Bettman on Quebec City October 3rd

[powerstuck]

Maybe those comments are the direct effect of Habs pre-season games not selling well.

Gary : I need to tell something to renew the hope in those people's eyes sans promising them anything. We need to schedule at least two other games next year and those games need to sell big time.

Lets just forget the fact that if Panthers, Lightning or even Stars arena was badly damaged during the recent hurricanes, Quebec would have been ready (and most likely used as) to be a temporary host while the arena was brought back into operation....like they did in 1968 when Flyers had to play the last month of the season away because the Spectrum roof blew off.

 

[BKIslandersFan]

Why would he worry about Habs pre-season games not selling well? Its a preseason game, and if Habs are not happy they can just take them sonewhere else.

 

[cheswick]

That's as positive as Gary Bettman would ever get, so I would take it as a positive if I was hoping for a team in Quebec City.

 

[GordonGraham]

Except for a small nucleus if die hards almost every one has abandoned hope, not a single media(press, tv, radio picked up or even mentioned the Bettman interview) Interest is at an all time low right now

 

[Nordskull]

I learned it here. God bless HF boards exists.

My estimation is the Nordiques will come back in 45390 days , I'm beginning countdown now.

 

[New User Name]

So if I read this right, the Quebec group were willing to pony up half a billion?

 

[New User Name]

I'm not sure they'd exactly be blunt about it but I think they'd use some coded language that BoH wonks would be able to see through pretty quickly. Plus the expansion draft reason is so oddly specific it just might be true.

Overall this is not bad news for QC. The way Bettman talks about QC is reminiscent of the way he talked about Winnipeg before their return. Everyone back then thought he was full of it right up to the moment he helped usher them back.

He had no f***ing choice but to go to Winnipeg. If he did, the Jets2 wouldn't exist.

 

[GordonGraham]

So if I read this right, the Quebec group were willing to pony up half a billion?

The new guy in charge of the building did a media round a couple of weeks ago and said the price tag was never an issue they can afford to pay it

 

[OG6ix]

Yeah, this is a typical Bettman response. It's going to be even harder for Quebec City to get a team because Seattle is getting that 32nd team once the shovels are in the ground for an arena. With Franchise values exploding for the NBA and MLB you will be seeing other markets in the states looking at the NHL and MLS for relocation teams because they are more affordable. The owners have been chasing growth since 1967 and let's face it the NHL is well served in Canada. The only hope Quebec has is if there are literally no other markets for a team to relocate to or maybe an existing Canadian team needs to relocate at some point in the future.

 

[Melrose Munch]

Yeah, this is a typical Bettman response. It's going to be even harder for Quebec City to get a team because Seattle is getting that 32nd team once the shovels are in the ground for an arena. With Franchise values exploding for the NBA and MLB you will be seeing other markets in the states looking at the NHL and MLS for relocation teams because they are more affordable. The owners have been chasing growth since 1967 and let's face it the NHL is well served in Canada. The only hope Quebec has is if there are literally no other markets for a team to relocate to or maybe an existing Canadian team needs to relocate at some point in the future.

Quebec will be the 33rd team.

He had no ****ing choice but to go to Winnipeg. If he did, the Jets2 wouldn't exist.

This is true, Portland would not pay up.

 

[BKIslandersFan]

He had no ****ing choice but to go to Winnipeg. If he did, the Jets2 wouldn't exist.

If they really did not want to go to Winnipeg I am certain they would have found another option, whether it was to fold Thrashers or relocate and own the team as a league until local owners are found.

 

[varano]

Look at the divisions. Its clearly expansion.

 

[Killion]

If they really did not want to go to Winnipeg I am certain they would have found another option, whether it was to fold Thrashers or relocate and own the team as a league until local owners are found.

Sure, however folding the team or leaving it where it was & funding the losses as ASG suggested while they "pretended" to try & find local ownership & no takers beyond Winnipeg with the NHL already dealing with a major implosion in Arizona.... Winnipeg was the ONLY option & a damn good one at that. Though no doubt there were many on the BOG's, certainly Jeremey Jacobs who didnt like it. And if you disagree with Jeremy Jacobs about most things then you know what? Your thinking straight.

 

[rboomercat90]

A pithy, catchy, philosophic thought courtesy of Bettman.

I laughed at this too. It isn’t a “long life in a small world” when he’s trying to extort money out of municipalities for new arenas. In those situations he’s quick to point out just the opposite.

 

[cheswick]

He had no ****ing choice but to go to Winnipeg. If he did, the Jets2 wouldn't exist.

Miscategorization. In private emails revealed during the Coyotes court proceedings it was unveiled Bettman said they should first offer the team to Winnipeg vs having it move to Hamilton. Saying the only reason Winnipeg got a team was because they had no other choice is disingenuous, and not aligned to the behind the door conversations the upper brass was having.