Atlanta Thrashers moving to Winnipeg

[Mr Tony]

You still haven't answered this question: How do you propose forcing a franchise on a city/region that won't support it, either in attendance or TV ratings, or both?? How long are those franchises supposed to suffer when there are are other markets waiting with open arms??

I think sam keeps forgetting the original question

 

[BillD1984]

IMO, the NHL was never better than when it had teams in Montreal, Toronto, Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton, Quebec and Winnipeg.

It's an absolute joke that the NHL has this many teams in the Sun Belt, but only FIVE Canadian teams!

 

[Mets82]

IMO, the NHL was never better than when it had teams in Montreal, Toronto, Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton, Quebec and Winnipeg.

It's an absolute joke that the NHL has this many teams in the Sun Belt, but only FIVE Canadian teams!

Bill, I think your right but the bottom line is $$$$. If there was an all canadian stanley cup this year, the ratings probably wouldnt be that good because of the canadian influence. I think the NHL was better when the canadian teams that you mentioned were all around. And it was also better when the Hartford Whalers were around, but I am biased living in CT.

 

[Mr Tony]

IMO, the NHL was never better than when it had teams in Montreal, Toronto, Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton, Quebec and Winnipeg.

It's an absolute joke that the NHL has this many teams in the Sun Belt, but only FIVE Canadian teams!

yep I agree

 

[cosmo_kramer]

Any league is better when it's comprised of strong, viable teams, no matter where they're located.

The NHL has already attempted to get new markets involved. If it works out for them, great!! If it doesn't, those teams should be allowed to move somewhere else where they can be successful. It's not something you can mandate.

 

[Jimbo]

How many teams in the NBA make the playoffs? How about 16. 65 Teams in the NCAA Basketball Tournament, plus the NIT and a couple other post season tournaments are OK....but 16 teams making the NHL playoffs, showcasing the best hockey of the year, is too many?? Maybe in your state, where your nhl team has made the playoffs once in its history, you can make that statement, but the rest of us love the stanley cup playoffs and they are the highlight of the year.

Perhaps Ohio should support that team they have, or they may become the next Quebec Nordiques.

I have NEVER agreed with HALF the teams making the playoffs and being in Ohio has NOTHING to do with it.

 

[JAG72]

Any league is better when it's comprised of strong, viable teams, no matter where they're located.

The NHL has already attempted to get new markets involved. If it works out for them, great!! If it doesn't, those teams should be allowed to move somewhere else where they can be successful. It's not something you can mandate.

I agree and disagree with your statement about allowing the teams to move elsewhere so they can be successful. In the Blue Jackets case the only reason they are not making money is the contract that the team signed with the arena. They have the worst revenue sharing contracts in the league. If the arena would rework the contract then the team would actually be making money and that could help them sign the players they may need to be more successful. Even though the Blue Jackets attendance is lacking they have a huge following in the area. They are just like most other teams, win and the fans will come. People are just sick of spending their hard earned money on tickets to watch the team lose.

 

[SamCdbs]

I'm glad none of you people had Pete Rozelle's or Lamar Hunt's ear. Better to keep football just around the Great Lakes and a couple of east coast cities. Or Walter O'Malley's, certainly the MLB should just consist in a quadrant of the country defined by the Atlantic, Canada, the Mississippi, and the Ohio. Teams in LA, or even Houston, or Atlanta? Dubious fans there.

Can the a pro sports league make it on just Canada? Sure, its called the CFL, average pay is about $80K, less Canada's confiscatory taxes. Add in the US border states, every one of which has consistantly lost population for over 50 years, and what you have is a minor league of no interest to US networks o US national advertizers.

 

[Islandguy43]

IMO, the NHL was never better than when it had teams in Montreal, Toronto, Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton, Quebec and Winnipeg.

It's an absolute joke that the NHL has this many teams in the Sun Belt, but only FIVE Canadian teams!

I guess Ottawa must have been disbanded then....but I could have sworn that they played at HSBC last season with the other 5 canadian teams.

