AAA Alliance

chiperdeep · Post by **chiperdeep** » Tue Oct 28, 2008 12:05 am

This is interesting. Not a hockey decision but a business decision from what I gather. The Snipers and Grinders are a "Top" AAA program?!

They are the money maker and 3rd and 4th teams in the MM program.

Many RBK, Edge, Mavericks, etc teams beat those teams regularly. Stop drinking the cool aide!

Hopefully people see through the $$$$$ side of this deal.

http://www.eastonaaa.com/page/show/50518-club-news

Easton AAA Forms A New AAA Alliance
10/24/08

By Bob Capra

Easton AAA, MN Made's Machine, Deuce, Snipers and Grinders, The Cyclone organization, and the Minnesota Blades have formed together as the new Minnesota United AAA Hockey Alliance. These organizations will be the only Twin Cities teams allowed invitations into the MN Meltdown Invitational and Open, the MN Independent AAA Hockey Classic Invitational and Open, The Stars and Stripes Invitational and the Easton Cup Invitational and Open tournaments. The other teams will be recruited from out of the metro area, other states and Canada in the hope to attract top teams back into our Minnesota tournaments. These quality teams have quit coming to Minnesota over the past few years as a result of our diluted AAA hockey market as there are just to many AAA teams in the area to be competative.

iceman23 · Post by **iceman23** » Tue Oct 28, 2008 5:39 am

I called on this yesterday when this came out. Because I saw that the Icemen were on the outs. What I was told was that the Snipers and Grinder are not in the Meltdown, but because they are Minnesota Made teams can get into the open level tournament if they choose. I was also told that they would have to prove them selves before they could skate in the invite level.

They also confirmed that if you are not part of the Alliance you "may" not get into the tournaments. I suppose it comes down to how bad they need teams.

I was told that Showcase has been an easy target for the new AAA teams to go after to get kids and that why should they let teams who built their team by recruting players from showcase team then turn around and be allowed in Showcase tournaments. I guess we will be doing alittle more traveling to play this summer.

Jimbo99 · Post by **Jimbo99** » Tue Oct 28, 2008 7:29 am

I don't think there will be that much travel.

I'm betting a few new local tournaments will pop up (it ain't that tough to put them on) that the alliance may, or may not, be invited to.

judge smails · Post by **judge smails** » Tue Oct 28, 2008 8:10 am

These companies appear to have a tie to the "alliance". One would believe their customer is not just from "alliance teams", and need those non alliance players to turn a profit. On another note are all the teams that are part of the alliance a "for profit" AAA program?

www.fhitplayers.com Flexx Hockey Institute of Training

www.totalhockeytraining.com - www.totalhockeyeagan.com

www.minnesotamadehockey.com

www.showcasehockey.com

http://www.herbbrookstrainingcenter.org/

dreampuck · Post by **dreampuck** » Tue Oct 28, 2008 8:40 am

I was just thinking the same thing "judge smails" in fact i would take it a step further, for example:

I have a player on one of the non "Alliance" teams and many of our players use services provided by the companies you listed in your reply. I suggest we start our own "Anit Alliance Group" and not use any of these "for profit training centers" until the "Alliance" pull its head out of you know where.

Also, I coach a girls AAA Showcase team and now am considering it becoming a private team!

Just thinking out loud here, but maybe the "Alliance" could run a early spring "Minnesota Only AAA Hockey Open" tournament where all the Minnesota AAA teams are invited and the top 4 teams could get an automatice bid to all the local touranments the "Alliance" talks about. That would be fair to all the AAA teams, plus would ensure that truly the best Minnesota teams were represented and if what the "Alliance" says is true, all those top non-Minnesotat teams would come back to the other tournaments? Plus they could put even more money in their pockets with another tournament. This would be fun, once in for all, seeing who the top teams truly are every year. Plus it would be an extremely fun local tournament.

But then many of the "Alliance" teams would not be able to participate

and their travel costs would go up!

nhl'er · Post by **nhl'er** » Tue Oct 28, 2008 9:47 am

What a joke..Economy is in the toilet and they are trying the get more outsate and Canadian teams and force local teams away. Their claim as one of the top teams in the area!!! The only level they competed at last year consistantly with the top teams was in the 97 level. They better be careful in what they are trying do, they haven't thought through all of the negative repercussions yet.

muckandgrind · Post by **muckandgrind** » Tue Oct 28, 2008 10:01 am

A little of topic, but they have to come up with a rule to keep the invite-level players and teams out of the open tournaments. Anyone who attended the Easton Open tournament last summer surely noticed that there were more than a few Machine and Blades players scattered throughout the teams playing.

