Las Vegas rumored to get an expansion team

[evilmrt 636]

I just don't understand why Toronto would allow another team in their media market.

They don't have to. Bettman has said that it requires a majority vote by the BoG. Toronto argues that they have a veto vote, but after discussions with the league, they commented something like "we only have one vote, apparently."

Mobile, so no source atm, sorry.

[yztheman 29]

Because no one has put one there yet?

When I lived out there, I went to a lot of casinos sport books. Then I went to a casino that didn't have one. I asked about it and was told one of the owners had a stake in a nfl team and gaming law prohibited a casino owner having a sports book if they held ownership in a sports team. That is probably part of the reason. I wouldn't mind a team in Vegas I love the place there are large suburbs(?) near as well as Clark air base. Just wish they hadn't pulled Atlanta, after 2 yanks I don't think the folks up there are going to be willing to support another one. I only went to about ten games. I live 300 miles away. But the stands were never empty when I went and when the wings were in town red wing fans filled that place.

* Nellis base I mean Clark was overseas got mixed up lol

Edited August 29, 2014 by yztheman

[mvanpop 98]

They should call them The Los Vegas Debt Collectors so if they have trouble with revenues, or when, they could just have the players collect debts to help pay their salaries

[haroldsnepsts 4,826]

Bettman & the BOG must be sniffing glue.

Someone posted a link to an article in the Toronto Star that referenced the billion dollars in potential franchise fees the existing owners would collect from expansion, so that's not glue they're sniffing. It's cash.

Bettman's track record demonstrates that he is willing to risk the integrity of the league in order to make his owners as much money as possible, so it's not really that surprising. He has his circle of cronies on the BOG, and can probably drum up support from owners drooling at the prospect of the new franchise fees. That fee is not considered Hockey Related Revenue so it's not something they even have to share with players.

Plus with the CBA set for at least 7 more years, if there's a couple more struggling franchises it really won't effect owners until then. And even when the CBA ends they'll likely just have another lockout and hammer the players salaries down further instead of increasing revenue sharing. So it doesn't seem like there's a ton of financial risk to the existing owners.

[wings87 1,290]

They don't have to. Bettman has said that it requires a majority vote by the BoG. Toronto argues that they have a veto vote, but after discussions with the league, they commented something like "we only have one vote, apparently."

Mobile, so no source atm, sorry.

You're right about the voting to put the team in Toronto, but you can still envision problems between the 2 teams in regards to sponsors and more importantly tv rights.

[Hockeymom1960 5,107]

And that's different from the joe how? Sorry I guess the joe is only Half empty lol

Ah have you been to the Joe? I've been there plenty of times and lately and it isn't have empty every time I've went.

Edited August 29, 2014 by Hockeymom1960

[wings4thecup06 504]

Whalers moved

Nordiques moved

Jets moved

Northstars moved

Canes do ok

Avs do great

Coyotes suck, New Jets return

Stars do ok, Wild reignite Minnesota

Only real failure is the yotes. But they have nothing in common with vegas. Vegas is sandy and dry and hot and Glendale is like Michigan.

The Coyotes really need to be relocated. The whole thing really has just been a joke.

I would actually say the Stars have done very well. Cousin of mine lived in the Dallas area for a little over a year and now has moved back to Chicago. He tells me that there's more rinks and opportunities to play pick up hockey and leagues in Dallas than there are in Chicago. The Stars have pumped a lot of money into the local community in order to grow the game.

nashville is not a failing team,the preds attendance is starting to go up

The problem is, it took nearly 10 years before that happened. See here:

http://www.hockeydb.com/nhl-attendance/att_graph.php?tmi=7024

I have no problem with Nashville, and I believe they're developing a decent hockey market with some passionate fans.

Edited August 29, 2014 by wings4thecup06

[Guest DeGraa55]

Ah have you been to the Joe? I've been there plenty of times and lately and it isn't have empty every time I've went.

Every weekday game the seats are half emtpty....from the view in TV anyways. Now weekends are a different story.

[frankgrimes 1,836]

nashville is not a failing team,the preds attendance is starting to go up

Yeah I've read that too even with your mediocre seasons - don't worry ours weren't much better - your attendance went up and I think your team has done a tremendous job given all the difficult circumstances. The amount of defensive talent that Nashville seems to produce is really top notch. But I still think Laviolette has been the wrong choice, his run and gun firing on all cylinders wears thin quickly.

The potential Seattle owners (Paul Allen ? ) have been on record saying that they want a NBA team first and then they are going to look at a NHL team we've had this story before and everyone saw how it turned out i.e The Thrashers. But knowing the allmighty BOG Seattle will get a team so that's that.

Las Vegas would also be very dangerous for players, referees all it takes is one serious phone call from a casino boss with connections to the mozarella side of things and the game will be decided in no time and there is nothing the NHL can do about it.

It's really unbelievable how a league can talk about expansion instead of relocation although there are already two teams which will be relocated in the not so distant future. Another team to keep a really close look on would be the Ottawa Senators their owner went from billionaire to "only" millionaire and is cutting the budget back every year and yet we hear expansion talk.

What the NHL needs would be the exact opposite put teams into markets where hockey can and has succeeded (i.e QC, Hamilton) I still can't believe why tzhe BOG is always listening to Bettman's lies and his stupid grow the game crap. The game doesn't need to grow it just needs stable markets and a great on ice product (which has been watered down since 2005 ).

