The City Council of Anaheim has decided to renew their commitment to the Anaheim Ducks for the next 25 years. A nearly unanimous vote of 6-1, the new deal will extend through the year 2048 as the current deal between the two entities will continue for another five years.
In 1993 the Disney Corporation led by Michael Eisner was awarded an NHL expansion team and soon created the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim. A staple of Anaheim, both the Disney Corporation and Henry and Susan Samueli have done a terrific job of facilitating an NHL franchise in what is considered a smaller city in comparison to other homes of the NHL such as Toronto, New York, Chicago, etc.
Michael Eisner and Disney laid the groundwork to make hockey in Anaheim a reality. Not caring about the big beast of a market up the freeway in Los Angeles, many adopted the assumption that a second hockey team in the Southern California area would never work. Yet, 25 years have come and gone and the Anaheim Ducks are nothing but a success.
Henry and Susan Samueli bought the team from Disney in 2005 and immediately hired Brian Burke as the Ducks new general manager. Winning the franchise’s and California’s first Stanley Cup just two years after purchasing the team, the Samueli’s knew from the very beginning that in order to be successful off the ice, the product on the ice must be spectacular.
Since the Samueli’s bought the Ducks, the team has only missed the playoffs a remarkable two times and have won five straight division titles in recent years.
The concept of people not wanting to watch a bad team because it’s not enjoyable has seemed to elude other franchises but not the Ducks. Not going to point the finger but I think we all know which teams I’m talking about.
Making changes from day one, they were evident both on and off the ice. Completely redesigning the look from the classic purple and teal to a new and modern black, orange and gold, the Samueli’s dropped the “mighty” and created a more simplistic identity known as the Anaheim Ducks. Now, that vision will stay the Anaheim Ducks until 2048. (No need to worry about the Ducks falling into that “The Los Angeles Ducks of Anaheim at California” nonsense. Sorry, Angels.)
In the community, the Ducks have cemented themselves as a constant factor in the development of the greater Anaheim area. With owners from Anaheim, the Ducks as a whole have made it a point of emphasis to be involved in the growth of Anaheim and because of that the city has looked favorably upon the team and look forward to their residency for the next 30 years.
The Ducks have become a symbol of Anaheim and have provided millions of people with entertainment over the years. Continuing this commitment to the Ducks is a great move for the city of Anaheim as the Ducks continue to pursue the utmost amount of success both on and off the ice.