42 replies to this topic

[gardenstatepkwy]

I find this topic very interesting. Somehow I got off on a wikipedia tangent this morning and ended up on the page for the California Seals aka Oakland Seals aka California Golden Seals. Anyway it seems like the NHL BoG blocked them from relocating several times - to Vancouver, Buffalo, Indianapolis and Denver. The article also mentions rumors about moving the Penguins to Seattle in 1975. The Seals move to Denver fell through, haven't found out what happened with the Penguins move to Seattle but I found it interesting how long Seattle has been contemplated as a potential NHL market. Also ironic that the BoG blocked them from Vancouver and Buffalo and not more than 5 years later they were awarded franchises. Nothing like an early morning refresher on NHL history.

[Colorado Rockies 1976]

Also funny that Denver wanted a hockey team so badly back then, they finally get one, then three different owners over six seasons there explore the possibility of moving to NJ (among other places as well). That coupled with the inevitably bad on-ice product (kinda hard to put a team together when the franchise is constantly experiencing ownership turnover) pretty much doomed the Rockies from the very start.

[DH26]

welp Jamison's out as a potential owner per @dshoalts on twitter.

[devlman]

Good for them. That franchise is finally getting a taste of success, so maybe they can grow the sport out there now. I'm sure this playoff run has helped immensley from that perspective. Glad they get to keep their team.

+1

[DH26]

This isn't good https://twitter.com/...036033671970816

Edited by DH26, 31 January 2013 - 01:04 PM.

[Triumph]

Sure it is. If Jamison owned the team that was bleeding money, how long would that last before he went under? It's not a profitable investment. The city of Glendale is out millions of dollars no matter how this goes down, because they were dumb enough to pay for an arena. Let them try Kansas City or Seattle.

[DH26]

Sure it is. If Jamison owned the team that was bleeding money, how long would that last before he went under? It's not a profitable investment. The city of Glendale is out millions of dollars no matter how this goes down, because they were dumb enough to pay for an arena. Let them try Kansas City or Seattle.

I just meant for Phoenix fans. It would've bought them a couple years and then the inevitable would've happened. I'm glad they're gonna end up moving though, that team staying there makes no sense and it's in the league's best interest to have a team people care about that can support itself

[Chuck the Duck]

Clearly Bettman and the league made a lot of promises to the City of Glendale to get that arena built. Have you ever seen a league bend over backwards to try to prevent a team from leaving a market the way the NHL has in this situation?

I don't want to see that team moved, and I feel bad for the hardcore fans there, but nobody with the means is willing to invest in this team. If Jamison couldn't get his finances together after the sweetheart lease re-negotiation Glendale just gave him, I highly doubt anybody will. I get the feeling that Phoenix will be moving to Quebec City and switching conferences with the Jets starting next season.

[DH26]

Clearly Bettman and the league made a lot of promises to the City of Glendale to get that arena built. Have you ever seen a league bend over backwards to try to prevent a team from leaving a market the way the NHL has in this situation?

I don't want to see that team moved, and I feel bad for the hardcore fans there, but nobody with the means is willing to invest in this team. If Jamison couldn't get his finances together after the sweetheart lease re-negotiation Glendale just gave him, I highly doubt anybody will. I get the feeling that Phoenix will be moving to Quebec City and switching conferences with the Jets starting next season.

I dunno if it's surprising to see him bending over backward to save a franchise, just weird that it would be THIS franchise when there were other ones in the past to protect. Hartford, Quebec, first Jets, were more popular and had more of a following than this team though they weren't as successful though Quebec would've been had they stayed another year (though Roy probably doesn't get traded there then).

Look at Atlanta, they just got shuffled out without a fight from Bettman at all but Phoenix has been going on for 4 years since Balsillie first tried to buy them in bankruptcy court and Bettman's basically trying as hard as he can to sell this team to Boots Del Baggio 2.0

[thefiestygoat]

Moving the Coyotes to Quebec makes a ton of sense. I'm really pulling for the people of Quebec to get a team back. I don't want expansion nor do I buy the rumors but for the sake of discussion, let's say the Coyotes move to Quebec then in a few years the NHL adds 2 new teams. I'd have to think Seattle would be option #1 and Markham aka Toronto 2 (though it's far from certain they get the arena done) would be option #2. I think there's definitely enough hockey fans in the Greater Toronto Area to support a team in Markham, especially if they brand it as Ontario. The NHL should be well off with 2 additional teams in Canada as well as collecting a relocation fee and 2 expansion fees.

[Triumph]

I dunno if it's surprising to see him bending over backward to save a franchise, just weird that it would be THIS franchise when there were other ones in the past to protect. Hartford, Quebec, first Jets, were more popular and had more of a following than this team though they weren't as successful though Quebec would've been had they stayed another year (though Roy probably doesn't get traded there then).

Look at Atlanta, they just got shuffled out without a fight from Bettman at all but Phoenix has been going on for 4 years since Balsillie first tried to buy them in bankruptcy court and Bettman's basically trying as hard as he can to sell this team to Boots Del Baggio 2.0

Atlanta's ownership problems had been going on for years. Like max said, the building didn't even want the Thrashers there anymore.

