Devil Dan 56 Posted May 26, 2011 Share Posted May 26, 2011 I'd be shocked if Whineypeg (who still as this moment in time does not have a team) expands the capacity by another 2,000. Don't want the crowd to get overshadowed by all the empty seats LOL Because Atlanta is a packed house? I really don't see what your problem with Winnipeg is. They lost their team and now they have a chance to get one back. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SterioDesign Posted May 26, 2011 Share Posted May 26, 2011 i also don't think you'd have too many empty seats in Canada especially with a new team, im pretty sure fans from winnipeg has been saving money for the last few years in order to get the best season ticket they can lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
'7' Posted May 26, 2011 Share Posted May 26, 2011 I think Adam IS Gary Buttman! What else could explain his braindead defense of all things southern hockey. He wants those franchises to stay in their cities moreso than the cities themselves. Phoenix and atlanta could care less... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
devilsfan26 Posted May 26, 2011 Share Posted May 26, 2011 Yea I understand the sympathy for Thrashers fans but the Winnipeg hate just makes no sense. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Devil Dan 56 Posted May 26, 2011 Share Posted May 26, 2011 Yea I understand the sympathy for Thrashers fans but the Winnipeg hate just makes no sense. That's what I'm saying. I sympathize with any hockey fan who may lose a team, as any Devils fan in the 90's would. But I'm also happy for Winnipeg. If we lost the Devils to Nashville in 95, and the Nashville Devils weren't drawing well and were looking to move, I think we'd all be pretty excited at the prospect of regaining a team. (Even though I know in that situation the NHL would never allow another team into the metro area. I'm shocked they did the first time.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AEWHistory Posted May 26, 2011 Share Posted May 26, 2011 They want the commish to do more i finding an ownership group-to put in the same at bat he did for phoenix. Bettman can also block a prospective owner from buying the team. If I wanted to buy the blue jackets and move them to seaside heights the commish has every right to veto that. I hope he would. There's a comment from that article that's spot on....moving from an emerging market of 5.3 mill to a disaster of a town w 725k that couldn't support a team in recent history. Bettman should be fighting against this. Size of the city has less to do with it than one might think at first appearance. Consider LA and it's perpetual football problems. Why is it that the second largest city in the USA cannot support a football team and yet Jacksonville, KC, Buffalo, and so on all seem to do fine? I honestly don't see why hockey, or any other sport, is different. Ownership, team success, sport popularity, arena issues, and other factors all go into whether a framchse will be a success in a given location. City size is merely one issue and, IMHO, not a top one. Hell, look at Green Bay; GB isn't wealthy or large. Admittedly they are an exceptional example, but they are a success nevertheless. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adam85491 Posted May 27, 2011 Share Posted May 27, 2011 Reading the facebook pages of Atlanta and Phoenix (and in turn, the comments from Winnipeggers) as well as articles on the situations in these cities, really makes you realize what the faithful fans there are going through. They're no less of a fan because they like a team in a non-traditional market (I'd say NJ is also pretty non-traditional, in one year there will only be one major sports franchise with the name New Jersey) and I think because people don't hear what these fans have to say or don't see the passion they have, they tend to just write them off and not give a single fvck. That's fine, but I'd rather the league continue to expand into new markets than retread old and unsuccessful ones. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
devilsfan26 Posted May 27, 2011 Share Posted May 27, 2011 Reading the facebook pages of Atlanta and Phoenix (and in turn, the comments from Winnipeggers) as well as articles on the situations in these cities, really makes you realize what the faithful fans there are going through. They're no less of a fan because they like a team in a non-traditional market (I'd say NJ is also pretty non-traditional, in one year there will only be one major sports franchise with the name New Jersey) and I think because people don't hear what these fans have to say or don't see the passion they have, they tend to just write them off and not give a single fvck. That's fine, but I'd rather the league continue to expand into new markets than retread old and unsuccessful ones. That's fine but it has nothing to do with people in Winnipeg so I don't know why you are bashing them. If anything it would seem to justify the exact opposite as a fanbase that had to go through the loss of a team will be getting one back. I'd rather the league try to give a team back to a fanbase that lost a team and will likely be more successful now due to a stronger Canadian dollar than stay in current and unsuccessful markets. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rangers suck69 Posted May 27, 2011 Share Posted May 27, 2011 I think bringing back hockey to cities like Winnipeg, Quebec, and Hartford will be great for the NHL. The most sold hockey merchandise is actually in Hartford and Winnipeg. Winnipeg didnt have a modern arena when they moved to Phoenix whereas now they do as well as an owner who actually has money. Remember this is the second time that hockey now has moved out of Atlanta Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Devil Dan 56 Posted May 27, 2011 Share Posted May 27, 2011 That's fine, but I'd rather the league continue to expand into new markets than retread old and unsuccessful ones. Like Atlanta? And most people here have said they feel for Atlanta and Phoenix, but that they also feel for Winnipeg. Sometimes forcing teams into markets works and sometimes it doesn't. Dallas, Anaheim, San Jose, they did it right. They had rough years too, and the fans were still there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StormJosh Posted May 27, 2011 Share Posted May 27, 2011 I think bringing back hockey to cities like Winnipeg, Quebec, and Hartford will be great for the NHL. The most sold hockey merchandise is actually in Hartford and Winnipeg. Winnipeg didnt have a modern arena when they moved to Phoenix whereas now they do as well as an owner who actually has money. Remember this is the second time that hockey now has moved out of Atlanta source? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DevsMan84 Posted May 27, 2011 Share Posted May 27, 2011 source? Found this article about the Whalers being the hottest selling merchandise in the NHL last year: Whalers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MantaRay Posted May 27, 2011 Share Posted May 27, 2011 (edited) Nostalgia sells. I would not put much stock in the merchandising aspect of this. BUT, if Hartford actually had a new arena you would have built in opposition fan bases within traveling distance to aid in selling tickets. Provided you put the arena in HARTFORD instead of the middle of nowhere like Glendale or the CAA. Edited May 27, 2011 by MantaRay Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