What they need to do is mandate that any player rostered on a team for the invite tournament is not allowed to be rostered on a different team for the open tournament. And vice-versa,

stupidiswhatstupiddoes · Tue Oct 28, 2008 10:13 am

nhl'er wrote:What a joke..Economy is in the toilet and they are trying the get more outsate and Canadian teams and force local teams away. Their claim as one of the top teams in the area!!! The only level they competed at last year consistently with the top teams was in the 97 level. They better be careful in what they are trying do, they haven't thought through all of the negative repercussions yet.

Couldn't agree more - not sure what the Blades and MM is thinking by aligning with Showcase??? I guess it is all about the money -

Like NHL'r said, the knife cuts both ways so I would expect to see the more agile organizations that are not tied down to long-term debt (ice arenas, training centers, Open Level leagues, etc...) rise up and form their own alliances with the Canadian, Michigan and Illinois teams.

So are the names going to change to:

The Showcase Machine?
The Blades Showcase Easton Hockey Club?

Great job guys! - kind of funny.

Jimbo99 · Post by **Jimbo99** » Tue Oct 28, 2008 11:26 am

What they need to do is mandate that any player rostered on a team for the invite tournament is not allowed to be rostered on a different team for the open tournament. And vice-versa,

The teams that are NOT in the alliance need to mandate this!

I know my kids are done at Total Hockey!

- ego-maniac jerks...

Can't Never Tried · Post by **Can't Never Tried** » Tue Oct 28, 2008 11:39 am

It should always be inclusive not exclusive...IMHO

FlusterCluck · Post by **FlusterCluck** » Tue Oct 28, 2008 12:04 pm

Dont buy ice time or training time from the "Alliance" programs.
They cant make enough money off the Stealth/Synergy/Cyclones/Duece /Machine players to support their programs.

Continue to look into alternative programs for the quality of coaching and development they offer and make the right choice for your son or daughter.

Teams that say they are the best just because they charge the most or are part of an "Alliance" will show their true colors soon enough.

I am sure that if Easton or other major sponsors saw that decisions made by one of their sponsored teams started to affect their sales, they would drop the programs like a hot potato.

I also dont think Bernie or Minnesota Made will continue with this if it hurts their training programs.

Road Rage · Post by **Road Rage** » Tue Oct 28, 2008 12:47 pm

Easton AAA, MN Made's Machine, Deuce, Snipers and Grinders, The Cyclone organization, and the Minnesota Blades have formed together as the new Minnesota United AAA Hockey Alliance...quality teams have quit coming to Minnesota over the past few years as a result of our diluted AAA hockey market as there are just to many AAA teams in the area to be competative.

Who is really diluting the pool here? Machine, Blades and Icemen would be tops IMHO. Rest are diluting the pool from the get-go. Easton...Cyclones...Snipers...Grinders...now that's some invitational level hockey -- not.

Doglover · Post by **Doglover** » Tue Oct 28, 2008 12:48 pm

Just curious why the top AAA teams would agree to go into an "alliance"? Anyone from the Blades club or MM/Bernie able to verify that this in fact has happened or is it possibly an effort by Easton to eliminate other teams from competing with them and to exhult themselves to a higher status - on par with the Blades and Machine teams? Just a thought - have no knowledge of how this came together and am just curious if all parties truly agreed to it. Not sure what incentive the Blades and Machine teams would have - typically best tournaments are outside MN anyway. Why exclude MN AAA teams from local tournaments? Has to be bad for business!

stupidiswhatstupiddoes · Tue Oct 28, 2008 1:10 pm

Doglover wrote:Just curious why the top AAA teams would agree to go into an "alliance"? Anyone from the Blades club or MM/Bernie able to verify that this in fact has happened or is it possibly an effort by Easton to eliminate other teams from competing with them and to exhult themselves to a higher status - on par with the Blades and Machine teams? Just a thought - have no knowledge of how this came together and am just curious if all parties truly agreed to it. Not sure what incentive the Blades and Machine teams would have - typically best tournaments are outside MN anyway. Why exclude MN AAA teams from local tournaments? Has to be bad for business!

