Daniel Posted August 27, 2014 Share Posted August 27, 2014 http://www.si.com/nhl/2014/08/26/report-nhl-expansion-las-vegas-done-deal I think it's an awful idea, but I'm usually wrong about these things. Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StormJosh Posted August 27, 2014 Share Posted August 27, 2014 While I'm all for a team in Las Vegas which I think would be really interesting, what I'm concerned with is not the viability of the franchise but the dilution of talent. If we add 2 new teams as the article suggests thats basically 45ish new roster spots. That means each team will basically have one or two players on their squad that otherwise wouldn't be good enough to play in the NHL. On the other hand, it will make the star players look that much more dominant. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Devilsfan118 Posted August 27, 2014 Share Posted August 27, 2014 Can't imagine why they'd ever expand to Vegas when there are (imo of course) much better options. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MadDog2020 Posted August 27, 2014 Share Posted August 27, 2014 Vegas and Seattle balance out the conferences. I bet it happens. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
'7' Posted August 27, 2014 Share Posted August 27, 2014 (edited) It's not the best of ideas considering the transient nature of Vegas. It's also prone to boom and bust periods. If we hit a bust period like we did earlier in the decade, nobody will go. Because Vegas hockey won't be a cheap ticket. And you can't rely on out of state tourists from the northeast and Midwest to fill that arena. Sure they'll come but not enough to keep the franchise afloat (it's not working in Phoenix and Florida as neither of those franchises should exist) also generally if you're going from say Chicago to Vegas...you're going to go gambling at night or engage in some debauchery or see Penn and Teller or Celine Dion or some band that's in town. Vegas hockey will be low on the pecking order because these folks can just go see their Rangers or Wings or Blackhawks when they get home. Edited August 27, 2014 by '7' Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RSC Posted August 27, 2014 Share Posted August 27, 2014 (edited) Vegas and Seattle balance out the conferences. I bet it happens. Honestly, I'm ok with this, especially if it means Seattle gets a team. I know Las Vegas and Oklahoma City are obviously completely different, but the Thunder show what can happen when a team is the only major professional sport in town. Might be a risk, but it's worth it. Edited August 27, 2014 by RSC Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MadDog2020 Posted August 27, 2014 Share Posted August 27, 2014 Honestly, I'm ok with this, especially if it means Seattle gets a team. I know Las Vegas and Oklahoma City are obviously completely different, but the Thunder show what can happen when a team is the only major professional sport in town. Might be a risk, but it's worth it. I'm glad someone got that- and it didn't take that long either lol. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HOLLYWOOD Posted August 27, 2014 Share Posted August 27, 2014 lol! I told EJ Hradek it was happening last year, gave him all the information and details on the new arena, etc, but he blew it off, attributing to the marketing BS of Las Vegas. Las Vegas is transforming from a gambling oasis, to an entertainment mecca. Entertainment profits exceed gambling revenue now and of course everyone has seen the new commercials to visit las vegas. They'll sell mucha seats to all the casino/hotels alone... so with the pooling of arena money, it will help the league with the revenue. Should be fun to naming the new team... one name it won't be is the: 'Las Vegas Craps' Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daniel Posted August 27, 2014 Author Share Posted August 27, 2014 Also might throw a nice monkey wrench into the Eichel, McDavid sweepstakes. Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2ELIAS6 Posted August 27, 2014 Share Posted August 27, 2014 having an nhl team in vegas..that seems like it would be pretty cool Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
'7' Posted August 27, 2014 Share Posted August 27, 2014 (edited) lol! I told EJ Hradek it was happening last year, gave him all the information and details on the new arena, etc, but he blew it off, attributing to the marketing BS of Las Vegas. Las Vegas is transforming from a gambling oasis, to an entertainment mecca. Entertainment profits exceed gambling revenue now and of course everyone has seen the new commercials to visit las vegas. They'll sell mucha seats to all the casino/hotels alone... so with the pooling of arena money, it will help the league with the revenue. Should be fun to naming the new team... one name it won't be is the: 'Las Vegas Craps' It's been an entertainment mecca for decades. That's foolhardy to just assume they will sell seats to casinos and hotels. Hockey is basically off the radar in an area like Vegas. What will the hotels and casinos do with those tix when there is no demand for the games. You think anybody there will skip Penn and Teller or Cirque Du Soleil to watch the Florida Panthers beat the Las Vegas Golden Nuggets 2-1? and another thing...the NFL is at the absolute top of the sports food chain in America. Damn the gambling, if the NFL saw there was money to be made in Vegas pro sports, they'd be there. But they're not, and neither should the NHL. Edited August 27, 2014 by '7' Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derlique Posted August 27, 2014 Share Posted August 27, 2014 Do they even have an arena capable of 15k +? I don't expect us to be top 3 bad, so McDavid/Eichel going out west wouldn't be the worst thing in the world Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NJDevs4978 Posted August 27, 2014 Share Posted August 27, 2014 Also might throw a nice monkey wrench into the Eichel, McDavid sweepstakes. Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk How, they're already giving the worst team 'only' a 20% chance to get the pick anyway. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
'7' Posted August 27, 2014 Share Posted August 27, 2014 (edited) Do they even have an arena capable of 15k +? I don't expect us to be top 3 bad, so McDavid/Eichel going out west wouldn't be the worst thing in the world they are building an MGM-AEG arena which will seat 17,500 for hockey. It would be ready to host a team in 2017. Edited August 27, 2014 by '7' Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derlique Posted August 27, 2014 Share Posted August 27, 2014 they are building an MGM-AEG arena which will seat 17,500 for hockey. It would be ready to host a team in 2017. Oh, so they wouldn't be a player for a few more years, unless they have a temp they can use for now Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RSC Posted August 27, 2014 Share Posted August 27, 2014 Oh, so they wouldn't be a player for a few more years, unless they have a temp they can use for now None of this would be for at least a few more years, if it were to happen, since it would require an arena being built in both Vegas and Seattle. At least, that's my understanding of it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daniel Posted August 27, 2014 Author Share Posted August 27, 2014 How, they're already giving the worst team 'only' a 20% chance to get the pick anyway. If there's another team or two teams in the mix for the lottery the odds for at least some of, but more likely all of the teams, will have to be adjusted. Someone can correct me if I'm misremembering, but I believe that the league gave San Jose the number 2 pick in the Lindros draft, even though there was no lottery. If it's something like that, an expansion team will get Eichel. Not sure how Atlanta ended up with number 1 overall in their inaugural season, Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Satans Hockey Posted August 27, 2014 Share Posted August 27, 2014 Instead of expanding they should just move Florida and Phoenix. This league really doesn't need more teams. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
roomtemp Posted August 27, 2014 Share Posted August 27, 2014 Just no more teams in Canada. It doesn't help anyone in the league but that team to be in Canada Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RunninWithTheDevil Posted August 27, 2014 Share Posted August 27, 2014 Let's see what corny name they pick My money is on: Las Vegas Gamblers Las Vegas High Rollers Las Vegas Deuces Las Vegas Aces Las Vegas Chips* *I really hope its this one Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thefiestygoat Posted August 27, 2014 Share Posted August 27, 2014 I've been following this from afar but kept going back and forth on whether or not I thought it would happen. I don't mind Las Vegas joining the league but I wish it was the Coyotes relocating there and Seattle and Quebec given expansion teams. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikemarc1 Posted August 27, 2014 Share Posted August 27, 2014 Sports Business News is now reporting 4 team expansion in 2017. Seattle, Las Vegas, Toronto, and Quebec City. Unless its 2 teams relocating..i hate this idea. Adding Seattle and Las Vegas I don't mind..it will balance out the division. Another team in Toronto and another shot at Quebec...seems overkill to me. Hope its just a rumor. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thefiestygoat Posted August 27, 2014 Share Posted August 27, 2014 I'm also not a fan of adding 4 expansion teams, I just don't think there is enough quality to go around. I'd be fine with 2 expansion and 2 relocations. Not sure how much stock to put into this but from Howard Bloom of Sports Business News: "NHL expansion – four teams added by 2017, Quebec City, Toronto, Seattle, and Las Vegas $1.4b in expansion fees" That's a lot of money and money will always win out. Still not sure how feasible a 34 team league is though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PuckDon't Lie Posted August 27, 2014 Share Posted August 27, 2014 Big gamble by the NHL here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlueSkirt Posted August 27, 2014 Share Posted August 27, 2014 I'm skeptical about expansion, and I think 34 teams is impossible ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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