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Post by HartfordWhalers on Apr 2, 2005 9:09:11 GMT -5
I agree, and if Hartford got a team back ESPN would be thrilled! Good point. I was hoping Anaheim would move to Hartford since (at the time) Disney owned the Ducks and ESPN. ESPN is in Connecticutt and so is Hartford lol... But hopes for the Jets, Whalers fans of getting the ducks seem slim. They were purchased by a local billionare (deep pockets) who said his only goal is to keep the Ducks in southern California.
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Post by HartfordWhalers on Apr 2, 2005 9:35:35 GMT -5
hartford is in financial ruins.they will not be looking for major league sports any time soon.ever been there?the city is dirt poor the people are about 66% living under the poverty line.you just dont go there at night .plus the rangers (wolfpack)are there now.so that kills any chance they would have.the towns population is only 125,000 people.it is the THIRD largest tv market in connecticut behind bridgeport and new haven.i for one would love to see the whale resurected,because i am living in connecticut until i get permanent residence in Canada.but i dont think its gonna happen. Shhhh.... LOL..Anything is possible. With Uconn basketball at its peak right now I dont think it would be very hard to get new stadium talks going. Connecticut just offered the New England Patriots a Taxpayer funded stadium a few years ago so you know they are hungry for professional sports again. A hockey/basketball stadium would be about half the cost of an NFL stadium and you would get more use out of it. The NHL says they want to become a league where thier popularity and success is measured in stadium attendance, not TV ratings. Like Winnipeg, Hartford is perfect for that system. The whalers had maybe 4-5 winning seasons in 20+ and the fans always packed the Civic center to cheer for the Whale. If you want to talk about a dangerous city lets you and me go to a Washington Capitals game some time lol. The MCI center is in the heart of Washington D.C. (in China town no less...no joke) where the joke is "make sure you buy a hockey stick at the Caps pro shop, you made need it if you want to get home." In regards to the AHL's Wolfpack playing Hartford....you could probably use that same analogy with the Moose already playing in Winnipeg. In any case do you think Winnipeg/Hartford or the NHL would favor a Minor league team at the price of an NHL franchise....I hope not. Go Jets/Whalers!!
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Post by vivianmb on Apr 2, 2005 11:16:17 GMT -5
Shhhh.... LOL..Anything is possible. With Uconn basketball at its peak right now I dont think it would be very hard to get new stadium talks going. Connecticut just offered the New England Patriots a Taxpayer funded stadium a few years ago so you know they are hungry for professional sports again. A hockey/basketball stadium would be about half the cost of an NFL stadium and you would get more use out of it. The NHL says they want to become a league where thier popularity and success is measured in stadium attendance, not TV ratings. Like Winnipeg, Hartford is perfect for that system. The whalers had maybe 4-5 winning seasons in 20+ and the fans always packed the Civic center to cheer for the Whale. If you want to talk about a dangerous city lets you and me go to a Washington Capitals game some time lol. The MCI center is in the heart of Washington D.C. (in China town no less...no joke) where the joke is "make sure you buy a hockey stick at the Caps pro shop, you made need it if you want to get home." In regards to the AHL's Wolfpack playing Hartford....you could probably use that same analogy with the Moose already playing in Winnipeg. In any case do you think Winnipeg/Hartford or the NHL would favor a Minor league team at the price of an NHL franchise....I hope not. Go Jets/Whalers!! good point about the moose.but the nucks would save cash by moving the moose closer to vancouver,the nyr cant get the 'pack much closer to new york.the rangers (who play 22 blocks from the nhl offices and are very influenmtial unfortunatly)would not want to lose the convienience and savings of having a farm team that close to them (less than 2 hours)
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Post by HartfordWhalers on Apr 2, 2005 11:31:21 GMT -5
My biggest fear is that you may be right about the Rangers-Wolfpack in Hartford. I just hope that the league will look at this way.....
If the Rangers (who play in one the greatest sports markets in the world) rely on the Wolfpack to make money then they should have the butts kicked.
