they would also find a way to get hockey on espn to increase exposure
have nbc show nightly games on prime time saturday nights
have nhl regular season games be played in other areas (why not have 3 or 4 games in quebec, kc, vegas, jacksonville, houston, etc)
I do not think it would hurt to have 40 home games in your arena instead of 41 and play 2 games at neutral sites in north america

you want revenue, grow your markets, develop new markets in north america, think outside the box and do whatever you can to get more exposure

bettman has failed miserably on this and takes the fans from the 26 or so stronger markets for granted
- homiedclown

Exactly. Moving a team to Quebec improves short term revenue, but stunts the growth of the sport.

You need a winning product to start building a loyal and stable fanbase. You get people interested by winning, not by wallowing in ineptitude for 90 percent of the franchise's existence. Of course they can't be a perennial Cup contender all the time, but they can reasonably be much, much closer to it than they have been. They haven't even been mediocre. They've been downright awful, just like Atlanta and Phoenix.
- buffalofan19

They are not awful now in spite of your observations. They are in the playoff hunt with a ton of young talent that is exciting to watch. Yet they had 2500 there at most on a weekend night. The market sucks . And only having assured success will get folks to jump on a bandwagon. Unfortunately those same fans are just as quick to jump off if the team is not in the running for the cup . Those are not the type of fans you can build a true successful business model on. You make it sound easy to be a contender every year . At some point Reality must play a role in your projections for possible success.

Guten tag, alles. Was ist den los?

They very well may need to move the franchise. I've never actually disputed that. Like I said before, I actually think they will. The mismanagement of the franchise over 20 years may have dug them in too deep of a hole. What I have a contention with is the notion that it's because of the market and solely because of the market. The fact that people are so dismissive of winning as a factor is simply puzzling to me.
- buffalofan19

Even the Dolphins and The Marlins are having trouble selling tickets in that market at times . That market with it's heavy ethnic population is just not conducive to professional sports franchises.

They are not awful now in spite of your observations. They are in the playoff hunt with a ton of young talent that is exciting to watch. Yet they had 2500 there at most on a weekend night. The market sucks . And only having assured success will get folks to jump on a bandwagon. Unfortunately those same fans are just as quick to jump off if the team is not in the running for the cup . Those are not the type of fans you can build a true successful business model on. You make it sound easy to be a contender every year . At some point Reality must play a role in your projections for possible success.
- Maximum Signal

They've been terrible for quite a while. We both agree they're better now and rebuilding, but you need to see visible signs of improvment, as in a great increase in the win column. You can't sell "potential" to a new market. They need to be very good before you get people to show up. Almost making the playoffs doesn't do that.

They've been terrible for quite a while. We both agree they're better now and rebuilding, but you need to see visible signs of improvment, as in a great increase in the win column. You can't sell "potential" to a new market. They need to be very good before you get people to show up. Almost making the playoffs doesn't do that.
- buffalofan19

But I will say it again 20 years old is not a new market . Time to end the experiment.

But I will say it agin 20 years old is not a new market . Time to end the experiment.
- Maximum Signal

A 20 year old franchise is still a young one, as crazy as it sounds, especially when you compare it to others. Even the Sabres have been in existence for twice as long. And even so, the fact remains they've done very little significant winning in their existence. If this team even made the playoffs every year and still had problems, I would be more inclined to agree.

A 20 year old franchise is still a young one, as crazy as it sounds, especially when you compare it to others. Even the Sabres have been in existence for twice as long. And even so, the fact remains they've done very little significant winning in their existence. If this team even made the playoffs every year and still had problems, I would be more inclined to agree.
- buffalofan19

Would you have this kind of optimism if you owned one of the successful franchises supporting them financially? 20 years is a lifetime for a professional sports franchise or business for that matter. I hope as an accountant you would have told a business well before this . Better go in another direction . This just is not working.

Would you have this kind of optimism if you owned one of the successful franchises supporting them financially? 20 years is a lifetime for a professional sports franchise or business for that matter. I hope as an accountant you would have told a business well before this . Better go in another direction . This just is not working.
- Maximum Signal

I'd like to think I would have had the foresight to see that things needed to improve in Florida a long time ago so that we never even got to this point.

At this point, it would be an investment I wouldn't even touch. I said this back in 2011. I love Terry Pegula and wouldn't trade him as an owner for anyone else, but the NHL as a whole would be far better off if he owned a Florida or a Phoenix rather than the Sabres.

You cannot sustain a viable professional league on franchises that only have good attendance when they are cup contenders.
- Maximum Signal

Yet every city does turn away when their team is losing.

Yet every city does turn away when their team is losing.
- Mentalorgasm5

Tedious as hell in here today.

Tedious as hell in here today.
- Der Kaiser

Just wait until the Bills game starts.

Yet every city does turn away when their team is losing.
- Mentalorgasm5

They sell a lot more than 14 % building capacity on a weekend night though. Florida is far from having disgruntled fans as their problem . No fans is their problem.

Just wait until the Bills game starts.
- buffalofan19

Here's a serious question: ever notice how frequently this thread erodes into a tennis match debate between just two posters, while everyone else runs away?

I hate when that happens.

Here's a serious question: ever notice how frequently this thread erodes into a tennis match debate between just two posters, while everyone else runs away?

I hate when that happens.
- Der Kaiser

Yes. I also notice it happens when the team isn't very good and doesn't give much to really talk about.

Yes. I also notice it happens when the team isn't very good and doesn't give much to really talk about.
- buffalofan19

I don't like tennis. Find someone else to play against

I don't like tennis. Find someone else to play against
- Der Kaiser

Ping pong?

Yes. I also notice it happens when the team isn't very good and doesn't give much to really talk about.
- buffalofan19

Exactly, can only debate about tank vs not tank for so long. When the team was at least playoff competitive you could get a different conversation from game to game. (i.e lineup choices, goalie choices, coaching, current run), but that this point most of us don't give a crap.

Whether you're pro or anti tank, you know this team's probably playing for next year or the year after so present day events are meaningless and probably not worth discussing/getting upset over (i.e who's starting in goal/who's in and out of the lineup).

I love how the sports media had been arguing all week as to who belonged in the playoff: Baylor or TCU. Then the committee says "hey I have a great idea! How about neither!"

I love how the sports media had been arguing all week as to who belonged in the playoff: Baylor or TCU. Then the committee says "hey I have a great idea! How about neither!"
- buffalofan19

Madness

Lemieux has been doing well as of late.

The rout is on

Lemieux has been doing well as of late.
- Herzeleid

He had 2 goals last night and has 17 (10th in OHL) in 25 games this year.

edit- he scored 2 more today and now has 19.

Bailey has only 1 goal in his last 7 games and is a -10.

Sean Malone (2013 6th rd) has 4 points in his first 2 games for Harvard.

Cal Petersen had a shutout for Notre Dame last night.

The rout is on
- Pegullaville

gotta love the phantom call on Roby...
Denver player headbutts our helmetless tight end? nahh no flag

Madness
- jochfr

I am in agreement.