Showcase thinks that they can leverage their tournaments to make their teams better and based upon reviewing the results of the Meltdown and Easton tournament most of them have a long way to go to get out of their own toilet bowl game so whatever they need to do I guess more power to them. But, people don't like to be dictated to and generally resent it so Showcase might want to become prepared for a backlash.

Lastly, as a parent of player, I could care less about the Meltdown or the Easton - what I pay for is coaching, development and a positive environment - which tournaments we are in is not my decision and therefore not part of the decision making process as to which team he wants to play on.

I also do not see any constructive reasoning as to why the Blades and Machine would want to do this other than that they have some agreement as to tournament participation probably at a reduced rate. They can then leverage the Blades and Machine in their tournament(s) - problem being is that when the outstate teams get their butts kicked by both of these teams and then end up beating everyone else by 8 goals they won't come back next year anyway.

This a big "whatever" -

puckfan · Post by **puckfan** » Tue Oct 28, 2008 1:18 pm

To start this off, I have a player on a Non-Alliance team.

The other teams will be recruited from out of the metro area, other states and Canada in the hope to attract top teams back into our Minnesota tournaments. These quality teams have quit coming to Minnesota over the past few years as a result of our diluted AAA hockey market as there are just to many AAA teams in the area to be competative.

Reading all of this stuff absolutely makes me laugh. This statement is about the most ridiculous thing I have seen on this site.

I spent about 10 minutes to do a bit of research and here is what I found:

Meltdown (& Easton Cup)

93's 1st & 4th (& 2nd & 4th)

94's 6th & 8th (& 1st & 3rd)

95's 10th & 12th (& 3rd & 5th)

96's(one team) looks like 6th (& 6th)

97's 4th & 7th (& 3rd & 5th)

98's 3rd* & 6th (& 7th & 8th)

99's 7th & 8th (& 5th & 6th)

Anybody know what team these results are for? Yes you guessed it .....Easton.

I think that it is great that they have the "pucks" to state they feel to many teams are out there watering down the talent level and they are the biggest culprit. Last place finishes at many age levels in these 2 tournaments. Looks like one 97 team has got it and the 93's too. The good showing for the 98's in the meltdown have only to do with the fact that LLS were able to provide their best player for that tournament.

I love the fact that people have mentioned that they are going to think about who they give their buisness to based upon some of these new revelations.

I would bet that the Machine/Blades are looking forward to a 6 game league with these 2.

judge smails · Post by **judge smails** » Tue Oct 28, 2008 1:37 pm

Meltdown (& Easton Cup)

94's 6th & 8th (& 1st & 3rd) I believe 1st place: played as the Stars in the trny but were listed as Easton, 1st was a few former icemen and top players from many other top teams not participating. 3rd : other 1/2 of the former icemen team.

Other than that, and the 97's I ask: Is the two Easton teams diluting the field?

buttend · Post by **buttend** » Tue Oct 28, 2008 1:51 pm

FlusterCluck wrote:Dont buy ice time or training time from the "Alliance" programs.
They cant make enough money off the Stealth/Synergy/Cyclones/Duece /Machine players to support their programs.

Continue to look into alternative programs for the quality of coaching and development they offer and make the right choice for your son or daughter.

Teams that say they are the best just because they charge the most or are part of an "Alliance" will show their true colors soon enough.

I am sure that if Easton or other major sponsors saw that decisions made by one of their sponsored teams started to affect their sales, they would drop the programs like a hot potato.

I also dont think Bernie or Minnesota Made will continue with this if it hurts their training programs.

In the past 3 years countless Independant teams have started up. Many of the players on these teams came from what was once a booming AAA Summer League, Showcase. The parents, coaches that decided to start or join an independant team have done so for many reasons. Now those business entities whose business has fallen off because of all the newly formed independant teams are ( right or wrong) trying to protect their business.

