Roanoke Steam
Encyclopedia
The Roanoke Steam is a now-defunct af2
charter member franchise. They played their home games at the Roanoke Civic Center in Roanoke, Virginia
. The Steam were unable to get into the playoffs during their only three years in the league. In early May of the 2002 season, the original ownership group, consisting of businessmen Harold Jordan, Richard Macher, and Richard Yancey, declared that the LLC controlling the franchise was bankrupt and subsequently fired all team employees. In order to preserve the existing af2 schedule, the league office assumed control of the team and hired back the remaining employees. After a two month search for a new ownership group, the league ceased operations of the franchise in late July 2002. Several reasons were cited for the collapse of the Steam, including poor attendance, inadequate marketing, and Roanoke being an unsuitable market to maintain a minor league football franchise.
The Steam were not the only minor league franchise in the Roanoke area to encounter problems in the 2000s. The Roanoke Dazzle
of the NBDL
were relocated after also never developing a consistent following; however, the team's attendance was similar to the other inaugural franchises of the NBDL which were located in small cities in the Southeast.
The Roanoke Express
, a minor league ice hockey
team who were owned for a time by the Steam's ownership group and had enjoyed an unprecedented level of popularity in the mid to late 1990s, began to falter in the early 2000s due to a lack of postseason success and an eventual decline in regular season performance and turmoil in ownership and management that contributed to bad press and less effective marketing than earlier seasons. The Express folded after the 2003-2004 season. A United Hockey League
franchise, the Roanoke Valley Vipers
, relocated to Roanke for the 2005-2006 season to replace the Express, but this venture folded after just one season due to poor attendance blamed on a losing record, high ticket prices, and a general disconnect between the local fan base and the midwestern
-based league and owners.
|2000 || 3 || 13 || 0 || 7th AC || --
|-
|2001 || 7 || 9 || 0 || 4th AC Northeastern || --
|-
|2002 || 8 || 8 || 0 || 4th AC Atlantic || --
|-
!Totals || 18 || 30 || 0
|colspan="2"|
Af2
AF2 was the name of the Arena Football League's developmental league; it was founded in 1999 and played its first season in 2000. Like parent AFL, the AF2 played using the same arena football rules and style of play. League seasons ran from April through July with the postseason and ArenaCup...
charter member franchise. They played their home games at the Roanoke Civic Center in Roanoke, Virginia
Roanoke, Virginia
Roanoke is an independent city in the Mid-Atlantic U.S. state of Virginia and is the tenth-largest city in the Commonwealth. It is located in the Roanoke Valley of the Roanoke Region of Virginia. The population within the city limits was 97,032 as of 2010...
. The Steam were unable to get into the playoffs during their only three years in the league. In early May of the 2002 season, the original ownership group, consisting of businessmen Harold Jordan, Richard Macher, and Richard Yancey, declared that the LLC controlling the franchise was bankrupt and subsequently fired all team employees. In order to preserve the existing af2 schedule, the league office assumed control of the team and hired back the remaining employees. After a two month search for a new ownership group, the league ceased operations of the franchise in late July 2002. Several reasons were cited for the collapse of the Steam, including poor attendance, inadequate marketing, and Roanoke being an unsuitable market to maintain a minor league football franchise.
The Steam were not the only minor league franchise in the Roanoke area to encounter problems in the 2000s. The Roanoke Dazzle
Roanoke Dazzle
The Roanoke Dazzle were an NBA Development League team based in Roanoke, Virginia, U.S.A.. In operation from the inaugural D-League season of 2001-02 through the 2005-06 season, the Dazzle marked the return of professional basketball to Roanoke since the Virginia Squires called Roanoke home in the...
of the NBDL
NBA Development League
The NBA Development League, or NBA D-League, is the National Basketball Association's official minor league basketball organization. Known until summer 2005 as the National Basketball Development League , the NBA D-League started with eight teams in the fall of 2001...
were relocated after also never developing a consistent following; however, the team's attendance was similar to the other inaugural franchises of the NBDL which were located in small cities in the Southeast.
The Roanoke Express
Roanoke Express
The Roanoke Express were a team in the ECHL from 1993 until 2004. Home games were played at the Roanoke Civic Center in Roanoke, Virginia.-History:...
, a minor league ice hockey
Ice hockey
Ice hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...
team who were owned for a time by the Steam's ownership group and had enjoyed an unprecedented level of popularity in the mid to late 1990s, began to falter in the early 2000s due to a lack of postseason success and an eventual decline in regular season performance and turmoil in ownership and management that contributed to bad press and less effective marketing than earlier seasons. The Express folded after the 2003-2004 season. A United Hockey League
United Hockey League
The United Hockey League was a low-level professional ice hockey league , with teams in the United States...
franchise, the Roanoke Valley Vipers
Roanoke Valley Vipers
The Roanoke Valley Vipers were a professional ice hockey team located in Roanoke, Virginia. They were formed for the 2005-06 season, mainly to fill the gap after the ECHL's Roanoke Express disbanded and to provide a travel partner near the Richmond RiverDogs. They were a member of the United...
, relocated to Roanke for the 2005-2006 season to replace the Express, but this venture folded after just one season due to poor attendance blamed on a losing record, high ticket prices, and a general disconnect between the local fan base and the midwestern
Midwestern United States
The Midwestern United States is one of the four U.S. geographic regions defined by the United States Census Bureau, providing an official definition of the American Midwest....
-based league and owners.
Season-By-Season
|-|2000 || 3 || 13 || 0 || 7th AC || --
|-
|2001 || 7 || 9 || 0 || 4th AC Northeastern || --
|-
|2002 || 8 || 8 || 0 || 4th AC Atlantic || --
|-
!Totals || 18 || 30 || 0
|colspan="2"|