Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Apr 23, 2009 12:51:38 GMT -5
And Chicago and Boston had terrible attendance when they were terrible. 5 years is not enough time to make a judgement that the Aves are not working out. Also with the Islanders I'm just saying is try to get them a new arena deal before you move them (as someone who follows what's going on that answer should come in a year.) Also I thought it was stupid when MLB entertained the idea of contracting the Twins. Chicago's bad attendance came around because of a few factors: -"Dollar Bill" Wirtz owned the team and didn't spend the money to either retain franchise players (Jeremy Roenick, Eddie Belfor, Tony Amonte, to name a few) or sign quality free-agents to help the team get better. -The costs of going to a game got higher, the team got progressively worse to the point it wasn't worth going out to see a 6-1 massacre to Colorado, which was the complete opposite of Chicago: they spent the money to draw free agents and get better to the point of winning a Stanley Cup not long after they moved from Quebec City. -Only 'Hawks road games were able to be seen on TV. NBC had to bend over backwards just to get Wirtz to air the 1991 All-Star Game at the Stadium here! (Not everyone had cable, so if you were without cable, you were SOL.) -Former stars like Stan Mikita and Bobby Hull were sickened by the product and wanted nothing to do with it. -Pat Foley, voice of the 'Hawks, was replaced. Dale Tallon was moved to GM but was the other announcer we equate with Chicago hockey. -The IHL/AHL Chicago Wolves were a cheaper brand of hockey that played way better than the 'Hawks, and it was more fun to see winning hockey in Chicago. (A Turner Cup & 2 Calder Cups later, they're still the hot draw.) It got better only over the past couple of years: -Scouting system finally broke through and discovered some good young stars to build around! (Jonathan Toews & Patrick Kane being some of the young guns we have.) -Bill Wirtz died, his son Rocky took over operations and opened the floodgates to "Hawks-cess". -Hired former Cubs President John McDonough, who started a huge ad campaign to get people to notice the NHL is in Chicago and serious about winning. ("Respect the Indian", "One Goal", "Think Red", etc.) -All games are locally televised on one of 5 stations. WGN signed a deal to air 'Hawks games. They started the "3 Stars Of The Game" after a 'Hawks win. -"Winter Classic" against Detroit at Wrigley Field. -First-ever Fan Fest brought back the older generation of stars, and they are very accessible during the game. They may have been the bottom of attendance figures for years, but the classic red sweater is the #1 jersey sold.
|
|
|
Post by Mr. Over Easy on Apr 23, 2009 13:08:42 GMT -5
Only reason the NHL ever got bad was because of one person…Gary Bettman. Hockey is just a great sport where the better team wins. The refs don’t effect the game the way the NBA refs do. Or there is no questioning athletes characters like in the MLB. Frankly, the NHL could be a gold mine.
Like people have said, contract teams, or relocate. But to be realistic that can’t happen over night. Or in one off season. What should happen is take the 2014 season off. With no hockey. Hockey officials should just pimp the Olympics as the major hockey event and get people excited for 2015. Expansion and contraction needs to be done for a couple of reasons.
1. The talent pool in the NHL is so thin from team to team. Less teams, more talent per team, more exciting games. Simple.
2. Some cities should not have hockey teams. No reason for teams in Winnipeg and Hartford. Those were good hockey towns that loved their teams.
3. The NHL will never be a national sport. Nor a sport that Americans will embrace…so why keep pretending it will be? There is no point to it.
These would be the teams I would contract, or relocate.
San Jose Sharks Atlanta Thrasher Nashville Predators Florida Panthers Phoenix Coyotes St Louis Blues Columbus Blue Jackets Los Angeles Kings
I did leave some teams out (Anaheim Ducks, Carolina Hurricanes, Dallas Stars) because you should never remove a team after they’ve won a championship. Which is why the NBA move of the Sonics was so freaking stupid.
