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Lovin Jiri Fischer

Thrashers moving to Hamilton?

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I don't see either scenario happening, although the Coyotes are the more likely of the two, given the financial considerations. The only way the NHL is going to put any more teams in Canada is if a big market like Toronto or Montreal takes on a second team (i.e. Hamilton). Winnipeg does not have the economy to support a team, though they would have a built-in following, and there is not really another city in Canada that is big enough to support a modern NHL franchise. It's sad that cities like Atlanta, Tampa, and Phoenix, where they have basically had to be force-fed hockey when nobody there cares about or understands the game, while hockey-crazed people in the homeland of the game have seen their beloved teams sent down to NASCAR territory. I've been to games in Raleigh (before they won the cup in '06), Atlanta, and Tampa, and it hardly felt like a hockey game. As much as I think having one or two teams move from black holes in the Southeast division to smaller but better markets in Canada, if it doesn't happen now, I don't think it ever will.

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Hamilton will get a team. It's just a matter of when.

This news is starting to get old though. Everytime something like this happens, the city gets all excited, and then nothing happens.

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Lets move every NHL team that isnt doing well financially to Southern Ontario.

I'm up for a Pro Team Here In Windsor......

Oh wait, We Have One this year, The Spitfires.

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Guest Shoreline

I want these teams to stay afloat by any means necessary, but since Bettman seems so opposed to it, which is as smart as this government bailout, I'm more than happy to see these teams go completely down the s***ter financially. A market that cannot support it's team by buying merch/filling up seats shouldn't have a hockey team. That's why taxpayers of a town/metro/state need to be more conscientious of whether or not footing the bill for a venue that costs upwards of hundreds of millions is worth it. Bettman is too much of an idealist and I ******* hate people who cannot be practical when it comes to matters like this. If he had more than a peanut brain he'd have let owners move the Preds, Thrash, AND the 'Yotes.

Edited by Shoreline

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But then Toronto would want one!

Rim%20Shot%20Johnny%20Utah.jpg

:clap::clap::clap:

Was the thinking in the first place about southern markets that all the northern transplants moving to those cities would become fans of those teams, and also would go to see their former home town teams when they came to visit? I could see that theory being intriquing enough to invest in and stick with for a while.

Too bad it aint working out, though. :ph34r:

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Bettman is such a moron. The team isn't working, move it to a market guaranteed to succeed, it won't hurt the American market by losing Phoenix.

And the other plus of moving the team, the divisions can be re-structured so teams like Vancouver have an easier travel schedule. In a perfect world, Atlanta would move to Winnipeg, which makes the Northwest travel schedule easier, and the Avalanche can move to the Pacific. Preds can move to the Southeast, Sabres to the Central. Two bad markets, move to two good markets, and everyone gets an easier divisional travel.

It'll be good for the NHL to mix up the divisions a little.

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At the end of the day though, the best outlook for NHL relocation that Buttman will allow is Kansas City. To which I say, they had a SUPER-successful IHL team before the IHL tanked.

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I just do not get one thing: as I heard before, the Canadien teams do not create much profit except for the Leafs and the Habs. Well, first of all, I did not look at any accurate statistics of the NHL's total anual revenue chart but as we know, Canada does not have that much of capacity to accept more than 6 teams I think. Quebec Nordiques moved to Colorado, Winnipeg Jets moved to Pheonix because they could not get economic advatange from the sales of tickets, selling other products in the stadium, and sponsors from big companies. There must be some other issues around them outside what we did not catch but that is the main reason I believe.

According to the one news I remember, the Devils produce the least revenue as the American teams who perform more than average. I remember it was something like million per game. For the team that makes the most, the Rangers, they made 2 millon per game. Surely, because every original material for making products is more expensive in New York than any other places in America; and, because they spent much money on getting original stuff, their net income must not be as high as they expect to be.

On the other hand, I heard if we exclude the amount of revenue the Habs and the Leafs make per each game, the sum of Van, Cal, Edm, and Ott's revenue made each game is equal to the revenue the Devils make per game: million in american currency.

I do not know how other people think but because NHL ONLY moves non-popular teams in America to Canada, it does not mean the NHL will gain more economic value or profit. As the economy of the world is changing every second with the higher value of American dollar than the Canadien dollar, I seriously do not think anything will be better if NHL moves teams like Atlanta, Pheonix, and some other teams in the southern America to Canadien cities. I would say it will be even worse.

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All this talk of relocation to Hamilton is getting insane. Now we have two buyers in the mix, and we know the KHL Commish is looking at one of 3 different teams to buy (Phoenix, Atlanta, and another...? NYI?) and possibly relocate them.

So 3 relocations to....Hamilton/Kitchener, Portland/Seattle, Kansas City? I'm not even going to mention Winnipeg. <_<

Maybe a 2 team expansion is needed if Bettman is so against relocating failing franchises in non-hockey areas.

