$212.5M Offer to Move Coyotes to Hamilton

[firehawk12]

I think the NHL is still hanging on to the dream of a national television deal... so silly.
Is hockey even shown in the US anymore? I remember it being on like OLN a few years ago.

 

[AdmiralGarak]

I think the NHL is still hanging on to the dream of a national television deal... so silly.
Is hockey even shown in the US anymore? I remember it being on like OLN a few years ago.

Fox Sports, Versus, NBC, and the NHL Network all air hockey, as do a lot of regional stations.

That said, hockey is limited to weekend late season and playoff games on NBC if you only get basic cable.

 

[firehawk12]

Yeah. I still think ditching Fox was the worst mistake the NHL made in my lifetime. They just need to realize that it's mostly a northern sport and that's where the fans are. I mean, it would be like starting a Cricket league in America just because it's big in the British commonwealth.

Most of those southern terms should be spread out across Canada... and given that we have things called airplanes now, there should be at least one team in the Maritimes.

 

[James Bond]

Seriously, go back to Winnipeg. Or if the League insists on an American city, go to Seattle. Think of the Vancouver/Seattle rivalry possibilities!

 

[Gil T.Azell]

Yeah. I still think ditching Fox was the worst mistake the NHL made in my lifetime. They just need to realize that it's mostly a northern sport and that's where the fans are. I mean, it would be like starting a Cricket league in America just because it's big in the British commonwealth.

Most of those southern terms should be spread out across Canada... and given that we have things called airplanes now, there should be at least one team in the Maritimes.

No that Glowing puck was the worst Idea FOX had until they come up with Digger. ( but thats another story)

Seriously, go back to Winnipeg. Or if the League insists on an American city, go to Seattle. Think of the Vancouver/Seattle rivalry possibilities!

Vancouver/Seattle would be an interesting rivalry

 

[TheBrew]

I have to be against it because I am a PHX Coyotes fan! Been to a few games and had a great time! I will be sad if they move.

 

[AdmiralGarak]

I have to be against it because I am a PHX Coyotes fan!

Shh... I heard they existed, but I've never seen one in the wild. Quick, get the camera!


Kidding.

As a fan of a team that almost wound up in Hamilton a few years ago, I sympathize with you. The Coyotes have a fan base, and the league wants to build that up instead of abandoning them. That's why I side with the NHL on this issue.

By the logic of the people rooting for a move, Pittsburgh shouldn't still have a hockey team. Now we've suddenly got one of the most popular and successful ones. Give Phoenix a chance. A few great drafts, a solid playoff run, and things will be wholly different there.

 

[Ariadne]

I still don't like the idea of another team in the Southern Ontario region.

If it's coming to Canada, put it back in Winnipeg where there is plenty of fan potential.

I agree, in this particular case - the Leafs and Sabres are apparently fighting pretty hard against a southern Ontario team, and because it's the Coyotes, Winnipeg should get special consideration. (And then we can argue that we need four Canadian teams in the East as well, to balance out Hockey Day in Canada, and get a team for Halifax, Quebec City, or the 905.)

I'd be more than happy to see the Coyotes get snatched away back to Canada.

If hockey ever becomes the soup de jour in Arizona again, I'd rather have an expansion team that we can call our own from the beginning.

Well, I guess that settles it.

 

[Jackson_Roykirk]

I'm not saying it's right or wrong, but one effect of having another team in Southern Ontario is that it would make the Maple Leafs re-think their outrageous ticket prices. Right now people agree to get robbed at the Leafs' ticket office because Toronto is a city full of hockey fanatics, and the Leafs are the only game in town.

This is the fourth team in three years Balsille has attempted to buy and move to Hamilton. Fuck him. I'm siding with Bettman on this one. I despise moving teams.

Even if the Coyotes do move, they should stay in the West.

Agreed -- Being a long-time Penguin fan I was really depressed when Balsillie agreed in principle to buy the Pens from Lemieux two years ago. Thank god that fell through, because he would have definitely moved the Pens (eventually, if not immediately) even though attendance in Pittsburgh has been pretty good for the Penguins over the last decade or so (and downright GREAT attendance in the past 2-1/2 seasons with 90+ straight sell-outs).

TV revenue in Pittsburgh was good, too. There are some nights that the Pens' game is among the highest rated TV shows in Pittsburgh.

