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Post by blackthorne on Feb 9, 2005 15:09:39 GMT -5
The CFL's expansion into the United States was a miserable failure. The CFL quickly learned their lesson, got rid of the U.S. teams, expanded into Canada (Ottawa- a city that's always loved CDN football), and now the league is in the best shape its ever been in.
The NHL's expansion into the deep south has been a miserable failure. And what are they saying..? It's a "developing marketplace"...? Fans will "eventually warm up to hockey..."
Tsk. tsk. (Shakes head sadly)
Learn a lesson from the CFL you guys...
Take out your franchises that play in cities that don't care about NHL hockey, and put them in cities that will care about it.
The NHL will be a stronger league.
And come to think of it, that's pretty much the ONLY way for them to become a stronger league.
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Post by Ducky on Feb 11, 2005 0:57:07 GMT -5
I agree in the most part, hockey isn't an american pastime especially in the south. But how do we explain the state of Texas that is building hockey rinks like crazy and I hear New Mexico is exited about hockey?
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Post by JETStender on Feb 11, 2005 9:04:55 GMT -5
Anytime a city (Dallas ,Atlanta) gets an NHL or other hockey team., participation in that and neighboring cities and states, of that sport is going to increase. Espicially if the team is susectiful. As was the case in Dallas and Colorado.
Prime example is Tampa Bay. They were identified as the team that contacted Winnipeg to move here. Now since they've won the stanley cup, depending on the lockout, intrest there should increase.
Sometimes it is just a novility and will fade. (NASHVILLE)
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Post by blackthorne on Mar 1, 2005 12:29:51 GMT -5
Oh? So you *don't* think NHL hockey in Tampa Bay is "just a novelty and will fade"?
lol
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Post by RemyShanx on Mar 2, 2005 10:57:28 GMT -5
How many times did they sell out during the playoffs? During the finals? How many tickets were acutlaly SOLD and not giveaways?
I want to see how their attendance is next year, just for laughs...
I mean hey, if they can keep it up.. then all power to them, but I don't find it likely...
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Post by joelzillmanwpg on Mar 2, 2005 20:40:51 GMT -5
How many times did they sell out during the playoffs? During the finals? How many tickets were acutlaly SOLD and not giveaways? I want to see how their attendance is next year, just for laughs... I mean hey, if they can keep it up.. then all power to them, but I don't find it likely... Probably 10,500 avg. for the season. Everyone has forgotten about hockey in Tampa, I'm pretty sure.
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Post by hatrick007 on Mar 4, 2005 18:00:28 GMT -5
The CFL's expansion into the United States was a miserable failure. The CFL quickly learned their lesson, got rid of the U.S. teams, expanded into Canada (Ottawa- a city that's always loved CDN football), and now the league is in the best shape its ever been in. The NHL's expansion into the deep south has been a miserable failure. And what are they saying..? It's a "developing marketplace"...? Fans will "eventually warm up to hockey..." Tsk. tsk. (Shakes head sadly) Learn a lesson from the CFL you guys... Take out your franchises that play in cities that don't care about NHL hockey, and put them in cities that will care about it. The NHL will be a stronger league. And come to think of it, that's pretty much the ONLY way for them to become a stronger league. As much as I do agree with what you are saying, it is much easier to simply fold a few little 5-10 million dollar CFL team, as opposed to folding a few big 50-100 million dollar NHL franchises. The bigger the money, the tougher the deal.
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Post by blackthorne on Mar 11, 2005 16:03:42 GMT -5
I'm not talking about folding or contracting U.S.-based NHL teams... I'm talking about relocating them to other cities.
And since there are many NHL-quality rinks out there without NHL teams, it shouldn't be too difficult.
The main reason it was so difficult for MLB to relocate the Expos is the because of the lack of MLB-quality facilites in the United States without MLB teams.
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Post by USApegger on Mar 11, 2005 17:27:06 GMT -5
I believe that Tampa was not a fluke to win the Cup, they have great goaltending and such a young nucleus of great players. No cap, then maybe they won't be around, but Tampa only has the Bucs as true competition to the Lightning and they had their one year wonder with the Super Bowl.
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Post by joelzillmanwpg on Mar 11, 2005 18:46:14 GMT -5
I'm not talking about folding or contracting U.S.-based NHL teams... I'm talking about relocating them to other cities. And since there are many NHL-quality rinks out there without NHL teams, it shouldn't be too difficult. The main reason it was so difficult for MLB to relocate the Expos is the because of the lack of MLB-quality facilites in the United States without MLB teams. Relocation Hit-List: 1. Houston, TX (arena/corporate support/market) 2. Winnipeg, MB (arena/corporate support/market) 3. Oklahoma City, OK (arena/corporate support/ market) 4. Kansas City, MO (arena/corporate support) 5. Hamilton, ON (corporate support/market) 6. Portland, OR (arena/market) 7. Las Vegas, NV (arena/corporate support) 8. Seattle, WA (market) 9. Milwaukee, Wi (arena/market) 10. Cleveland, OH (arena) 6.
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Post by blackthorne on Mar 11, 2005 19:47:02 GMT -5
Hey, why's Houston ahead of us?
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Post by sawchuk103 on Mar 12, 2005 1:38:08 GMT -5
when the cfl decided to expand into the states...was the cfl commissioner canadian?
unless you get a change in the commissionership who would cater to canadian interest, there will always be commissioner or president who feel expanding in the US is a good thing...
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Post by joelzillmanwpg on Mar 12, 2005 12:28:51 GMT -5
Hey, why's Houston ahead of us? Houston is ahead of us because: 1. Fourth largest city in America 2. History of supporting pro hockey (WHA, AHL, CHL, etc) 3. state-of-the-art arena 4. ownership that wants to bring an NHL team to Houston 5. One of the fastest growing cities in North America 6. Corporate support 7. Natural rivalary with Dallas
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Post by KillerBrew on Mar 12, 2005 15:32:00 GMT -5
I agree Joel. As much as I love Winnipeg and say that we're in the frontrunning, Houston is gonna get their chance before us. That city has a rich hockey history, not as big as ours, but it's there. Add to that that their the 4th largest city in the states and have a load full of corporate support, who wouldn't take the chance??? But it's not like Winnipeg is a distant 2nd, we're very close to Houston in the race for a team I would think. Remember, there's more than one team thats gonna move.
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Post by Yar on Mar 13, 2005 15:36:57 GMT -5
houston can have the hurricane. we'll take either the panthers, lightning or thrashers. ;D
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Post by blackthorne on May 10, 2005 22:39:35 GMT -5
They also have a lot more competition for your "sports dollars" with all their teams...
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Post by bigchris on May 12, 2005 20:40:46 GMT -5
But Houston DOES have a lot of money to spend too.
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Post by MOC on May 12, 2005 21:03:31 GMT -5
But Houston DOES have a lot of money to spend too. And the population for sure. 4.5 million in the metro area.
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Post by blackthorne on May 18, 2005 1:32:38 GMT -5
How many of those 4.5 million are die-hard hockey fans?
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Post by jamiebez on May 18, 2005 9:09:35 GMT -5
Even if it's 0.5%, that's still 21,000 people. Never mind a corporate base that probably 10x the size of Winnipeg buying tickets. And the 4th largest TV market in the US.
Yes, there's more competition with the Rockets, Astros and Texans, but Houston is an attractive destination regardless.
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