Cincinnati, Kansas City, and Omaha have shown interest in NHL expansion

[MMC]

Omaha is not a major city, it’s an audible.

We can’t scoff at Omaha if a city like Quebec City gets to be part of the conversation

 

[Tawnos]

We can’t scoff at Omaha if a city like Quebec City gets to be part of the conversation

Nah. Literally the only thing that makes QC viable is that you get a relatively high portion of the market interested. You’re not getting that anywhere in the States.

 

[Mike Jones]

We can’t scoff at Omaha if a city like Quebec City gets to be part of the conversation

Yes we can. You must know nothing about QC or its potential as a hockey market.

 

[Mike Jones]

Re; Kansas City - here is a potential owner for an NHL franchise:

Lamar Hunt, Jr. Lamar is a member of the founding family of the Kansas City Chiefs and is also the owner of the Kansas City Mavericks, a franchise member of the ECHL, and owner of the Kansas City Scouts, a Tier II junior hockey team in the NAHL south division. (Via Google)

He may be looking for a team to add to his empire and complement his existing team; the Swifty Chiefs.

 

[MMC]

Yes we can. You must know nothing about QC or its potential as a hockey market.

Well I know it’s similarly sized to Winnipeg, which after a honeymoon period but while still having a very good team is currently last in the league in attendance with around 12.5k a game. I have little doubts that both 1. QC likely finds itself in a similar spot 15 years or so after getting a franchise and 2. Omaha could at least match if not surpass that if given a shot

 

[Mike Jones]

Well I know it’s similarly sized to Winnipeg, which after a honeymoon period but while still having a very good team is currently last in the league in attendance with around 12.5k a game. I have little doubts that both 1. QC likely finds itself in a similar spot 15 years or so after getting a franchise and 2. Omaha could at least match if not surpass that if given a shot

I guess we'll see. The league hates QC anyway (I don't know what they ever did to Bettman but he seems to have a pathological loathing for the city) so they'll never see another franchise for a very long time.

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

Cincinnati and Omaha best I know would be new players here, and would make sense. Cincinnati needs a new building.


KC was sniffing around the Coyotes last year. Mahomes was in on the action

The Flyers played a regular season game against Calgary in the early 90s back when neutral site games occurred in part to gauge interest in the sport. Though just one game in the Coliseum (where the Stingers WHA team once played), there were many problems ranging from the spotty ice to a significant delay pertaining to the goal anchors. It was quite the scene at the time. As I recall, too, maybe half the seats were sold. That has little bearing on the current situation but Cincinnati did host at least one NHL game.

 

[MMC]

I guess we'll see. The league hates QC anyway (I don't know what they ever did to Bettman but he seems to have a pathological loathing for the city) so they'll never see another franchise for a very long time.

Well I mean this victim mindset towards the situation is dumb. They don’t hate QC more than any of the many other interested cities that haven’t gotten teams yet. Once it makes business sense for the league to go back there, they will, as is the case for every other potential destination

 

[GKJ]

The Flyers played a regular season game against Calgary in the early 90s back when neutral site games occurred in part to gauge interest in the sport. Though just one game in the Coliseum (where the Stingers WHA team once played), there were many problems ranging from the spotty ice to a significant delay pertaining to the goal anchors. It was quite the scene at the time. As I recall, too, maybe half the seats were sold. That has little bearing on the current situation but Cincinnati did host at least one NHL game.

The city has a pretty extensive hockey history. Bring back the Stingers logo.

 

[Mike Jones]

Well I mean this victim mindset towards the situation is dumb. They don’t hate QC more than any of the many other interested cities that haven’t gotten teams yet. Once it makes business sense for the league to go back there, they will, as is the case for every other potential destination

It's based on evidence. The market is crazy for hockey and can support a team. But the league doesn't care about that and never will. Sad but true.

 

[BKIslandersFan]

Omaha. Finally, an American city that has even less chance of getting a team than Saskatoon let alone QC.

 

[BKIslandersFan]

As a hockey fan from Quebec City we seriously need to send a big FU to Bettman and the league.

It was at best insulting to hear him and Daly name all those cities but deliberately ignoring the one that’s been begging for a team since 2010 at least…and then add that if Quebec wants a team they need to show serious interest.

Sure building a brand new 370 $ millions arena isn’t serious interest when you prefer having teams play in a college arena.

You. Are. Not. Entitled. To. A. Team.

It's based on evidence. The market is crazy for hockey and can support a team. But the league doesn't care about that and never will. Sad but true.

Right. Because NHL is a business and they care about making money. Not a hard concept to understand. If QC could make a lot of money for the league they would have a team. Again. Not a hard concept.

 

[BKIslandersFan]

We can’t scoff at Omaha if a city like Quebec City gets to be part of the conversation

Yes we can.

 

[MMC]

Yes we can.

Why? It’s bigger and likely has more corporate $

 

[BKIslandersFan]

Why? It’s bigger and likely has more corporate $

It’s not big enough to offset the fact that Quebec City per capita has more fans who will buy tickets. And aside from Warren Buffet company, what else do they have?

 

[TheLegend]

I feel like we can take lessons from the rumors and leaks a decade ago about expansion.