I would relocate those teams to these cities…
Winnipeg Hartford Quebec Hamilton
I really think all those teams could support a team in the fashion Detroit, Buffalo, or New York supports their teams.
The NHL also could desperately use some TV Deals. Sure, VS. is fine but the more NHL that is on, more likely fans will migrate towards the leagues. Networks like Spike, or TNT, could benefit from having Hockey on.
I don’t know…there’s a lot of things I would do. That’s what came up off the top of my head when I thought about it.
|
|
|
Post by Vice honcho room temperature on Apr 23, 2009 14:00:02 GMT -5
And Chicago and Boston had terrible attendance when they were terrible. 5 years is not enough time to make a judgement that the Aves are not working out. Also with the Islanders I'm just saying is try to get them a new arena deal before you move them (as someone who follows what's going on that answer should come in a year.) Also I thought it was stupid when MLB entertained the idea of contracting the Twins. Chicago's bad attendance came around because of a few factors: I know that. Winning cures most attendance woes. ITs true for all sports. That was the point I was getting at with the Aves comparison to their fall in attendance. True Chi town's was more severe and really more comparable to Boston than Chi town but still.
|
|
|
Post by normcoleman on Apr 23, 2009 15:36:07 GMT -5
To those who want to contract the Kings, they are part of the 2nd expansion wave....you can't get rid of them easily and Hamilton would be shot down by Toronto and Buffalo.
|
|
Cranjis McBasketball
Crow T. Robot
Knew what the hell that thing was supposed to be
Peace Love and Nothing But
Posts: 41,961
|
Post by Cranjis McBasketball on Apr 23, 2009 16:01:29 GMT -5
....you can't get rid of them easily and Hamilton would be shot down by Toronto and Buffalo. That would be, I'd guess, about 80% of the reason Hamiliton doesn't have a team right there.
|
|
|
Post by normcoleman on Apr 23, 2009 18:15:49 GMT -5
Only reason the NHL ever got bad was because of one person…Gary Bettman. Hockey is just a great sport where the better team wins. The refs don’t effect the game the way the NBA refs do. Or there is no questioning athletes characters like in the MLB. Frankly, the NHL could be a gold mine. Like people have said, contract teams, or relocate. But to be realistic that can’t happen over night. Or in one off season. What should happen is take the 2014 season off. With no hockey. Hockey officials should just pimp the Olympics as the major hockey event and get people excited for 2015. Expansion and contraction needs to be done for a couple of reasons. 1. The talent pool in the NHL is so thin from team to team. Less teams, more talent per team, more exciting games. Simple. 2. Some cities should not have hockey teams. No reason for teams in Winnipeg and Hartford. Those were good hockey towns that loved their teams. 3. The NHL will never be a national sport. Nor a sport that Americans will embrace…so why keep pretending it will be? There is no point to it. These would be the teams I would contract, or relocate. San Jose Sharks Atlanta Thrasher Nashville Predators Florida Panthers Phoenix Coyotes St Louis Blues Columbus Blue Jackets Los Angeles Kings I did leave some teams out (Anaheim Ducks, Carolina Hurricanes, Dallas Stars) because you should never remove a team after they’ve won a championship. Which is why the NBA move of the Sonics was so freaking stupid. I would relocate those teams to these cities… Winnipeg Hartford Quebec Hamilton I really think all those teams could support a team in the fashion Detroit, Buffalo, or New York supports their teams. The NHL also could desperately use some TV Deals. Sure, VS. is fine but the more NHL that is on, more likely fans will migrate towards the leagues. Networks like Spike, or TNT, could benefit from having Hockey on. I don’t know…there’s a lot of things I would do. That’s what came up off the top of my head when I thought about it. Blues are also part of the 2nd wave of expansion...can't get rid of them.