Teams 3 years ago ( I'm sure I've missed a couple)

Blades
Machine
Duece
Icemen
Predators
Christian Bros
Mn Lightning

plus Showcase AAA Teams

Teams Today ( I'm sure theres more to add to this list)

Bandits
Blades
Bulldogs
Christian Bros
Coyotes
Cyclones
Deuce
Elk River Rats
Fire South
Gladiators
Grinders
Ice Hawks
Icemen
Islanders
Jr Badgers
Machine
Magicians
Mn Edge
Mn Flames
Mn Lightning
MN Stars
Northern Edge
Outlaws
Silver Tips
Snipers
St Criox Teams
Stealth
Synergy
Team Accelleration
Team Extreme
Team Midwest
Team RBK
plus Showcase AAA Teams

People, the tournaments belong to Showcase and Minnesota Made. They can and always had the right to do what ever they want with them. They may or may not "Invite" your team to that level. Belonging to an independant AAA team does not give you the right to play in any tournament that you want. The Meltdown, AAA Classic, Easton Cup etc are private hockey events!

Now your seeing boycott posts (??) like a privelage or right was taken away from you? Neither one has by the way! What has happened is the hockey public has been notified that the Privately run ( MM and Showcase)Spring and Summer AAA hockey tournaments are being restricted to certian teams. Thats it!

What can the Independant teams do?

1) Start their own tourmament or tournaments? Its no big deal, its just securing 3 days worth of ice, insurance, refs, advertisement, awards, volunteers, concessions, logistics etc... Exactly what the busineses mentioned above do everyday!

2) tryout for a roster spot on those teams next year.

3) Sign up for other metro or outstate events. Below are a few I'm sure there are others that out their that informed viewers can add.

Chi-town Shuffle Chicago
Northern Wings Cup Duluth
St Croix Cup Woodbury
USA International Cup Blaine
Pepsi Cup Fargo
Northern Exposure Duluth
Lake Superior Cup Duluth, (although I would bet this will be an invite only event.)

Winnepeg MB
AAA Subway (definitely an invite event)
Manitoba Lighnting ( invite only event)

Brandon MB
Source AAA Hockey (open event)

FlusterCluck · Post by **FlusterCluck** » Tue Oct 28, 2008 2:09 pm

buttend wrote:
FlusterCluck wrote:Dont buy ice time or training time from the "Alliance" programs.
They cant make enough money off the Stealth/Synergy/Cyclones/Duece /Machine players to support their programs.

Continue to look into alternative programs for the quality of coaching and development they offer and make the right choice for your son or daughter.

Teams that say they are the best just because they charge the most or are part of an "Alliance" will show their true colors soon enough.

I am sure that if Easton or other major sponsors saw that decisions made by one of their sponsored teams started to affect their sales, they would drop the programs like a hot potato.

I also dont think Bernie or Minnesota Made will continue with this if it hurts their training programs.

In the past 3 years countless Independant teams have started up. Many of the players on these teams came from what was once a booming AAA Summer League, Showcase. The parents, coaches that decided to start or join an independant team have done so for many reasons. Now those business entities whose business has fallen off because of all the newly formed independant teams are ( right or wrong) trying to protect their business.

Teams 3 years ago ( I'm sure I've missed a couple)

Blades
Machine
Duece
Icemen
Predators
Christian Bros
Mn Lightning

plus Showcase AAA Teams

Teams Today ( I'm sure theres more to add to this list)

Bandits
Blades
Bulldogs
Christian Bros
Coyotes
Cyclones
Deuce
Elk River Rats
Fire South
Gladiators
Grinders
Ice Hawks
Icemen
Islanders
Jr Badgers
Machine
Magicians
Mn Edge
Mn Flames
Mn Lightning
MN Stars
Northern Edge
Outlaws
Silver Tips
Snipers
St Criox Teams
Stealth
Synergy
Team Accelleration
Team Extreme
Team Midwest
Team RBK
plus Showcase AAA Teams

People, the tournaments belong to Showcase and Minnesota Made. They can and always had the right to do what ever they want with them. They may or may not "Invite" your team to that level. Belonging to an independant AAA team does not give you the right to play in any tournament that you want. The Meltdown, AAA Classic, Easton Cup etc are private hockey events!

Now your seeing boycott posts (??) like a privelage or right was taken away from you? Neither one has by the way! What has happened is the hockey public has been notified that the Privately run ( MM and Showcase)Spring and Summer AAA hockey tournaments are being restricted to certian teams. Thats it!

What can the Independant teams do?

1) Start their own tourmament or tournaments? Its no big deal, its just securing 3 days worth of ice, insurance, refs, advertisement, awards, volunteers, concessions, logistics etc... Exactly what the busineses mentioned above do everyday!