[evilmrt 636]

Here are some pretty interesting figures regarding NHL fan bases in current cities and potential expansion/relocation markets....I'm saddened by the figures on the Detroit Metro Area....

You can clearly see why a 2nd Toronto team is a no-brainer, regardless of what the Leafs want:

Vegas looks horrible on paper here.

Edited August 30, 2014 by evilmrt

[wings87 1,290]

Here are some pretty interesting figures regarding NHL fan bases in current cities and potential expansion/relocation markets....I'm saddened by the figures on the Detroit Metro Area....

You can clearly see why a 2nd Toronto team is a no-brainer, regardless of what the Leafs want:

Interesting. Toronto looks like a no brainer on paper, but I just don't know where the fans will come from since most of those 52% avid hockey fans are most likely Leafs fans and are unlikely to jump ship(no matter how bad the Leafs are). And those that are not leafs fans are fans of other teams and are just as unlikely to be fans of the new team. It will take years before an actual fan base is established.

[number9 3,297]

Build it, and they will come

[wings87 1,290]

I'm guessing many hockey fans, and businesses in the GTO area would buy up tickets, and within a few short years they'll grow to love the team (especially if they're better than the Leafs).

Granted - they'll be that 'other team' in Toronto, but getting people there support the new team won't be a problem.

The team will probably have support initially, because they'll have that new penny shine, but will their fans/sponsors stick with them through the lean years... especially if the Leafs start winning? That to me is an interesting question. Edited August 30, 2014 by wings87

[Guest DeGraa55]

With the leafs being an original six team I don't like the idea of a second team there. But there is enough people that it can work just look at New York/New Jersey area. Three teams have support there.

[Hockeytown0001 7,652]

Here are some pretty interesting figures regarding NHL fan bases in current cities and potential expansion/relocation markets....I'm saddened by the figures on the Detroit Metro Area....

You can clearly see why a 2nd Toronto team is a no-brainer, regardless of what the Leafs want:

Vegas looks horrible on paper here.

Atlanta has 200k hockey fans and yet managed to sell barely 50% of Thrashers ticket during their last years. What makes the NHL think Vegas will have a better result wit a lower percentage of hockey fans?

[DickieDunn 2,571]

Atlanta was also a horribly run team. Bad teams aren't usually well supported.

[PavelValerievichDatsyuk 1,935]

I think Las Vegas is a horrible idea, but one thing against that study is the fact that Las Vegas is vacation city. Even if there isn't local support, the number of hockey fans passing through would make their numbers higher.

[DickieDunn 2,571]

I think Las Vegas is a horrible idea, but one thing against that study is the fact that Las Vegas is vacation city. Even if there isn't local support, the number of hockey fans passing through would make their numbers higher.

Doesn't help Miami.

[Hack & Whack Rule! 160]

First guy: "Okay, we have a watered down league with a bunch of teams in markets that can't, or won't, support professional hockey...quick, make it worse!"

Second guy: "Sure, let's put another team in the desert."

[DickieDunn 2,571]

I think that there are enough good players for 2 more teams. I don't see 32 NHL markets though.

[number9 3,297]

Moves to Hartford after a year

[PavelValerievichDatsyuk 1,935]

Doesn't help Miami.

That is very true. But that the Panther's arena is actually in Sunrise, Florida - pretty far from the tourist spots. If a Las Vegas team had an area in walking distance from the strip and your choice for the evening was between Carrot Top, Celine Dion and an NHL game I think they could take advantage of the tourists. Also, the hope would probably be that there would be that people would gamble on the game and then go watch it.

Again, I think it's a horrible idea, but (if the rumour is true) that is probably what bettman is thinking.

[DickieDunn 2,571]

That is very true. But that the Panther's arena is actually in Sunrise, Florida - pretty far from the tourist spots. If a Las Vegas team had an area in walking distance from the strip and your choice for the evening was between Carrot Top, Celine Dion and an NHL game I think they could take advantage of the tourists. Also, the hope would probably be that there would be that people would gamble on the game and then go watch it.

Again, I think it's a horrible idea, but (if the rumour is true) that is probably what bettman is thinking.

Tourists go to Vegas to see Celine Dion, Carrot Top, Penn and Teller, etc. along with gambling. They don't go to see a hockey game. Even if they do come from Detroit, or Toronto, or wherever to see their team play Vegas, they're not going to be buying $150 Las Vegas Regrets jerseys, and $20 hats, or the other merchandise.

[kylee 727]

We need relocation, not expansion.

[evilmrt 636]

Tourists go to Vegas to see Celine Dion, Carrot Top, Penn and Teller, etc. along with gambling. They don't go to see a hockey game. Even if they do come from Detroit, or Toronto, or wherever to see their team play Vegas, they're not going to be buying $150 Las Vegas Regrets jerseys, and $20 hats, or the other merchandise.

We need relocation, not expansion.

This is all true, and we - the fans of the game - know that a team in Vegas will be neglected. It will not have much of a following, and it will be embarrassed by empty seating on a regular basis. Best case, you will see tourists that got free tickets from a casino fill the arena for the 2nd period.

This doesn't matter to Bettman and the BoG. 1.6 BILLION is on the table. They don't care, they only see the $$$$$.