Nashville's days appear numbered

[Guest DetroitIan]

that's IF they fail to meet the 14,000 requirement and the city doesn't pick up the extra tickets. There's a few other fees that would have to be paid as well, the total would be something around $33M and goes down a couple mil each year.

Time to face facts. Nashville is gone. No more. Done. Which is great considering they will now have fans that actually know about hockey. And im not saying you don't, but the majority doesn't know dick about hockey. And compared to fans from Ontario, its not even a contest. This is a great move.

[evilmrt 636]

Every town has to believe in something, Nashville believes it will have another drink and listen to Kenny Chesney's 22nd hit single that sounds the same as the 21st and 20th and 19th; not the Predators.

PURE GOLD!

Post of the week?

[haroldsnepsts 4,826]

That would be close, which would be pretty cool.

That would be nice to have a closer team. I'm in favor of almost anything that cuts down on the Wings travel.

Of course, it would also make it even more absurd for them to stay in the western conference than it already is for Detroit to be there.

[evilmrt 636]

I think this was mentioned, but this whole thing is getting a little more complex. Bettman was on the radio a couple days ago and said that Winnipeg would get a team before anyone else in Canada.

Heres the video/audio:

http://www2.sportsnet.ca/video/latest/2007..._Winnipeg_Jets_

This guy is the worst sports commish ever. I don't see how the situation in Winnipeg would be any different than in Nashville! Unless hes thinking of the Coyotes (the whole 3 year thing)...

Still, why he is on the radio talking about putting teams back in Winnipeg while this whole Kitchener-Waterloo/Nashville thing is going on?

[Earthhuman 8]

To Legionnaire11's Signature (Save the Preds!!!):

That's what Canada would do- it would provide a fanbase of 14,000+.

[Guest bullocks]

I think Hamilton will end up with the Predators. Hamilton is a larger city, and has a larger Metro area than the Waterloo area, and has an Arena in Copps Coliseum that is large enough to host NHL games right now; it was built in the hopes of getting an NHL expansion team.

I like Nashville, had a lot of fun visiting. But I didn't see one Predators sign in one bar while down there. Every town has to believe in something, Nashville believes it will have another drink and listen to Kenny Chesney's 22nd hit single that sounds the same as the 21st and 20th and 19th; not the Predators.

New Olympia Stadium

Copps Coliseum is not large enough to host nhl games right now. it will need to be renovated. like i said its not going to hamilton , if it goes to southern ontario it will be kitchener/waterloo.

Edited June 4, 2007 by bullocks

[eva unit zero 271]

To Legionnaire11's Signature (Save the Preds!!!):

That's what Canada would do- it would provide a fanbase of 14,000+.

Hmm...Winnipeg never once averaged that number for a full season. Not once in over 20 years--including WHA championship seasons. Last I checked, Winnipeg was in Canada.

[savaking72 0]

If the preds move to Canada I would love it. Nashville has no business housing a NHL hockey team. Country western has no place in hockey! Oh, I have always loved the nakme of their stadium...the gaylord center. I'd hate to lose in that place. Yeah, we just got our butts reamed in the gaylord center!! The preds have to be so ashamed. Bring them to Canada!!! Give the players some pride!

Just my opinion ya know!

[Zeke 5]

Copps Coliseum is not large enough to host nhl games right now. it will need to be renovated. like i said its not going to hamilton , if it goes to southern ontario it will be kitchener/waterloo.

Copps holds about 17500,but the boxes are not up to snuff.They will be renovated at Basillie's expense.

I live in Hamilton,and would be in a quandry as to who to cheer for.

My kids already told me they will be loyal to the Wings,as will I.

However,I may be able to drive downtown and see the Wings 4X per year.

Wouldn't it be ironic if they moved to the east conference and the wings were again stuck in the West?

[GoHabs007 0]

Even if Nashville does move, which is unlikely in the near future, Hamilton would never get the team. The Hamilton Bulldogs are currently in the Calder Cup finals, and have been averaging a pathetic 3,000 fans per game. Columbus' old ECHL team averaged nearly 5,000 during even the regular season, and this is hardly a great hockey city. I mean, Jody Shelley is the 2nd most popular player in the city.

[Guest bullocks]

Even if Nashville does move, which is unlikely in the near future, Hamilton would never get the team. The Hamilton Bulldogs are currently in the Calder Cup finals, and have been averaging a pathetic 3,000 fans per game. Columbus' old ECHL team averaged nearly 5,000 during even the regular season, and this is hardly a great hockey city. I mean, Jody Shelley is the 2nd most popular player in the city.

