On the contrary, Syracuse has also seen several teams in various sports come and go over the years. In this article, I'm going to jog your memory about these lost teams, share my thoughts on why they failed, and ponder if there's a chance the teams could return to the Cuse and actually stay for extended tenure. Let's begin.
The "Hockey Graveyard" Teams (Syracuse Stars, Syracuse Firebirds, Syracuse Eagles, Syracuse Hornets, Syracuse Warriors/Indians, Syracuse Blazers)- Believe it or not, Syracuse has been the home to several hockey teams that have played in the American Hockey League and various other minor hockey leagues. For the Syracuse Stars, they were part of the original IAHL and AHL. In fact, the Stars won the first AHL championship in 1936-37, but it was before the Calder Cup Trophy was created. They also remain the last Syracuse hockey franchise to win an AHL championship. The Blazers were a force in the sixties and seventies, winning one Eastern Hockey League Championship and two North American Hockey League Championships. Unfortunately, the Blazers folded when the NAHL closed it's doors. Otherwise, hockey teams that came to Syracuse did not have long lives. The Firebirds died in Syracuse after being moved from Philadelphia while the Indians/Warriors had short stops in Syracuse before being moved to Springfield, Massachusetts. The Eagles got in one season before disappearing while the Hornets lasted only ten games before folding...very sad. I actually own two game worn Syracuse Hornets jerseys. Talk about a rare find. Why such failure? To start, Syracuse was used a lot as a transition city for teams moving from city to city. Compare it to today's Adirondack teams. The Phantoms moved to Glens Falls from Philly until Leigh Valley was ready to host the team. Now, the Flames are only playing until Stockton becomes Calgary's affiliate next season. You also have to look at the records of all the teams. Most of the teams did not have great winning percentages needed to stay around in any professional hockey league. I hate to pick on the Hornets, but in the ten games they played before folding, they never won a game. They lost nine games and managed one tie while giving up 99 goals. Once again, ouch.
Thankfully, the Syracuse Crunch have proven that Syracuse is not a town that hockey teams go to die. They have seen action in the AHL playoffs on a constant basis, including reaching the Calder Cup finals in 2012-13. Most recently, the Crunch set the hockey indoor attendance record this season at the Toyota Frozen Dome (30,716,) proving that the Salt City is filled with hockey lovers. Overall, being a "hockey graveyard" is a thing of the past.
Syracuse Bullies/Raging Bullz/Shockwave- Syracuse loves basketball. Well, college basketball. However, from 1949-1963, Syracuse had a NBA team called the Nationals. They even won a NBA Championship for the 1954-55 season. However, they were purchased in 1963 and moved to Philly where they continue to play as the 76ers. Since then, professional basketball has been absent in the Salt City. But don't believe there hasn't been attempts to bring it back to Central New York. In 2006, the American Basketball Association announced that Syracuse would be getting a team. That would be the best news to ever come out concerning the team. Owner Nicholas Fitts wanted to pay tribute to the Chicago Bulls by naming the name Bullies. That went over like driving a Lamborghini on the pothole filled streets of Downtown Syracuse. Outrage rose from the Syracuse community and the team was forced to drop the nickname. In order to bring the team more publicity and allow fans to have their voices heard, a name the team contest was held throughout the city. I don't know if that many people voted because the name chosen was Raging Bullz. Real big change there. Not only that, what do Bulls have to do with Syracuse? We have farms but they don't really reflect our city's image. Storm, Snowballers, Freeze, Whiteout maybe, just maybe. Anyways, the Raging Bullz played two games in the War Memorial in 2007 before the team announced game cancellations in order to better boost attendance and establish the team. In other words, they knew it would not be long before the inevitable. Not long after, the team folded, leaving the city without a pro team once again.
