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Post by ani on Dec 24, 2008 13:41:54 GMT -5
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Post by Wolfpack Bitch on Dec 24, 2008 13:55:16 GMT -5
Best ice surface in the NHL up there in Winnipeg. Traveling to and fro.. sucked. Why'd they leave Winnipeg to begin with though ? Hey, Kansas City is looking for a hockey team since they lost out on the Penguins. Where else is there to go ? from what I've read The Jets left Winnipeg because they couldnt get money for a new arena and the owners just said screw it and packed up and left for Phoenix Oh and the Coyotes are 26th in attendance with the Islanders dead last sports.espn.go.com/nhl/attendance?year=2009I doubt in this economy that the team going back to Winnipeg would make a bit of difference then. Still aren't going to get a new arena. Even with Gretzky as a draw behind the bench, they can't pull people. The Isles not drawing.. that's because they suck and they're smack in the middle of two other consistent quality teams in the Rangers and the Devils. The Isles were a dynasty in the 70's and havn't done squat since. Even Pat Lafontaine and Pierre Turgeon couldn't make them interesting or exciting to watch. They have too much history to fold though.. Phoenix on the other hand. Hasta la vista baby. |
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Cranjis McBasketball
Crow T. Robot
Knew what the hell that thing was supposed to be
Peace Love and Nothing But
Posts: 41,907
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Post by Cranjis McBasketball on Dec 24, 2008 14:02:53 GMT -5
They won't go back to Winnipeg because the NHL won't allow it. I forget the figures, but believe me when I tell you, the NHL generates nearly all it's revenue off the backs of the Canadian teams. There's 6 of them and they pull in more cash than 24 American teams.....something is f***ed up.
I've thought for a long time we as Canadians should take the Stanley Cup back and just leave the NHL and start our own league. Getting the Cup back would be tricky, but at least we got a court case saying the NHL did violate Lord Stanley's origina intention for the Cup and if the NHL season ever is held up again, it will be contested for that season.
Also, as for Gretzky being a draw.....you watch too much rasslin' now. No one goes to the game to see the coach.
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Post by ani on Dec 24, 2008 14:10:33 GMT -5
Hey, you're the mod Wolfie. I don't get paid to do this  |
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Post by slasher911 on Dec 24, 2008 17:03:38 GMT -5
They won't go back to Winnipeg because the NHL won't allow it. I forget the figures, but believe me when I tell you, the NHL generates nearly all it's revenue off the backs of the Canadian teams. There's 6 of them and they pull in more cash than 24 American teams.....something is snorked up. I've thought for a long time we as Canadians should take the Stanley Cup back and just leave the NHL and start our own league. Getting the Cup back would be tricky, but at least we got a court case saying the NHL did violate Lord Stanley's origina intention for the Cup and if the NHL season ever is held up again, it will be contested for that season. Also, as for Gretzky being a draw.....you watch too much rasslin' now. No one goes to the game to see the coach. That's because the NHL doesn't really have to compete with 2 other major sports at the same time in Canada. The CFL ends early in the season, but we've still got the NFL and NBA well into February and April. Besides, a Canadian city hasn't actually had the Stanley Cup in 15 years  |
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BR329
King Koopa
Support the WWF
Posts: 11,477 
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Post by BR329 on Dec 24, 2008 18:21:05 GMT -5
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Post by Designated Drinker on Dec 24, 2008 18:28:44 GMT -5
There should be another team in Canada but i can't see them ever going back to Winnipeg.You've gotta wonder about the politics involved with the NHL when they wouldn't let Jim Basillie -who's worth millions- Buy the Predators and bring them north to where they'd have major fan support.Instead allow them to be sold to a group that includes a guy currently being investigated for acquired the loans he used to buy his stake in the team through fraudulent means.
