Should Hamilton get an NHL team?

[CdnWingsFanEh 2]

Nashville sold 12,000 season tickets. not deposits, full season tickets before they were granted an expansion team

While this may be true, I think one has to take into consideration a few things with Hamilton, and Ballsillie:

1. This isn't going to be an expansion club, it's an exisitng club. Ballsillie isn't competing against other clubs in a bidding process (as of yet).

2. I don't think he could realistically say that he was getting deposits for season-tickets IN CASE the lease agreement falls through if he charges the full amount. Not only that if he charges the full amount, he would have to a) come up with a ticket price, which he probably doesn't know yet, b) ultimately admit that yes he is bringing the team to hamilton, which as of yet he has not done, even though his actions indicate he would.

3. I'm not sure he can legally sell tickets to an event (hockey game) which there is a high possibility might never occur. Particularly when there is no set date for that event. I imagine once he actually owns the club he might be able to, but I don't know either way.

Edit(sp)

Edited June 20, 2007 by CdnWingsFanEh

[canadienhater 0]

While this may be true, I think one has to take into consideration a few things with Hamilton, and Ballsillie:

1. This isn't going to be an expansion club, it's an exisitng club. Ballsillie isn't competing against other clubs in a bidding process (as of yet).

2. I don't think he could realistically say that he was getting deposits for season-tickets IN CASE the lease agreement falls through if he charges the full amount. Not only that if he charges the full amount, he would have to a) come up with a ticket price, which he probably doesn't know yet, b) ultimately admit that yes he is bringing the team to hamilton, which as of yet he has not doen, even though his actions indicate he would.

3. I'm not sure he can legally sell tickets to an event (hockey game) which there is a high possibility might never occur. Particularly when there is no set date for that event. I imagine once he actually owns the club he might be able to, but I don't know either way.

you can put people on a waiting list

[CdnWingsFanEh 2]

you can put people on a waiting list

I know, and I agree, it was kind of a dumb move. My point was more directed to Legionnaire11 who said that Nashville sold full tickets, not deposits. I was suggesting that it would not be prudent on the part of Ballsillie to sell fuLl tickets. Heck, I think it would have been a better idea not to take deposits either, because it certainly gives the appearance that he intends to move the franchise.

Edit(sp)

Edited June 20, 2007 by CdnWingsFanEh

[Barrie 900]

More info from the FAN590 in Toronto today. I live 15 minutes from where the Hamilton team would play, so I'm right in the middle of it on the Hamilton side. The info has to do with Buffalo and how a Hamilton team would effect them.

-Canadians account for 12% of Sabres tickets, pre lock out it was 15%.

-No Canadian Companies have rights to Corporate Boxes at HSBC Arena, because it's not a tax write off for Canadian Based Businesses.

-Sabres games haven't been on free TV in Canada for 15 years, so they won't lose any tv ratings.

-The Sabres have passed the Bills as the most popular team in Western New York.

Edit: I know things are looking better for Buffalo because they are winning, but it's like that in most American Cities (the majority of American fans are fans of more than one sport in their city), but Buffalo should be ok with a team in Hamilton. I would assume they would only lose half of the Canadians, the other half are probably actual die-hard Sabres fans (I know a few Sabres fans here). And, they won't lose any Corporate support (they key to financial success) unless they piss them off.

2) Hamilton is way to close to both Toronto and Buffalo, does Basille really think he is going to get a strong fan base? No way are true Maple Leaf fans going to ditch their team for some new franchise, it is strategically, way to close to Toronto. The Maple Leafs are a proud franchise, whether they are winning or not. It's not a bright move to move right on the outskirts of them.

There's enough pissed of Leafs fans willing to switch their support to a Hamilton team. Also, the Corporations pretty much own all the Leafs tickets to entertain clients with, so real hockey fans never get a chance to see a game in person. The Leafs have that Corporate feel to them, Hamilton would be a Blue Collar/Working Class team. Plus it's just to damn expensive not only go to see the Leafs play, but to just go downtown Toronto.

It'll work in Hamilton....

Don Cherry was intereviewed a few days ago on the FAN590 and said a team in Hamilton is a "can't miss".

No offence to anyone here, but I don't think the majority of you know how big hockey is in the Toronto area. Detroit has the Wings, Tigers, Pistons, and Lions. In Toronto-Hamilton it's the Leafs and Hockey!! Every other sport in Toronto-Hamilton is like what the NHL is in the South.

I've said it before, but this area is badly in need of another NHL team.

Edited June 20, 2007 by Barrie

[CdnWingsFanEh 2]

More info from the FAN590 in Toronto today. I live 15 minutes from where the Hamilton team would play, so I'm right in the middle of it on the Hamilton side. The info has to do with Buffalo and how a Hamilton team would effect them.

-Canadians account for 12% of Sabres tickets, pre lock out it was 15%.

-No Canadian Companies have rights to Corporate Boxes at HSBC Arena, because it's not a tax write off for Canadian Based Businesses.

-Sabres games haven't been on free TV in Canada for 15 years, so they won't lose any tv ratings.

-The Sabres have passed the Bills as the most popular team in Western New York.

Edit: I know things are looking better for Buffalo because they are winning, but it's like that in most American Cities (the majority of American fans are fans of more than one sport in their city), but Buffalo should be ok with a team in Hamilton. I would assume they would only lose half of the Canadians, the other half are probably actual die-hard Sabres fans (I know a few Sabres fans here). And, they won't lose any Corporate support (they key to financial success) unless they piss them off.

