Why does the NHL keep trying to have hockey teams in failed markets? It didn't work before why would it now????

Case in point Atlanta.
- cuethenoise

I don't know how you could call quebec and winnipeg failed markets. They filled thier rinks every night. They were moved to help sell hockey in the states. Those francaises had no business being moved in the first place. Now that thier is a cap and the cnd dollar is at par with the U.S. things are even better for those francaises. You must be too young to have seen the nordiques and jets way back when because thats the only reason i can see you saying that these markets were failed markets. It was a crime when they were moved. The yr quebec was moved to colorado they won the stanley cup in the first yr. And now they don't fill the rink because they are in a rebuild. In my humble opinion colorado isn't have the market quecbec and winnipeg are because of that.

no more southern United State experiments, Buttman's plan to expand the sport south of the border didn't work yet they are still trying. It's time to cut him loose and get a good Canadian boy running our sport and move some of those leechs to hockey markets north of the border that eat sleep and poop hockey

You know how many people from the lower mainland in BC would drive to seattle to watch Canucks games? Or people that would become fans of the Seattle team after being sick of the Canucks. Or tired of paying high ticket prices or waiting 5-6 years to get ice pak tickets/season tickets. Not to mention hockey fans from Oregon.

I assure you.. the west coast has a lot of hockey fans. The Everett Silvertips and Spokane Chiefs do very well for attendance for WHL teams.

I would agree they are a football crazy city.. but mariners had years of good attendance and still have a decent following. And the supersonics (much like the grizzlies) left for reasons beyond lack of fan base.

Not saying Seattle is the best market available.. but much better than at least half a dozen markets that are currently apart of the NHL.
- kneughter

Its just not that hard to get Canuck tickets. I go to any game I want each year and I buy from ticket master and I have no problem. Its not like Alberta. The games sell out but there just always seems to be tickets to be had. Its not like Toronto where people are willing to wait at the huge border crossing where they actually check vehicles as BC's number 1 export is illegal.

There just isn't any traffic going between the cities. Maybe fringe towns of the border but not all the way to Seattle. If there is a person from Washington state on these forums, prove me wrong.

Its just not that hard to get Canuck tickets. I go to any game I want each year and I buy from ticket master and I have no problem. Its not like Alberta. The games sell out but there just always seems to be tickets to be had. Its not like Toronto where people are willing to wait at the huge border crossing where they actually check vehicles as BC's number 1 export is illegal.

There just isn't any traffic going between the cities. Maybe fringe towns of the border but not all the way to Seattle. If there is a person from Washington state on these forums, prove me wrong.
- bsteinley

I live, maybe 15 minutes, from the Peace Arch Crossing....

Just a second opinion.... you always see the hundreds of cars go down for Seahawks games and every time the Blue Jays are in town.

And you know Bus companies will form that will get you back to a dropoff point in Surrey or Langley by one AM.

Screw Seattle. They have enough pro sports going on up there to care about, you know, sports other people follow, like baseball and football.. And i'm sure they will get an NBA team back, since they obviously still care about that.

Portland already has a built in hockey market established with the Winterhawks, and plenty of former NHL'ers have gone through that organization as well.

Why not bring the NHL to a town that's only got ONE thing going for it? The freakin' Blazers? Gag me. People in PDx don't even care anymore. That team is going nowhere in a giant hurry.

And lol... MLS? Please. It rains ~10 months a year, so they build an outdoor stadium for soccer? Haha. Awesome logic there.

The MAX system is already suited for getting large amounts of people all over the metro Portland area.. and it goes right by the Rose Garden.

Derp. This is so hard. Hey Bettman... you out there paying attention?

I don't know how you could call quebec and winnipeg failed markets. They filled thier rinks every night. They were moved to help sell hockey in the states. Those francaises had no business being moved in the first place. Now that thier is a cap and the cnd dollar is at par with the U.S. things are even better for those francaises. You must be too young to have seen the nordiques and jets way back when because thats the only reason i can see you saying that these markets were failed markets. It was a crime when they were moved. The yr quebec was moved to colorado they won the stanley cup in the first yr. And now they don't fill the rink because they are in a rebuild. In my humble opinion colorado isn't have the market quecbec and winnipeg are because of that.
- aziffles

The Jets were moved because they couldn't find an owner willing to buy the team and run them in Winni

Screw Seattle. They have enough pro sports going on up there to care about, you know, sports other people follow, like baseball and football.. And i'm sure they will get an NBA team back, since they obviously still care about that.