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Deleted
Deleted Member
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Post by Deleted on Dec 24, 2008 23:00:51 GMT -5
I've thought for a long time we as Canadians should take the Stanley Cup back and just leave the NHL and start our own league. You mean like revive the National Hockey Association? Back with the Toronto Blueshirts, the Quebec Bulldogs, and the Renfrew Creamery Kings? The Canadiens should do that when they win the cup. Revert to their old logo with the A instead of the H. |
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Post by Muskrat on Dec 24, 2008 23:21:22 GMT -5
I doubt in this economy that the team going back to Winnipeg would make a bit of difference then. Still aren't going to get a new arena. Actually, Winnipeg DID get a new arena. It opened in November 2004, and I'm not sure how it's doing now, but at one point it was one of the best drawing Arenas not only in Canada, but in North America. It's a pretty pimp arena. That being said, as much as I want it, Winnipeg's population, doesn't have the money to support an NHL team, especially now with the recession. |
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ecdub22
AC Slater
Let's Go Giants!
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Post by ecdub22 on Dec 24, 2008 23:30:46 GMT -5
There is something that's really bothering me as a Sharks fan and that's that Jeremy Roenick injured his shoulder and is expected to miss at least 2 months. Now you may or may not like him but the guy was a really damn good hockey player and one thing I believe he deserves is a Stanley Cup. But it really wouldn't be worth it if he was injured at the time. So here's hoping J.R. can get back on the ice before the playoffs.
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Cranjis McBasketball
Crow T. Robot
Knew what the hell that thing was supposed to be
Peace Love and Nothing But
Posts: 41,907
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Post by Cranjis McBasketball on Dec 25, 2008 15:00:27 GMT -5
They won't go back to Winnipeg because the NHL won't allow it. I forget the figures, but believe me when I tell you, the NHL generates nearly all it's revenue off the backs of the Canadian teams. There's 6 of them and they pull in more cash than 24 American teams.....something is snorked up. I've thought for a long time we as Canadians should take the Stanley Cup back and just leave the NHL and start our own league. Getting the Cup back would be tricky, but at least we got a court case saying the NHL did violate Lord Stanley's origina intention for the Cup and if the NHL season ever is held up again, it will be contested for that season. Also, as for Gretzky being a draw.....you watch too much rasslin' now. No one goes to the game to see the coach. That's because the NHL doesn't really have to compete with 2 other major sports at the same time in Canada. The CFL ends early in the season, but we've still got the NFL and NBA well into February and April. Besides, a Canadian city hasn't actually had the Stanley Cup in 15 years Oh, so what? Most of the guys who win it are Canadians anyway. Lidstrom was the first European trained NHLer to ever captain his team to the Cup in 110 years. I don't think our grip on the game is loosening. |
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Post by slasher911 on Dec 25, 2008 18:29:38 GMT -5
That's because the NHL doesn't really have to compete with 2 other major sports at the same time in Canada. The CFL ends early in the season, but we've still got the NFL and NBA well into February and April. Besides, a Canadian city hasn't actually had the Stanley Cup in 15 years Oh, so what? Most of the guys who win it are Canadians anyway. Lidstrom was the first European trained NHLer to ever captain his team to the Cup in 110 years. I don't think our grip on the game is loosening. It was a joke - one you completely missed. |
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Post by HMARK Center on Dec 26, 2008 0:49:28 GMT -5
If you want to know why the NHL doesn't sell as well in the US, there are a couple of reasons.
Reason A would be the competition with the NBA (American-created sport) and the NFL during the fall/winter.
Reason B, however, is the the NHL is absolutely pathetic when it comes to marketing and generating interest, and that's being generous. I'm not saying this as a personal slam on Crosby, but the whole IMMEDIATE push by Bettman and his boys to make Sydney the new face of the NHL, before the kid even played in a regular season game, is indicative of what's wrong with their marketing machine. They want a Jordan (or a Gretzky, more appropriately) for their marketing to get behind, but while guys like Crosby, Ovechkin, etc. are great, that's not who they are.
Meanwhile the NHL has quality franchises everywhere, but no idea how to sell them to the public, because they're caught up in attempting to create a stir about individual players instead. It's a fruitless endeavor; you can't just "create" the next huge crossover star, said star is only going to appear naturally, on his own.
All you have to do is look over here in the tri-state area. In the past handful of years, in the NBA, the Nets have been mediocre, the Knicks have been a national joke, and while the Giants and Jets are big, they also only play once a week. Given that winter sports setting, the NHL had a ripe opportunity to play up the Devils and Rangers, two contending teams with a bitter rivalry, and stir up interest in this area.
