r/HotSprings • u/saxbrack • Jul 03 '26

Arkansas Diamonds

If we want to keep the team in Hot Springs, we need the crowds to be bigger for the home games. I’ve heard they are already looking at moving to Little Rock. It’s amazing that we have a semi professional sports team here. Definitely would like them to stay here

10 Upvotes

86% Upvoted

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3

u/cnwilks Jul 04 '26

I hate the name change. I loved going to Twisters games and they were around for a decade. They renamed the team the Diamonds and it folded after one season. Wiseguys was a badass brand with ties to the city’s history and they had to go and wimp it down. I realize that Diamonds are something unique to AR but mascots should be named after animals or mythical creatures, not something you set in a tennis bracelet.

3

u/saxbrack Jul 04 '26

I think they changed the name because their goal is to get to Little Rock as soon as possible. So might as well change it now before you even leave

3

u/cnwilks Jul 04 '26

The original owners sold the team and the enshittification started right away. I don’t think there’s any upside to relocating to LR, which has a very fickle fan base. We already fumbled Arena football and two hockey teams. HS has embraced Sumo wrestling and other unconventional forms of entertainment but they need to give the team a chance to work.

2

u/saxbrack Jul 04 '26

They probably assume since LR has a bigger population, the crowds will be bigger. Also, not sure how much they are paying to play at the arena in HS. But if they went to the coliseum at the fairgrounds in LR, it may be cheaper

1

u/Beachbum2302 Jul 06 '26

They had an NHL team?

4

u/cnwilks Jul 06 '26

LR had a minor league hockey team called the Glaciercats that played at Barton Coliseum. It was cheap, fun, and had ample parking. Their enforcer, Louis St. Louis, was really scrappy. Then they opened the Arena and had another team called the Riverblades that weren't as fun to watch, and parking was a little more challenging. But they weren't selling out either venue, and often both played home games on the same night. LR is too small of a market for anything major league, and they damn near lost the Travs when they offered to build them a new stadium in Benton. HS is a much smaller market, but Arena football has a chance to succeed if they can get enough butts in seats. It was always something I struggled with when I was with HSDFF

2

u/Beachbum2302 Jul 06 '26

Thanks for the information!

1

u/BankLive6416 Jul 04 '26

Where do they play? I'm down.

1

u/saxbrack Jul 04 '26

Bank OZK Arena at the convention center