Image Credit:Bloomington Prairie Thunder

For the third time in the franchise’s brief history, the PrairieThunder will play in a new league. The team was originally a member of the United Hockey League, which became the International Hockey League a year later.  

This season the PrairieThunder, along with three other IHL teams and the expansion Evansville Icemen, have joined the Central Hockey League. Existing CHL teams are located in Arizona, Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Colorado, South Dakota, Louisiana, Mississippi and Missouri.

The concern that transportation expenses would rise considerably has been countered somewhat by a creative schedule which focuses on inter-conference play and few extended road trips.

Low attendance figures have consistently plagued the PrairieThunder. Since the team’s inaugural season in 2006, home ice has been the US Cellular Coliseum, a mid-sized arena holding approximately 6,700 fans. The Coliseum will rank as the 7^th largest venue in the CHL.

The largest crowd to witness a home game was in April 2007, when 6,250 fans came out to see a 4-2 loss to the now defunct Flint Generals. Last season, the PrairieThunder managed an average of just 2,698 fans, an obvious concern to the front office.

Last week, the PrairieThunder announced the hiring of Jim Riggs, who takes over as general manager. Riggs has twenty years of experience in minor league hockey and was the original GM of the CHL’s Memphis RiverKings.

Riggs will have his work cut out for him in Bloomington. Many fans have grown disenchanted with the product on the ice over the past few seasons and with six other hockey teams within a couple of hours drive, attracting the fans’ entertainment dollars will be tough. However, if anyone has the credentials to turn things around, it’s Jim Riggs. Under his tenure, all existing RiverKings’ attendance records were set. In addition, the team qualified for the playoffs in seven of 10 years, won two regular season championships and won the 2001-02 Central Hockey League Championship.

Another concern has been the team’s inability to reach the post-season. In April, they came extremely close despite a late-season collapse, only to lose a playoff berth to Flint due to tie-breaker (most wins during regular season).

Jon Booras (24) Photo Credit: John Rothwell

This season, the CHL has announced a playoff format that will find 16 of the league’s 18 teams advancing, vastly improving the opportunity of finally seeing playoff hockey in Bloomington.

The Prairie Thunder made a splash recently, announcing that their two leading scorers, Craig Macdonald and Jon Booras have re-signed for the 2010-11 campaign. They join John Snowden, who re-signed in mid-June and Matt McIlvane, who has signed a two-way contract between the Thunder and Peoria of the American Hockey League.

The PrairieThunder will open the 2010-11 campaign on the road against the Missouri Mavericks on Saturday, October 16th. The home opener at the US Cellular Coliseum will be held six days later when the Odessa Jackalopes come to town.

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