Anyway nice discussion...
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Post by vivianmb on Apr 2, 2005 11:35:20 GMT -5
My biggest fear is that you may be right about the Rangers-Wolfpack in Hartford. I just hope that the league will look at this way..... If the Rangers (who play in one the greatest sports markets in the world) rely on the Wolfpack to make money then they should have the butts kicked. Anyway nice discussion... lol!!!!! we all know the rangers will look for any advantage (fair or not ) to one up the next guy.i play at the yale whale in the men's league.most guys still have their junior whaler gloves and pants.believe me the whale is wanted back by the people of ct. not to mention western mass.i just dont know if the politicians 'll go for it between jail sentences.
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Post by joelzillmanwpg on Apr 2, 2005 20:28:36 GMT -5
.the towns population is only 125,000 people.it is the THIRD largest tv market in connecticut behind bridgeport and new haven. Isn't Hartford like Vancouver in that regard, since the city of Vancouver actually has less people than the city of Winnipeg. I know Metro Hartford has over 1,000,000 people, just like Metro Vancouver has over 2,100,000 people.
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Post by vivianmb on Apr 3, 2005 20:38:28 GMT -5
metro hartford is not over 1 million people.if you make a 50 mile circle you 'll get 1 million.but that would be counting new haven,waterbury,and bridgeport.i dont see too many from bridgeport making that drive. dont get me wrong.I believe the area could easily support a new Whale,because it is a good hockey area..hell lots of guys from the area have made the nhl.it IS a fertile hockey area.they did get support for over 20years until the Go Jets Go owner got greedy.but the nhl matters more than me on a side note i know everybody in ct,western mass. is loving the fact that karamanos is a total FAILURE in carolina.the candycanes cant even outdraw the bridgeport soundtigers.lol
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Post by hatrick007 on Apr 3, 2005 21:16:05 GMT -5
hartford is in financial ruins.they will not be looking for major league sports any time soon.ever been there?the city is dirt poor the people are about 66% living under the poverty line.you just dont go there at night .plus the rangers (wolfpack)are there now.so that kills any chance they would have.the towns population is only 125,000 people.it is the THIRD largest tv market in connecticut behind bridgeport and new haven.i for one would love to see the whale resurected,because i am living in connecticut until i get permanent residence in Canada.but i dont think its gonna happen. I thought you lived in Winnipeg???
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Post by Nikolai on Apr 4, 2005 2:28:11 GMT -5
I actually have some insider information from Hartford. There ARE some business leaders closely monitoring the CBA situation. Believe me, if the deal is right there will be even more pressure on the Connecticut government to build a new home for both the UCONN basketball program and a professional-ice hockey arena (Same building).
There is talk that one company would own the building / rights to both and they would have a Connecticut sports channel ala YES Network (New York). They would make a ton of money doing that.
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Post by HartfordWhalers on Apr 4, 2005 9:05:47 GMT -5
I actually have some insider information from Hartford. There ARE some business leaders closely monitoring the CBA situation. Believe me, if the deal is right there will be even more pressure on the Connecticut government to build a new home for both the UCONN basketball program and a professional-ice hockey arena (Same building). There is talk that one company would own the building / rights to both and they would have a Connecticut sports channel ala YES Network (New York). They would make a ton of money doing that. Yeah I read a news article on Howard Baldwin (former Whale and Pens owner trying to get the NHL back in Hartford) and in it he talked about how he has visited the NHL and New York Rangers offices quite a few times and he's made his wishes to return the NHL back to Hartford quite clear. According to Baldwin they would probably have to pay off MSG to start their own CT based sports network. Reginal sports networks seem to be the way all sports are going. If anyone needs it the most, its definitely the NHL. When you cant count on national TV you have to have the regional support. Most teams that have the local networks all seem to be some of the strongest franchises too. Bruins: NESN, Flyers:Comcast, Rangers:MSG, etc.... Im sure some of your guys teams in Canada have the same thing.
