Mission Control takes to the road for an early June trip to Kansas City! Matt saw Game 1 of the ECHL Finals to watch the KC Mavericks. I came away with some thoughts on empty arenas, the ongoing stadium struggles in Atlanta and Tampa Bay, and the arena bottlenecks keeping Space City out of the NHL. But after flying back for the inaugural Houston Bulls NAHL Draft Party, my perspective completely shifted: Yes, we want the NHL, but there's an incredible, affordable grassroots hockey culture building right in our own backyard that's also pretty great. (Plus, Matt has the perfect nomination for a Houston team's goal song).If the episode seems disjointed, so was my thought process while making it...00:00 - Intro04:20 - How's the sports fandom in KC?08:43 - How's the hockey fandom in KC?13:25 - Why (I think) we're not hearing a "Grand Plan" for NHL in Houston...19:13 - Thoughts on the Bulls Draft PartyWTF? Florida won that series? Wow, okay. Just goes to show that a big Game 1 win does not get you the whole thing.The Michel Petit Interview I mentioned: https://youtube.com/live/WvjcPIYZdNY?feature=share Houston Chronicle: Why Do So Many Artists Skip Houston? https://www.chron.com/culture/music/article/housotn-live-music-scene-issues-22301732.phpHouston Bulls: http://www.houstonbullsnahl.com ...and for you kids that have never heard a guitar: https://youtu.be/ruT5nmwhiic?si=FHmKbK5lkF_N5KltGet you some sexy Mission Control merch at: http://www.mchockeypodcast.com - there's also an events calendar, too.Follow on X! https://x.com/MCHockeyPodcastInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/mchockeypodcast/Add on Discord - @MCHockeyPodcastThe NHL isn't in Houston - but the Hockey Fans Are!If you've been obsessing over every rumor about a potential NHL hockey franchise in Houston, you've found your people. Mission Control exists for the Houston hockey fans.

The wait is officially over—hockey is charging back into the Houston area! In this special edition of Mission Control, we sit down with Devon Buckland, the Vice President of Business Operations for the brand-new Houston Bulls. Devon pulls back the curtain on the massive logistics of relocating a historic franchise from North Iowa down to the Lone Star State. We discuss the incredible surge in fan interest, with over 3,000 season ticket requests already flooding the front office for the new 2,000-capacity arena at the Deep South Ice & Sports Complex in Richmond, Texas. Devon breaks down what fans can expect from the notoriously fast and physical NAHL South Division, gives us an insider update on the building's progress ahead of its August grand opening, and teases major upcoming events. Whether you're a die-hard fan or completely new to the sport, get ready to find out how the Bulls are establishing a premier development pathway for young athletes eyeing NCAA Division 1 programs, and exactly what the gameday experience will look like for local fans. Are you still anxiously awaiting your season ticket email? The next chapter of Houston-area hockey is hitting the ice!

00:00 - Introduction

10:52 - When Does Deep South Ice Open?

20:10 - How to Sponsor the Bulls

35:00 - Where to Get your Bulls Merch

42:25 - Broadcast InfoSHOW LINKS:The Houston Bulls: http://www.houstonbullsnahl.com

Partner with the Bulls: devon@houstonbullsnahl.com

Billet the Bulls: billets@houstonbullsnahl.com

Official Bulls Merch: http://officialmerch.shop/houston-bulls-hockey

Deep South Ice & Sports Complex: https://www.deepsouthice.com/

NAHL: http://www.nahl.com

NAHLtv: http://www.nahltv.com

NAHL free audio broadcasts: http://www.mixlr.comThe Mission Control of Mission Control: http://www.mchockeypodcast.com - you can get sexy merch there, too.

Follow on X! https://x.com/MCHockeyPodcast

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mchockeypodcast/

Add on Discord - @MCHockeyPodcastThe NHL isn't in Houston - but the Hockey Fans Are!If you've been obsessing over every rumor about a potential NHL hockey franchise in Houston, you've found your people. Mission Control exists for the Houston hockey fans.

This episode of Mission Control is a massive Space City hockey roundup! We dive into the latest news, the roaring success of the Houston Hockey Hall of Fame Banquet, and the incredible 6,000-fan turnout at the 3rd annual Hockey Day in Houston at St. Arnold Brewing. The weekend proved once again that Houston is a Hockey TownThe episode caps with a brief on-site interview with Houston hockey royalty: Terry Ruskowski. The two-time WHA Avco Cup Champion, inaugural IHL Aeros coach, and the only player to ever captain four different pro franchises sits down to share his memories. Terry discusses the tight-knit culture of the WHA Aeros, the chaos of the NHL merger, drawing massive playoff crowds with the Laredo Bucks, and why he firmly believes Houston is more than ready for an NHL franchise.

00:00 - Brief News Bullet Points

08:43 - Thoughts on the Houston Hockey Hall of Fame Banquet & Hockey Day in Houston

18:06 - Favorite Parts of the Weekend (and what went horribly terribly wrong for me)

26:10 - Terry Ruskowski: Playing Days in Houston

35:00 - Terry Ruskowski: Coaching Career and if Laredo can do it...SHOW LINKS:Hockey Day in Houston: http://www.hockeydayinhouston.comThe Howe Foundation: http://www.howefoundation.comInter Scholastic Hockey League: http://www.ishl.orgWHOAH (Women's Hockey Outreach Association of Houston): http://whoahhtx.wixsite.com/homeChampions Club Texas: http://www.championsclubtexas.comBeer League Warriors Apparel: http://www.beerleaguewarriors.comoh hey, the website doesn't suck as much now: http://www.mchockeypodcast.com - you can get sexy merch there, too.Follow on X! https://x.com/MCHockeyPodcastInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/mchockeypodcast/Add on Discord - @MCHockeyPodcastThe NHL isn't in Houston - but the Hockey Fans Are!If you've been obsessing over every rumor about a potential NHL hockey franchise in Houston, you've found your people. Mission Control exists for the Houston hockey fans.