There's enough pissed of Leafs fans willing to switch their support to a Hamilton team. Also, the Corporations pretty much own all the Leafs tickets to entertain clients with, so real hockey fans never get a chance to see a game in person. The Leafs have that Corporate feel to them, Hamilton would be a Blue Collar/Working Class team. Plus it's just to damn expensive not only go to see the Leafs play, but to just go downtown Toronto.

It'll work in Hamilton....

Don Cherry was intereviewed a few days ago on the FAN590 and said a team in Hamilton is a "can't miss".

No offence to anyone here, but I don't think the majority of you know how big hockey is in the Toronto area. Detroit has the Wings, Tigers, Pistons, and Lions. In Toronto-Hamilton it's the Leafs and Hockey!! Every other sport in Toronto-Hamilton is like what the NHL is in the South.

I've said it before, but this area is badly in need of another NHL team.

I live in Stoney Creek (a suburb of Hamilton) and have to say I agree with pretty much this entire statement. It's what i've been trying to say, but couldn't figure out how to say it. I think, ultimately, you'd have people dropping season tickets for the Blue Jays to switch to a Hamilton team before you would ever lose support (season ticket holders) for the Leafs. Besides, if the Leafs did lose any ticketholders to Hamilton, they have a waiting list probably as long as the wings for people to buy.

[Barrie 900]

I live in Stoney Creek (a suburb of Hamilton) and have to say I agree with pretty much this entire statement. It's what i've been trying to say, but couldn't figure out how to say it. I think, ultimately, you'd have people dropping season tickets for the Blue Jays to switch to a Hamilton team before you would ever lose support (season ticket holders) for the Leafs. Besides, if the Leafs did lose any ticketholders to Hamilton, they have a waiting list probably as long as the wings for people to buy.

Yeah good point about the Blue Jays. A Hamilton NHL team may hurt the Jays more so than the Leafs or Sabres.

Hockey rules here!!

Edit: I was just thinking, it could also hurt the Raptors as well. I'm sure there's people who have Raptors Season Ticket because they can't get 'em to the Leafs.

Edited June 21, 2007 by Barrie

[hockeyone 0]

not that I put a lot of stock in ESPN.com but here is what they say the nhl attendance figures were last year. Am I missing something? This looks likes Nashville made it above 14,000.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/attendance?year=2007

[CdnWingsFanEh 2]

not that I put a lot of stock in ESPN.com but here is what they say the nhl attendance figures were last year. Am I missing something? This looks likes Nashville made it above 14,000.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/attendance?year=2007

I'm not 100% sure, but I think it has to do with HOW that number is achieved for the purposes of breaking the lease. I think it was that if you didn't include the post season, it went down below 14000, and this was the basis for how Craig and co. thought they could get out of the lease. And it had something to do with strictly season tickets, as well, not average attendence. I think Legionnaire11 could give a better explanation for sure. I'm just trying to remember what I've heard, most of which is speculation, and poorly at that, I guess.

[Legionnaire11 0]

ESPN figures count total attendance. For the lease, it considers PAID attendance. There were about 1,400 free tickets per game last season.

[Barrie 900]

Just something fun to pass along. Since I live in the middle of Toronto-Hamilton, my friends and I have been talking a lot about a team in Hamilton. The majority of them said they'd ditch the Leafs and switch to Hamilton .

One of them last night asked me if I would switch too. I said, "No!". He did one of those, "Ah come on man, it's Hamilton!". I told him, "All my favorite teams are in Detroit, and I don't have any reason to switch. You guys have a reason too switch, but I don't".

There's soooo many pissed off Leaf fans around here, that Hamilton will have a huge following right from the start. I know a few guys too, Leaf fans, who put a deposit down on tickets.

Man, I hope we get another team, it'll be a lot of fun.

[eva unit zero 271]

Just something fun to pass along. Since I live in the middle of Toronto-Hamilton, my friends and I have been talking a lot about a team in Hamilton. The majority of them said they'd ditch the Leafs and switch to Hamilton .

One of them last night asked me if I would switch too. I said, "No!". He did one of those, "Ah come on man, it's Hamilton!". I told him, "All my favorite teams are in Detroit, and I don't have any reason to switch. You guys have a reason too switch, but I don't".

There's soooo many pissed off Leaf fans around here, that Hamilton will have a huge following right from the start. I know a few guys too, Leaf fans, who put a deposit down on tickets.

Man, I hope we get another team, it'll be a lot of fun.

I would rather see an expansion team or a team like Florida, Washington, or New Jersey move to Hamilton. Nashville has been consistently improving attendance and is the only NHL market within a 4 hours drive. A team like Florida is a better candidate for moving because it is not as well supported as Nashville, and the fans have a somewhat local team to change to if they so choose. New Jersey is the #3 team in its market and does not get fan support because New York fans tend to pick a team and stay with them no matter what, for better or worse, and that team has pretty much been the Rangers for the majority. Also, a tendency in that area to be fans of the same teams as your parents hurts the Devils, who moved into New York when both the Rangers and Islanders were Cup contenders.

A team in Hamilton could succeed. But Nashville is not the team that should be moved.

Edited June 23, 2007 by eva unit zero