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I want these teams to stay afloat by any means necessary, but since Bettman seems so opposed to it, which is as smart as this government bailout, I'm more than happy to see these teams go completely down the s***ter financially. A market that cannot support it's team by buying merch/filling up seats shouldn't have a hockey team. That's why taxpayers of a town/metro/state need to be more conscientious of whether or not footing the bill for a venue that costs upwards of hundreds of millions is worth it. Bettman is too much of an idealist and I ******* hate people who cannot be practical when it comes to matters like this. If he had more than a peanut brain he'd have let owners move the Preds, Thrash, AND the 'Yotes.

I agree with you, but I want to ask everyone this: when the report of moving non-popular American teams because of whatever reasons like financial problem, attendance, revenue, and some blah blah blah.., why do most medias suggest only Canadien places to get NHL teams? Canadien cities do not have that much of financial capacity and ability. I do not know this kind of trend only occurs in Canada or same with USA, but if it is only Canadien, they are freaking illusionists.

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All this talk of relocation to Hamilton is getting insane. Now we have two buyers in the mix, and we know the KHL Commish is looking at one of 3 different teams to buy (Phoenix, Atlanta, and another...? NYI?) and possibly relocate them.

So 3 relocations to....Hamilton/Kitchener, Portland/Seattle, Kansas City? I'm not even going to mention Winnipeg. <_<

Maybe a 2 team expansion is needed if Bettman is so against relocating failing franchises in non-hockey areas.

Didn't Bettman say he would relocate any team in Las Vegas if any team tries to move to other cities because of bankruptcy?

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I agree with you, but I want to ask everyone this: when the report of moving non-popular American teams because of whatever reasons like financial problem, attendance, revenue, and some blah blah blah.., why do most medias suggest only Canadien places to get NHL teams? Canadien cities do not have that much of financial capacity and ability. I do not know this kind of trend only occurs in Canada or same with USA, but if it is only Canadien, they are freaking illusionists.

I agree. The currency exchange rate issue is going to be a factor, sooner or later...so you have to account for that when moving a team north again. If things got bad, are we sure that Hamilton (or later, Kitchener) would be able to sustain a team so close to Leafs territory with a weak Canadian dollar? Its a business risk, even if you argue its a small one.

I personally wonder why there is no discussion of American cities getting these possible relocations. The Northwest is ripe for a team...Seattle or Portland would be a great fit. Seattle lost its NBA team and are angry at that league...I can see them embracing an NHL team in its place.

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I went to a few games in Atlanta to see the Wings when they were in town, and Philips Arena (where they play) sold pretty well. Then again it's the Wings, who knows if that's why they sold the way they did. Although I did see them play the Bruins and the audiences were pretty comperable.

I don't know if moving the Thrashers to some locale unknown is necessarily the smart thing to do. I can see moving Phoenix, they couldn't support a wet paper bag, much less a hockey franchise. As to where they'd go, there really isn't anything in the middle of the country. Kansas City sounds like a great option to me.

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I agree. The currency exchange rate issue is going to be a factor, sooner or later...so you have to account for that when moving a team north again. If things got bad, are we sure that Hamilton (or later, Kitchener) would be able to sustain a team so close to Leafs territory with a weak Canadian dollar? Its a business risk, even if you argue its a small one.

I personally wonder why there is no discussion of American cities getting these possible relocations. The Northwest is ripe for a team...Seattle or Portland would be a great fit. Seattle lost its NBA team and are angry at that league...I can see them embracing an NHL team in its place.

Where would a team in Seattle play, though? Key Arena's hockey capacity is even less than Copps. Portland could be a better fit, though. It has a larger arena and wouldn't be in close proximity to the Canucks.

Don't get me wrong, there's a ton of potential for untapped American markets, but as I mentioned before a small number of the league's teams make up a massive proportion of the League's revenue, and it is geographic. Canada and the Northern US *is* where the League's money is. There are successful Southern franchises out there (namely Dallas) but the Coyotes aren't doing a thing for the League in their current situation. I could definitely visualize Hamilton working as an NHL market, but you don't hear about similar drives being made elsewhere since AFAIK there hasn't been any prospective buyers popping up to say "Hey, I'll give the league 200mil if they'll let me put a team in Wisconsin or Portland or wherever". All it takes is someone with enough money to throw a few words to the media but for whatever reason it hasn't seemed to surface in the States.

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Bettman is such a moron. The team isn't working, move it to a market guaranteed to succeed, it won't hurt the American market by losing Phoenix.

And the other plus of moving the team, the divisions can be re-structured so teams like Vancouver have an easier travel schedule. In a perfect world, Atlanta would move to Winnipeg, which makes the Northwest travel schedule easier, and the Avalanche can move to the Pacific. Preds can move to the Southeast, Sabres to the Central. Two bad markets, move to two good markets, and everyone gets an easier divisional travel.

It'll be good for the NHL to mix up the divisions a little.

You talk about markets that are guanteed then you mention Winnipeg? The city that lost a team just 13 years ago due to financial issues?

Everyone is so quick to forget that just recently canada lost two teams to the US when they clamor for relocation to canadian cities. If any cluibs are moved, it should be to kansas and las vegas.

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