Jake Ryan 1 Report post Posted December 4, 2009 I was reading that Phoenix thread and it got me thinking about their departure. Then I started to think of the states that have 2 NHL teams or more, and I wondered why Michigan doesn't? What do you think? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
wings1110 184 Report post Posted December 4, 2009 because our economy sucks, and everyone is a fan of the wings, and the wings cant sellout the place was half empty last night Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
egroen 384 Report post Posted December 4, 2009 I was reading that Phoenix thread and it got me thinking about their departure. Then I started to think of the states that have 2 NHL teams or more, and I wondered why Michigan doesn't? What do you think? Grand Rapids is probably the only market that could support it -- then you could move the Griffins to Kalamazoo, which would rule. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Yellowknife Redwing 57 Report post Posted December 4, 2009 because our economy sucks, and everyone is a fan of the wings, and the wings cant sellout the place was half empty last night Pretty much ties up all loose ends here Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
cjm502 165 Report post Posted December 4, 2009 because our economy sucks, and everyone is a fan of the wings, and the wings cant sellout the place was half empty last night Attendance sucked, but im pretty sure they were close to selling all the tickets. There was VERY little selection online... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
wings1110 184 Report post Posted December 4, 2009 it really bothers me when people have tickets and dont go. if your not gunna go give the tickets away, the wings need support. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Miller Brew 0 Report post Posted December 4, 2009 Wasn't there like 15 people at the Joe last night? And now we're talking about another team in Michigan? I say the market isn't too strong right now in Michigan for another NHL team. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Williams29fan 6 Report post Posted December 4, 2009 because our economy sucks, and everyone is a fan of the wings, and the wings cant sellout the place was half empty last night ^^ This ^^ Why would we want another team? The team would just get obliterated by mass group of wings fan through out the state. It's like the Lakers and the Clippers, there's just no point. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
rage 24 Report post Posted December 4, 2009 We could not even support another NFL or MLB Team, let alone another NHL Team. lol Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Hockeytown0001 7,652 Report post Posted December 4, 2009 No. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
WpgMikos 17 Report post Posted December 4, 2009 Understand the sentiment but I just don't think there is a city with a big enough population (Grand Rapids - 197,800) left in Michigan to support an NHL team. Plus the Wings are special, no need for another team. (in my opinion). As much as I dislike the city, Toronto could easily support a 2nd team. With an obvious Winnipeg bias, I'd like to see NHL return there. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
19Wingsfan4ever 0 Report post Posted December 4, 2009 Tampa Lightening almost moved to Detroit a few years back when Bill Davidson bought the NHL Franchise. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Swayze 81 Report post Posted December 4, 2009 Grand Rapids is probably the only market that could support it -- then you could move the Griffins to Kalamazoo, which would rule. Van Andel wouldn't be able to support an NHL team. Even if it sold out every night, that team would have the lowest attendance in the league. And since it's so new, the city wouldn't build another arena. Even if you expanded it, it would still feel like a mini-stadium. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dropkickshanahans 463 Report post Posted December 4, 2009 Grand Rapids is probably the only market that could support it -- then you could move the Griffins to Kalamazoo, which would rule. Agreed. If there's any city in Michigan that could support another NHL team it would be Grand Rapids. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
hckypete96 3 Report post Posted December 4, 2009 lol isn't this the guy who started the #1 hockey country in the world claiming that its usa cuz we have the most nhl teams? is this guy seriously retarded? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jake Ryan 1 Report post Posted December 4, 2009 lol isn't this the guy who started the #1 hockey country in the world claiming that its usa cuz we have the most nhl teams? is this guy seriously retarded? We DO have the most NHL teams. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Lidstrom for life 20 Report post Posted December 4, 2009 it really bothers me when people have tickets and dont go. if your not gunna go give the tickets away, the wings need support. This. They always sell plenty of tickets, the season ticket holders just never go until the playoffs. I would love it if there was another NHL team in Michigan but its not going to happen. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Lovin Jiri Fischer 147 Report post Posted December 4, 2009 Most people in Michigan love the Wings. So how do we expect them to start liking another team? Even the people that do go to the games won't be fans of the new team. They will be Wings fans who happen to go to another team's games because it's closer to where they lived. If the Wings sucked or something I could see fans leaving, but I don't think they will right now. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DMAC 25 18 Report post Posted December 5, 2009 Grand Rapids is probably the only market that could support it -- then you could move the Griffins to Kalamazoo, which would rule. k-wings already have kzoo. i agree with u it would rule seeing griffens in kzoo but k-wings tickets are cheap and its still good hockey Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
VM1138 1,921 Report post Posted December 5, 2009 Aside from the financial argument that the Michigan economy can't support what's here already, let's ask the sentimental reason. Why would we want another NHL team? Like others have already said, the Wings are special to Michiganders. It's a storied franchise that has the following of the entire state, even in the UP where they have virtually no connection to anything Detroit. The state (whether attendance shows it) lives and dies with the Wings. You see shows of support in every hole in the wall bar every year, even in places where there are no Pistons or Tigers memorabilia. I wouldn't want to dilute that fan base. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Electrophile 3,554 Report post Posted December 5, 2009 Michigan can barely support its citizenry, much less the hockey team it already has. You want to add another team to the mix? Awesome. Yup, because right now what the state of Michigan and all the people living within her borders needs is another sports team they can't afford to support. Wahoo. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
EuroTwin 240 Report post Posted December 5, 2009 Ignoring the obvious arguments about finances.... why would you want to split your built-in fanbase like that? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
eva unit zero 271 Report post Posted December 5, 2009 If you are putting another team in Michigan, it goes one of four places. Ann Arbor, Grand Rapids, Lansing, or Flint. Anywhere else and we're either talking within the territorial range of the Wings, or in a low population area with much lower chance of supporting the team. I may be biased, but Ann Arbor would be the best bet because it's an equal size metropolitan area as Lansing and Flint, but can draw more from cities outside of its metro area such as Plymouth, Livonia, Canton, Brighton, Jackson, etc. which exceeds by a large margin what Flint or Lansing would be able to draw in, and brings it at least equal to Grand Rapids in overall population draw. Beyond that, Ann Arbor has a large workforce employed by UM with secure jobs, as well as a student population that often has disposable income that could pay for tickets. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DanZ 0 Report post Posted December 5, 2009 Understand the sentiment but I just don't think there is a city with a big enough population (Grand Rapids - 197,800) left in Michigan to support an NHL team. Plus the Wings are special, no need for another team. (in my opinion). As much as I dislike the city, Toronto could easily support a 2nd team. With an obvious Winnipeg bias, I'd like to see NHL return there. Grand Rapids metro has 770,000 people. The Grand Rapids-Muskegon-Holland Area has 1.35 million people. So yes there is enough people to support an NHL team in that area. It still probably wouldnt work though. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Holmstrom96 347 Report post Posted December 7, 2009 The next best market is Grand Rapids and it's not strong enough. I agree with others, move the failing Pheonix team to Ontario. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
