6 Canadian teams account for 31% of league revenue

[TheWestWing 71]

'A secret NHL report detailing the ticket revenues of its 30 teams reveals what Canadian hockey fans have long suspected and offers a compelling case for putting more teams north of the border.

The six Canadian teams account for 31 per cent of the $1.1 billion (U.S.) in league ticket revenue, and have gone through league-leading double-digit increases over last season, according to the internal NHL report.'

'...The increase in the value of the Canadian dollar may be responsible for as much as half of the league's revenue gains since the NHL went through the lockout of 2004-05, say several sources familiar with NHL finances.'

Alas, the poor Yotes:

'The most interesting league data may concern the sad-sack Coyotes, who were last in ticket revenue at $450,000. The team is losing more than $30 million a season and was contacted over the past season by six potential buyers, including Balsillie's lawyer, Richard Rodier.'

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[McCartyFanForLife 17]

I wouldn't put the blame on the U.S. dollar. I'd put the blame on teams being in areas they don't belong. Arizona is a terrible place for a hockey team. I think more Canadian teams would be great, but don't create new ones; take them from cities that don't need hockey teams.

[sixer 37]

Wow, I knew the Leafs made alot of money but that's insane!!!

Mccarty fan I definitely agree, we need to move a team like Phoenix to Ontario where we could easily fill another NHL team. Probably even two more if you want to know the truth of matter.

Stupid Bettman!!!

[McCartyFanForLife 17]

I'd move Florida and Phoenix up to Canada. In my mind there will never be a hockey market in either of those areas. Only reason Tampa Bay stays is because they're generating some money, but wouldn't be far behind in my mind. "If you build it, they will come" does NOT apply to NHL franchises.

[JayUp88 1]

I'd move Florida and Phoenix up to Canada. In my mind there will never be a hockey market in either of those areas. Only reason Tampa Bay stays is because they're generating some money, but wouldn't be far behind in my mind. "If you build it, they will come" does NOT apply to NHL franchises.

I was down in TB a couple years back and it really seemed like they had a lot of fans. There was a lot of TB fans around.

[Glubki 17]

I was down in TB a couple years back and it really seemed like they had a lot of fans. There was a lot of TB fans around.

I live in Sarasota and there are quite a few hockey fans around here - many of them are transplants from the north who have adopted the Lightning. We'll see how it holds up because the economy is starting a backslide down here...

[mjlegend 155]

Move the Coyotes back to Winnipeg and you'd get more than $450,000/ game in revenue. Move the Panthers to Quebec City . . . Keep the NHL in markets that support hockey and care about it and grow the game intensely in those markets. Make a place like Florida pine for an NHL team the way Hamilton does before granting a franchise.

[RedWingAbner 13]

I live in Tampa; the Lightning are quite a story down here, even in the off-season.

The main reason? They've won a championship. The fans are loyal to that.

[VM1138 1,921]

I am all for more Canadian teams, or at least northern US.

[Shaman 713]

Move Florida to Quebec, Phoenix to Winnipeg, start one in KC. thats my suggestions.

[T-Ruff 47]

If they move a team to Canada the first place should be Kitchener/Waterloo or Hamilton area..... Not Winnepeg

[Hitchhiker 9]

It's really not hard to fathom 20% of the teams (a few are some of the oldest in the league) making 31% of the revenue.

[JayUp88 1]

If they move a team to Canada the first place should be Kitchener/Waterloo or Hamilton area..... Not Winnepeg

Agreed, didn't Winnepeg already have a chance and they blew it.

[Redwngfan2002 0]

It's really not hard to fathom 20% of the teams (a few are some of the oldest in the league) making 31% of the revenue.

That is the first thing I thought when I saw that.

If every team in the league sold out at 06' ticket prices - The 6 Canadian teams would naturally have 25% of the revenue due to capacity and ticket prices.

The NHL 06' Ticket Average = $43.13

The 6 Canadian teams 06' price averaged = $47.11

Doesnt seem like that big of a difference - but if you upped all US teams to the $47.11 average - they would gain 10% of the revenue.

Lowest = Coyotes @ $25.41

Highest = Canucks @ $58.96

NHL Capacity = 551,906

6 Canadian = 113,968 (20.6% of League)

Edited May 30, 2008 by Redwngfan2002

[arnoldbuck 0]

Agreed, didn't Winnepeg already have a chance and they blew it.

Exactly. I'm Canadian, but i personally dont know if Quebec city, or Winnipag deserves a team. I dont doubt they love their hockey there, but ... what happens if teams are moved there and they suck. Obviously for the first few seasons, ticket sales will be high, ... but it could easily return to the same atmosphere that saw the teams lieqave in the first place.

[Redwngfan2002 0]

The most interesting league data may concern the sad-sack Coyotes, who were last in ticket revenue at $450,000.

Sure - but the Coyotes arena only has 80% of the capacity of Montreal, and tickets are 56% cheaper. Maybe stats like that also have something to do with it. Total revenue is not the only part of the picture.

If the Coyotes sold every seat at the average price of 06' they would make a max of $452,272.59 / per game.

If the Canadians sold every seat at the average price of 06' they would make a max of $1,208,731.86 / per game!

Thats a 37% difference already if they Coyotes did sell out every possible seat.

