Flyers President & GM Bob Clarke said Sunday the team plans
to apply to have a new AHL affiliate play next door at the
CoreStates Spectrum, according to the PHILADELPHIA DAILY NEWS.
The Flyers are currently affiliated with the Hershey Bears, and
while a Bears representative says he has heard nothing from the
Flyers, sources close to the situation say the Bears expect the
Flyers to pull out of their agreement by the mid-December renewal
deadline. Les Bowen reports, while the AHL still has to grant
the Flyers a team, sources say the AHL is eager to get in the
Philadelphia market and "will not stand in the Flyers' way." The
team would play in the CoreStates Spectrum while the Flyers play
in the new CoreStates Center. AHL expansion franchises currently
go for $1.5M and the municipally owned Cornwall (Ontario) Aces
are believed to be for sale for less than $1.5M. Cornwall is
currently the Avalanche's AHL affiliate. Clarke said the Flyers
currently spend from $750,000 to $1M a year in their agreement
with Hershey, but feel they could operate a team for less in
Philadelphia (PHILADELPHIA DAILY NEWS, 11/27).
