Hockey Season is upon us
- Thread starter Marillion Fan
- Start date
I'm not sure Kansas is a good place for an NHL team. They had a team when the old WHA was around (Kansas City Scouts)and I thought they moved that team after a season or two from poor attendance or they folded? Mind you that was SEVERAL years ago, Kansas may be able to support an NHL team now.That league was formed for those who couldnt make NHL team rosters I feel and took away alot of GREAT NHL'ers with the promise of high saleries. Players like Howe, Hull are two who come to mind. Who remembers the WHA?
The mid west is not a big hot bed of hockey but as more and more Cites and jobs involve moving that direction the fans will start to push for it.
But depending on how long it would take a for a demand in these areas would determine how long a franchise could last.
But depending on how long it would take a for a demand in these areas would determine how long a franchise could last.
ivyleager
LifeTime Supporter
Longtime season ticket holder and true Caniac! Game 7 was AWESOME. Rod the Bod rules!
One disclaimer: my 9 year old daughter's favorite player is now Sid the Kid....she absolutely adored the NHL promo of him in the couple's bathroom. Had to explain why not to flush a toilet while taking a shower (our house does not have this problem). The NHL and the city of Pittsburgh should give Super Mario an award for his dedication, love of Penguins, and all that he has given up (or not cashed in on). Just my .02 cents.
Grew up listening to Blackhawk hockey games in the 70's, not much TV coverage back then. Favorite players were Keith Magnuson, Tony-O, and Stan Mikita.
CaryB
Go 'Canes!
One disclaimer: my 9 year old daughter's favorite player is now Sid the Kid....she absolutely adored the NHL promo of him in the couple's bathroom. Had to explain why not to flush a toilet while taking a shower (our house does not have this problem). The NHL and the city of Pittsburgh should give Super Mario an award for his dedication, love of Penguins, and all that he has given up (or not cashed in on). Just my .02 cents.
Grew up listening to Blackhawk hockey games in the 70's, not much TV coverage back then. Favorite players were Keith Magnuson, Tony-O, and Stan Mikita.
CaryB
Go 'Canes!
Welcome.
Pens fan here so your daughter has good taste
During our slim years I did pay attention to the Canes Because of Ron Francis he was a good player for us during the Mario Jagr years.
Mario has done a lot with this franchise to keep it here in Pennsylvania so not much to complain about him would like to see him continue to own the Pens but if thats not meant to be at least he has kept them here where they belong.
Pens fan here so your daughter has good taste
During our slim years I did pay attention to the Canes Because of Ron Francis he was a good player for us during the Mario Jagr years.
Mario has done a lot with this franchise to keep it here in Pennsylvania so not much to complain about him would like to see him continue to own the Pens but if thats not meant to be at least he has kept them here where they belong.
Marillion Fan said:
Sorry about taking so long to get back to you. Yep, the Preds are staying in Nashville for the moment. A local ownership group came forward and have a binding agreement to buy the team. They're trying to get some more favorable lease terms out of the city to help with the financials, and have also brought aboard Boots DelBaggio (sp?) as a major investor in the team.
Jim Balsillie of Crackberry fame was the first to try to buy the team, but he was banking on the team not meeting it's attendance requirements and then moving the team to Hamilton, Ontario. In case you're wondering, the lease agreement with the city gives the owner of the team the right to declare a "cure" season for attendance if paid attendance drops below 14,000 for 3 years in a row. The attendance has been less than 14,000 the last two years, and the current owner has given notice to the city that this is the "cure" year. If the team doesn't average 14,000 paid attendance, then two things can happen: the city can buy the remaining tickets to get attendance to 14,000 (yeah, right), or the owner can pay an exit fee of approximately 28 million and move the team. This is what Balsillie was banking on; he had already started taking season ticket applications via Ticketmaster for the "Hamilton Predators", and had entered into an agreement to use the hockey arena in Hamilton for their home games. However, he wouldn't enter into a binding agreement with Craig Leipold (the current owner of the Preds) until he had the blessing of the NHL Board of Governors to (a)buy the team, and (b) move the team. Since he wouldn't enter into a binding agreement without the blessing from the BOG that he could move the team, Leipold informed the BOG that he was ending the period of exclusivity with Balsillie, and would entertain other bids for the team. That's when the local ownership group stepped up. Leipold did give the local group a healthy local discount on the price for the team compared to what Balsillie was offering, but then again, Balsillie was willing to greatly overpay for the team, as long as he had clear sailing to move it.
Now, back to the investor they brought onboard...Boots DelBaggio. Boots has the exclusive rights to locate a team in Kansas City, in a brand spanking new arena that was built to specifically lure either an NHL or NBA franchise to KC. The folks who built the arena are basically giving it rent-free to whoever can locate a team there, plus all kinds of extra perks like concessions, etc. So, conventional thinking is, if the team still fails to meet the 14,000 attendance requirement this year (the "cure" season clause in the lease is still invoked), then Boots will buy out the other members of the local ownership group, and petition the BOG to move the team to KC. And I wouldn't blame him a bit if he did. If we can't support the team here, then by all means, it needs to go somewhere where they might get the support they need. I just don't see that being KC, but who knows? At least Boots is going about it the right way, and isn't trying to be a "filthy rich bull in a china shop" like Balsillie tried to be. Boots is going to give us the opportunity to save our team by stepping up and getting to the 14K paid attendance (and hopefully more), and if we fail, then it's on us as a city.