|
|
|
Post by Drillbit Taylor on Apr 23, 2009 19:55:57 GMT -5
Only reason the NHL ever got bad was because of one person…Gary Bettman. Hockey is just a great sport where the better team wins. The refs don’t effect the game the way the NBA refs do. Or there is no questioning athletes characters like in the MLB. Frankly, the NHL could be a gold mine. Like people have said, contract teams, or relocate. But to be realistic that can’t happen over night. Or in one off season. What should happen is take the 2014 season off. With no hockey. Hockey officials should just pimp the Olympics as the major hockey event and get people excited for 2015. Expansion and contraction needs to be done for a couple of reasons. 1. The talent pool in the NHL is so thin from team to team. Less teams, more talent per team, more exciting games. Simple. 2. Some cities should not have hockey teams. No reason for teams in Winnipeg and Hartford. Those were good hockey towns that loved their teams. 3. The NHL will never be a national sport. Nor a sport that Americans will embrace…so why keep pretending it will be? There is no point to it. These would be the teams I would contract, or relocate. San Jose Sharks Atlanta Thrasher Nashville Predators Florida Panthers Phoenix Coyotes St Louis Blues Columbus Blue Jackets Los Angeles Kings I did leave some teams out (Anaheim Ducks, Carolina Hurricanes, Dallas Stars) because you should never remove a team after they’ve won a championship. Which is why the NBA move of the Sonics was so freaking stupid. I would relocate those teams to these cities… Winnipeg Hartford Quebec Hamilton I really think all those teams could support a team in the fashion Detroit, Buffalo, or New York supports their teams. The NHL also could desperately use some TV Deals. Sure, VS. is fine but the more NHL that is on, more likely fans will migrate towards the leagues. Networks like Spike, or TNT, could benefit from having Hockey on. I don’t know…there’s a lot of things I would do. That’s what came up off the top of my head when I thought about it. Blues are also part of the 2nd wave of expansion...can't get rid of them. So is the Kings
|
|
|
Post by The Summer of Muskrat XVII on Apr 23, 2009 20:57:47 GMT -5
Didn't NHL teams move away from Canada for a reason? The entire league hit trouble a few years ago, and has yet to recover. I think it's pretty weak to put a team in a city that cannot support one. Doesn't make fiscal sense, and if a major team does show up in Maine or wherever else, just so they have a team, I can see it being folded within a few years. Yes, the teams did leave Canada for a reason but in the post-lockout NHL all 6 Canadian teams have been thriving. The reason for that is the salary cap, it allows teams to be competetive without breaking the bank. By no means am I saying pull ALL southern teams, but move the ones that have piss poor attention. Someone said Houston gets amazing attendance for the AHL games, then by all means give them an NHL team. See how it goes, odds are it can't do worse then say Phoenix who I've heard has a contest where if you buy a drink you have a 50/50 chance of winning a ticket to the next game they're that hard up. But there's also a very viable Canadian market, I'm sure BC can handle a 2nd team. Winnipeg is likely ready for another shot now that the have a state of the art arena. Quebec City is another one that should be given another chance. And for the love of God let Jim Balsillie buy a team and do what ever he wants with it. Here's a guy who loves hockey, is practically BEGGING to own a team and Bettmen keeps telling him to go f*** himself. It's recockulous
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Apr 24, 2009 11:56:16 GMT -5
Stop letting 16 of the 30 teams make the playoffs. Think about that, 16 teams make it, and only 14 don't. What's the point of the regular season when you let more than half of the teams in anyway? Why not just a big ass tournament? You must not remember pre-1989, when 16 of 21 made it. Yes, I'm serious; you played a whole season to eliminate 5 teams from post-season play. (And I seem to recall the Red Wings were always one of the 5. Good times.) I think its more of a history thing really, before the NHLs big move into the south, was there even hockey teams around there? Yea. WHA had Houston, and Pheonix and Miami. And the Flames started in Atlanta in the 70's The Screaming Eagles of Miami never put a team on the ice, because nobody knew how to frickin' make it! They moved to New Jersey before they could even play. One popular minor league hockey team in the South were the Macon (Georgia) Whoopies.
|
|