The Penguins may have been for sale at the time, and that's why Basillie was involved, but the Penguins should not have been a good candidate as a team to move, just because someone thinks they can make MORE money someplace else.

Jim Balsillie moving the Penguins would have been a deal that was good for Jim Balsillie, but not good for Hockey.

 

[Jackson_Roykirk]

I think the NHL is still hanging on to the dream of a national television deal... so silly.
Is hockey even shown in the US anymore? I remember it being on like OLN a few years ago.

It's still on "Versus" which is the new name for the old OLN (the U.S. version of OLN). Versus carries a couple games a week throughout the whole season, and just about a game every weeknight during the playoffs.

NBC carries Saturday and/or Sunday games during the last half of the season.

 

[SmoothieX]

I think it makes more sense to move them to Canada. Phoenix ain't exactly a hot bed of hockey. Its definitely a Suns town.

 

[erastus25]

Hockey in Arizona was always a stupid idea anyway.

Agreed.

Does make you wonder about the long term viability of the NHL as it's currently constructed, though.

Agreed x2.
that little sawed off runt Bettman doesn't care

Didn't they just leave Canada for Arizona a few years back? Why the move back?

Yes they left Winnipeg
If He (Bettman) wants them in a US City what about Portland Or.??
the league could always use a wesy cost tem to cut down on travell for west coast teams??

As a Portland native, I don't think that would work because of the Blazers (the city's NBA team). They are incredibly popular right now and Portland is a fairly small city that might not be able to support two pro teams simultaneously.

 

[Jackson_Roykirk]

^
^^ then what about Seattle? Since losing the Sonics, they don't have a winter-into-spring sport anymore.

 

[Commander Vaughn]

I agree with moving the team, but not into Southern Ontario. The market isn't there in Phoenix, and the market won't be in Hamilton either, because of the other teams close by.

Go with Seattle, it makes the most sense. Too bad the team will never move there.

 

[Mallory]

As a Portland native, I don't think that would work because of the Blazers (the city's NBA team). They are incredibly popular right now and Portland is a fairly small city that might not be able to support two pro teams simultaneously.

I agree that the metro area wouldn't be able to support two major league franchises when their seasons overlap as much as hockey and basketball do. Plus I think the Blazers would probably refuse to allow them to use the Rose Garden. What Portland should really be looking for is a MLB franchise. The seasonal overlap would be relatively short and the weather is generally just fine during the summer months.

 

[Canadave]

I agree with moving the team, but not into Southern Ontario. The market isn't there in Phoenix, and the market won't be in Hamilton either, because of the other teams close by.

I highly doubt that. I think a team in Hamilton would be wildly successful, regardless of the proximity of the Leafs and the Sabres. Really, it would be the Sabres that would stand to lose the most, since they gain so much from Ontarians who can't get into Leafs games.

 

[Ariadne]

I agree with moving the team, but not into Southern Ontario. The market isn't there in Phoenix, and the market won't be in Hamilton either, because of the other teams close by.

What, are you kidding? The GTA is 5 times the size of Ottawa, Edmonton and Calgary, which can all (more or less) support teams... they'll have no problem supporting two teams.

(If you're concerned about the Sabres, remember that they're a fair distance away. The Golden Horseshoe, with a population of 8 million, can support three teams.)

 

[Gil T.Azell]

Agreed.

Does make you wonder about the long term viability of the NHL as it's currently constructed, though.

Agreed x2.
that little sawed off runt Bettman doesn't care

Didn't they just leave Canada for Arizona a few years back? Why the move back?

Yes they left Winnipeg
If He (Bettman) wants them in a US City what about Portland Or.??
the league could always use a wesy cost tem to cut down on travell for west coast teams??

As a Portland native, I don't think that would work because of the Blazers (the city's NBA team). They are incredibly popular right now and Portland is a fairly small city that might not be able to support two pro teams simultaneously.

It was a thought as I remember at one time there was talk of it??
( Please for give my spelling it seems I was thinking I hit the 't' and hit the 'y'
and i also missed the 'a' twice x2

 

[Mallory]

Portland made an unsuccessful run at the Pens a few years ago, but that's been the extent of the NHL effort here.

 

[Gil T.Azell]

Portland made an unsuccessful run at the Pens a few years ago, but that's been the extent of the NHL effort here.

Ah that was it! D'oh!!