Nashville Predators sold

[Wayne 0]

I agree, how they think KC will support a NHL franchise is beyond me.

[s Greens 0]

what about vegas? its already a huge entertainment market, and look at the response it got from something like the NBA allstar game this year

it would also throw some opposing players off their game with all the distractions, especially if darren mccarty came thru down:P

[RadioGaGa 162]

A few of us before a game were talking about Hamilton getting a team and when they did a presale of tickets to see if the market was there they actually presold 18,000 season tickets, and a bunch of corporate boxes

Some good audio aboout the ordeal

Hopefully Nashville moves regardless, their fans have to be the most annoying fans to listen to while trying to watch a game. I would be embarssed if I were one of the players.

18,000 seasons for a building that holds 17,500....that number seems off. Sure it wasn't 1,800?

[Drewhunz 3]

Article about moving them to Toronto

Linkage

[Datsyukiandeek 0]

I don't see a problem with two teams in Toronto. All of the big American cities have two sports teams(Chicago, New York, LA). The only problem would be for the Laughs, they couldn't compete against the Nashville franchise.

[GSHL99 0]

Maybe seattle/portland?

Not a chance, both cities have WHL teams, and don't do all that well when it comes to attendance.

Kansas City has built a huge new arena in the hopes that they can land either an NBA or NHL franchise within the next few years- that is a strong possibility.

You've never been to a Silvertips game it would appear. The reason the T-birds don't draw is, in short, Key Arena sucks for hockey. Everything from the terrible slight lines to the fact when the ref drops the puck it bounces like a damn basketball. When they get their new arena in Kent (it'll pretty much be a clone of the Everett Events Center) the T-birds will pick up attendence.

If Washington does build the new King County Events Center for the Sonics/Storm getting a NHL team is going to be a priority. Hockey would do a lot better in Seattle than it would Kansas City.

[Drewhunz 3]

Kansas City will never learn from its mistakes. The NBA didn't work. My god play half the season in Kansas City, and the other in Omaha, Nebraska. The Scouts didn't work, nor did the Blades.

[Steveo 0]

I was doing a little research......it turns out that Balsillie bought 25 acres of land in Cambridge, which is part of the "Golden Triangle" which includes Kitchener-Waterloo (Balsillie's hometown). This area has a population of around 470 000 and is about 1 hour west of Toronto.

Being born and raised in Cambridge I can definitely say that I would be pretty happy if we got a NHL team in the area. It wouldn't take long for my allegence to change, I would rather watch a new franchise lose than continue to watch the Leafs lose

[joshy207 15]

I can't see the Leafs letting another team into the GTA. Hell, they flipped out when Edmonton moved the Roadrunners into the Convention Centre, and they wouldn't lease out MLG to the OHL Majors, something about competition for entertainment dollars. Cambridge/Kitchener-Waterloo may be far enough away that they won't put up too much of a stink.

[MLSman 22]

This sucks, I just moved here to Nashville a month ago, and now they might lose their team.

Sorry to hear that...but Nashville has no one to blame but themselves. Hockey, like any other sport, is a business first, and if you do not have corporate support...you won't be able to sustain any major league franchise. Want to keep the Preds there? Go to Home Shopping Network and all of the other businesses there and tell those knuckleheads to support their local franchises.

[Chadd 916]

This sucks, I just moved here to Nashville a month ago, and now they might lose their team.

Sorry to hear that...but Nashville has no one to blame but themselves. Hockey, like any other sport, is a business first, and if you do not have corporate support...you won't be able to sustain any major league franchise. Want to keep the Preds there? Go to Home Shopping Network and all of the other businesses there and tell those knuckleheads to support their local franchises.

If the bars around the arena donated a quarter from every beer sold on game nights it would be more than enough for the team to make money.

[Fire0nIce228 1]

Theres an article in the USA today stating that Bettman says the team won't move. Theres all sorts of attendance cures and stuff they have to try first..

[RadioGaGa 162]

Theres an article in the USA today stating that Bettman says the team won't move. Theres all sorts of attendance cures and stuff they have to try first..

The quote from Bettman that I saw (sorry no link) was that when he asked Balsillie about his plans for the team, he was told "There were no immediate plans to re-locate". I didn't read a definite "WON'T"

He also said a return to Canada (specifically Winnipeg) is something that the NHL is looking very seriously at...so I'd say when & if the time comes to move Nashville, that may be a front runner.

[kosydar 0]

Maybe seattle/portland?

Not a chance, both cities have WHL teams, and don't do all that well when it comes to attendance.

Kansas City has built a huge new arena in the hopes that they can land either an NBA or NHL franchise within the next few years- that is a strong possibility.

