Atlanta Thrashers move to Winnipeg

[Electrophile 3,554]

My best friend and her husband live right outside Nashville, and they go to tons of Predators games, and according to them the games are sold out, if not 95% sold out. So while hockey didn't work in Atlanta, that doesn't mean it can't work anywhere else in the South, just that the odds are stacked against them.

[ogreslayer 1,069]

My best friend and her husband live right outside Nashville, and they go to tons of Predators games, and according to them the games are sold out, if not 95% sold out. So while hockey didn't work in Atlanta, that doesn't mean it can't work anywhere else in the South, just that the odds are stacked against them.

There was just never a chance that it was going to work in Atlanta, one of the worst sports towns in North America. No offense to any Atlanta fans out there, but when the Maddux/Glavine/Smoltz Braves teams couldn't even sell out a playoff series back in the day, it's a bad sports town.

[I Red Wings I 40]

Phoenix-Winnipeg games. Crazy

[Guest Shoreline]

Congrats Winnipeg!

[cusimano_brothers 1,655]

A "Bettman Sighting" is the real story here; credit taken where credit is not due.

Toronto Star .

[Guest CaliWingsNut]

CNBC, the leader of sports news , listed this as a done deal on TV earlier today. Just thought I'd add it to the pile.

[Valas19 50]

1 failed experiment down, 2 to go.

I'm looking at you Nashville and Phoenix.

I highly suggest you take in a Preds game sometime and you'll think differently. The arena is gorgeous and puts the JLA to shame, heck, everything puts the JLA to shame. The fans are quite enthusiastic, they have their own chants and amazingly do not have to be prompted to cheer by a video screen. It was the most fun I've had at a hockey game since Game 7 Wings/Ducks a few years back and that's only because we won late (thank you, Dan Cleary).

[cusimano_brothers 1,655]

[Hockeytown0001 7,652]

Looks like this is a done deal.

[Jersey Wing 1,521]

According to the website Consumerist the Thrashers are still taking orders for season tickets. I'm sorry this is so sad/funny it gets two goal lights

http://consumerist.com/2011/05/great-news-hockey-fans-this.html

PD: Are you guys still accepting Thrashers season-ticket deposits?

THRASHERS: We are! Where would you like to sit? How many seats are you looking for?

PD: Downstairs would be great. And just two.

THRASHERS: And what will you be using your tickets for?

PD: To watch some exciting Thrashers hockey in 2011-12.

THRASHERS: In the lower bowl, the lowest we have are $999 and they're in Sections 201-209. Do you want me to tell you the best available there?

PD: And this is for the Atlanta Thrashers' 2011-12 season?

THRASHERS: Uh-huh.

PD: Next season? In the NHL? In Atlanta?

THRASHERS: Uh-huh. Do you want me to tell you the best available tickets?

PD: Sure.

Edited May 31, 2011 by Jersey Wing

[rrasco 1,312]

That was from before the announcement. But yea...

[Manoir 70]

Part 2 of the Bettman plan: Move the Coyotes to Atlanta and the new Winnipeg team back to Phoenix.

[GMRwings1983 8,794]

Any word yet on when Atlanta gets another team?

[Konnan511 1,736]

Tampa Bay and Nashville have shown that hockey CAN work in non-hockey markets. It takes a loyal owner and good management in place. Something PHX and ATL were severely lacking.

[Datsyerberger 279]

Tampa Bay and Nashville have shown that hockey CAN work in non-hockey markets. It takes a loyal owner and good management in place. Something PHX and ATL were severely lacking.

TB isn't really the best example... ridiculous amounts of northerners, snowbirds, descendants of northerners down there. It's more like far-south Michigan/Ontario than anything else.

I'd use Dallas, Nashville, Carolina, and maybe Miami (Florida) as 4 examples. Florida was doing fairly well when it didn't suck, and even in a record-setting stretch of mediocrity they've managed to stay out of dire straits more than some other teams.

[Doc Holliday 1,888]

TB isn't really the best example... ridiculous amounts of northerners, snowbirds, descendants of northerners down there. It's more like far-south Michigan/Ontario than anything else.

So? This isn't "who has the best local fans" game.