2) tryout for a roster spot on those teams next year.

3) Sign up for other metro or outstate events. Below are a few I'm sure there are others that out their that informed viewers can add.

Chi-town Shuffle Chicago
Northern Wings Cup Duluth
St Croix Cup Woodbury
USA International Cup Blaine
Pepsi Cup Fargo
Northern Exposure Duluth
Lake Superior Cup Duluth, (although I would bet this will be an invite only event.)

Winnepeg MB
AAA Subway (definitely an invite event)
Manitoba Lighnting ( invite only event)

Brandon MB
Source AAA Hockey (open event)

OK...I am now dumber for having read your response...
You claim that

Teams 3 years ago ( I'm sure I've missed a couple)

Blades
Machine
Duece
Icemen
Predators
Christian Bros
Mn Lightning

I dont see the Cylcones, Snipers, Grinders, Synergy or Stealth on that list...aren't they part of the so called problem????

FlusterCluck · Post by **FlusterCluck** » Tue Oct 28, 2008 2:16 pm

buttend wrote:
FlusterCluck wrote:Dont buy ice time or training time from the "Alliance" programs.
They cant make enough money off the Stealth/Synergy/Cyclones/Duece /Machine players to support their programs.

Continue to look into alternative programs for the quality of coaching and development they offer and make the right choice for your son or daughter.

Teams that say they are the best just because they charge the most or are part of an "Alliance" will show their true colors soon enough.

I am sure that if Easton or other major sponsors saw that decisions made by one of their sponsored teams started to affect their sales, they would drop the programs like a hot potato.

I also dont think Bernie or Minnesota Made will continue with this if it hurts their training programs.

In the past 3 years countless Independant teams have started up. Many of the players on these teams came from what was once a booming AAA Summer League, Showcase. The parents, coaches that decided to start or join an independant team have done so for many reasons. Now those business entities whose business has fallen off because of all the newly formed independant teams are ( right or wrong) trying to protect their business.

Teams 3 years ago ( I'm sure I've missed a couple)

Blades
Machine
Duece
Icemen
Predators
Christian Bros
Mn Lightning

plus Showcase AAA Teams

Teams Today ( I'm sure theres more to add to this list)

Bandits
Blades
Bulldogs
Christian Bros
Coyotes
Cyclones
Deuce
Elk River Rats
Fire South
Gladiators
Grinders
Ice Hawks
Icemen
Islanders
Jr Badgers
Machine
Magicians
Mn Edge
Mn Flames
Mn Lightning
MN Stars
Northern Edge
Outlaws
Silver Tips
Snipers
St Criox Teams
Stealth
Synergy
Team Accelleration
Team Extreme
Team Midwest
Team RBK
plus Showcase AAA Teams

People, the tournaments belong to Showcase and Minnesota Made. They can and always had the right to do what ever they want with them. They may or may not "Invite" your team to that level. Belonging to an independant AAA team does not give you the right to play in any tournament that you want. The Meltdown, AAA Classic, Easton Cup etc are private hockey events!

Now your seeing boycott posts (??) like a privelage or right was taken away from you? Neither one has by the way! What has happened is the hockey public has been notified that the Privately run ( MM and Showcase)Spring and Summer AAA hockey tournaments are being restricted to certian teams. Thats it!

What can the Independant teams do?

1) Start their own tourmament or tournaments? Its no big deal, its just securing 3 days worth of ice, insurance, refs, advertisement, awards, volunteers, concessions, logistics etc... Exactly what the busineses mentioned above do everyday!

2) tryout for a roster spot on those teams next year.

3) Sign up for other metro or outstate events. Below are a few I'm sure there are others that out their that informed viewers can add.

Chi-town Shuffle Chicago
Northern Wings Cup Duluth
St Croix Cup Woodbury
USA International Cup Blaine
Pepsi Cup Fargo
Northern Exposure Duluth
Lake Superior Cup Duluth, (although I would bet this will be an invite only event.)

Winnepeg MB
AAA Subway (definitely an invite event)
Manitoba Lighnting ( invite only event)

Brandon MB
Source AAA Hockey (open event)

1 more thing...how did the Icemen fall off the Alliance list...or did they opt out because they are not for profit???

gilmour · Post by **gilmour** » Tue Oct 28, 2008 2:17 pm

buttend wrote:
FlusterCluck wrote:Dont buy ice time or training time from the "Alliance" programs.
They cant make enough money off the Stealth/Synergy/Cyclones/Duece /Machine players to support their programs.