Sorry for the length of the post, but I did want to let you know what's been going on with the team the past several months as far as it moving to another city.
Oh..and yes, the Predators were quite good last year, especially during the regular season...we led the league for quite a bit of the regular season, and then choked in the playoffs, as usual..
It was pretty cool though to hear the PA announcer say, "Now stand up and welcome to the ice your NHL leading Nashvilllle Preeeedaaatooorrssssss!!!" 8)
ivyleager
LifeTime Supporter
I remember hearing on XM Hockey Talk that the Predators were having EXTREME difficulty with corporate sponsorship. With out these, you basically can forget about long-term success. I thinks that's what kept the 'Canes going many years ago when they quite frankly stunk. We have so many corporations down here in the Research Triangle area, and most all of them have corporate suites, and provide quite a few free tickets through their human resources department.
CaryB
CaryB
Sounds like the same thing Ball Silly was going to do with the Pens.
Good to hear that the team will be in Nashville for at least another year.
Good to hear that the team will be in Nashville for at least another year.
ivyleager said:
Yep, that's what the NHL business model is designed for; corporate sponsorship for roughly 65% of ticket sales (or more), with regular fans picking up the rest. Here it's pretty much reversed, with the regular fans responsible for roughly 65% of season ticket sales. If that trend doesn't reverse itself, I don't see the Preds surviving here either. Of course, the corporations don't seem to have any problems throwing money at the Titans, but that's another rant for another thread.
Marillion Fan said:
Yep, pretty much. You would've thought he would've learned from that deal and played his hand different for the Preds, but no, he pretty much went in with the same attitude, and gee, he got the same result. What's that old saying about what the definition of insanity is??? Doing the same thing over and over again, while expecting a different result???
We've got 'em this year, at least. Needless to say though, I'm holding off on buying a new sweater.
MikeInTN said:ivyleager said:
Yep, that's what the NHL business model is designed for; corporate sponsorship for roughly 65% of ticket sales (or more), with regular fans picking up the rest. Here it's pretty much reversed, with the regular fans responsible for roughly 65% of season ticket sales. If that trend doesn't reverse itself, I don't see the Preds surviving here either. Of course, the corporations don't seem to have any problems throwing money at the Titans, but that's another rant for another thread.
Foolsball it figures.
William Wirtz, owner of the Chicago Blackhawks, dead at 77
There was a man who was instrumental of some happenings in the NHL!
There was a man who was instrumental of some happenings in the NHL!
ivyleager
LifeTime Supporter
Yes, Bill Wurtz goes back along way, right along side the Norris family who owned the RedWings for so long. As someone who grew up listening to Blackhawks hockey on the radio and watching them play (and suffer) all these years, my opinion is that the Wurtz family needed to give up the franchise a long time ago. Chicago is one of the original 6 teams, and today is a sorry excuse for one. Here's hoping the changing of the 'old' guard brings back the pride and spirit of my beloved team.
CaryB
CaryB
Ahhhh yes! The days of Hull, Makita, Esposito, Magnasun, Chelios to name a few. I remember a young goalie breaking into the NHL (the year escapes me) who absolutely stoned the Blackhawks in the playoffs Stanely cup finals I think it was and his name was Ken Dryden. Those were the good old years!Alot of names come to mind of years past. Parent,Plante, Favell, Laroque,Palmateer. Forwards like the Mahovalich brothers the Hulls, Keon, P. Espostio,Howe, Sanderson ... I could go on and on ... There are a ton of great blue liners I could mention too who where great in their day.
TizMe said:
I could've went the whole season without hearing the name "Chelios" being mentioned. He is probably the one player I most despise in the league. Whines and cries the whole game, and throws more cheap shots himself than anyone else on the ice.
Too bad McSorley's still not in the league... 
McSorley,Tiger Williams, Tie Domi, Bill Barber, Derek Sanderson, here is a blast from the past ... Jerry Korab!!??. I could go on and on with the heavy weights. but they sure did provide some good fights during their playing days. Now, when they fought they dropped the gloves and hammered the he#$ outa each other. None of this stick swinging junk that goes on now! If the stick swining wasnt going on they wouldnt be trying to ban fighting.
ivyleager
LifeTime Supporter
MikeInTN said:I could've went the whole season without hearing the name "Chelios" being mentioned. He is probably the one player I most despise in the league. Whines and cries the whole game, and throws more cheap shots himself than anyone else on the ice.
Do y'all remember the old hockey ad showing a fan in a NY Ranger's jersey yell at Chelios through the glass "Chelios...you wimp!" Loved it! Cheap shots: Chelios has NOTHING on Chris Pronger.
Best hockey name: an old NY Ranger's defenseman....Jeff Boukaboom. Now that's a name!
CaryB
Goodness thats an old one! Ok, best winger , left or right, on a rush ending with a shot release just over the blue line ....whos got some old time favs :?: :?:
ivyleager
LifeTime Supporter
TizMe said:
Well he's not a winger, but Messier (ugliest man in hockey) could skate down the right wing side, and get a shot off and score in the far lower corner of the net. Unbelievable!
Opening night here in Raleigh: Canes vs. Montreal...getting to the game early for some mild tailgating. Really looking forward to Friday nite's game against the Penguin's. Sid the kid will be in the house, as will Eric's younger bro, Jordan. Also, Mark Recchi will return, albeit in a Pittsburgh uniform.
CaryB