Hank Posted March 30, 2010 Report Posted March 30, 2010 Vancouver Calgary Edmonton Winnipeg Ottawa Quebec Hamilton Montreal, could they support two franchises? Toronto could support two... Saskatoon? Maybe Halifax or St John?? With all the speculating on how much better the NHL would be if select southern teams were moved north of the border, I pose the following question....Could professional hockey survive in Canada without America? If the answer is yes, why don't the Canadian teams defect from the NHL and form their own Canadian Professional Hockey League?
henysgol Posted March 30, 2010 Report Posted March 30, 2010 I think Toronto and Montreal could definitely support two teams each, unless Hamilton got a team, then maybe Toronto might have trouble. I've talked to people from Halifax, believe it or not, here in Nashville,(it was drunk talk, so I'm not taking their word for it), but they disagreed with me when I said I thought Halifax/Dartmouth could support a team. I've also had beers with Winnipeggers who've said they didn't think the NHL would survive there either. Quebec, definitely. What other cities does Canada have that even come close to the necessary population needed to keep an NHL team afloat?
PromoTheRobot Posted March 30, 2010 Report Posted March 30, 2010 Americans already couldn't care less about the NHL. How do you think the ratings on NBC will be for that Saskatoon/Halifax Stanley Cup series? PTR
henysgol Posted March 30, 2010 Report Posted March 30, 2010 Americans already couldn't care less about the NHL. How do you think the ratings on NBC will be for that Saskatoon/Halifax Stanley Cup series? PTR This Olympics was the highest rated US TV audience in history for hockey. I think Americans are starting to wake up to how great and superior a sport hockey really is...and let me defend any prejudices toward the Southern hockey interest...Nashville packs the house every game! Believe me, I know from experience. And I've had many a beer with fans from Canada and the Northern U.S. who just LOVE coming down here for games, they say it's a GREAT atmosphere. The Nashville crowd has their own flavor; very loud, mean(especially toward the Red Wings), and devoted to the Predators. I've also met Caroliners who can't live without their 'Canes. Yea, they're a different breed for sure, but hockey is adored here in the South hands down. Tyler Myers was born, and became interested in hockey, in Texas for Pete's sake!
deluca67 Posted March 30, 2010 Report Posted March 30, 2010 Is there a Canadian city that couldn't support a NHL franchise.
SwampD Posted March 30, 2010 Report Posted March 30, 2010 Is there a Canadian city that couldn't support a NHL franchise. Let's see,.. Quebec, Winnipeg,..
LabattBlue Posted March 30, 2010 Report Posted March 30, 2010 5 Canadian teams are currently playing to 100% capacity and the 6th team(Ottawa) is at 98.3% capacity. Wasn't a lot of the problem with Quebec and Winnipeg related to the older arenas they played in? If Buffalo can support an NHL team, I don't see why in hockey rabid Canada, Winnipeg or Quebec CIty could not....assuming new arenas with seating of 17k+ have been built(or will be built upon being awarded a franchise). http://espn.go.com/nhl/attendance/_/sort/homePct That being said, a 2nd team in Toronto would probably have a better chance of success than any of the other Canadian city options.
deluca67 Posted March 30, 2010 Report Posted March 30, 2010 Let's see,.. Quebec, Winnipeg,.. Teams move for other reasons other than support. Just ask Bills fans.
bunomatic Posted March 30, 2010 Report Posted March 30, 2010 In response to Hanks question of Can professional hockey survive in Canada without America.Professional hockey has survived in Canada for over 100 years.Mind you America has been involved in that league for a good many years.The question should be can professional hockey survive in America without Canada?The vast majority of Americans would take beach volleyball or Nascar(is that even a sport?)over hockey.There are some very rabid and intelligent hockey fans in the states but it is'nt born and bred in the bone like it is in Canada.Its a part of the culture much like baseball is in America.If hockey went away in America you'd get over it.If it went away in Canada it would be like taking away our good kidney.Something that can't be replaced without a transplant.I suppose when people talk of going back into Winnipeg or Quebec thats what we feel.We're getting our health back.