Portland actually has made some pretty serious pushes to get teams in the past. They have an arena that would work well, and a pretty good hockey history in the town. While I may be biased but Portland/Seattle sound like they could be much more successful than Kansas City.

[Wayne 0]

Maybe seattle/portland?

Not a chance, both cities have WHL teams, and don't do all that well when it comes to attendance.

Kansas City has built a huge new arena in the hopes that they can land either an NBA or NHL franchise within the next few years- that is a strong possibility.

Portland actually has made some pretty serious pushes to get teams in the past. They have an arena that would work well, and a pretty good hockey history in the town. While I may be biased but Portland/Seattle sound like they could be much more successful than Kansas City.

I love the city of Portland. I just think that after the novelty of a new franchise there wore off, it would be a whole nother Nashville situation.

[kosydar 0]

Thats true, but what city that currently doesn't have an NHL team couldn't you really say that about? I'm obviously no expert, but it seems like as time progresses, we're running out of towns that can be successful hockey franchises. If teams are going to be relocated (they should probably just fold for the wellbeing of the league), I'd much rather them move to a traditional hockey market (Ontario, Winnipeg, even the NW) as opposed to the Midwest or South.

[mack 44]

It's a pretty skewed situation in Nashville. It's not selling like crazy there, but they're around the 89-90% attendance mark (still fairly low in the rankings) but not nearly enough to necessitate a move. The former owner was a complete douchebag that was spending his wife's money.

I'm all for a team to be in Canada just out of tradition but I don't want them to try and justify it as an attendance issue since there are obviously reasons a team left in the first place. If the Predators move to Canada I would only hope it would be to be the Nordiques, but that probably won't happen.

[Michael9 57]

http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/news_story/?ID=209447&hubname=nhl

[RadioGaGa 162]

http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/news_story/?ID=209447&hubname=nhl

All that means is that if an NHL team comes to Hamilton...it's Jim that gets to bring it. He's paying the city to hold the rights to NHL hockey. It's doesn't really mean shit at the end of the day. What's $50,000 "just in case money" when you've got Billion$ to spend.

The only hockey that the city of Hamilton needs to concern itself with right now is Bulldogs hockey. By extention that will show support for NHL hockey. If they put 12-14000 in Copps for Games 3, 4, & 5 of the Calder Cup Final...then I'll believe that NHL might survive...if the crowd is 3,000-5,000 (as I expect it might be)the NHL dream is DEAD.

Now, don't get me wrong...this town is awful for weeknight eventss...I think the Dogs would be happy with 5,000...but that's hardly a glowing endorsement for the future of hockey (higher than AHL level) in Hamilton.

[Chadd 916]

Moving the team from Nashville to Hamilton might be the worst possible scenario for all involved.

[D3nZ 0]

Moving the team from Nashville to Hamilton might be the worst possible scenario for all involved.

I have to agree with you, a 3rd team in Ontario would be bad I personally think. Winnipeg maybe, Quebec isn't doing a thing to attract a team and Halifax will not get the new arena that was planned for the Commonwealth Games.

[Chadd 916]

Moving the team from Nashville to Hamilton might be the worst possible scenario for all involved.

I have to agree with you, a 3rd team in Ontario would be bad I personally think. Winnipeg maybe, Quebec isn't doing a thing to attract a team and Halifax will not get the new arena that was planned for the Commonwealth Games.

It's worse for Buffalo than anyone else. You want to put a second team in Toronto? Go ahead, that market can sustain another team. Buffalo had major financial problems in the recent past and the higher the cap goes, the more likely it is there will be problems again in some smaller markets.

[RadioGaGa 162]

Moving the team from Nashville to Hamilton might be the worst possible scenario for all involved.

I have to agree with you, a 3rd team in Ontario would be bad I personally think. Winnipeg maybe, Quebec isn't doing a thing to attract a team and Halifax will not get the new arena that was planned for the Commonwealth Games.

It's worse for Buffalo than anyone else. You want to put a second team in Toronto? Go ahead, that market can sustain another team...

Toronto isn't a hockey city...it's a Leafs city. I don't think a second team would draw there (except when they played the Leafs). Nothing is going to hurt Toronto's draw...but yes...Buffalo would take a hit.

[hunterphfr 12]

When Hamilton's name came up 20 years ago or so ago(damn I'm getting old) as a possibilty for an NHL team it would have required both Toronto and Buffalo approval. Now under Harold that never would have happened, and I would still be suprised if either team would allow anyone near their sandbox. I would think Cambridge/Kitchener-Waterloo would also be considered encroachment. With a salary cap Winipeg may possibly be a viable option. But I would think it is the only truly viable remaining Canadian option. I think if you look around the league at struggling franchises and vacated cities most US options have been exhausted as well.

[JR Boucicaut 3804]

http://www.canada.com/nationalpost/news/st...f76&k=80881