Mont Royale Posted May 25, 2007 Share Posted May 25, 2007 if it went to Kitchner-Waterloo. They'd probably go the Ontario Predators route. NYI is in a bedroom community. NJ is in a bedroom community for Philadelphia now. Florida is in a bedroom community in Broward County Florida Ottawa's arena is in the suburbs. ... and Ottawa is the only one of those that is doing quite well in attendance. The greater Ottawa population is approaching 1 million; Waterloo region has 500,000... a big difference. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chips Posted May 25, 2007 Share Posted May 25, 2007 ... and Ottawa is the only one of those that is doing quite well in attendance. The greater Ottawa population is approaching 1 million; Waterloo region has 500,000... a big difference. I agree that Waterloo by itself may not be able to support a team; but if your from the area then you would know that all the cities around Waterloo can be included into the mix. The Waterloo Region. includes many cities.. Cambridge, Kitchener, Guelph are just a few of the big ones that will certainly contribute to ticket sales.. and there are companies with big names in the region that will step up and support a team. The NHL will stew over this and then Jim will take his time as well; we are a long way from seeing the preds move north; but I for one would be on cloud nine, if it became a reality. and I'd support a move north of the border to any Canadian city. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Posted May 25, 2007 Share Posted May 25, 2007 Wouldn't surprise me if he moved the team away to Vegas, that's if Balsille has plans to move the team away. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mont Royale Posted May 25, 2007 Share Posted May 25, 2007 I agree that Waterloo by itself may not be able to support a team; but if your from the area then you would know that all the cities around Waterloo can be included into the mix. The Waterloo Region. includes many cities.. Cambridge, Kitchener, Guelph are just a few of the big ones that will certainly contribute to ticket sales.. and there are companies with big names in the region that will step up and support a team. Waterloo Region includes K-W and Cambridge, and a bunch of small towns. That's about 500,000 people, and adding Guelph, we're up to 625,000. The bulk of the rest of the residents within a 1-hour commute are at points east (your neck of the woods - Mississauga, etc.), and I think it's a stretch that they'll come this way in significant numbers. Corporate-wise, things really drop off once you get beyond RIM, Sun Life, Manulife, and Toyota. Let's not forget that we haven't even discussed the need to build an NHL-sized arena, and generate an appropriate return on it. To me, based on this cursory look, the numbers seem to be too lean to move a team here. Since I have no stake in Balsillie's financial outcome, I would also welcome the attempt and wish him well if that's what he wants to do. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pierre the Great Posted May 25, 2007 Share Posted May 25, 2007 Just put it in the heart of leaf land. hahahaha Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fanpuck33 Posted May 25, 2007 Share Posted May 25, 2007 http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/attendance?year=2007 Was looking at those figures, and Nashville had to lowest road average attendance in the league. That's interesting to me, they're a good team. I'd think crappy teams would be the ones with the worst road attendance. Ottawa is 5th worst, and here they are in the finals. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pierre the Great Posted May 25, 2007 Share Posted May 25, 2007 for a team that probably would have gone to the playoffs if it wasn't for the goalie getting hurt, dang Long Island suburbs go the hockey game. They should move across the bay to Hartford if this continues. Ottawa has a low road average mainly because they never have been the sexy team in Canada. The casual hockey fan knows who the Maple Leafs and Canadiens are but Senators just don't have that mystique. Although that will change once they win the cup this year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dark_faerie87 Posted May 25, 2007 Share Posted May 25, 2007 for a team that probably would have gone to the playoffs if it wasn't for the goalie getting hurt, dang Long Island suburbs go the hockey game. They should move across the bay to Hartford if this continues. Ottawa has a low road average mainly because they never have been the sexy team in Canada. The casual hockey fan knows who the Maple Leafs and Canadiens are but Senators just don't have that mystique. Although that will change once they win the cup this year. Errrr, what? The Isles DID make the playoffs... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pierre the Great Posted May 25, 2007 Share Posted May 25, 2007 Columbus and Nashville are a victim of the unbalanced schedule. I as person living in saint louis get tired of the blues playing expansion teams every week. This isn't the southeast where most fans are new to the game. Nashville and Columbus just aren't draws that people want to see. Its Nashville, and Columbus (no offence fanpuck). oops well it really wasn't much of a playoff run for the lonely isles. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fanpuck33 Posted May 25, 2007 Share Posted May 25, 2007 Nashville was a very good team all year, no excuse for them being a poor draw. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mont Royale Posted May 25, 2007 Share Posted May 25, 2007 http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/attendance?year=2007 Was looking at those figures, and Nashville had to lowest road average attendance in the league. That's interesting to me, they're a good team. I'd think crappy teams would be the ones with the worst road attendance. Ottawa is 5th worst, and here they are in the finals. Actually, it was Tampa Bay that was lowest, with Nashville 2nd (you probably missed TB because they're near the top of home attendance)... which is interesting too, given that they were the eventual SC champions. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dark_faerie87 Posted May 25, 2007 Share Posted May 25, 2007 oops well it really wasn't much of a playoff run for the lonely isles. Well they were the 8th seed, so it's not like they were expected to go all the way. And besides, they gave the Sabres a pretty good run for their money. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fanpuck33 Posted May 25, 2007 Share Posted May 25, 2007 Actually, it was Tampa Bay that was lowest, with Nashville 2nd (you probably missed TB because they're near the top of home attendance)... which is interesting too, given that they were the eventual SC champions. Oops, the link doesn't bring up the most recent season, it brings up 2005-06, even though the URL says 2007. Anyways, use the tool to go to this season and you'll find Nashville last. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pierre the Great Posted May 25, 2007 Share Posted May 25, 2007 As I said above nobody wants to go see a team that doesn't have that history with it. Even if Tampa won the cup every year for 5 years, they're still from Tampa, Florida. Thats where Bettman has failed. He has failed to realize that when you move teams with history Winnipeg, Hartford, Quebec and expand into the south, people in traditional areas are not going to turn out for games because they do not know the teams. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quebecois Posted May 25, 2007 Share Posted May 25, 2007 Heres how I look at it. You got the Waterloo region (includes Cambridge) at about 500,000 people as was stated. As far as I know that figure doesnt include the 30-40,000 students at both U of Waterloo and Laurier, as well as Connestoga College. If the tickets are affordable, you better bet the uni crowd will flock to the games. 20-25 minutes away you have Guelph, thats another 100,000 people. 30-35 minutes away you have Brantford, Brant county is about 125,000 people. 40 minutes away you have 500,000+ people in the form of Hamilton. 45 minutes to the west is 400,000 people in London. Then 45 minutes to the east you got Milton (plug for my town, fastest growing in Canada), Brampton and Mississauga which is over a million, not to mention people in Burlington and Oakville which is another 300,000 people. I just don't see how population is even a factor. Thats a massive amount of people within 40-45 minutes of going to an NHL game and (hopefully) actually being able to afford the tickets! Plus, throw that team in the Habs-Leafs-Sabres division and your gonna get 12 sellouts a year with the current schedule, no matter what. How many sellouts did Nashville have? People also underestimate the amount of Leaf haters who live in the GTA. I know many people who don't affiliate themselves with any team because they cant stand the Leafs and feel no attachment to anyone else. I also don't buy the notion that it wouldnt work because K-W is a minor league town. I hadn't even heard of Columbus when it was announced they would be getting a team and now they have proven to be the second best market out of that expansion crew by far. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fanpuck33 Posted May 25, 2007 Share Posted May 25, 2007 First team I would relocate would be New Jersey. They don't deserve a team if they're gonna average 75-80% attendance every season. They're a perennial division winner and they get crap attandance. Those fans don't deserve a team. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pierre the Great Posted May 25, 2007 Share Posted May 25, 2007 Well New Jersey is moving to Trenton the capital and a bedroom community of Phili. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BTH Posted May 25, 2007 Share Posted May 25, 2007 First team I would relocate would be New Jersey. They don't deserve a team if they're gonna average 75-80% attendance every season. They're a perennial division winner and they get crap attandance. Those fans don't deserve a team. But they've got history now. Do you think it wise to move a multiple Stanley Cup winner? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pierre the Great Posted May 25, 2007 Share Posted May 25, 2007 But they've got history now. Do you think it wise to move a multiple Stanley Cup winner? History means nothing anymore. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BTH Posted May 25, 2007 Share Posted May 25, 2007 History means nothing anymore. ??? Sure it does. It would be awful to lose a team like the Devils that have had so much success. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MAK Posted May 25, 2007 Share Posted May 25, 2007 But they've got history now. Do you think it wise to move a multiple Stanley Cup winner? it seems nodody in jerzey seem to care about history Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pierre the Great Posted May 25, 2007 Share Posted May 25, 2007 If people cared about history the habs would have never left the forum, leafs would still be at maple leaf gardens, boston gardens would still be around, blues would still be in the old barn, and the blackhawks would still be at the chicago stadium. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dark_faerie87 Posted May 25, 2007 Share Posted May 25, 2007 If people cared about history the habs would have never left the forum, leafs would still be at maple leaf gardens, boston gardens would still be around, blues would still be in the old barn, and the blackhawks would still be at the chicago stadium. I believe seating capacity was the issue. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MAK Posted May 25, 2007 Share Posted May 25, 2007 I believe seating capacity was the issue. I think it was more about luxury boxes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dark_faerie87 Posted May 25, 2007 Share Posted May 25, 2007 I think it was more about luxury boxes. Essentially the same thing. Financially speaking, one luxury box is worth what, about a hundred regular seats? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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