Now, to be fair, as the NBA franchises around here have stunk, NHL ratings have gone up. I know last season, the Rangers finally outdrew the Knicks' TV ratings for the first time in maybe ever, and the Devils and, yes, even the Islanders saw significant bumps up in their ratings, as well. The Devils also opened up the Prudential Center, which is far and away the nicest arena in this area at this moment.
But nothing was really invested around here, and hockey continues to be a red-headed stepchild sport. Almost none of the sports radio personalities over here know any hockey outside of either the Islanders' 80's dynasty or the Ranger '94 cup run (and despite being the #2 team in popularity around here, the Devils get basically NO representation whatsoever), and there's no marketing of the product going on to suddenly get them into it, either.
In fairness, some of this falls on the team themselves (any Devils will tell you it's frustrating how the Devils could do a lot more to market themselves), but their reach is limited.
I suppose the NHL as a whole is also still feeling some hangover from the lockout, but there are untold marketing methods they could be delving into that they simply aren't trying.
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Post by slasher911 on Dec 26, 2008 2:02:08 GMT -5
Yeah, the Bruins finally managed to get some decent exposure around Boston for the first time in years (not negative exposure anyway). They actually started putting the Bruins flags, etc. in front of the Garden (instead of the Celtics) and gotten decent ad time on TV, and so far it's paid off. Even the throw-away games are selling out, and their new jerseys are selling like crazy.
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Post by Vice honcho room temperature on Dec 26, 2008 2:02:22 GMT -5
Also doesn't help that the teams they are trying to expand to the south have been bad more often than they have been good.
I also think that hockey is a lot closer to the NBA atleast in shared cities than popular media (espn) wants to think. Because they can't make money for the time any time they would spend on it. But leaving VS. isn't necessary but the image will be there not being on espn
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Post by slasher911 on Dec 26, 2008 2:05:34 GMT -5
That's sorta' why I want to see Avery sign with Nashville, Atlanta or the two Florida teams. The south is mostly college football, but they flock to arenas for big-name players - even the negative.
For the rest of the south, Dallas is doing good for itself, and Carolina would do fine if they weren't an ehhhh team.
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Post by Drillbit Taylor on Dec 26, 2008 11:15:33 GMT -5
Well if they were to move might as well look at the AHL to see who could support a team the best. the top 5 teams in terms of attendace this season are
1.Manitoba 127,547
2. Hershey 123,658
3.Grand Rapids 101,038
4.Houston 89,170
5.W-B/Scranton 88,326
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darthalexander
Hank Scorpio
I have a feeling I may end up getting banned soon.
Posts: 7,030
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Post by darthalexander on Dec 26, 2008 11:24:17 GMT -5
I had heard a while ago that possibly Hamilton would get a team or that maybe Toronto would get a second one. It's all specualtion so who knows.
I don't live in the States so I can't say how well/bad the NHL is marketed there but I have read in Canadian papers that Bettman is doing a fairly lousy job all around. I think the game itself should be promoted over players first - then let the players "take over". In Canada hockey is already pre-sold so we don't have that problem. The States need to be sold on the game first.
I wish it would become more popular. If more people realised how exciting a game could be, I bet the NHL would really pick up big-time.
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Post by HMARK Center on Dec 26, 2008 11:39:41 GMT -5
That's exactly it, darth; the game isn't really marketed at all down here, besides some Winter Classic commercials. Some players are, but the quality franchises and the all-around quality of the sport aren't featured at all. It's backwards-thinking.
Hockey is fast-paced, hard-hitting, and often times goes back and forth between acrobatic skills feats and smash-mouth style hits...Americans should be lapping it up.
Instead, I hear a lot of people down here who whine about how "violent" it is (lousy hypocrites still LOVE their concussion-filled football, of course), but it's not like it's been marketed in any way that makes a non-fan think "Hmm, maybe I should check this out."
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Post by Drillbit Taylor on Dec 26, 2008 11:50:40 GMT -5
First thing they need is more exposure. IE more then the occasional game on NBC...
And yea I fully understand the Irony of NHL ... and to an extent Rugby not being popular in the USA when most fans love fast paced, hard hitting games. Yet Soccer is gaining popularity (Not here to start any fights, I do not mind soccer.)
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