Time passed without anyone giving real though about the Raging Bullz or ABA basketball in Syracuse. Then, in 2009, it was announced Syracuse would once again have a ABA team under owner Chuck Ivanrone. This time, the nickname would be the Shockwave, less controversial, but still lacking real connection to the city. Before the team could even get going, Ivanrone, a soldier in the US military, was called into duty over in Iraq, thus delaying the team's formation and start in the ABA. No one can really complain about that, serving your country is always more honorable than trying to run a little basketball team. Once again, time passed. No one heard anything from the team. At one point, I posted a comment about the Shockwave being a failure on their Facebook page, which was their idea of a website. I even tried to contact Ivanrone for a school project and get updates on if the team was still a reality or completely folded. No answer. Finally, in the fall of 2014, the Shockwave reappeared, promising to start play later that year. We've have heard that before right? Broken record keeps on playing. And what do you know, not long later, the team announced suspending operations because lack of practices and not being able to find an arena to play in. Sigh, another fail. If you ask me, Ivanrone has two options: 1.) Get more investors with funds to actually make this team off the ground 2.) Give up. Let's face it, that college on the hill fills the need and desire for basketball in Syracuse. Any other team who tries to gain a following around here is going to struggle. Another thing you have to really look at is the availability and cost of a arena. With the Crunch and Silver Knights already splitting time in the War Memorial, that kinda makes it hard to get another team of any sport into the facility. The SRC Arena is spectacular, but it comes with a price and a schedule filled with OCC sports and other community events. If it was my decision, I'd look to LeMoyne or a local high school to start. Otherwise, forget having a basketball team in Syracuse ever again.
Syracuse Soldiers- Let me start by saying I find indoor football exciting. However, I don't think too many people in Syracuse would agree with me. In 2006, the AIFL announced the Syracuse Soldiers would enter the league and be coached by Syracuse Orange great Kirby Dar-Dar. However, they only managed to play eleven games and compile a 1-10 record before moving to Binghamton and becoming the Brigade/Brigadiers. Shortly after moving to Binghamton, they folded and were never heard from again. Let's face the facts here, football in Syracuse is not great. The team on the hill, well, they have been on a low for a very long time. The Soldiers came and went in a blink of an eye. Arena Football overall has struggled in the past few years. I don't think we'll be seeing any pro football, indoor or outdoor, anytime in Syracuse.
Syracuse Scorpions/Suns/Salty Dogs- Believe it or not, Syracuse is quickly becoming a soccer rich area. The Silver Knights have grown into a winning machine in the MASL while the teams on the hill are improving greatly. On the contrary, the Salt City has had a couple soccer teams that saw success in the past but were cut off before they could fully bloom. In the late sixties/early seventies, the Syracuse Scorpions called Old Mac and Griffin Field their home and played in the American Soccer League. In their first season, the Scorpions went to finals after knocking off the Rochester Lancers (note: The Rochester Lancers were an outdoor soccer team that played in the ASL and NASL before they were revived in the MISL in 2011.) However, the Scorpions lost to the Washington Darts in the finals. Then, they folded halfway through the 1970 season. Sad. But, the Salt City would get another team in the Suns, who would try to pick up where the Scorpions left off in 1971. However, the Suns would fade in and out of existence until completely closing shop in 1974.
Professional soccer would not appear again in Syracuse until 2003 when the Salty Dogs came into the USL A-League. In two seasons, the Salty Dogs saw the playoffs once in 2004, making it to the league semi-finals. However, there is one thing that can be blamed for sinking the team to their demise in 2004. One, they did not have true home. The team played most of their games at P&C/Alliance Bank/NBT Stadium but were also forced to play several matches at local high schools. Why? The Syracuse Chiefs. The Chiefs management did not like sharing the stadium and the price for the soccer club to use the stadium came with huge financial burden. The team did try to get the city to build a soccer stadium downtown, but that fell though when the team went under. I never did make it to a Salty Dogs' game. I regret that fully, I heard they were a fun time. Thankfully, former Salty Dog Tommy Tanner brought Syracuse professional soccer back to Syracuse back in the form of the Silver Knights in 2011. However, I fully believe outdoor soccer can make a return to CNY. Jason Smorol, the Chiefs' owner, has a good relationship with the Knights, unlike the old Chiefs' regime. Hey Jason, if you're reading this, talk to Tommy and discuss forming a team to play at the stadium! The Silver Knights' players would have a team for the summer and fall that would keep them in a town that already loves them.