There were rumors that "after the lockout," expansion was coming and Markham and Quebec have arena/arena plans.
Then we heard Seattle was "Plan B" for the Coyotes.
Then we heard Portland was also talking about being Plan B or C for the Yotes.
Then we heard expansion is coming to Seattle... and team #32 would be Las Vegas.
Then it was "No seriously, Vegas is serious. The league is moving forward with them."

So the sixth market mentioned got serious the fastest. It's almost like the leaks and rumors are designed to kick people in the butt and make them call the NHL and say "We'd be better for the NHL than those cities, give me a team! Here's some money!"

Portland was almost Plan A for the Coyotes.

It happened right before I moved to Arizona but the story as I understand it was, had Steve Ellman not found Jerry Moyes as a partner to buy the Coyotes, Paul Allen had a check in hand to buy the team and move them immediately to Portland.

 

[mk80]

Re; Kansas City - here is a potential owner for an NHL franchise:

Lamar Hunt, Jr. Lamar is a member of the founding family of the Kansas City Chiefs and is also the owner of the Kansas City Mavericks, a franchise member of the ECHL, and owner of the Kansas City Scouts, a Tier II junior hockey team in the NAHL south division. (Via Google)

He may be looking for a team to add to his empire and complement his existing team; the Swifty Chiefs.

Some clarification, he's not directly the owner of the Chiefs. His brother Clark Hunt owns them through his Hunt Sports Group company.

Lamar Hunt Jr. only currently owns the Mavericks through his separate company Loretto Sports Ventures, the KC Scouts never touched the ice and were sold to a group in Amarillo, TX to become the Amarillo Wranglers.

 

[BB79]

For the love of God, make it stop. No more expansion

 

[Mike Jones]

Some clarification, he's not directly the owner of the Chiefs. His brother Clark Hunt owns them through his Hunt Sports Group company.

Lamar Hunt Jr. only currently owns the Mavericks through his separate company Loretto Sports Ventures, the KC Scouts never touched the ice and were sold to a group in Amarillo, TX to become the Amarillo Wranglers.

You mean Google's not perfect? Fair enough. I have heard his name tied to hockey in Kansas City and thought that his business commitments and connections could lead to being a part of an NHL ownership group.

And it did give me a chance to call the Kansas City NFL team the Swifty Chiefs

 

[GindyDraws]

Re; Kansas City - here is a potential owner for an NHL franchise:

Lamar Hunt, Jr. Lamar is a member of the founding family of the Kansas City Chiefs and is also the owner of the Kansas City Mavericks, a franchise member of the ECHL, and owner of the Kansas City Scouts, a Tier II junior hockey team in the NAHL south division. (Via Google)

He may be looking for a team to add to his empire and complement his existing team; the Swifty Chiefs.

Uh... He sold the Kansas City Scouts before they ever played a single game.

 

[BMN]

The bandwagon of a huge city is better for league revenues than the loyalty of a smaller die-hard market. For an experience and environment, having all big market, bandwagon franchises is sterile, generic and boring. Places like Buffalo and Quebec make the league fun.

But the main thing I want to get across is that there's no reason you can't do BOTH. SLC, Atlanta, Houston and Quebec is really good balance:
- one small & passionate,
- one medium and could be a huge hit or a "lower middle class,"
- one a big market for TV, but with questions/apprehension
- one big market for TV, but should be rock solid.

I regret that I only have but one like to give to this post.

PS It would never happen in a million years but I think a NHL team in Omaha would be pretty cool...

 

[JMCx4]

You mean Google's not perfect? Fair enough. I have heard his name tied to hockey in Kansas City and thought that his business commitments and connections could lead to being a part of an NHL ownership group.

And it did give me a chance to call the Kansas City NFL team the Swifty Chiefs

If that was the only thing you contributed to this conversation (and it appears it was), you have inadvertantly raised the value of this thread by at least 30 percentage points. Congratulations!

 

[Mike Jones]

Uh... He sold the Kansas City Scouts before they ever played a single game.

I'm aware of that now. Apparently Google was wrong about something.

If that was the only thing you contributed to this conversation (and it appears it was), you have inadvertantly raised the value of this thread by at least 30 percentage points. Congratulations!

I'll take it.

 

[rojac]

It's based on evidence. The market is crazy for hockey and can support a team. But the league doesn't care about that and never will. Sad but true.

 

[dj4aces]

As a hockey fan from Quebec City we seriously need to send a big FU to Bettman and the league.

It was at best insulting to hear him and Daly name all those cities but deliberately ignoring the one that’s been begging for a team since 2010 at least…and then add that if Quebec wants a team they need to show serious interest.

Sure building a brand new 370 $ millions arena isn’t serious interest when you prefer having teams play in a college arena.

Apparently, it's frowned upon to organize fans to visit other NHL arenas begging for relocation. Who knew?



In all seriousness, QC is always mentioned as having interest. Why it never gets beyond the "preliminary talks" phase with the league is beyond me, but it seems to me there's a failure somewhere in the application process.

Vegas and Seattle completed their applications and were granted franchises. Why did QC not complete theirs? Quebec Hockey Club 3.0 could already be playing NHL games if only someone had done the work.