Continue to look into alternative programs for the quality of coaching and development they offer and make the right choice for your son or daughter.

Teams that say they are the best just because they charge the most or are part of an "Alliance" will show their true colors soon enough.

I am sure that if Easton or other major sponsors saw that decisions made by one of their sponsored teams started to affect their sales, they would drop the programs like a hot potato.

I also dont think Bernie or Minnesota Made will continue with this if it hurts their training programs.

In the past 3 years countless Independant teams have started up. Many of the players on these teams came from what was once a booming AAA Summer League, Showcase. The parents, coaches that decided to start or join an independant team have done so for many reasons. Now those business entities whose business has fallen off because of all the newly formed independant teams are ( right or wrong) trying to protect their business.

Teams 3 years ago ( I'm sure I've missed a couple)

Blades
Machine
Duece
Icemen
Predators
Christian Bros
Mn Lightning

plus Showcase AAA Teams

Teams Today ( I'm sure theres more to add to this list)

Bandits
Blades
Bulldogs
Christian Bros
Coyotes
Cyclones
Deuce
Elk River Rats
Fire South
Gladiators
Grinders
Ice Hawks
Icemen
Islanders
Jr Badgers
Machine
Magicians
Mn Edge
Mn Flames
Mn Lightning
MN Stars
Northern Edge
Outlaws
Silver Tips
Snipers
St Criox Teams
Stealth
Synergy
Team Accelleration
Team Extreme
Team Midwest
Team RBK
plus Showcase AAA Teams

People, the tournaments belong to Showcase and Minnesota Made. They can and always had the right to do what ever they want with them. They may or may not "Invite" your team to that level. Belonging to an independant AAA team does not give you the right to play in any tournament that you want. The Meltdown, AAA Classic, Easton Cup etc are private hockey events!

Now your seeing boycott posts (??) like a privelage or right was taken away from you? Neither one has by the way! What has happened is the hockey public has been notified that the Privately run ( MM and Showcase)Spring and Summer AAA hockey tournaments are being restricted to certian teams. Thats it!

What can the Independant teams do?

1) Start their own tourmament or tournaments? Its no big deal, its just securing 3 days worth of ice, insurance, refs, advertisement, awards, volunteers, concessions, logistics etc... Exactly what the busineses mentioned above do everyday!

2) tryout for a roster spot on those teams next year.

3) Sign up for other metro or outstate events. Below are a few I'm sure there are others that out their that informed viewers can add.

Chi-town Shuffle Chicago
Northern Wings Cup Duluth
St Croix Cup Woodbury
USA International Cup Blaine
Pepsi Cup Fargo
Northern Exposure Duluth
Lake Superior Cup Duluth, (although I would bet this will be an invite only event.)

Winnepeg MB
AAA Subway (definitely an invite event)
Manitoba Lighnting ( invite only event)

Brandon MB
Source AAA Hockey (open event)

I do not disagree - they own the tournaments and can do what they want but I think you are missing the point. The fact is (per Capra's blurb on his website) is that their intention is to hurt the other teams by not being in the Alliance and that pisses people off to not want to purchase their training sessions or Easton equipment or whatever "boycott" you want to throw into the mix.

This is NOT primarily about the tournaments - it about trying to control where the top players play in AAA summer hockey.

muckandgrind · Post by **muckandgrind** » Tue Oct 28, 2008 2:18 pm

FlusterCluck wrote:
buttend wrote:
FlusterCluck wrote:Dont buy ice time or training time from the "Alliance" programs.
They cant make enough money off the Stealth/Synergy/Cyclones/Duece /Machine players to support their programs.

Continue to look into alternative programs for the quality of coaching and development they offer and make the right choice for your son or daughter.

Teams that say they are the best just because they charge the most or are part of an "Alliance" will show their true colors soon enough.

I am sure that if Easton or other major sponsors saw that decisions made by one of their sponsored teams started to affect their sales, they would drop the programs like a hot potato.

I also dont think Bernie or Minnesota Made will continue with this if it hurts their training programs.