AHL fan base as nothing to do with NHL fan base.

[Kp-Wings 3]

Even if Nashville does move, which is unlikely in the near future, Hamilton would never get the team. The Hamilton Bulldogs are currently in the Calder Cup finals, and have been averaging a pathetic 3,000 fans per game. Columbus' old ECHL team averaged nearly 5,000 during even the regular season, and this is hardly a great hockey city. I mean, Jody Shelley is the 2nd most popular player in the city.

Who's the 1st most popular player? Fedorov?

[joshy207 156]

Well, in the late 80s, Bob Probert was the 2nd most-popular Red WIng... maybe even the MOST popular!

[vangvace 12]

Who's the 1st most popular player? Fedorov?

I started with Chevy... but stayed for the Probert. I like to get the Jersey's of my favorites.

My Jersey have/want list is:

Sawchuk

Yzerman

Brodeur

Howe

Probert

Kocur

Domi

Twist

Laraque

[StevieY9802 6]

Copps holds about 17500,but the boxes are not up to snuff.They will be renovated at Basillie's expense.

I live in Hamilton,and would be in a quandry as to who to cheer for.

My kids already told me they will be loyal to the Wings,as will I.

However,I may be able to drive downtown and see the Wings 4X per year.

Wouldn't it be ironic if they moved to the east conference and the wings were again stuck in the West?

I was wondering what would they do to the conference alignment? I mean Hamilton be in the west but be 45 minutes or so from TO and about 90 minutes from Buffalo? "Oh we've got an Eastern matchup against the Leafs tonight boys, just drive yourselves there." I think the Wings are stuck in the west for a good while. An east teams need to move for the Wings to move over. And now if Nashville goes to Hamilton and THEN an East team moves out west they would be the first team to move not Detroit. That would suck. I hate those 10:30 starts in the playoffs.

[Guest jaytan]

Why couldn't there be 16 teams in one division and 14 in the other, like they do in baseball? It would actually make things a little more fair, if you ask me, because teams in the West all have to travel a lot more than their Eastern counterparts, so it wouldn't be too horrible for fewer teams in the West to miss the playoffs.

[StevieY9802 6]

Why couldn't there be 16 teams in one division and 14 in the other, like they do in baseball? It would actually make things a little more fair, if you ask me, because teams in the West all have to travel a lot more than their Eastern counterparts, so it wouldn't be too horrible for fewer teams in the West to miss the playoffs.

I agree but question if they would do it. I mean one of the reasons Toronto moved to the East was the 3 new Western teams from 98-2000. I would rather see 18 teams in the Easts so the Wings and Jackets could be out East. Who knows what they'll do. Next step move Fla and the Yotes and probably a few others.

[Hank 0]

I used to live in Winnipeg and that city, at the time, did not support their team well at all. I would routinely get tickets for any game I wanted by simply walking up to the building 10 minutes before game time. And it's not like the tix were expensive. I used to get seats behind the goalie, against the glass, for $35 CDN each. However, despite the cheap tickets and how readily available they were, the upper bowl would remain mostly empty for the majority of games. The only time I saw it sold out was when they honoured Teemu Selanne for scoring a milestone goal.

I believe the Kitchener/Waterloo area would be great for a hockey team. There's over 5M people there with plenty of rabid hockey fans. They'd have no problem filling the seats, but more importantly getting corporate sponsers.

[MacK_Attack 108]

Jim Balsillie's lawyer was on Primetime Sports on the FAN 590 about an hour ago.

He went through a few different scenarios on how Balsillie can get out of the lease and such. He also went through how an owner goes about getting approved to move a team.

The lawyer couldn't come right out and say it, but they're clearly preparring to move the Predators.

[CdnWingsFanEh 2]

Jim Balsillie's lawyer was on Primetime Sports on the FAN 590 about an hour ago.

He went through a few different scenarios on how Balsillie can get out of the lease and such. He also went through how an owner goes about getting approved to move a team.

The lawyer couldn't come right out and say it, but they're clearly preparring to move the Predators.

Given that Research in Motion has recently purchased that peice of land outside Cambridge, beside the 401, and Hamilton's Mayor reported that a lease agreement with Research in Motion had tentatively been reached with Copps Colliseum, I would say that old Jimmie is looking at putting the Preds in Hamilton temporarily while he builds a new arena in Cambridge...just outside of the territorial limits of Toronto, and Buffalo. http://www.stoneycreeknews.com/scn/viewpoi...int_802112.html

Other info I've seen subsequently (can't remember where) suggest that the Hamilton Mayor Fred Eisenberger may have let the proverbial cat out of the bag on this one, rather than keeping his lips shut.

