Quad City Storm President Gwen Tombergs took to Facebook this morning after what she characterized to the Quad City Times as a very challenging day for her and her staff. The Facebook post reaffirms her commitment to keeping hockey alive in the Quad Cities but also outlined some of the early challenges the Storm is facing.

Primarily a lack of support from local businesses:

Sponsors that have been with hockey for years are walking away. Many companies are taking a "wait and see" approach and want us to prove we will be different and stay around. How can a new start-up team stay around unless there's enough support to pay the bills?

It's a good question too. It's disheartening to hear that sponsors who have supported hockey for a long time have decided to wait and see what happens. Or have just decided to walk away from being involved in the team. Especially with local owners who are smart enough to have someone so ingrained in the community as Gwen Tombergs to run the team.

So what does the Storm need from the business community? Sponsorships, group nights, cross marketing. For the rest of us; we need to show up at the TaxSlayer Center for the games. We need to have a good time and get our friends to go too. Let's give the Storm the help they need to be the Quad Cities hockey team for decades to come.

Here's the Facebook post from Gwen Tombergs:

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