Portland already has a built in hockey market established with the Winterhawks, and plenty of former NHL'ers have gone through that organization as well.

Why not bring the NHL to a town that's only got ONE thing going for it? The freakin' Blazers? Gag me. People in PDx don't even care anymore. That team is going nowhere in a giant hurry.

And lol... MLS? Please. It rains ~10 months a year, so they build an outdoor stadium for soccer? Haha. Awesome logic there.

The MAX system is already suited for getting large amounts of people all over the metro Portland area.. and it goes right by the Rose Garden.

Derp. This is so hard. Hey Bettman... you out there paying attention?
- NorCalAvsFan

So, find another city like Columbus huh?

Winnipeg is a city (and in a province) that is on the rise! The worldwide demand for Agriculture and commodities is causing that region to boom and this will continue to be the case for many many years. Quebec City has one of the highest unemployment and welfare rates in North America and there just isn't the corporate support in Quebec. Hockey fans are passionate and I apologize to loyal Nordiques fans, but to expect anything less than financial failure in QC is naïve. People are working and producing in Winnipeg, they can afford hockey tickets.
- JLO961

Wow, lots of people speaking out of their a$$!


1- Quebec City is poor with a high unemployment rate: Absolutely false! The unemployment is at 4.8% in Quebec City. The population in the region has grown by around 25% in the last 10 years and is still growing. Why? Because the city is doing great economicaly!

2- Quebec City doesn't have the corporations to support a team: Every single corporate box has been reserved already. No worries there.

3- When they left, the Nordiques were selling tickets. The reason they left is that they didn't have a new building. Now there is one. And don't forget that in the 1990s, the $CAN was around 0.7 $US. Today, they are pretty much on par.

4- The Conference Board said a couple years ago that Quebec City was a viable market. Even if the market wasn't viable, the potential owner, Pier-Karl Péladeau, doesn't need the team to make money. The team will help his other companies (among them a TV sports channel) to make money. He would gladly lose $5M a year in the team if it makes the rest of his companies make $20M more.

5- About the players not wanting to play in Quebec City, it is hardly proven and even if it was true, they don't want to play in Buffalo, Winnipeg or Edmonton any more than Quebec City. If that's a criteria, Winnipeg would never have had the Jets back. And today we can say it would've been a huge mistake.

By the way, I have never been a Nordiques fan. Was always a Habs fan even when the Nordiques existed. And I live in Montreal. Only lived in Quebec City a couple years when I was a student. I just can't stand people saying things that aren't true. I hate stupidity.

Wow, lots of people speaking out of their a$$!


1- Quebec City is poor with a high unemployment rate: Absolutely false! The unemployment is at 4.8% in Quebec City. The population in the region has grown by around 25% in the last 10 years and is still growing. Why? Because the city is doing great economicaly!

2- Quebec City doesn't have the corporations to support a team: Every single corporate box has been reserved already. No worries there.

3- When they left, the Nordiques were selling tickets. The reason they left is that they didn't have a new building. Now there is one. And don't forget that in the 1990s, the $CAN was around 0.7 $US. Today, they are pretty much on par.

4- The Conference Board said a couple years ago that Quebec City was a viable market. Even if the market wasn't viable, the potential owner, Pier-Karl Péladeau, doesn't need the team to make money. The team will help his other companies (among them a TV sports channel) to make money. He would gladly lose $5M a year in the team if it makes the rest of his companies make $20M more.

5- About the players not wanting to play in Quebec City, it is hardly proven and even if it was true, they don't want to play in Buffalo, Winnipeg or Edmonton any more than Quebec City. If that's a criteria, Winnipeg would never have had the Jets back. And today we can say it would've been a huge mistake.

By the way, I have never been a Nordiques fan. Was always a Habs fan even when the Nordiques existed. And I live in Montreal. Only lived in Quebec City a couple years when I was a student. I just can't stand people saying things that aren't true. I hate stupidity.
- justfortoday

Take off your rose colored glasses, there won't be a team in QC. Your economic data on the region is way off.

