WHA2
Miami Manatees
Hockey Page
(I regret to inform you that David Waronker, the team owner was and still is scum and screwed his season-ticket holders. That story is here, but I leave this page here mostly unedited so you can see how things were at the time. Information in the below page may no longer be accurate. There are some notes in RED for clarification purposes.)
Please, feel free to e-mail me comments or information for inclusion. This is a fan-run page and is not affiliated with the Miami Manatees in any way, shape, or form. All team logos and photos used with permission at the time.
Miami Manatees
Team Contact Information
Who are the Miami Manatees? The Miami Manatees were a WHA2 ice hockey team. The idea was that the whole family could attend games without going broke. In addition, one could easily afford season tickets. Sadly, the team went defunct mid-season and the owner repeatedly promised to make good on refunds but never did. David Waronker was much derided since he could afford it, but never felt he needed to do the right thing despite his fortunes at the time from the real estate industry. This was repeated again in Orlando and Kissimmee with the Seals, again leaving people holding the bag.
I should have known it was bad. Right before the team folder, Mark Fishel asked if I would be a goal judge and help be an off-ice official for the game. I readily agreed -- how cool is that? The team never played that game. My once chance to be an official in a 'professional' hockey league ended. This was less than a week after (or maybe it was a week before) I had helped Beanie pack care packages for players including towels, sheets, blankets, pots, and pans because many were abandoned.
Seating Prices: (Individual Games)
LOWER BOWL (101-103,111-116,124-126) $10 ($240) LOWER BOWL (104-110, 117-123, rear rows) $15 ($330) LOWER BOWL (105-109, 118-122, forward rows) $25 ($600) PREMIUM (105-109, 118-122, front rows) $50 ($1200) Upper Bowl tickets are not currently available for sale. They were never sold. View ticket pricing chart.
Home Ice:
- The Miami Arena (14,823 capacity) 305-530-4444 (200' x 85') These phone numbers are no longer in use.
- 701 Arena Blvd
- Miami, FL 33136
- TEL: 305-536-7825(PUCK) / 877-SEA-COWS These phone numbers are no longer in use.
- FAX: 305-530-4423(4ICE) These phone numbers are no longer in use.
- [Lower Bowl sell-out capacity is 6,351]
Team and League Offices: Defunct
- The WHA2
(also Orlando Seals, Miami Manatees, Jacksonville Barracudas, Alabama Slammers, and Macon Trax) - 215 Celebration Place, Suite #500
- Celebration, FL 34747
- TEAM TEL: 321-559-1179 and FAX: 321-559-1079 These phone numbers are no longer in use.
- WHA2 TEL: 321-559-1200 and FAX: 321-559-1201 These phone numbers are no longer in use.
Brief Statistics:
First Year: 2003-2004 Inaugural
Season -- never finished
Management (initial):
Chairman and Owner: David Waronker Co-Owner: Ruth Waronker Head Coach: Zac Boyer Assistant GM: Shawn Thorimbert Management Consultant: Peter Young Corporate Sales: Cindy Boyer Radio Play By Play IRN.fm internet radio): Tom Sye Director of Communications (and took over from Tom Sye for radio): Mark Fischel Athletic Therapist/Account Executive: Danielle Henry Account Executive: Crystal Barrios Equipment Manager: Andrew Dvorak Intern: Bill Mitchell To View Pictures of Management, click on the person's name!
Miami Manatee
Hockey Resources
You may click on any of the URLs below to be taken directly to the page in question. All the Usenet groups are also hot-linked
RELATED USENET GROUPS (where one might discuss the Manatees):
- rec.sport.hockey Fans of all hockey in general
MANATEE RELATED WEB SITES:
- Official Manatees Website This site is dead
- ACHL Official Website (original league)
ERIC'S MANATEE REPORT:
RELATED MESSAGE BOARDS and SUCH (where one might discuss the Manatees):
- The Manatees and all related topics may now be discussed on the Panthers Hockey Message Board at http://www.darsys.net/bbs/index.php
- Manatees Facebook Fan Page
Schedule for Manatees
All homes games will be played at the Miami Arena.
