New arena guarantees Chatham-Kent an OHL team, says league commissioner

If Chatham-Kent commits to building an OHL-sized arena, the league’s commissioner says they will commit to an expansion team in the municipality.

Bryan Crawford, the Commissioner of the Ontario Hockey League, shared the message in a presentation to municipal council on Monday evening.

“We would certainly sign a commitment to come if the city was ready to commit to build the arena,” Crawford told council.

The league is in talks with multiple communities as it eyes an expansion from the current 20 teams.

Crawford pitched council on the economic benefits team’s have already had in other markets. Last season, the OHL reported that it set an all-time attendance record, with 3.2 million fans attending games.

“I think Chatham-Kent has always kind of been in the background of potential markets that could one day be interested in hosting an OHL team,” Crawford said.

Ultimately, the viability of an OHL team in the region rests on the municipality’s willingness to foot the bill for a new arena.

OHL-sized arenas, typically capable of holding at least 5,000 fans, can cost between $150 million and $200 million, Crawford said.

A team would sit between existing OHL franchises, the Windsor Spitfires and London Knights, who can seat about 6,500 and 9,000 fans, respectively.

“Without an arena, there isn’t much too much to discuss, right. Unfortunately, that’s the thing that is required in order to do this,” he said.

A need for a new arena has already been identified in Chatham-Kent due to the ageing state of current facilities, but not of this size.

Chatham Memorial Arena was built in 1949 and holds about 2,200 spectators, lacking modern features such as corporate boxes.

Outside of the season, Crawford said OHL arenas have leveraged the space to draw in concerts, performances, and competitions.

“So, it depends on the community and what the community is able to go after and do and how aggressive they are, who the operator is of the building and how aggressive they are,” he said.

Coun. Alysson Storey was among the members of council who voiced concern over how an OHL team could impact the Chatham Maroons, a member of the Greater Ontario Hockey League.

“I would have a real concern about losing the Maroons with the prospect of an OHL team,” Storey said.

The Maroons have existed in Chatham-Kent for decades and have a dedicated fanbase.

However, Crawford said through agreements with the GOHL, they have come to rely on the league for player development.

“We as the OHL have a very vested interest in the health and longevity, and the viability of the GOHL,” Crawford said.

“Because of our now partnership and because of our dependence on them to help develop our players going forward.”

A decision on a new arena is unlikely to come in the near future, as it would require feasibility studies. Further, council is expected to wind down this spring ahead of an upcoming municipal election in October.

If an arena is approved, Crawford said it would likely be about three to eight years before an OHL team would hit the ice.