Bakersfield’s link to the National Hockey League isn’t going anywhere.
The Bakersfield Condors, the American Hockey League affiliate for the Edmonton Oilers, announced Thursday that the team has renewed its lease at Mechanics Bank Arena.
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The big picture: While other NHL teams are moving their AHL affiliates, bringing uncertainty to hockey’s minor league system, the Condors will remain in Bakersfield for at least the next five years.
- The Bakersfield City Council ratified the lease on Wednesday, sealing the city’s hockey future for the near future.
- The Condors are now the lone AHL affiliated with a Canadian team to remain south of the border.
By the numbers: Previously, the Condors had been paying $3,500 per preseason game, $6,524 per regular season game and $1,524.54 per postseason game as the terms of the 2014 lease, with a six percent increase every two years.
- Under the new lease, preseason games will cost $4,487.39, and postseason games will be $1,954.63. Rent for regular season games will start at $7,962.11 in 2023-2024 and increase 2.5 percent annually until it hits $8,788.68 in 2027-2028.
- The lease also offers the Condors a three-year extension, which they will have to trigger by October 2027.
- The condors will also pay $898.46 per month with a 2.5 increase annually for use of the team offices and $10,500 annually for use of the Valley Children’s Ice Center.
What they’re saying: “When Daryl Katz purchased the Bakersfield Condors in 2014, he stressed that you can’t build a successful NHL team without an effective scouting and development system,” said Oilers general manager Ken Holland. “Bakersfield is not only a perfect fit for us and a true second home for the Oilers organization, but the Condors continue to be a critical piece in building an NHL team that can compete year in, year out. We are thrilled to renew our lease in Bakersfield as part of the larger Oilers family.”
