|
Post by jetfan11 on Mar 9, 2011 11:57:51 GMT -5
|
|
|
Post by justinflyer on Mar 16, 2011 17:37:33 GMT -5
The Isles have a decent fanbase. If they have a good team the fans will come back. Long Island is not even helping them with arena plans, which they desperately need. The Coliseum is in the middle of nowhere on a turnpike in the suburbs. They have a hotel across the street with a hotel bar. And that's IT anywhere nearby. Either way this team won't leave the metro NY area so I would say the Isles have no chance to be in play outside of NY.
|
|
|
Post by canadiensfan on Mar 16, 2011 17:48:34 GMT -5
They aren't going to move to the Barclays Center when it opens because there'll be lots of obstructed views a la US Airways Center, so moving somewhere in NY is out of the question, unless they were to share MSG with the Rangers, which I don't think is too likely.
But how's this for food for thought? The Islanders current lease runs out in 2015. That is when the new arena in QC is supposed to be finished. Not a slam dunk possibility, but you never know.
|
|
|
Post by canadiensfan on Mar 16, 2011 17:59:47 GMT -5
Also, the fact that they are doing worse than Phoenix attendance-wise by about 1,300 is staggering when you think about it. espn.go.com/nhl/attendanceThis has all the attendance stats for the NHL. Some interesting stuff.
|
|
|
Post by justinflyer on Mar 16, 2011 18:37:24 GMT -5
True but the Wilpon family also showed some interest in building an arena in Queens for the Isles... I think they'll stay in NY... just a hunch.. but we'll see
|
|
|
Post by ReJ40 on Mar 16, 2011 20:34:17 GMT -5
I feel no pain in taking a franchise like Phoenix or Atlanta because the fan base is so tiny. But with the NYI, whether they go to Quebec or elsewhere, I would actually feel bad.
|
|
|
Post by wolfmannick on Mar 16, 2011 22:51:55 GMT -5
Unlike Phoenix or Atlanta, the Islanders actually have a very impressive history. They're what one of two teams to win four straight Stanley Cups? The league should be fighting tooth and nail to keep the team in NY. Think of the damage it would do to the league to lose a team with such credibility because they just let the team leave. Have they dont anything yet to try to keep them from moving?
|
|
|
Post by Ric O. on Mar 16, 2011 23:29:49 GMT -5
I kind of feel for Islanders fans. Never been there but from all I've read they have a pretty crappy arena, apparently no hope for a new one any time soon and kind of a negative, neglected, hopeless for the future feeling kind of takes over the franchise. I can relate to that.
|
|
|
Post by canadiensfan on Mar 17, 2011 8:52:00 GMT -5
Yeah, it's a real shame, they are a storied franchise that has gotten thrown down the toilet over the past 15 or so years. They deserve to stay at least in NY, but considering the whole organization is full of boneheads from the top down, the future is bleak... The arena in Queens is a good idea in theory, but does NY really need another arena of that size? Not really...
Also, as wolfmannick said, they are, along with the Canadiens, the only team to win 4-straight Stanley Cups. It's too bad Charles Wang is a @$$5@1&
|
|
|
Post by edog37 on Mar 17, 2011 10:20:35 GMT -5
Islanders aren't moving. Their local TV deal is too good.
|
|
|
Post by jetsorbust on Mar 17, 2011 10:40:23 GMT -5
Islanders aren't moving. Their local TV deal is too good. I think you're probably right that the Islanders won't be moved, I don't even know why but it just doesn't feel like they ever would be - too big of a market with actual hockey fans, some rich guy would step up to buy the team. However, I don't know if you can say the TV deal in and of itself will save the team. I'm not familiar with the TV deal at all, but I'm guessing it doesn't even come close to covering the teams losses caused by abysmal attendance. I just think someone will always be willing to step up in that market under the assumption they can get a new arena built. But I don't think there is any TV deal in the world that can make the team profitable in their current situation.
|
|
|
Post by jetsorbust on Mar 17, 2011 10:42:47 GMT -5
Unlike Phoenix or Atlanta, the Islanders actually have a very impressive history. They're what one of two teams to win four straight Stanley Cups? The league should be fighting tooth and nail to keep the team in NY. Think of the damage it would do to the league to lose a team with such credibility because they just let the team leave. Have they dont anything yet to try to keep them from moving? No offense to anyone here, I know there are a lot of people that point to the Islanders "storied history" as a reason why they won't and should not be moved, but to me, that's crap. Do you mean to tell me if the Coyotes or Thrashers had won some cups we would want them to stay? Just my opinion, but I call BS. I don't care how good the team was on the ice, if anything that makes it WORSE that attendance is this lousy. I don't think the Islanders will move, but their success on the ice 20 years ago isn't a reason why.
|
|
|
Post by canadiensfan on Mar 17, 2011 11:22:31 GMT -5
If the Coyotes or Thrashers had been successful and actually done something for their city, than absolutely. The reason not many people come to their games is that they've been pretty much tanking it for the past 15 years. Obviously when a team is mismanaged and the on and off-ice product is pretty much crap, obviously people aren't going to waste their time going to a game. If they had a good owner and a stable future in NY, they would once again mean something to the city, and people would go out and see their games.
|
|
|
Post by jetsorbust on Mar 17, 2011 11:37:43 GMT -5
If the Coyotes or Thrashers had been successful and actually done something for their city, than absolutely. The reason not many people come to their games is that they've been pretty much tanking it for the past 15 years. Obviously when a team is mismanaged and the on and off-ice product is pretty much crap, obviously people aren't going to waste their time going to a game. If they had a good owner and a stable future in NY, they would once again mean something to the city, and people would go out and see their games. Well, we're just going to have to agree to disagree there then. I'm not arguing that Phoenix/Atlanta have been poorly run teams, but attendance as bad as theres should simply not be tolerated. By your theory, Bettman is right, we should wait it out because hockey will work in Phoenix and Atlanta. I say fat chance. Success on the ice will certainly help, it would in any market, but they are so far from being even breakeven that I don't think that holds water. The oilers have been the worst team in the league for almost 3 years now, yet still sell out every game. Phoenix has had a pretty good team the last 2 years, and have an true average attendance of under 10 000, with several games having literally 3000-6000 fans in attendance. Sure, ownership issues could have hurt their season ticket sales, but if there were any passion for the Coyotes, game day tickets would have been hot sellers this year and last. Instead, they continue to lose in excess of $30 Million a season. No, a bad team, and certainly a bad team for a long time, can take it's toll on attendance. I think it's fair to say it would lower attendance for any team (but the Leafs), but there is just a certain threshold that no team should go below. I'm not sure what that threshold is, but the Coyotes, Thrashers and Islanders have all been well below it in recent years. The Coyotes have been in every year of their existence actually, and when the arena is as empty as it has been for many games in those cities, it literally makes the whole NHL look bush league. Success may give a temporary boost to most teams, but you can't rely on winning the Cup every year to break even. And the Coyotes frankly haven't even seen a spike in attendance at all, with a good team for 2 seasons now.
|
|