ntjacks79 Posted March 30, 2010 Report Posted March 30, 2010 Vancouver Calgary Edmonton Winnipeg Ottawa Quebec Hamilton Montreal, could they support two franchises? Toronto could support two... Saskatoon? Maybe Halifax or St John?? With all the speculating on how much better the NHL would be if select southern teams were moved north of the border, I pose the following question....Could professional hockey survive in Canada without America? If the answer is yes, why don't the Canadian teams defect from the NHL and form their own Canadian Professional Hockey League? The answer is yes. However, salaries would be less than 50% of what they are now, if not worse than that. Hence why teams are in the US.
elcrusho Posted March 30, 2010 Report Posted March 30, 2010 Vancouver Calgary Edmonton Winnipeg Ottawa Quebec Hamilton Montreal, could they support two franchises? Toronto could support two... Saskatoon? Maybe Halifax or St John?? With all the speculating on how much better the NHL would be if select southern teams were moved north of the border, I pose the following question....Could professional hockey survive in Canada without America? If the answer is yes, why don't the Canadian teams defect from the NHL and form their own Canadian Professional Hockey League? Facts on Population as of 2006: Toronto - 5,113,149 Montreal - 3,635,571 Vancouver - 2,116,581 Ottawa-Gatineau - 1,130,761 Calgary - 1,079,310 Edmonton - 1,034,945 Quebec City - 715,515 Winnipeg - 694,668 Hamilton - 692,911 Halifax - 372,858 Saskatoon - 233,923 St John - 181,113 Some cities with larger populations London - 457,720 Kitchener - 451,235 Oshawa - 330,594
henysgol Posted March 30, 2010 Report Posted March 30, 2010 In response to Hanks question of Can professional hockey survive in Canada without America.Professional hockey has survived in Canada for over 100 years.Mind you America has been involved in that league for a good many years.The question should be can professional hockey survive in America without Canada?The vast majority of Americans would take beach volleyball or Nascar(is that even a sport?)over hockey.There are some very rabid and intelligent hockey fans in the states but it is'nt born and bred in the bone like it is in Canada.Its a part of the culture much like baseball is in America.If hockey went away in America you'd get over it.If it went away in Canada it would be like taking away our good kidney.Something that can't be replaced without a transplant.I suppose when people talk of going back into Winnipeg or Quebec thats what we feel.We're getting our health back. I disagree. When Canada was forming leagues in the late 1800's, the U.S. wasn't too far behind. Tulsa Oklahoma had a hockey team in the early 1900's for cripes' sake...America would NOT get over it if professional hockey left. Yes, professional hockey could survive in America without Canada. It SURE IS born and bred in the bone in the Northern states. It could survive in Canada without being connected with the U.S., but it would be pretty boring, and all their precious superstars would have to take a serious pay cut. It's mostly American money that's paying these guys! There's as many people living in the county of Los Angeles, or New York and it's boroughs as there is in the entire COUNTRY of Canada! The NHL needs America like a junkie needs his fix. This isn't a real issue anyway, in a couple more years, the U.S., Canada and Mexico are going to be one country(North American Union) with one currency(the Amero), so all this petty border stuff is going bye bye. Get ready for your currency to take a serious nose dive, Canada! There's nothing any of us can do about it.
deluca67 Posted March 30, 2010 Report Posted March 30, 2010 Facts on Population as of 2006: Toronto - 5,113,149 Montreal - 3,635,571 Vancouver - 2,116,581 Ottawa-Gatineau - 1,130,761 Calgary - 1,079,310 Edmonton - 1,034,945 Quebec City - 715,515 Winnipeg - 694,668 Hamilton - 692,911 Halifax - 372,858 Saskatoon - 233,923 St John - 181,113 Some cities with larger populations London - 457,720 Kitchener - 451,235 Oshawa - 330,594 The 2008 population estimate for Buffalo city, New York is 270,919. How many fans in those cities listed look at Buffalo and wonder how we have a NHL franchise and a NFL franchise.
