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Posted (edited)

Seattle Thunderbirds:

 

SPECIAL EVENT: Seattle Metropolitans Night To Celebrate 100 Years of Hockey In Seattle http://bit.ly/1Rt2eRNhttp://twitter.com/SeattleTbirds/status/661618717776703488/photo/1

 

They also issued a proclamation making December 7th "Seattle Metropolitans Day." Probably safe to assume that'll be the name if they get an NHL team.

 

The BOG will meet in December to discuss expansion but it's unlikely to vote (which was deemed to be good news for Seattle - the longer this takes the better their chances are to get in).

Edited by Hoss
Posted

So Bill Daly and Gary Bettman had some type of conference call today to discuss expansion. Some notes (not citing them, they're all from reliable reporters on Twitter):

 

- no announcement will be coming in December

- they're not delaying the process for Seattle

- Bettman said "it's either Las Vegas or Quebec City" and mentioned how expansion means dividing revenues by "31 teams" which seemed to indicate he's thinking two new teams is unlikely (edit: reporter clarified that he said one or both of them, so 32 probably still likely if they expand)

- he's confident in the Florida market and also said he believes Atlanta would support an NHL team if only they had a local owner (but added it's not happening)

- they're taking a long-term approach on this and aren't just going for a cash grab

- the AHL strongly supports expansion because it would give them more teams

- relocation is an absolute last option, only did it in ATL because of no local owner

Posted

I didn't realize the arena in Vegas was going right on the friggin strip.  Our Uber driver took us past it last week, its right next to New York, New York.

Yep, it's within walking distance of more than 20,000 hotel rooms.

Posted (edited)

Is posting parts of ESPN Insider considered a no-no here? I have it so I can post the relevant parts.

 

 

I'll just post the quotes, since those are public knowledge, Titles are my own, but paraphrased from the text:

 

On the balance between the big expansion fees (~$500 million per franchise) and the league revenues being divided among more teams:

 

“Our owners are thinking much more long term in terms of asset value of their franchises,” Daly said,  “That means you have a stable league and stable business.”

 

 

On franchise success in the south:

 

“Atlanta didn’t work out as well as we would have hoped. I think that was a function of a variety of factors that came into play,” Bettman said. “We’re not going back there any time soon but do I believe that Atlanta with a building and a different location and local ownership could support an NHL team? The answer is yes. It’s not on the table, it’s not anything we’re considering or being asked to consider.”

 

 

On the move of Atlanta:

 

“There was no prospects of [Atlanta] being successful from a business standpoint,” Daly said. “Nobody local wanted to own it.”

 

 

On the move to Winnipeg:

 

“It’s turned out beyond our wildest dreams how successful it is,” Daly said.

Edited by sabills
Posted

This is a little over a month old but the Nordiques... do they get a team at some point?

http://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-34384753

QC is in, as is LV. The shocker was no expansion app from Seattle. But I think a team like Florida can be sold and relocate there when they have their building. They could play in the Pacific. But LV would likely want to be in the Pacific as well, since SJ, LA, Phoenix and Anaheim are all natural rivals. They may have to go to the Central since none of the Pacific teams would want to leave.

  • 3 weeks later...
Posted

Maybe Bettman and other top NHL execs got ahead of themselves here...

 

As NHL BoG meet, several sports bankers say their NHL team owner clients have indicated they won’t support expansion to either LV or Quebec.

Posted

Maybe Bettman and other top NHL execs got ahead of themselves here...

 

As NHL BoG meet, several sports bankers say their NHL team owner clients have indicated they won’t support expansion to either LV or Quebec.

Quebec has been a conflict for years, as Montreal and Toronto don't want someone in their market 

 

Not sure why LV is a problem, is it site specific or expansion in general?

Posted

Quebec has been a conflict for years, as Montreal and Toronto don't want someone in their market

I've probably been naïve, but I always figured The Habs would love to have QC back. That was a glorious rivalry while it lasted. Can't the Habs get some extra $$ out of QC since they would be within X number of miles of Montreal? I don't have a problem with them milking that for what it's worth, but I don't want them to try to actually block QC. This is the Habs we're talking about here. They are an institution like no other and having a team in QC isn't going to detract from that at all, just like it didn't the first time around. In fact, it might even help Montreal in the grand scheme of things.

Posted

I've probably been naïve, but I always figured The Habs would love to have QC back. That was a glorious rivalry while it lasted. Can't the Habs get some extra $$ out of QC since they would be within X number of miles of Montreal? I don't have a problem with them milking that for what it's worth, but I don't want them to try to actually block QC. This is the Habs we're talking about here. They are an institution like no other and having a team in QC isn't going to detract from that at all, just like it didn't the first time around. In fact, it might even help Montreal in the grand scheme of things.

I don't see how it won't detract, granted I watching hockey when QC was actually there. Fans become fans a lot based on heritage and experience, and if I can't go to a Habs game because the tickets are impossible to get/are expensive, say I go down to QC instead, and start falling in love with that team. 

Posted (edited)

I don't see how it won't detract, granted I watching hockey when QC was actually there. Fans become fans a lot based on heritage and experience, and if I can't go to a Habs game because the tickets are impossible to get/are expensive, say I go down to QC instead, and start falling in love with that team.

The National Post is only a few decades old, but it has a very good journalistic reputation, perhaps the best in Canada.

 

http://news.nationalpost.com/sports/nhl/when-will-the-nhl-be-ready-for-quebec-city

 

"This time around, there are no objections because (a) while there will be some defections in the fan base, the Canadiens brand is the strongest in the NHL and (b) a Quebec City franchise could help Bell, another media conglomerate with ties to the Canadiens."

Edited by BagBoy
Posted

I don't see how it won't detract, granted I watching hockey when QC was actually there. Fans become fans a lot based on heritage and experience, and if I can't go to a Habs game because the tickets are impossible to get/are expensive, say I go down to QC instead, and start falling in love with that team.

My paternal family is from Pte aux Tremble, a couple generations removed. The smaller burbs that were eventually swallowed up by metro Montreal hold their own identities. My dad(and his side of the family) look down on Montreal. They would rather make the trip to watch QC than feel like they were supporting the Habs. My opinion on what happened with the Nordiques was pure mismanagement rather than lack of fan base. The Canadiens aren't as popular in Quebec as one would think.
Posted (edited)

Craig Custance:

NHL shared potential expansion draft plans with the executive committee to get feedback.

 

An expansion draft would look different this time around with salaries now part of the equation.

 

League wants potential expansion teams to be competitive, which will factor in the rules. Belief is that is best for all involved.

 

League continues to stay in communication with interested Seattle groups, even though they won't be a part of this round of expansion.

Edited by Hoss
Posted

I'd love to hear more details about that expansion draft plan.  That sounds interesting.

 

It'll be interesting to see if a team can "protect" a certain amount of salary, or if the expansion team can "draft" a certain amount. Or both. It'd be an interesting equation for the expansion team, do you draft a few higher value players and fill in with FA, or more cheaper, already in the NHL players.

This topic is OLD. A NEW topic should be started unless there is a VERY SPECIFIC REASON to revive this one.

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