Saturday Nov. 8 Macon at Miami 7:05 PM
Friday Nov. 14 Lakeland at Miami 7:05 PM
Saturday Nov. 15 Jacksonville at Miami 7:05 PM
Sunday Nov. 23 Miami at Orlando 6:05 PM
Wednesday Nov. 26 Orlando at Miami 7:05 PM
Friday Nov. 28 Miami at Jacksonville 7:05 PM
Saturday Nov. 29 Miami at Orlando 7:35 PM
Friday Dec. 5 Miami at Lakeland 7:05 PM
Saturday Dec. 6 Miami at Jacksonville 7:05 PM
Sunday Dec. 7 Miami at Orlando 6:05 PM
Friday Dec. 12 Miami at Macon 7:35 PM
Saturday Dec. 13 Alabama at Miami 7:05 PM
Sunday Dec. 14 Alabama at Miami 5:05 PM
Friday Dec. 19 Jacksonville at Miami 7:05 PM
Saturday Dec. 20 Miami at Lakeland 7:05 PM
Friday Dec. 26 Lakeland at Miami 7:05 PM
Saturday Dec. 27 Jacksonville at Miami 7:05 PM
Sunday Dec. 28 Miami at Lakeland 7:05 PM
Friday Jan. 2 Miami at Alabama 7:05 PMCST
Saturday Jan. 3 Miami at Jacksonville 7:05 PM
Sunday Jan. 4 Jacksonville at Miami 7:05 PM
Friday Jan. 9 Miami at Alabama 7:05 PMCST
Saturday Jan. 10 Miami at Alabama 7:05 PMCST
Sunday Jan. 11 Miami at Jacksonville 6:05 PM
Saturday Jan. 16 Alabama at Miami 7:05 PM
Sunday Jan. 17 Lakeland at Miami 7:05 PM
Sunday Jan. 18 Lakeland at Miami 7:05 PM
Friday Jan. 23 Alabama at Miami 7:05 PM
Saturday Jan. 24 Orlando at Miami 7:05 PM
Sunday Jan. 25 Macon at Miami 5:05 PM
Tuesday Jan. 27 ALLSTAR GAME at Jacksonville 6:35 PM
Thursday Jan. 29 Miami at Macon 7:35 PM
Friday Jan. 30 Miami at Macon 7:35 PM
Saturday Jan. 31 Miami at Jacksonville 7:05 PM
Friday Feb. 6 Orlando at Miami 7:05 PM
Sunday Feb. 8 Jacksonville at Miami 5:05 PM
Tuesday Feb. 10 Miami at Orlando 7:05 PM
Friday Feb. 20 Miami at Lakeland 7:05 PM
Sunday Feb. 22 Miami at Jacksonville 6:05 PM
Thursday Feb. 26 Miami at Orlando 7:05 PM
Saturday Feb. 28 Alabama at Miami 7:05 PM (TEAM FOLDED HERE)
Friday Mar. 5 Macon at Miami 7:05 PM
Saturday Mar. 6 Orlando at Miami 7:05 PM
Sunday Mar. 7 Miami at Lakeland 7:05 PM
Monday Mar. 8 Macon at Miami 7:05 PM (was 2/15)
Thursday Mar. 11 Miami at Macon 7:35 PM
Friday Mar. 12 Lakeland at Miami 7:05 PM
Saturday Mar. 13 Jacksonville at Miami 7:05 PM
Sunday Mar. 14 Miami at Macon 4:05 PM
Thursday Mar. 18 Miami at Lakeland 7:05 PM
Friday Mar. 19 Macon at Miami 7:05 PM
Saturday Mar. 20 Macon at Miami 7:05 PM
Tuesday Mar. 23 Orlando at Miami 7:05 PM
Thursday Mar. 25 Miami at Orlando 7:05 PM
Friday Mar. 26 Jacksonville at Miami 7:05 PM
Saturday Mar.27 Alabama at Miami 7:05 PM
Tuesday Mar. 30 Alabama at Miami 7:05 PM
Thursday Apr. 1 Miami at Orlando 7:05 PM
Friday Apr. 2 Miami at Alabama 7:05 PMCST
Saturday Apr. 3 Miami at Alabama 7:05 PMCST
Sunday Apr. 4 Miami at Lakeland 5:05 PM
Significant Manatee Dates
- 02-11-03 Manatees meet with MESA but are unable to come to an agreement and the future of the team is in doubt
- 02-26-03 Manatees receive unanimous approval from MESA and the team is set.
- 03-04-03 Manatees have official press conference to unveil team to local media.
- 03-04-03 Eric Seiden becomes first season ticket holder.At the press conference he is presented with the first team practice jersey.
- 04-11-03 The Manatees and three other teams withdraw from the ACHL and decide to join the WHA2 a newly formed farm league associated with the also newly formed WHA. The WHA is a rebirth of the original WHA (1972-1979).
- 05-20-03 Eric finally buys his tickets when the Manatees get their credit card machine securing seats in 120, K, 1 and 2 as well as 116, C, 1 and 2.
- 06-20-03 The Manatees make their first official trade by sending forward Joe Urbanik to Orlando for Forward Darcy Johnson.
- 11-08-03 The Manatees take to the ice for the first time.
- 03-02-04 The Manatees fold. The WHA2 later announces the team will move to the Orlando area to complete the season. Since many of the players won't travel with the team, this is of dubious value.
If you find a link that is not working, please e-mail me and let me know which one is broken. If you have a link you would like me to add, or know of a link that should be here, feel free to e-mail me with that information as well. I sar in section 120, Row K, Seats 1 and 2. I was at all home games except if there was a Panther game the same day. On opening night, I won a contest -- a gift certificate to Bubba Gump Shrimp Company. Diane (aka Wolfie) captured my moment of glory on film:
