We need to look at this in terms of geography.

Whenever minor hockey leagues have attempted to 'outgrow' their region, they have ALWAYS failed.

Look at the IHL when it left Kalamazoo and Fort Wayne for Orlando and Phoenix. It happened in the old CHL when they spread out to Salt Lake City and Seattle.

The AHL now is overgrowing itself and will eventually fail, I predict.

Until the AAA level leagues relocate to the OKC/Tulsa/Houston/Memphis regions, I don't see it happening.