Expansion?

[bigtime49 0]

Whats the possibility of an expansion team in the future? Say in Las Vegas or maybe another Canadian team, whats everyones opinion?

[Hooah4 12]

I was erading the online chat on Yahoo on Thurs(?) w/Spector and gang and Spector was stating that in 3-5 years he expects expansion/relocation to happen. The 2 teams mentioned were Atlanta and Florida. Destinations were KC and Vegas. Take it for what you will there was alot of interesting chatter regarding Balsille(sp?).

Link: http://sports.yahoo.com/nhl/blog/puck_daddy?pg=2

halfway down the page

[Monty22 833]

Relocation would be more likely, but contraction is what the league should be exploring. Although, it's hard for the league to say no to expansion fees...

[TBLfan 25]

Yeah Yeah Yeah, Canada wants teams, Canada cities cant support a team, Winnipeg cant support a team, Vegas is a tourist city, USA sucks, SE hockey is a waste, 50% of last Stanley cups, 2nd team in Toronto, Florida sucks, Kansas?.. I cover all the bases?

[pantherfan 0]

Mexico? :D

[bigtime49 0]

I lived in Las vegas for 12 years and there was always talk of a real pro team moving in but it never happened. All we got was an echl team, but they arent to bad.

[Chadd 916]

I lived in Las vegas for 12 years and there was always talk of a real pro team moving in but it never happened. All we got was an echl team, but they arent to bad.

I love Vegas but it really doesn't make sense as an NHL market. Sure, there's plenty of money in the market but all of the shows at the hotels/casinos start up around the same time as NHL games. You can't count on tourists and those who aren't part of the hospitality market to support the team.

[bigtime49 0]

Even though they were an ECHL they packed in quite a few people.

[Chadd 916]

Even though they were an ECHL they packed in quite a few people.

An NHL team needs to draw 16,000+ per night. That's more than three times what they get now.

[5minutesforfighting 0]

Would I like an NHL team to move to Winnipeg? Definitely.

Do I think it's going to happen? Not at all.

I'm cool with the Moose.

[LegoDoom 0]

I lived in Las vegas for 12 years and there was always talk of a real pro team moving in but it never happened. All we got was an echl team, but they arent to bad.

I love Vegas but it really doesn't make sense as an NHL market. Sure, there's plenty of money in the market but all of the shows at the hotels/casinos start up around the same time as NHL games. You can't count on tourists and those who aren't part of the hospitality market to support the team.

I think UNLV basketball games average over 10k. With 100k+ tourists in Vegas each day (on average), I'd have to think it could work. I'd imagine that merchandising would suffer, but advertising could flourish.

[Chadd 916]

I lived in Las vegas for 12 years and there was always talk of a real pro team moving in but it never happened. All we got was an echl team, but they arent to bad.

I love Vegas but it really doesn't make sense as an NHL market. Sure, there's plenty of money in the market but all of the shows at the hotels/casinos start up around the same time as NHL games. You can't count on tourists and those who aren't part of the hospitality market to support the team.

I think UNLV basketball games average over 10k. With 100k+ tourists in Vegas each day (on average), I'd have to think it could work. I'd imagine that merchandising would suffer, but advertising could flourish.

UNLV basketball games don't cost an average of $75 a ticket. There are certainly ways to make it work, but it wouldn't seem to be in the best interest of the league to do it. Then again, the Panthers have been a black mark against the league for most of their existence.

[mrusse01 0]

Relocation would be more likely, but contraction is what the league should be exploring.

I agree, but they'll never get the union on board with it. It would probably have to be after another lockout type scenario where several teams just don't come back.

There SHOULD be another Toronto team.

[LegoDoom 0]

UNLV basketball games don't cost an average of $75 a ticket. There are certainly ways to make it work, but it wouldn't seem to be in the best interest of the league to do it. Then again, the Panthers have been a black mark against the league for most of their existence.

A few things. First, $75 in Vegas is about the equivalent of $10 in most other cities (ok, that's obviously an exaggeration, but you get the point). And second, you're assuming that UNLV games are mostly attended by the student body. Honestly, I don't know if that is true or not.

[chippa13 1844]

Yeah Yeah Yeah, Canada wants teams, Canada cities cant support a team, Winnipeg cant support a team, Vegas is a tourist city, USA sucks, SE hockey is a waste, 50% of last Stanley cups, 2nd team in Toronto, Florida sucks, Kansas?.. I cover all the bases?

You forgot to toss in how Bettman is killing the game and Americans don't care about hockey. Otherwise, nice work.

[JJ Thompson94 0]

Relocation would be more likely, but contraction is what the league should be exploring.

I agree, but they'll never get the union on board with it. It would probably have to be after another lockout type scenario where several teams just don't come back.

There SHOULD be another Toronto team.

I can't wait for the day the NHL goes to 24 or 26 teams, and I can finally stop watching some of these garbage 4th liners who should be asking me if I want fries with that and not playing 4-5 min a night in the NHL.

[chippa13 1844]

The NHLPA would never allow that many NHL jobs to go away.

[nickerjones 8]

somewhere i read that someone was wanting the nhl to play some european teams ...... i think its stupid, i would love for oklahoma city to get a nhl team..... we did well with the hornets from NEW orleans . WE will see how we do with the supersonics. I mean we pack in 95 k+ into the university of oklahoma football games i think we can support some pro teams