTAIN NEWS report says the team will be called "Colorado
Avalanche," as opposed to "Rocky Mountain Avalanche," as reported
in the DENVER POST earlier this week. An unnamed source told the
NEWS: "It's definitely Colorado, I'm not sure where this 'Rocky
Mountain' stuff has come from" (ROCKY MOUNTAIN NEWS, 7/26). In
today's DENVER POST, Comsat Exec VP/Marketing Shawn Hunter said
the reports the team will be called the "Avalanche" are "on the
right path. Interestingly enough, GM Pierre Lacroix said the
team will spend the last week week of training camp in Vail
preparing for the opener (Adrian Dater, DENVER POST, 7/27).