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Post by vivianmb on Apr 4, 2005 21:00:41 GMT -5
I thought you lived in Winnipeg??? you did'nt read my introduction i bought a farm east of anola..once my permanent recidency comes.i will be living there.for now connecticut is home.i've been up there tons of times prepping everything for the move.but i dont LIVE there yet.the last 2 years i may as well have though.if i did live there you would have met me at a social for sure.
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Post by vivianmb on Apr 4, 2005 21:29:03 GMT -5
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Post by thebandit on Apr 4, 2005 22:10:13 GMT -5
Why should anyone in Winnipeg care if the NHL returns to Hartford?
I couldn't care less...
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Post by MOC on Apr 5, 2005 9:54:41 GMT -5
Why should anyone in Winnipeg care if the NHL returns to Hartford? I couldn't care less... Yet Winnipeggers expect the rest of the country to care that we want a team back here...
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Post by HartfordWhalers on Apr 5, 2005 12:25:13 GMT -5
Yet Winnipeggers expect the rest of the country to care that we want a team back here... Well said.
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Post by devil3 on Apr 8, 2005 13:05:39 GMT -5
Aside from the obvious choices of cities deserving a team - Winnipeg, Hartford and Quebec - I would like to throw Portland out there as a good candidate. I noticed Seattle mentioned as a possibility, but Portland would be a better choice if another team is to be added to the Pac NW. The Rose Garden in Portland is a better hockey arena than Key Arena in Seattle. Portland is also a bit further from Vancouver, so teams would be spread out a little more. Finally, Portland has a history of strong fan support for its teams, including excellent support for the WHL's Winterhawks. Winnipeg is still #1 on my list of cities most deserving a team, but I think a team would do well in Portland.
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Post by joelzillmanwpg on Apr 8, 2005 16:42:35 GMT -5
Aside from the obvious choices of cities deserving a team - Winnipeg, Hartford and Quebec - I would like to throw Portland out there as a good candidate. I noticed Seattle mentioned as a possibility, but Portland would be a better choice if another team is to be added to the Pac NW. The Rose Garden in Portland is a better hockey arena than Key Arena in Seattle. Portland is also a bit further from Vancouver, so teams would be spread out a little more. Finally, Portland has a history of strong fan support for its teams, including excellent support for the WHL's Winterhawks. Winnipeg is still #1 on my list of cities most deserving a team, but I think a team would do well in Portland. Problem is, the owner of the Rose Garden is said on record that he has no plans on pursuing an NHL team. In seattle, the owner of the Supersonices, and the Key Arena does not want an NHL team to share the facility with the NBA team.
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Post by HartfordWhalers on Apr 8, 2005 21:53:55 GMT -5
The owner of the Rose Garden, Portland Trailblazers and Seattle Seahawks is Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen. I think he's worth about 15-20 billion and I had read at one point he was interested in bringing a team to Portland. Bettman still thinks he works for the NBA so anything is possible.
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Post by joelzillmanwpg on Apr 9, 2005 15:28:56 GMT -5
The owner of the Rose Garden, Portland Trailblazers and Seattle Seahawks is Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen. I think he's worth about 15-20 billion and I had read at one point he was interested in bringing a team to Portland. Bettman still thinks he works for the NBA so anything is possible. Paul Allen was once interested in bringing a team to Portland, but has changed his mind..
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Post by devil3 on Apr 9, 2005 18:40:13 GMT -5
Word around Oregon these days is that Paul Allen plans to sell the Blazers and essentially remove himself from the Portland sports scene. He also owns the Seattle Seahawks, and it has been noted that he may decide to focus on that team full time. Allen came very close to bringing the Penguins to Portland a few years ago, although it appears that if Portland someday gets an NHL tem, it will not be Paul Allen owned. This is probably for the best considering he has pretty much run the Blazers into the ground over the past few seasons. I don't think it's realisitic for Portland to get a team in the near future, but I do think it would do well as an NHL city.
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