I'd use Dallas, Nashville, Carolina, and maybe Miami (Florida) as 4 examples. Florida was doing fairly well when it didn't suck, and even in a record-setting stretch of mediocrity they've managed to stay out of dire straits more than some other teams.

Florida is a terrible example. Let's not forget they removed seats in the upper bowl because they had "too many", while shrinking their building down to the third smallest in the league.

[Datsyerberger 279]

So? This isn't "who has the best local fans" game.

I mean it's not really a southern market, demographically. Then again, neither is Miami. It doesn't set an example of a successful southern market because it doesn't deal with the same issues as other southern markets. It's just a hockey team somewhere it's hot, big deal.

Florida is a terrible example. Let's not forget they removed seats in the upper bowl because they had "too many", while shrinking their building down to the third smallest in the league.

They've shown that when they've had competent management/owners they can be a successful draw. They haven't had that in over a decade.

[P. Marlowe 748]

Shane Doan is the only player left from Winnipeg of 1995-96. He has never been traded and next season he will be playing against Winnipeg.

[Hockeytown0001 7,652]

So? This isn't "who has the best local fans" game.

Florida is a terrible example. Let's not forget they removed seats in the upper bowl because they had "too many", while shrinking their building down to the third smallest in the league.

I didn't even know they did that. That tells you something.

[Redwings 1926 47]

So? This isn't "who has the best local fans" game.

Florida is a terrible example. Let's not forget they removed seats in the upper bowl because they had "too many", while shrinking their building down to the third smallest in the league.

South Florida actually has tons of hockey fans. The problem is, very few of them are Florida Panthers fans. They just go to their games to root for their hometown teams. Go to a game when they are playing host to an Original Six team, or the Flyers, and you are sure to be in a full house.

It may be somewhat demeaning to be a Florida Panthers fan, constantly feeling outnumbered by other teams' fans, but it actually is one of that organizations saving graces.

[Redwings 1926 47]

There was just never a chance that it was going to work in Atlanta, one of the worst sports towns in North America. No offense to any Atlanta fans out there, but when the Maddux/Glavine/Smoltz Braves teams couldn't even sell out a playoff series back in the day, it's a bad sports town.

Agree with you on Atlanta being a lousy sports town. They love their college games though.

Not to be "Captain Obvious" here, but the real culprit the Thrashers' piss poor management, not the lack of fans that resulted from this debacle.

I am also a firm believer that hockey can work in the South, and warm weather markets. The problem is those regions have become over-saturated. In my opinion, the best way the NHL can "grow the game" is to leave it as is, as opposed to trying to put a team in every city where they serve to cannibalize one another from a slim pickins' of fans. Allow some the Dallas', Carolinas', and Nashvilles' to gain some regional appeal.

I do feel for the Atlanta fans however. They really were never given a chance to succeed as a viable hockey market.

[WingZNut13 99]

http://republicofdave.tumblr.com/post/6058343413/********-the-atlanta-thrashers-version-i-have

This is creative as hell! I pulled it from @FightNightAtTheJoe on twitter. "....and f*** Bettman too! Edited June 1, 2011 by WingZNut13

[Bring Back The Bruise Bros 1,029]

http://republicofdave.tumblr.com/post/6058343413/********-the-atlanta-thrashers-version-i-have

This is creative as hell! I pulled it from @FightNightAtTheJoe on twitter. "....and f*** Bettman too!

The small following in Atlanta speaks out, that was creative!

[Hockeytown0001 7,652]

I still remember the Wings playing Atlanta for their first ever home game back in 1999, which ended up being something like a 7-1 Wings victory. Hopefully its the same result for their first game in Winnipeg this season.

Edited June 1, 2011 by Hockeytown0001

[cusimano_brothers 1,655]

OK everyone, put away your Bic Lighters; the carnival has left town, nothing more to see here.

As a promotion, why didn't the Thrashers have Michael Vick drop the ceremonial first puck; at least they would have filled the rink.

And Bettman...again with the threats? First Edmonton, then Quebec and now Winnipeg? I sense a common theme present. Back off and put that kind of threat into saving the Islanders, Panthers, Blue Jackets, et al.