Bring back Quebec City...(Florida Panthers) and then do the right thing and put Phoenix in Hamilton, just leave the Blackberry jerk out of the picture.

 

[Derwin0]

I guess Ottawa must have been disbanded then....but I could have sworn that they played at HSBC last season with the other 5 canadian teams.

The Senators were created just before Quebec and Winnipeg moved South, so they were never really in the mix of the days of Montreal, Toronto, Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton, Quebec and Winnipeg

 

[Mr Tony]

I'm glad none of you people had Pete Rozelle's or Lamar Hunt's ear. Better to keep football just around the Great Lakes and a couple of east coast cities. Or Walter O'Malley's, certainly the MLB should just consist in a quadrant of the country defined by the Atlantic, Canada, the Mississippi, and the Ohio. Teams in LA, or even Houston, or Atlanta? Dubious fans there.

Can the a pro sports league make it on just Canada? Sure, its called the CFL, average pay is about $80K, less Canada's confiscatory taxes. Add in the US border states, every one of which has consistantly lost population for over 50 years, and what you have is a minor league of no interest to US networks o US national advertizers.

since you have avoided the question YET AGAIN and go on a drunken rambling, I'll post it again and make it bigger so maybe you can see it and possibly answer it

So putting them in areas where they will get support for maybe 2 years then folks dont show up is the way to go?

 

[Derwin0]

Of course it's not. It's a money loser.

I had a long argument about how the NHL is not a nationally followed sport, only to have others claim that it was.

 

[cybok0]

If people want to move teams to Canada because of money problems and poor attendance then the Islanders should move.

The Penguins had poor attendance then the lockout and the Lucky bounce of a ping pong ball and the franchise is doing great. If a team wins the fans will show.

 

[hwkn]

From what I read in today's Chicago Tribune a local buyer has come forward to offer to keep them in Atlanta.

 

[Paul Wozniak]

If people want to move teams to Canada because of money problems and poor attendance then the Islanders should move.

The Penguins had poor attendance then the lockout and the Lucky bounce of a ping pong ball and the franchise is doing great. If a team wins the fans will show.

It's funny how winning influences attendance, isn't it?

 

[macongasub]

I'm looking forward to watching Iceberg have a major meltdown IF the Thrashers stay in Atlanta. That should be quite entertaining.

 

[Mr Tony]

I'm looking forward to watching Iceberg have a major meltdown IF the Thrashers stay in Atlanta. That should be quite entertaining.

Why would I have a meltdown? If they move they do. If they don't life goes on. I was excited when Phoenix almost moved to Hamilton until Bettman decided to play the "I'll only take offers I want" game. It didnt happen so life went on

If you're referring to my post above with the large print it was in reference to sam skirting the question and instead going on some drunken rampage I figured making it larger maybe he'd see it an answer the question

 

[SamCdbs]

Your qustion is, in fact, undeserving of an answer, because it pre-suposes facts that simply are not true.

If we define a hockey area as a place with HS hockey, then what about Pittsburgh? What about LA? What about Dallas? Etc.

It is called growing a sport. Making it national.

Or, you can just go back to Canada, and be a non-entity in the USA on a national basis.

 

[Jimbo]

Your qustion is, in fact, undeserving of an answer, because it pre-suposes facts that simply are not true.

If we define a hockey area as a place with HS hockey, then what about Pittsburgh? What about LA? What about Dallas? Etc.

It is called growing a sport. Making it national.

Or, you can just go back to Canada, and be a non-entity in the USA on a national basis.

What ?
Your saying theres NO HS Hockey played in these cities ?
Are you SURE of that ?

Btw, even if there isn't, what does HS Hockey have to do with fans supporting the NHL level hockey in town ?

 

[cybok0]

Your qustion is, in fact, undeserving of an answer, because it pre-suposes facts that simply are not true.

If we define a hockey area as a place with HS hockey, then what about Pittsburgh? What about LA? What about Dallas? Etc.

It is called growing a sport. Making it national.

Or, you can just go back to Canada, and be a non-entity in the USA on a national basis.

Actually HS hockey is pretty good here in Pittsburgh, it's no Boston but is pretty good.