What holds Hartford, Quebec, and Winnipeg together? If you guessed an unwillingness to use public money to fund arenas that might keep the team there, you'd be correct. The league tried to keep those teams where they were, but if a team's lease has expired and the owner wants to move the team, there's not much the league can do.

[DH26]

Atlanta's ownership problems had been going on for years. Like max said, the building didn't even want the Thrashers there anymore.

What holds Hartford, Quebec, and Winnipeg together? If you guessed an unwillingness to use public money to fund arenas that might keep the team there, you'd be correct. The league tried to keep those teams where they were, but if a team's lease has expired and the owner wants to move the team, there's not much the league can do.

W/ Winnipeg, they couldn't find anyone to buy the team and Bettman apparently said (according to Wikipedia) nobody seriously wants to buy the team. The same's obviously true here but he holds them there. I guess Phoenix having the modern, new arena is maybe the difference between the two but it didn't seem to be the main reason they left. I've heard other people like Jeff Marek say the same thing: the arena was bad but it wasn't the reason they left when they did; it was because nobody wanted to own them.

[maxpower]

At this point you just have to cut your losses, no? The city is already headed for certain bankruptcy whether the team stays or goes.

No, I agree, it's over. It'll be interesting to see the local fallout from this... there had to be alot of shady things going down. And now the arena is going to be a white elephant.

[thefiestygoat]

The most forthcoming statement from a NHL official about the Coyotes potentially relocating:

http://www.cbc.ca/sp...ec-ontario.html

Will Coyotes franchise be moved if someone other than the league doesn’t own it by end of this season?

“It’s a fair question,” said Daly. “Up to this point the franchise has remained [in Glendale]. We’re closer to executing an alternative [plan] right now than we were five months ago but I’m not going to make any predictions with respect to what happens after this year.”

The NHL had the Winnipeg ownership group as an alternative plan for 2 years. I bet they have a group lined up in Quebec.

[Marshall]

The NHL had the Winnipeg ownership group as an alternative plan for 2 years. I bet they have a group lined up in Quebec.

Does Quebec have an NHL-ready arena? I think Seattle makes more sense right now, given that they have an arena and an NBA team.

[MadDog2020]

Does Quebec have an NHL-ready arena? I think Seattle makes more sense right now, given that they have an arena and an NBA team.

If an NHL team moves to Quebec, they will play at Le Colisee (which I believe was renovated) for 2 seasons I think and then move in to the new arena after that. I remember hearing that sometime last year.

[SterioDesign]

If an NHL team moves to Quebec, they will play at Le Colisee (which I believe was renovated) for 2 seasons I think and then move in to the new arena after that. I remember hearing that sometime last year.

yup. i'm all for a move to Quebec it may not be as big as Seattle and i know fans from Seattle are really passionate in sports and that in the long run it could work, also obviously the business and economy is better in Seattle, but i simply know that their hockey desire is not even close to be what people from Quebec have and would bring right off the bat.

NHL and an organization wouldnt have to "sell the game" and find ridiculous ways to get people in the seats in Quebec like some place in the US where it's clearly failing. The collisé would be sell out every single games of the season. IMO you can have the richest city in the world but if the people in it doesnt give a sh!t about the game you won't make much more profit than a smaller city with an already set fan base who's gonna bring a good cash flow in merch and tickets.

[Devil Dan 56]

yup. i'm all for a move to Quebec it may not be as big as Seattle and i know fans from Seattle are really passionate in sports and that in the long run it could work, also obviously the business and economy is better in Seattle, but i simply know that their hockey desire is not even close to be what people from Quebec have and would bring right off the bat.

NHL and an organization wouldnt have to "sell the game" and find ridiculous ways to get people in the seats in Quebec like some place in the US where it's clearly failing. The collisé would be sell out every single games of the season. IMO you can have the richest city in the world but if the people in it doesnt give a sh!t about the game you won't make much more profit than a smaller city with an already set fan base who's gonna bring a good cash flow in merch and tickets.

This exactly. Quebec is a gimme. Brand new arena on the way, built in fan base. Now the real question... will they be the Nords once again??

[SterioDesign]

It also won't just be an arena but a multifunctional center for Quebecor which is is one of Canada's largest media company and they have the "J'ai ma place" project on the go.

http://www.jaimaplac...en/page/project (very interesting read / project)

J’ai ma place is a plan to build a new multipurpose amphitheater in Quebec City to host cultural and sports events. The new $240 million facility would be comparable to the Bell Center in Montreal and would have a seating capacity of about 20,000 people. According to a preliminary schedule, the undertaking would be completed within 5 years.

The first step is to assess the interest of the population and the business community by raising $50 million. A financial contribution is being sought in the form of seat purchases. This contribution entitles the purchaser to advance ticket purchase priority. Afterwards, a financing package could be completed through contributions from the City of Quebec and the provincial and federal governments. The financing package for this plan may require a period of 24 to 36 months.

that first step is actually already achieved.


http://www.quebecor.com/en

they'll be able to broadcast games right from their own facility and auto suffice themselves in many areas with that plan.

Edited by SterioDesign, 01 February 2013 - 10:45 AM.

[BCdevil]

If the Coyotes relocate, I think it will be to Seattle. The expansion teams, with higher price tags, will be reserved for Toronto and Quebec.