Make more Sportnets.

Sportnet Pacific: Vancouver.
*TSN Victoria: Victoria
Sportnet West: Edmonton, Calgary
*Sportnet Central: Saskatoon
TSN Winnipeg: Winnipeg
*Sportnet Ontario: Hamilton, Toronto
Sportsnet East: Ottawa (Boo)
TSN Montreal: Montreal
*Sportnet Quebec: Quebec City
*Sportsnet Marnitems: Halifax

* New Channels

I know it won't work, but it's good to think of new teams.
- Oilers4Life14

In additional news, Sidney Crosy forced to work at footlocker in the off season in order to afford the payments on his Honda Civic

Wow, some people truly amaze me!
First not one Isles fan better comment on what franchise to move. When the Quebec fans bus pulled up to the big white dump (Nassau Coliseum) we all nervously watched and wondered. It is amazing to see fans of hockey teams volunteer other franchises to move. Quebec knows this first hand, and simply want a team. For all of you suggesting Columbus, try watching a home game on your center ice package, they sell out, scream and wear their colors just like you do. With the moves they have made and 3 first rounders this year they aint goin anywhere.
Next Gary Bettman is this and that, but hey Preds fans, he fought to keep you there, how did that work out. Atlanta is a lousy sports town, they couldn't sell out Baseball playoffs! Bettman made the new Jets situation work and although he'll never admit it....corrected a mistake.
I live on eastern LI, I will not buy season tix to Brooklyn, but I will go on occasion. It's not Bettmans fault, it's Kate (nobody greased me to build the lighthouse) Murray's fault! It could happen to your team too, Phoenix might have to move, (this just in, it's the politicians there too).
Winners sell tix, while the talent pool is in question this great game is growing, the move to new markets has begun to produce players from those regions (it takes about 30 years to bear fruit, think about it). So yes Quebec and one more, but 16 teams per conference and it won't happen for at least 2 more years. In the meantime, LETS GO ISLANDERS! Kick blueshirt butt, cause I hope the Rags don't get in, and Columbus does!!!

I remember the interview I did for our show with Marty Biron back when he was with the Flyers...and asking him what his favorite team was growing up and he didn't hesitate to say the Nordiques...

That settles it then .... Quebec is getting back an NHL team.
- imsorry66

Take off your rose colored glasses, there won't be a team in QC. Your economic data on the region is way off.
- JLO961

http://www.cbc.ca/news/in...tives/unemployment-stats/

Edit: 4,4% in march, true 4,8% was way off

There is barely enough talent to field the 30 teams now, why add 2 more? Move PHX and Columbus. 1 to QBC the other to Seattle.
- sammy87

There is always enough talent, just not enough roster space in the league to give everyone a chance to prove themselves to the scouts. I think people used the same argument when the league wanted to expand to 30 teams. I think an expansion will just create MORE pro level talent.

the one thing that would keep quebec outside looking in is the new league breakup that starts next year.

16 teams in the east, 14 in the west

to expand to 32 teams the league will do it out west to balance the conferences again. seattle is surely a consideration, being able to draw on the canadian draw similar to how buffalo does.

the other is anyone's guess.. salt lake city perhaps? they have the arena.

however, quebec is hard for the league to ignore. perhaps they will consider moving a team out of the east back into the west to make room for quebec.

Take off your rose colored glasses, there won't be a team in QC. Your economic data on the region is way off.
- JLO961

Just a bit of infor but quebec had 7 of the top 10 cities with the strogest economies during the worst part of the ressesion. Quebec city with respect to their economy is comparable to calgary. It has alot of corporations and it has a balanced budget. Qc would be able to support a team np.

Take off your rose colored glasses, there won't be a team in QC. Your economic data on the region is way off.
- JLO961

YOU are way off. Québec City has a better economy than Montréal (so I suggest to move the Yotes in Québec and move the habs in PHX). And Nordiques players in 1995 enjoyed the city. A good example is Wendel Clark, he loved playing here and when the team moved to Colorado he asked for a trade. They traded him to NY Islanders for Claude Lemieux.