In the past 3 years countless Independant teams have started up. Many of the players on these teams came from what was once a booming AAA Summer League, Showcase. The parents, coaches that decided to start or join an independant team have done so for many reasons. Now those business entities whose business has fallen off because of all the newly formed independant teams are ( right or wrong) trying to protect their business.

Teams 3 years ago ( I'm sure I've missed a couple)

Blades
Machine
Duece
Icemen
Predators
Christian Bros
Mn Lightning

plus Showcase AAA Teams

Teams Today ( I'm sure theres more to add to this list)

Bandits
Blades
Bulldogs
Christian Bros
Coyotes
Cyclones
Deuce
Elk River Rats
Fire South
Gladiators
Grinders
Ice Hawks
Icemen
Islanders
Jr Badgers
Machine
Magicians
Mn Edge
Mn Flames
Mn Lightning
MN Stars
Northern Edge
Outlaws
Silver Tips
Snipers
St Criox Teams
Stealth
Synergy
Team Accelleration
Team Extreme
Team Midwest
Team RBK
plus Showcase AAA Teams

People, the tournaments belong to Showcase and Minnesota Made. They can and always had the right to do what ever they want with them. They may or may not "Invite" your team to that level. Belonging to an independant AAA team does not give you the right to play in any tournament that you want. The Meltdown, AAA Classic, Easton Cup etc are private hockey events!

Now your seeing boycott posts (??) like a privelage or right was taken away from you? Neither one has by the way! What has happened is the hockey public has been notified that the Privately run ( MM and Showcase)Spring and Summer AAA hockey tournaments are being restricted to certian teams. Thats it!

What can the Independant teams do?

1) Start their own tourmament or tournaments? Its no big deal, its just securing 3 days worth of ice, insurance, refs, advertisement, awards, volunteers, concessions, logistics etc... Exactly what the busineses mentioned above do everyday!

2) tryout for a roster spot on those teams next year.

3) Sign up for other metro or outstate events. Below are a few I'm sure there are others that out their that informed viewers can add.

Chi-town Shuffle Chicago
Northern Wings Cup Duluth
St Croix Cup Woodbury
USA International Cup Blaine
Pepsi Cup Fargo
Northern Exposure Duluth
Lake Superior Cup Duluth, (although I would bet this will be an invite only event.)

Winnepeg MB
AAA Subway (definitely an invite event)
Manitoba Lighnting ( invite only event)

Brandon MB
Source AAA Hockey (open event)

OK...I am now dumber for having read your response...
You claim that

Teams 3 years ago ( I'm sure I've missed a couple)

Blades
Machine
Duece
Icemen
Predators
Christian Bros
Mn Lightning

I dont see the Cylcones, Snipers, Grinders, Synergy or Stealth on that list...aren't they part of the so called problem????

I think his take was that these are privately run tournaments and that the people who run the tournaments have a right to invite whoever they want. If they want to invite the Cyclones and Easton, so be it. If people get upset, they can form their own tournament.

dreampuck · Post by **dreampuck** » Tue Oct 28, 2008 2:29 pm

buttend, how does restricting teams from your tournaments help protect your business?

I own my own business, and I have yet to tell any potential customer they are not good enough for me to do business with them. I have gotten rid of customers who are not profitable however.

Also, correct me if I'm wrong but I believe Showcase is bigger than ever, and much bigger than they were 3 years ago. Not positive on that.

MM is much bigger than they were 3 years ago as well.

It jsut doesn't make good business sense!

The Alliance talks about dilluting the AAA pool, but they are adding teams each and every year, not because there is an increase in talent, because they can make more money, which is fine...but that is why their argument for forming the "Alliance" is bogus.

We all have the right to pick and choose which tournaments to attend and which programs to attend, just like we all have the right to boycott the "Alliance" programs and anyone who would affiliate themselves which such a stupid idea.

You are absolutely correct that it is not our right to play in their tournaments and you are again correct nothing has been taken away, but what the "Alliance" is basically saying is that many of the other teams are not good enough to play in their tournaments, again that is simply crap!

When they have a hard time filling their tournaments, or someone backs out last minute like last year, they dont seem to have a problem taking our money then.

This is a poor business decision and they should re-think it. Each year is going to change, depending on who wants to go their tournaments, how good a team is from year to year, etc...why on earth would you exclude anyone just because they are not from your "Alliance"?

