Letter To The Editor from Mike Barack

Some Hockey In Tarrant County

Posted May 27, 2008 on Star-Telegram.com

In response to Bud Kennedy's May 18 column ("Once Texans cheered for Wings"): It's amazing how we all remember the "good old days."

It's interesting that Kennedy looked back on hockey history in Fort Worth and remembered only the highest peaks.

Although it's a great history with many exciting games against the rival Dallas Blackhawks, the fact is that multiple owners couldn't keep hockey alive in Cowtown.

The Rangers, Wings, Texans and even the Fort Worth Fire couldn't keep hockey going in Kennedy's favorite city. In fact, there were multiple ownership and financial issues through the years, causing a lack of stability and longevity.

What's more puzzling is that Kennedy didn't mention that hockey would be played in Fort Worth now if not for the mayor and his City Council colleagues.

After nine years of hockey in Fort Worth at the Convention Center and Will Rogers Coliseum, generating more than a million dollars in revenue for the city and hundreds of thousands of dollars in the community, the city decided to bring in a minor-league basketball team prior to the 2005-06 season.

Despite being provided mountains of financial and historical evidence about the viability of the NBA "D" League and how this would cause financial harm to the Brahmas, the city decided to bring in the Fort Worth Flyers. Now the city is left holding the bag of more than $150,000 and is having to sue that organization on lack-of-payment grounds.

Meanwhile, Mayor Mike Moncrief let our fans know that the Brahmas did not "win enough games" or "draw enough fans" to gain the city's interest. Yet on many weekends, the Brahmas drew 5,000 to 6,000 fans and provided quality entertainment. We also paid our bills and were phenomenal community players.

Meanwhile, in what has been a blessing, the Brahmas sat out a season and moved to our new home in North Richland Hills this year.

Thanks to that city, loyal fans, committed sponsors and a dash of local ownership (NYTEX Sports businessmen Salvatore and Frank Trazzera joined forces with Stuart Fraser and Andy Moog), we were able to return top-flight hockey to Tarrant County at the newly renovated NYTEX Sports Centre.

We've been embraced by the city and its leaders, and our fans were treated to a team that came one goal and one game short of reaching the Central Hockey League championship round.

We're excited about the hockey interest that was fueled these past few weeks by the Dallas Stars, in addition to the Brahmas' fantastic playoff run throughout April.

As for those who may remember what it used to be -- they don't have to. Professional hockey is available right in your back yard as the Brahmas gun for a CHL President's Cup in 2008-09.

-- Mike Barack, General Manager, Texas Brahmas Hockey Club, North Richland Hills

You can read the original story Mike is responding to, "Cowtown: Once a hockey town"
By Star-Telegram Staff Writer Bud Kennedy here.