YOU are way off. Québec City has a better economy than Montréal (so I suggest to move the Yotes in Québec and move the habs in PHX). And Nordiques players in 1995 enjoyed the city. A good example is Wendel Clark, he loved playing here and when the team moved to Colorado he asked for a trade. They traded him to NY Islanders for Claude Lemieux.
- Supernick

QC is a really nice city. Language barriers, but I don't see how QC compares unfavorably to Winnipeg, Edmonton or Calgary in terms of how nice the city is.

QC is a really nice city. Language barriers, but I don't see how QC compares unfavorably to Winnipeg, Edmonton or Calgary in terms of how nice the city is.
- Morris

At the end of the day win, calgary and edmonton cant touch qc for its beauty. Qc was already 250 years old befor alberta was a province... haha either way jlo's argument is a little off. Qc will get a team and it will be a successfull team. That being said if any canadian teams start to faulter I'm expecting the nhl to do anything and everything for it to work. Theyve spent whst 500 million keeping pheonix a float?? But who am I kidding no canadian team is going to lose money any time soon....

Move the Coyotes to Quebec City, and the Panthers to Milwaukee. Yes, Milwaukee. Build an arena there. Huge hockey market in Wisconsin.

Move the Coyotes to Quebec City, and the Panthers to Milwaukee. Yes, Milwaukee. Build an arena there. Huge hockey market in Wisconsin.
- danimal6777

Not judging by the people I was talking to down there. Granted it was that frigging basketball tourney going on while there.

Bring back the Nordiques!!

- Orpik44

Totally agree....great team back then

Peter Forsberg & Joe Sakic.......

We are talkin about biron... Not an elite goaltender but Biron

My city of Markham would love to have the Islanders. I'd certainly take them over the Yotes or the Blue Jackets.
- GCHonda

Newsflash: they ARE moving to Brooklyn. Signed, sealed and delivered. End of story. 25 years- in Brooklyn, NY. Done. Here's why: they have one of the top ten most lucrative TV contracts in the game today, and it is etched in stone until 2030.

Read some history about everything that has gone on with the Islanders over the last 25 years, and try to understand why the building is empty; why three weeks of excellent hockey isn't erasing 25 years of savant-level management, laughable county and local governments that are both the most butt-f***ing worthless government entities just short of the Soviet Union, and flat out cr*p hockey.

Prior to the last month, the Islanders have given us 2 things to be proud of since 1984: April and May of 1993, and two weeks against your Leafs in 2002. That's it- that's why the building is empty, and yet it is generally less empty than the Devils' building, despite what the latter "announces" as their attendance. Once they start winning, and move to the big city, the fans will come back, and new fans will emerge to fill the building. In contrast, there are other cities who ONLY got teams BECAUSE other teams could not get a building done in the area- all three of the WHA teams that moved, for example.

This is why Bettman is so adamant about franchises NOT moving now- because it didn't do any of them any good, and the other places they put franchises to "grow" the game have been laughable disasters. These facts have nothing to do with who I , or anyone else, roots for- they are just facts. Hockey is a cold weather sport, and in some places, it's simply going to play second fiddle to the beach, golf, college football, and whatever else. Long Island is NOT one of those places- New Yorkers just know when they're being pi*sed on and told it's raining, and they're not going to spend money on cr*p. Once the Isles are back for good, this won't be an issue.

So, find another city like Columbus huh?
- Beatle_john

Why is it that all Leaf/Canuck fans are this stupid?

Did you even read my post genius? Likely not.

Portland has nothing but money to spend. Paul Allen (you know, M$?) owns/has a big say in what goes on @ the Rose Garden.

Portland is a far different situation than Columbus, Ohio, brah. Pull your head from your rear.

Also be sure to let us know about that built in hockey market Columbus had prior to the Jackets going there. k? Don't forget that part.

Seattle and Vancouver are like.. 3 hours away? I don't know about you, but why would I drive 6 hours round trip to see a hockey game when I can just wait til they're back home? Vancouver HAS a home team.

Portland... has nothing. What's north of Portland? Nothing. What's south or Portland? Nothing.

What PRO sports do they have? The Blazers? That's it.

Primed and ready for something huge to happen there. Seattle has plenty already for people to care about/spend their money on. And a crappy NHL team isn't that thing.