henysgol Posted March 30, 2010 Report Posted March 30, 2010 The 2008 population estimate for Buffalo city, New York is 270,919. How many fans in those cities listed look at Buffalo and wonder how we have a NHL franchise and a NFL franchise. I sure don't wonder how...it's called PEOPLE LOVE HOCKEY IN WESTERN NEW YORK! It's not just Buffalo, city of, that's supporting our teams. As for the Bills, people will drive 2,3, even 4 hours to see a Bills game.
SwampD Posted March 30, 2010 Report Posted March 30, 2010 I know Detroit and Toronto would never let it happen, but Windsor has a greater metro population of a million+ I believe. I'm sure they would love to not have to cross the border to see a game.
LabattBlue Posted March 30, 2010 Report Posted March 30, 2010 The 2008 population estimate for Buffalo city, New York is 270,919. How many fans in those cities listed look at Buffalo and wonder how we have a NHL franchise and a NFL franchise. Just curious if the Canadian population numbers are metro areas or just city proper. The only way to do an apples to apples comparison is to look at the population of an area within a certain number of mile radius from the arena.
deluca67 Posted March 30, 2010 Report Posted March 30, 2010 I know Detroit and Toronto would never let it happen, but Windsor has a greater metro population of a million+ I believe. I'm sure they would love to not have to cross the border to see a game. A division of Buffalo, Toronto, Detroit, Windsor and Hamilton? Sabres would save millions a year in travel costs.
SwampD Posted March 30, 2010 Report Posted March 30, 2010 Just curious if the Canadian population numbers are metro areas or just city proper. The only way to do an apples to apples comparison is to look at the population of an area within a certain number of mile radius from the arena. Buffalo's metro area is actually bigger (1,254,066) than Winnipeg's (694,668).
LabattBlue Posted March 30, 2010 Report Posted March 30, 2010 Buffalo's metro area is actually bigger (1,254,066) than Winnipeg's (694,668). That is what I was asking clarification on. Is the Winnipeg number a metro number or a city number?
SwampD Posted March 30, 2010 Report Posted March 30, 2010 That is what I was asking clarification on. Is the Winnipeg number a metro number or a city number? The number in elcrusho's post is the metro number, not just the city. It must really be in the middle of nowhere if there is only 60k difference.
ntjacks79 Posted March 30, 2010 Report Posted March 30, 2010 A division of Buffalo, Toronto, Detroit, Windsor and Hamilton? Sabres would save millions a year in travel costs. It would be FIERCE and a LOT of fun if there was a division like this. The rivalries would be legendary. I'm not sure if there are enough $ to go around and have 5 teams prosper in the general region we are talking about, but if so, it's a great idea.
LabattBlue Posted March 30, 2010 Report Posted March 30, 2010 The number in elcrusho's post is the metro number, not just the city. It must really be in the middle of nowhere if there is only 60k difference. thx. The difference being ALL 700,000 people in a Canadian city are hockey fans! :)
shrader Posted March 30, 2010 Report Posted March 30, 2010 A division of Buffalo, Toronto, Detroit, Windsor and Hamilton? Sabres would save millions a year in travel costs. Just imagine how much Detroit could save if they ever got out of the western conference.
henysgol Posted March 30, 2010 Report Posted March 30, 2010 The number in elcrusho's post is the metro number, not just the city. It must really be in the middle of nowhere if there is only 60k difference. It IS the middle of nowhere, and I think you meant 600k difference!
SwampD Posted March 30, 2010 Report Posted March 30, 2010 It IS the middle of nowhere, and I think you meant 600k difference! No, I meant that the difference between the city of Winnipeg (~630000) and the city of Winnipeg plus surrounding area (~690000) is only 60k.
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