devlman Posted May 27, 2011 Share Posted May 27, 2011 Size of the city has less to do with it than one might think at first appearance. Consider LA and it's perpetual football problems. Why is it that the second largest city in the USA cannot support a football team and yet Jacksonville, KC, Buffalo, and so on all seem to do fine? I honestly don't see why hockey, or any other sport, is different. Ownership, team success, sport popularity, arena issues, and other factors all go into whether a framchse will be a success in a given location. City size is merely one issue and, IMHO, not a top one. Hell, look at Green Bay; GB isn't wealthy or large. Admittedly they are an exceptional example, but they are a success nevertheless. Because the NFL is in a whole other stratosphere compared to the NHL. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
devlman Posted May 27, 2011 Share Posted May 27, 2011 And most people here have said they feel for Atlanta and Phoenix, but that they also feel for Winnipeg. Sometimes forcing teams into markets works and sometimes it doesn't. Dallas, Anaheim, San Jose, they did it right. They had rough years too, and the fans were still there. The people of Winnipeg will obviously be happy and those in Atlanta and Phx will not be. That means something i guess but im much more concerned about the NHL making money and growing/thriving in the United States. Moving a team from Atlanta to Winnipeg takes a huge step back in that goal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
devilsfan26 Posted May 27, 2011 Share Posted May 27, 2011 Found this article about the Whalers being the hottest selling merchandise in the NHL last year: Whalers That's because ever since the move Whalers merchandise wasn't being produced until last year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DevsMan84 Posted May 27, 2011 Share Posted May 27, 2011 The people of Winnipeg will obviously be happy and those in Atlanta and Phx will not be. That means something i guess but im much more concerned about the NHL making money and growing/thriving in the United States. Moving a team from Atlanta to Winnipeg takes a huge step back in that goal. Hockey will always be a bit of a tough sell in the US. We are not always in terms of ratings behind the other 3 big sports, but many times behind NASCAR and poker. In Canada, they are just hockey crazy so it is a much easier sell up there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rangers suck69 Posted May 27, 2011 Share Posted May 27, 2011 If Hartford were awarded a team they would probably pull an MSG and renovate the XL Center over the course of a few summers. Arena is a bigger piece of crap than the CAA. Two bathrooms in the entire arena Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DevsMan84 Posted May 27, 2011 Share Posted May 27, 2011 That's because ever since the move Whalers merchandise wasn't being produced until last year. That is true too, but traditionally a lot of vintage stuff in general sells well. If Hartford were awarded a team they would probably pull an MSG and renovate the XL Center over the course of a few summers. Arena is a bigger piece of crap than the CAA. Two bathrooms in the entire arena Haha that is what I heard too about that place. Also, didn't they demolish the mall attached to it and rebuilding a new one? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
devlman Posted May 27, 2011 Share Posted May 27, 2011 Hockey will always be a bit of a tough sell in the US. We are not always in terms of ratings behind the other 3 big sports, but many times behind NASCAR and poker. In Canada, they are just hockey crazy so it is a much easier sell up there. So the answer is to give up? move teams out? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rangers suck69 Posted May 27, 2011 Share Posted May 27, 2011 That is true too, but traditionally a lot of vintage stuff in general sells well. Haha that is what I heard too about that place. Also, didn't they demolish the mall attached to it and rebuilding a new one? Didnt see the mall so im presuming they knocked it down. The whole area around the arena is terrible, but as long as there is a fan base there i really dont mind them having a team. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DevsMan84 Posted May 27, 2011 Share Posted May 27, 2011 So the answer is to give up? move teams out? When a team loses $150 million dollars since 2005 to the owners and there are no local owners who want to take it on, then yes you move. If you owned a store where you are losing money and where you have a terrible location, you will sell it in an instant to whomever gave you the best offer. If the new owner decides to move the store then to a better location, well that is the way things are. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
devlman Posted May 27, 2011 Share Posted May 27, 2011 When a team loses $150 million dollars since 2005 to the owners and there are no local owners who want to take it on, then yes you move. If you owned a store where you are losing money and where you have a terrible location, you will sell it in an instant to whomever gave you the best offer. If the new owner decides to move the store then to a better location, well that is the way things are. Fair enough but then move them to a city where the league can grow and make lots of money Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DevsMan84 Posted May 27, 2011 Share Posted May 27, 2011 Fair enough but then move them to a city where the league can grow and make lots of money Judging by the amount of enthusiasm Winnipeg is giving to the thought of having the team back while Atlanta is basically going "meh", I think they will make a decent amount of money. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
njdevil26 Posted May 27, 2011 Share Posted May 27, 2011 Do you think that Winnipeg will be a financial success and will add more to the revenue sharing pot to help teams like the league's baby: Phoenix... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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