Time to re-locate Canadian franchises!

[SouthernWingsFan 854]

It is clearly evident that many of the six Canadian franchises currently in the NHL are having trouble keeping up with the economic times. I think it’s time to consider brainstorming places where they can re-locate to.

If we want to keep the Oilers franchise in the Western Conference, I suggest a move to Seattle. The NBA Supersonics will eventually be gone from Seattle and an NHL franchise would be the only professional team in town during the winter after the Seahawks finish their season. This has been talked about off/on in here and it could spark a big rivalry with Vancouver. Not to mention that there would still be a lot of regional Oiler fans.

Ottawa could be re-located to Baltimore, to create a close rivalry with the Philadelphia Flyers and Washington Capitals.

Better yet, how about re-locate Edmonton to Oklahoma City. Think about it.OKC also doesn’t have a permanent professional team. This could be a viable option because the NBA Hornets, due to Katrina, are still temporarily playing at the Ford Center there before they come back to my home town, New Orleans, for good next season, and the community has embraced them the past two seasons. Ford Center sits just over 18,000.

http://www.okfordcenter.com/

http://www.worldstadiums.com/stadium_pictu...city_ford.shtml

http://www.worldstadiums.com/stadium_pictu...city_ford.shtml

[Cicada 4]

err..aprils fools?

[Zetter is Better 0]

Screw you SoutthernWingsFan! I just typed to paragraphs blasting you and then I relize its April first! . You got me, GOOD

[SouthernWingsFan 854]

No guys, I’m being serious here.

We have also failed to consider the following...since recent hockey outdoor games over the past few years were wildly popular in East Lansing (Michigan State) and Edmonton (the Oilers Hall of Fame game). MSU’s Spartan Stadium sold a lot of its 70,000 seats for tht game and the Oilers HOF game was played is where the Eskimos (Edmonton’s Canadian Football team) play their games, which seats rougly 60,000.

Think of the potential mass audiences the owners could reach.

Based off those facts, I also suggest the city of Albuquerque to re-locate Edmonton to. It's a perfect marketing gimmick. Albuquerque doesn’t have a professional team of any kind, and the Phoenix Coyotes could use a good rival other than the Dallas Stars. The franchise could play games at “The Pit†located at the University of New Mexico, which is one of the better venues for college basketball in the country and seats over 18,000ish. Or, to entertain the wild popularity of a professional team, you could host games every now and then at an outdoor facility, the University Stadium, where UNM football games are played. It’s not overly large, but large enough, and it’s fairly compact, no upper decks so the players wouldn’t be tiny from high up, and it seats roughly 42,000. The 1st annual New Mexico Bowl was wildly successful (granted New Mexico was one of the teams in the bowl game) so you know outdoor sporting events there can be consistently popular.

You could move Ottawa to Orlando. Tampa Bay and Florida could use another rival to stir the pot up, and Orlando is always a city that does well economically. They could play where the Magic and their arena football team, the Predators, play at Amway Arena, which seats just under 18,000. Florida generated a lot of interest with their Cup run in 1996, and Tampa Bay won it all in 2004, so a franchise in Orlando can definitely keep that magic going and make it to the Cup finals by 2010. And who wouldn't love seeing franchises from cities so close between Tampa Bay and Orlando on I-4 play so many times out of the year?

[Guest Tunbo Batman]

good one

[Zetter is Better 0]

No guys, I’m being serious here.

We have also failed to consider the following...since recent hockey outdoor games over the past few years were wildly popular in East Lansing (Michigan State) and Edmonton (the Oilers Hall of Fame game). MSU’s Spartan Stadium sold a lot of its 70,000 seats for tht game and the Oilers HOF game was played is where the Eskimos (Edmonton’s Canadian Football team) play their games, which seats rougly 60,000.

Think of the potential mass audiences the owners could reach.

