That's leaving out 2,000+ seats per game that they could be selling. Especially during the playoffs. Absolutely no team is going to go with the smaller building if they have the choice. Better to have 2,000 empty seats when things are going bad than it is to need the extra seats and not have them when things are going great.
- Two_For_Truth

Sell those seat for $10?? supply and demand dictates how much each of those 16,000 seats are worth. By you logic why not build a 40,000 seat arena and have empty seats all the time?

Sell those seat for $10?? supply and demand dictates how much each of those 16,000 seats are worth. By you logic why not build a 40,000 seat arena and have empty seats all the time?
- Arctic_AARDVARK

And the problem is you build a demand for $10 seats - so people are reluctant to spend $40.

That's why the Panthers have killed that market - when you give away tickets to anyone with a FLA driver's license, you are never going to get them to drop $120 to see the same product.

The Boston Red Sox disagree with you.
- Atomic Wedgie

Completely different situation.

And the problem is you build a demand for $10 seats - so people are reluctant to spend $40.

That's why the Panthers have killed that market - when you give away tickets to anyone with a FLA driver's license, you are never going to get them to drop $120 to see the same product.
- Atomic Wedgie

Prices were driven down by people not coming to the games.

Quebec City has shovels in the ground.

Seattle is still just an architectural drawing, and still faces a lawsuit over rushed environmental assessments (which will probably be dismissed).

To top it off, Sacremento is still jockeying to save the Kings.

QC right now is the odds-on favourite for the Coyotes.
- Atomic Wedgie

Doesn't matter...the NHL told the developers and potential owners that building an arena in no way guaranteed them a team in the near future. They ignored that and went forward anyway, at their own risk. The NHL will never feel obligated to go to QC over Seattle...they've already shown willing to drag out the Phoenix situation. If they really want Seattle, they'll drag it out even more...

Sell those seat for $10?? supply and demand dictates how much each of those 16,000 seats are worth. By you logic why not build a 40,000 seat arena and have empty seats all the time?
- Arctic_AARDVARK

Supply and demand dictates that if you have 2,000 fewer seats when demand is high that you are losing out on money. Unless you jack up the prices of the seats you do have but at some point people are just going to refuse to pay the really high prices just to get into the building. Having more seats allows the team to keep prices reasonable as well as having more people in the building.

In Florida, it doesn't matter. Nobody gives a crap about hockey. The seats are always going to be empty because that's the market. But in Winnipeg or Quebec, where people are crazy about hockey, they would be stupid not to have more seats if they could have them. That's more people to get into the building. More people to buy merchandise. More people to buy beer and food.

If Winnipeg has the option between 16,000 seats and 19,000 seats, they're going with 19,000 seats. Same with Quebec City. Better to have it and not need it than need it and not have it. 40,000 seats is a gross exaggeration and it doesn't help you make your point at all.

Doesn't matter...the NHL told the developers and potential owners that building an arena in no way guaranteed them a team in the near future. They ignored that and went forward anyway, at their own risk. The NHL will never feel obligated to go to QC over Seattle...they've already shown willing to drag out the Phoenix situation. If they really want Seattle, they'll drag it out even more...
- p_zub

If they really want to stop bleeding money, they'll probably just give it to the first guy who has an arena and offers them $150 million.

And the problem is you build a demand for $10 seats - so people are reluctant to spend $40.

That's why the Panthers have killed that market - when you give away tickets to anyone with a FLA driver's license, you are never going to get them to drop $120 to see the same product.
- Atomic Wedgie

Florida is a weird animal, with a population during hockey season above 60, what do ya do??

If they really want to stop bleeding money, they'll probably just give it to the first guy who has an arena and offers them $150 million.
- Leeman4Gilmour

You seemed to have missed the memo where the NHL and NBC signed a deal for a decade.
- Atomic Wedgie

Not the deal Bettman is looking for. It's just the best deal available at the moment. NBC barely makes 6 million dollars per team. That's a quarter of what Bettman needs to generate for the weaker markets to survive.

- markmark

Got my vote

just move a team to wisconsin to create a football/hockey hate rivalry with minnesota
- MetroidPrime

Great hockey market that should definitely get consideration for a team.