Syracuse Smash- Let me start by saying lacrosse at any level should be able to prosper in Syracuse. We are a home base for lacrosse with some of the best players coming out of the area. In the late 90's, the Syracuse Smash joined the National Lacrosse League, playing out of the War Memorial. They had similar colors to the Crunch at the time, but not the success. In three seasons, the Smash won only 6 games, none of them came on the road. They were moved to Ottawa after that. I am really surprised by that. Syracuse and the Onondaga Nation have great success in lacrosse. Obviously, you need to win. I think that's what sunk the team. Recently, there has been a team, the Syracuse Stingers, that have played some exhibition games in the Old Barn that have gotten a ton of attention. Why not get them into the NLL? If not them, why not another team? Maybe we can get a team for the Major Lacrosse League? No matter what, I think a lacrosse team today would be successful. Heck, Syracuse/Onondaga Nation is hosting the 2015 World Indoor Lacrosse Championships this fall. I think it's a sign that pro-lacrosse cannot be far from coming to Syracuse.
Conclusion: Like many cities, Syracuse has had some teams that last and some that have barely even come to exist. Right now, we have some great franchises that fans should never fear to cheer for. Is there room for another one, of course. Will more come and go? Probably. At the end of the day, to be successful in Syracuse, you have to have three things: 1.) A well funded plan 2.) The ability to get a consistent and loyal fan base 3.) Success in the form of winning. If someone is able to do that, Syracuse will remain a great sports town and be open for more teams.
Thanks/Credits:
http://www.hockeydb.com/stte/syracuse-eagles-8363.html
http://www.hockeydb.com/stte/syracuse-blazers-8360.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Syracuse_Stars
http://www.hockeydb.com/stte/syracuse-firebirds-8364.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Springfield_Indians
http://www.hockeydb.com/stte/syracuse-hornets-8365.html
http://www.funwhileitlasted.net/2014/10/04/1980-syracuse-hornets/
http://www.nba.com/sixers/history/syracuse_nationals_index.html
http://www.syracuse.com/news/index.ssf/2007/06/bullies_to_change_name.html
http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/news/story?id=2905399
http://www.cnycentral.com/news/content.aspx?id=69139
http://roc.democratandchronicle.com/article/20071207/SPORTS/712070371/Syracuse-ABA-team-moving-Rochester
http://www.syracuse.com/news/index.ssf/2009/05/syracuse_in_line_for_another_t.html
http://www.syracuse.com/orangebasketball/index.ssf/2014/09/former_syracuse_university_player_ryan_blackwell_will_coach_abas_syracuse_shockw.html
http://www.syracuse.com/sports/index.ssf/2014/10/the_abas_syracuse_shockwave_will_not_play_in_2014-15_season.html
http://www.syracuse.com/poliquin/index.ssf/2006/05/the_syracuse_soldiers_have_mar.html
http://www.oursportscentral.com/services/releases/?id=3262031
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Syracuse_Soldiers
http://www.funwhileitlasted.net/2013/02/17/1969-1970-syracuse-scorpions/
http://homepages.sover.net/~spectrum/year/1970.html#ASL
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Syracuse_Suns
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rochester_Lancers
http://www.espnfc.com/story/314643/a-leagues-syracuse-salty-dogs-fold
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Syracuse_Salty_Dogs
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Syracuse_Smash
http://www.syracuse.com/news/index.ssf/2013/01/onondaga_nation_man_wants_to_b.html
http://wilc2015.com/schedule/
http://blog.syracuse.com/sports/2013/02/syracuse_stingers_exhibition_g.html
Photo Credits:
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/2/2b/SyracuseSmash.png
http://content.sportslogos.net/logos/2/570/thumbs/fq3f8c1cg62sec8vjoicxrj9o.gif
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/1/15/SyracuseSaltyDogs.jpg
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/b/bc/SyracuseBullies.PNG/220px-SyracuseBullies.PNG
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/5/5e/SyracuseRagingBullzLogo.jpg/200px-SyracuseRagingBullzLogo.jpg
http://imgick.syracuse.com/home/syr-media/width620/img/axeman/photo/15432985-large.jpg
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/d/d7/Soldiers.PNG