Based off those facts, I also suggest the city of Albuquerque to re-locate Edmonton to. It's a perfect marketing gimmick. Albuquerque doesn’t have a professional team of any kind, and the Phoenix Coyotes could use a good rival other than the Dallas Stars. The franchise could play games at “The Pit†located at the University of New Mexico, which is one of the better venues for college basketball in the country and seats over 18,000ish. Or, to entertain the wild popularity of a professional team, you could host games every now and then at an outdoor facility, the University Stadium, where UNM football games are played. It’s not overly large, but large enough, and it’s fairly compact, no upper decks so the players wouldn’t be tiny from high up, and it seats roughly 42,000. The 1st annual New Mexico Bowl was wildly successful (granted New Mexico was one of the teams in the bowl game) so you know outdoor sporting events there can be consistently popular.

You could move Ottawa to Orlando. Tampa Bay and Florida could use another rival to stir the pot up, and Orlando is always a city that does well economically. They could play where the Magic and their arena football team, the Predators, play at Amway Arena, which seats just under 18,000. Florida generated a lot of interest with their Cup run in 1996, and Tampa Bay won it all in 2004, so a franchise in Orlando can definitely keep that magic going and make it to the Cup finals by 2010. And who wouldn't love seeing franchises from cities so close between Tampa Bay and Orlando on I-4 play so many times out of the year?

Your FUNNY

[schulzte 18]

I think the thumb of Michigan is underserved by pro sports. I think the Maple Leafs should move to Bad Axe. It even has a venue, the Huron County Fair show arena. They would do great there, we could call them the Huron County Lakers. I'll give Maple Leaf management a call.

[vladdy16 2,154]

I see SWF's point. While all 6 Canadian teams are in the top 10 in attendance, Vancouver and Edmonton aren't generating the same revenue. Even though it would wreak havoc with the current fans (which Bettman obviously isn't concerned about), it could give a huge boost to the NHL overall in the long run. I'd hate to see a Canadian team move, but if Gary wants to stay the course, so to speak, this would be a move he would consider.

[puckloo39 5,686]

I can see it happening. Money makes the world go around, and let's face it, Halliburton and Dell could each buy about 10 hockey franchises each, and build them literal palaces of arenas. I could see Houston as a viable destination, for certain. All it would take is a fat check and some rabid ex-pat, relocated Northern fans -- Houston's full of them. It's actually a good hockey town, with the Aeros and a very lively skating and hockey consumer base. Dallas adopted the Stars in no time and the place sells out with devoted, knowledgeable fans, every game.

I'd hate to see another Canadian team move to the sun belt, too, but as Vlady said, Bettman doesn't care about the fans and economics is the great motivator. Phoenix is unnatural, unless you consider how much hockey players love golf!

But, Texas could easily support a second team, and I wouldn't have to drive so far to see great hockey! Selfish me!

Edited April 1, 2007 by puckloo39

[sibiriak 84]

Happy April's Fool!

[toby91_ca 620]

Maybe Toronto should re-locate to Hopkinsville.

[Detroit # 1 Fan 2,204]

Not very funny.

Move the canadian teams and you lose alot of attendance , and have you been to edmonton ? evne if there out of the playoffs there are still people with oilers jersyes , hats , coats and strangely enough , Sweat Pants

[Hockey13Playa 240]

serious or not, its never going to happen.

CANADA is hockey.

America is football.

That would be like moving the NFL all to Canda, and getting rid of the teams here.

There is no way 6 canadian teams would ever get moved to the states.

[Kp-Wings 3]

April fools!!!!!!!

Almost had me goin' there.

[Jwo 7]

The Oilers and Canadiens are the only two canadian teams that are doing well with tv ratings while the other canadian teams ratings are down.

http://www.globesports.com/servlet/story/R...obeSportsSoccer

[Echolalia 2,961]

hell no.

[arnoldbuck 0]

I think we should expand the NHL into Mexico.

[SouthernWingsFan 854]

April fools!!!!!!!

Almost had me goin' there.

Ding ding ding. I laugh at anybody who took my outdoor stadium idea seriously and got angry over it.