Edited May 30, 2008 by Redwngfan2002

[DesertWing 11]

The Coyotes aren't going to move anywhere. They have a lease with the arena that carries with it a $400,000,000 buyout to get out of. No way anyone buys the team, then turns around and pays out $400million. As much as people want the NHL to leave Phoenix, it isn't going to happen anytime soon.

[Datsyerberger 279]

I honestly don't think AZ is as bad a hockey market as some of you think. While Phoenix is certainly a crappy place itself for a team that plays an ice sport to be, it's also the major city in AZ. Contrary to popular belief, AZ is not all desert and in fact the northern chunk of it can get quite cold and sees a good bit of snow, and there's more people than you'd think there that are fans of ice sports. Lots of transplants from up north around there, particularly college-aged, like people attending NAU in Flagstaff. I think it has more to do with the utter failure of the team so far, combined with (as someone earlier pointed out) a smaller arena and quite cheap ticket prices as they attempt to lure some fans. Unfortunately, they're going to need some success for that. Just pointing out that I think there's more potential support there than you might think.

As for TB, I think that's actually one of the more successful hockey teams attendance and revenue-wise at the moment. They're also a moderately successful club (hell, they have a cup) and a VERY large fan base in the TB area. Lots of people who've moved up there from the northern states, particularly Mich and what have you, and lots of snowbirds who live there about half the year. A good number of their fans may only be second allegiance (like me who is Wings first and TB as my "local" team second), but fan support is still fan support. Because there are a good load of secondary fans in the area who visibly support the team, s that attracts new fans as well. TB is a better hockey market than some of you give it credit for..

Now Florida, on the other hand.. Florida definitely does not need 2 hockey teams, and Florid a is definitely the loser of these two teams? (Jacksonville? Ugh...) Move that one to Canada, or maybe somewhere in the northwest.

As an edit, I would like to compliment the Lightning fans in saying that they're far and away the most knowledgeable hockey fans of all of the non-northern teams, and quite classy as well, in my experience.

Edited May 30, 2008 by The Wheeled Winger

[Barrie 900]

Exactly. I'm Canadian, but i personally dont know if Quebec city, or Winnipag deserves a team. I dont doubt they love their hockey there, but ... what happens if teams are moved there and they suck. Obviously for the first few seasons, ticket sales will be high, ... but it could easily return to the same atmosphere that saw the teams lieqave in the first place.

Agreed. I'm not convinced a team can survive in Winnipeg or Quebec City again either. I'm about 50/50 on KC, but it would probably be better than some markets that already have teams. Vegas, don't even try it.

Personally I think the 3 best markets to try (in order) are Sourthern Ontario, Seattle, and Houston.

[Cern 0]

Agreed, didn't Winnepeg already have a chance and they blew it.

Uh, so did the Bay Area, Minnesota, Colorado, Ohio, (lol) Atlanta... somehow bringing teams back into those areas wasn't some kind of impossible pipe dream because they 'blew it' a few decades ago.

Winnipeg would work better than southern Ontario for geographical reasons. Hamilton or K/W would have to deal with a population already solidly in Leafs territory, plus the Sabres are within close proximity as well. A team there would have to pay additional expenditures to both of those teams for potentially lost revenues due to stealing their fanbase territory. Winnipeg has no nearby NHL contenders, ergo it dosen't need to spend more money on a franchise than necessary.

[Datsyerberger 279]

If it were Winnipeg again, maybe they could call them the Winnipeg Turboprops this time around. Or the Winnipeg Gyrocopters or something. Just a thought

[vangvace 12]

Find it funny that young teams like Phoenix and Florida are getting picked on here. Guess they were supposed to magically draw fans after the newness wore off.

Honestly, moving solves nothing in the long run and further reduces league credibility IMO

Folks should be more pissed about NYI, St Louis, LA, and Washington. I've excluded Chicago only because they had a increase in attendance after Writz passed. They are all teams that have been around for a while and, as much as I don't like teams moving, would be at the top of my list to move.

[RockyMountainWingGal 108]

I wouldn't put the blame on the U.S. dollar. I'd put the blame on teams being in areas they don't belong. Arizona is a terrible place for a hockey team. I think more Canadian teams would be great, but don't create new ones; take them from cities that don't need hockey teams.

True they need to assess this on a team-by-team basis. If a franchise is below some standard level for several years - yes they certainly should be fair game for moving!!! IMO there are a few franchises out there that just don't need to exist (nor would their supposed fans even notice if they left!)

[Datsyerberger 279]

I'd still rather see Florida move before any of them. And the Kings? Not a huge fan of them either, but Id much much much much rather see the Ducks move before them. And get a new logo/name while they're at it. I've some sympathy for the Caps for some reason.. or maybe it's just I've been watching them more since they have Ovie. NYI has had quite the success in the past, I think moving them would be a mistake. The Blues.. eh.. no comment on them.

[GMRwings1983 8,804]

I was down in TB a couple years back and it really seemed like they had a lot of fans. There was a lot of TB fans around.

That couple of years back wouldn't be the Cup Finals by any chance?

Move Florida to Quebec, Phoenix to Winnipeg, start one in KC. thats my suggestions.

Right. I'm sure the Coyotes players wouldn't mind having their golf schedule altered like that by moving to Winnipeg.