If they really want to stop bleeding money, they'll probably just give it to the first guy who has an arena and offers them $150 million.
- Leeman4Gilmour

That's never been the league's number one concern. Otherwise, the Panthers, Lightning, Hurricanes, Stars, etc. etc. would all be gone by now. Their moves are as strategic as any professional league, and Quebec City, right now, offers them very little extra that Seattle won't in the future.

Dallas can be a successful franchise again.

Tampa Bay is fine.

Carolina can be tolerated.

Nashville is a great franchise.

There's just a few that need to be cleaned up.
- Atomic Wedgie

I'd agree with all of these but Tampa. That franchise has had ownership problems since day one.

I think I remember hearing that after their run to game 7 of the Conference Finals vs. Boston, they lost $20 million that year, despite the best case scenario playing out.

I think the NHL could get away with relocating two teams (Phoenix and Florida to QC and Seattle), and folding two others and come out better for it.

Prices were driven down by people not coming to the games.
- blahman20

People will come in Canada. thats a proven fact.. I looked to get tickets for jets game last year and they wear going for $120 on kijiji upper level.. But if the MTS center had 20,000 seat i could probably get them for $70... I think theres a fine balance between how many people want to go the game and how many seats the arena should have..

So the NHL and owners during the lockout were a bunch of bastards who welched on their promises to the PA.

BUT NOWWWWW, they're stand up guys who will make good on their promises.

Now that wouldn't be because it serves your opinion on this matter would it?
- markmark

Owners keeping promises with other owners isn't the same as owners keeping promises with players. Not surprised you can't tell the difference though.

That's never been the league's number one concern. Otherwise, the Panthers, Lightning, Hurricanes, Stars, etc. etc. would all be gone by now. Their moves are as strategic as any professional league, and Quebec City, right now, offers them very little extra that Seattle won't in the future.
- p_zub

Except that the NHL isn't bleeding money in any of those cases. The owners of those teams are.

The NHL owns the Coyotes and absorbs huge losses each year. They'd jump at the chance to dump it and get a large relocation fee.

Florida is a weird animal, with a population during hockey season above 60, what do ya do??
- cdjaakkola

theyd rather be on the golf course, not at a hockey game

- markmark

Yeah, in hindsight, that ship sailed away. Too bad for them because they'll never find a deal as sweet as that one for their poopty team in the desert.

theyd rather be on the golf course, not at a hockey game
- wingz4life

And on the course they carry oxygen bottles.... kinda makes me feel so young again

And on the course they carry oxygen bottles.... kinda makes me feel so young again
- cdjaakkola

I can't wait til im old... Buzzing around on a scooter getting high on oxygen and other meds, yelling at kids, sleeping all day. How could that not be the best days of your life?

according to UG - reimer will be out longer - just look at my location
- big_dion

Any wins Reimer gets us before UG deems him ready to return will be worth no points, just like the goals Kessel gets from bad angles. The league is already aware of this.

Owners keeping promises with other owners isn't the same as owners keeping promises with players. Not surprised you can't tell the difference though.
- Two_For_Truth

Spin, spin, spin.

Don't worry, I'm not going down this road with you. I have to get home and work on my "What the Leafs did wrong vs Why the Leafs Suck" chart just in case they win tonight. (I don't need a chart if they lose though, because then its everyones fault and its time to blow it up)

Except that the NHL isn't bleeding money in any of those cases. The owners of those teams are.

The NHL owns the Coyotes and absorbs huge losses each year. They'd jump at the chance to dump it and get a large relocation fee.
- Leeman4Gilmour

Bettman's made it clear he won't be detoured off his long-term vision. Winnipeg was already a large concession to that goal. No chance he does it again without first pulling all stops to get a team to Seattle. The Phoenix situation is such that he's exhausting all options in Phoenix, first. If it becomes clear to the NHL that the team will never be viable there, my money's on Seattle.

I'd agree with all of these but Tampa. That franchise has had ownership problems since day one.

I think I remember hearing that after their run to game 7 of the Conference Finals vs. Boston, they lost $20 million that year, despite the best case scenario playing out.

I think the NHL could get away with relocating two teams (Phoenix and Florida to QC and Seattle), and folding two others and come out better for it.
- Leeman4Gilmour

Absolutely nobody benefits from folding a team. Nobody. It makes zero sense and won't happen.