And the circus continues....

Edited June 7, 2007 by CdnWingsFanEh

[Legionnaire11 0]

Jim Balsillie's lawyer was on Primetime Sports on the FAN 590 about an hour ago.

He went through a few different scenarios on how Balsillie can get out of the lease and such. He also went through how an owner goes about getting approved to move a team.

The lawyer couldn't come right out and say it, but they're clearly preparring to move the Predators.

...also talked about how they can't move the team as long as a lease is in place. and as long as the preds average 14,000, then they could stay here until at least 2028 when the lease expires.

heck, we don't even need 14,000 every season.

this coming season is what is called a "cure" season in the lease. If we fail to average 14k, then the lease can be broken and the team can be moved. But if we do get 14k, then it resets everything for 3 seasons. so we could go 2 seasons after that with sub 14k attendance, and then another cure season would come around where we would have to reach that number again to keep the lease in place. Basically every season that we average 14k paid attendance, that guarantees an additional 3 seasons that the team stays in Nashville.

I know after listening to that interview, I became a lot more optimistic about keeping the Predators in Nashville for a long, long time and every other Preds fan who listened to it feels the same way. Things are looking up!

[poolerman 0]

...also talked about how they can't move the team as long as a lease is in place. and as long as the preds average 14,000, then they could stay here until at least 2028 when the lease expires.

heck, we don't even need 14,000 every season.

this coming season is what is called a "cure" season in the lease. If we fail to average 14k, then the lease can be broken and the team can be moved. But if we do get 14k, then it resets everything for 3 seasons. so we could go 2 seasons after that with sub 14k attendance, and then another cure season would come around where we would have to reach that number again to keep the lease in place. Basically every season that we average 14k paid attendance, that guarantees an additional 3 seasons that the team stays in Nashville.

I know after listening to that interview, I became a lot more optimistic about keeping the Predators in Nashville for a long, long time and every other Preds fan who listened to it feels the same way. Things are looking up!

************************************************************************************************

This team is moving not now but within 2-4 years

Winnipeg--forget that backwater town...they don'thave the money to support an NHL team

]Hamiltom requires a new rink..no boxes....of NHL calibre...

Cure season EH....when Iwant to move I raise ticket prices and I cure your cure and

say adios amigos..but i question if Waterloo can get corporate support..

Winterpeg and Quebec city are non-starters...there willnever be an NHL team in Quebec city again

EVER!!!

[zerotosixty 0]

The big problem with a team in Quebec City was always the language barrier, no one wanted to play there (biggest example: Lindros) because no one in the city speaks English. It's basically like having a hockey team in France. Montreal is a different story, people in Montreal are mostly bilingual compared to Quebec City.

[Legionnaire11 0]

well, there was a huge announcement yesterday. There is a new group in town called "Our Team Nashville". It's a coalition of heavy hitter on the Nashville business scene who want to keep the Preds. despite the fact that we only need another 200 fans at every game to reach 14,000. Their goal for the coming season is actually to sell another 3,000 season tickets.

Already in their first week of business they've got over 500 entities that want to purchase season tickets. if they all buy just 2 tickets, there's the first 1,000 already. not too bad. If their plan works, and we get 3,000, then look for at/near capacity every night.

[Guest GordieSid&Ted]

well, there was a huge announcement yesterday. There is a new group in town called "Our Team Nashville". It's a coalition of heavy hitter on the Nashville business scene who want to keep the Preds. despite the fact that we only need another 200 fans at every game to reach 14,000. Their goal for the coming season is actually to sell another 3,000 season tickets.

Already in their first week of business they've got over 500 entities that want to purchase season tickets. if they all buy just 2 tickets, there's the first 1,000 already. not too bad. If their plan works, and we get 3,000, then look for at/near capacity every night.

Sucks to lose your team. Can't blame you for being optimistic. Its fans like you in non-traditional markets that I like. You're hungry for hockey and want to keep your team. I may not care for your team but I love the hatred, love playing Nashville too, so long as they don't injure any of our guys with that cheap s*** they pull

The fact that they're on the radar screen as far as a potential move is bad. Doesn't mean it'll happen but doesn't speak very well about the health of the franchise in that locale.