"Alliance" go ahead and pick and choose the teams you want in your tournaments, that is your right, but to exclude teams becasue you can is just plain and simple...not good business!

H-E-doublehockeysticks · Tue Oct 28, 2008 2:35 pm

puckfan wrote:To start this off, I have a player on a Non-Alliance team.

The other teams will be recruited from out of the metro area, other states and Canada in the hope to attract top teams back into our Minnesota tournaments. These quality teams have quit coming to Minnesota over the past few years as a result of our diluted AAA hockey market as there are just to many AAA teams in the area to be competative.
Reading all of this stuff absolutely makes me laugh. This statement is about the most ridiculous thing I have seen on this site.

I spent about 10 minutes to do a bit of research and here is what I found:

Meltdown (& Easton Cup)

93's 1st & 4th (& 2nd & 4th)

94's 6th & 8th (& 1st & 3rd)

95's 10th & 12th (& 3rd & 5th)

96's(one team) looks like 6th (& 6th)

97's 4th & 7th (& 3rd & 5th)

98's 3rd* & 6th (& 7th & 8th)

99's 7th & 8th (& 5th & 6th)

Anybody know what team these results are for? Yes you guessed it .....Easton.

I think that it is great that they have the "pucks" to state they feel to many teams are out there watering down the talent level and they are the biggest culprit. Last place finishes at many age levels in these 2 tournaments. Looks like one 97 team has got it and the 93's too. The good showing for the 98's in the meltdown have only to do with the fact that LLS were able to provide their best player for that tournament.

I love the fact that people have mentioned that they are going to think about who they give their buisness to based upon some of these new revelations.

I would bet that the Machine/Blades are looking forward to a 6 game league with these 2.

EXACTLY! The announcement that Bob Capra posted on the Easton team website COMPLETELY contradicts the main point of the statement and why they have assembled this "Alliance"! It's all about Bob and his program making money - that's all. I think he also believes that because he formed this "Alliance" that the best kids will stay with the "Alliance" teams. I could go on and on but the fact is that the best teams will want to play the best teams and Easton has a long way to go to be considered in that group. I'm pretty sure that the Machine and Blades won't be lining up to scrimmage any of the Easton teams or Cyclone teams for that matter (with the exception of one of two years classes) I halfway think that the Machine and Blades agreed to this whole thing so that they know they'll always have at least one "warm-up" game in each of the tourneys!

Fret not non-alliance teams - there are PLENTY of tourneys out there that are on par with the "Alliance only" tourneys. Also, check the mail next week for your application for the new Minnesota AAA Hockey SUPER DUPER ELITE Alliance! Out-state teams and all of Canada are already a buzz about it!

Jimbo99 · Post by **Jimbo99** » Tue Oct 28, 2008 2:36 pm

People, the tournaments belong to Showcase and Minnesota Made. They can and always had the right to do what ever they want with them. They may or may not "Invite" your team to that level. Belonging to an independant AAA team does not give you the right to play in any tournament that you want. The Meltdown, AAA Classic, Easton Cup etc are private hockey events!

I don't believe anyone here has said they don't "have the right" to do what they are attempting to do.

It just appears, to many of us, that they have a MUCH inflated opinion of themselves and their tournaments - and that their exclusive attitude is bad for MN hockey in general.

Gosh - an explosion in the number of children participating in summer hockey? - what a terrible thing! How about people just allow each of these "programs" to exist and compete on its own merits (emphasis, ice-time, attitude, quality of coaching, etc. etc.) instead of exclusive elitests proclaiming a dominant status and freezing everyone else out?

It's all about the almighty buck and their own egos and it's short-sighted.
Bad business and ultimately bad for MN hockey at every level.

Yep - we need more tournaments, because it won't be long 'till the couple we're talking about here don't exist anymore.

TerryMoore · Post by **TerryMoore** » Tue Oct 28, 2008 2:39 pm

I am one of the directors of the Minnesota Blades. Our organization never heard of the Minnesota AAA Alliance until today. We are not and never have been part of this supposed alliance. We were never asked to be part of it and we have never agreed to be part of it. We never even talked about this alliance.

Their use of The Minesota Blades name was completely unauthorized.

I have already contacted the Alliance and told them to remove all references to the Minnesota Blades immediately. They have agreed to do so.

Please do not associate the Minnesota Blades with this "alliance"

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The Minnesota Blades have never been part of this alliance