McKenzie on Expansion: Vegas and possibly beyond 32?

[Mightygoose]

Latest on expansion from Bob McKenzie via Insider's trading.

http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=439258

Q: What the latest on NHL expansion? Where and when?

McKenzie: The NHL party line hasn't changed. There are no formal plans for expansion but if they expand and everyone assumes at some point, they're going to, the common knowledge is that Seattle is the primary target in the Pacific Northwest. The strong sense I'm getting now is that Las Vegas is second on that *list behind Seattle and the NHL wants to be the first major professional sports league to put a franchise in Las Vegas. People in Quebec City may be saying, 'Hey, what about us?' Well, keep in mind, there's not rule that says if they expand, that they only expand by two teams. The possibility of expanding by three teams, with Quebec City being one of them, is at least something that will be considered. There's lots of money in expansion; over $300 million per franchise, close to a $1 billion winfall that isn't shared with the players or anyone else, just the owners.

Or perhaps more and staggered over multiple years? Bettman is listening so perhaps he's seeing how many are taking.

*So there is a list

Click to read more...

 

[gstommylee]

Latest on expansion from Bob McKenzie via Insider's trading.

http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=439258



Or perhaps more and staggered over multiple years? Bettman is listening so perhaps he's see how many are taking.

So there is a list

Mods, if you feel this can be merged with an existing thread, feel free

Could a schedule work with 33 teams?

 

[Tackla]

Viva Las Vegas

Starting a thread because I didn't see one and Bob McKenzie alluded to an NHL expansion team being a real possibility in Las Vegas on TSN tonight, and if the TSN Hockey Insider says it, it must be true?

Does anyone feel that with weather similar to that of Phoenix, but with even more entertainment competition, plus gambling everywhere, Las Vegas would be a good spot for an NHL hockey team? Discuss the Las Vegas franchise here.

 

[Tackla]

Could a schedule work with 33 teams?

Yes.

 

[gstommylee]

Starting a thread because I didn't see one and Bob McKenzie alluded to an NHL expansion team being a real possibility in Las Vegas on TSN tonight, and if the TSN Hockey Insider says it, it must be true?

Does anyone feel that with weather similar to that of Phoenix, but with even more entertainment competition, plus gambling everywhere, Las Vegas would be a good spot for an NHL hockey team? Discuss the Las Vegas franchise here.

Vegas as i said is a high risk high reward. It could work out great for NHL but could also be a bust.

 

[MarkGio]

33 teams is a weird set up. At least Las Vegas and Seattle even out the East and West.

Maybe they're saving Quebec for a franchise that folds.

 

[gstommylee]

Yes.

I think it might be better given there is no NHL ready arena even as a temp in Vegas that it would be Seattle/QC 2015/16 then GTA2 Vegas 2016/17 for 34 teams. This way Detroit and Columbus stays where they are at.

8/8/9/8 doesn't make sense to me. I rather see 36 than 34 teams but i see 34 better than 33.

 

[NHL Hartford]

Vegas as i said is a high risk high reward. It could work out great for NHL but could also be a bust.

Being able to say you're the first of the big4 into LV is hardly a great reward. Is it necessary to give Phx a natural rival? Maybe I'm underestimating the importance of this franchise but I don't see the upside.

 

[Mightygoose]

I think it might be better given there is no NHL ready arena even as a temp in Vegas that it would be Seattle/QC 2015/16 then GTA2 Vegas 2016/17 for 34 teams. This way Detroit and Columbus stays where they are at.

8/8/9/8 doesn't make sense to me. I rather see 36 than 34 teams but i see 34 better than 33.

I agree a proposed 33 team set up cwuld look strange though the league has gone with odd numbers for 13 years.

I suspect (and could be wrong) that the league is listening and looking for a 4th city and perhaps expand over 2-3 years.

 

[scotchex]

Houston

 

[gstommylee]

Being able to say you're the first of the big4 into LV is hardly a great reward. Is it necessary to give Phx a natural rival? Maybe I'm underestimating the importance of this franchise but I don't see the upside.

Vegas had a great ecomony going before the economy tanked. If the economy can get back to what it was NHL could benefit from it.

Perhaps getting a pro franchise there could help turn things around.

 

[gstommylee]

Houston

Houston has its own issue with Leslie Alexander

 

[Hammer79]

The players may not be getting these expansion fees, but they win anyway. 23 jobs per team are created, and presumably they go to under-served and likely to be healthy markets, increasing the revenue pie. Going to Vegas is a bold move, with all the gambling issues that have scared off other leagues, but it may be time to beat the other leagues to the punch here. Seattle and Vegas would bring the west to 16 teams. QC would bring the east to 17 teams, but that's not really a big deal.

 

[gstommylee]

The players may not be getting these expansion fees, but they win anyway. 23 jobs per team are created, and presumably they go to under-served and likely to be healthy markets, increasing the revenue pie. Going to Vegas is a bold move, with all the gambling issues that have scared off other leagues, but it may be time to beat the other leagues to the punch here. Seattle and Vegas would bring the west to 16 teams. QC would bring the east to 17 teams, but that's not really a big deal.

Lack of actually facilities was another reason.

 

[DyerMaker66*]

33 teams is a weird set up. At least Las Vegas and Seattle even out the East and West.

Maybe they're saving Quebec for a franchise that folds.

Is 11-11-11 really that much weirder than 5-5-5/5-5-5?

 

[Stanley Cup]

Is 11-11-11 really that much weirder than 5-5-5/5-5-5?

11-11-11 would send Detroit/Columbus back to a western timezone.

 

[premadonna]

European domestic leagues are going to die, the KHL is adding new teams every year and now the NHL...

Where will all the talent come from? Hockey is a tiny participant sport with a limited talent pool...

 

[OttawaRoughRiderFan*]

Maybe they're saving Quebec for a franchise that folds.

Or moves.

European domestic leagues are going to die, the KHL is adding new teams every year and now the NHL...

Where will all the talent come from? Hockey is a tiny participant sport with a limited talent pool...

Lots of Canadian kids.

 

[Big McLargehuge]

11-11-11 would send Detroit/Columbus back to a western timezone.

As well as 4 long-time eastern conference teams.

33 seems weird, but the league sat at 21 for a good while, so it's not exactly unprecedented...I just don't think any sports league can handle more than 32 for simple competitive reasons. I really have no issue with holding onto Quebec as a relocation option, but expansion past 32 is just too much.

Also I'm really against a Vegas team, though it would be something that I'd personally get a kick out of...I'm the fan that the NHL is dreaming of when they envision putting a team in Vegas...the one that would totally plan a vacation to Vegas around my team playing there...but I'm also a Penguins fan living a 4 hour drive away from Vegas...so...how reasonable is it to expect that the most transient of all transient cities could hope to support a team? And that's not bringing in the other issues of putting a team in a city like that into account...but on a sure financial account, I have no doubt that they'd make an absolute killing with sponsorships.

 

[Inkling]

Vegas strikes me as Phoenix, but much smaller. I don't see it myself but that's never stopped the NHL.

 

[GKJ]

NHL wants to be the first league to put a team in Vegas. What they don't have: Owner. Building.

 

[Acesolid]

NHL wants to be the first league to put a team in Vegas. What they don't have: Owner. Building.

I agree, they may want to make it work. But there's nobody crazy enough to spend 300 millions+ to get an expansion NHL team in Vegas in this economy!

But who knows... maybe the Mob wants to use an NHL team to launder money.

 

[gstommylee]

NHL wants to be the first league to put a team in Vegas. What they don't have: Owner. Building.

There are plans to build an arena in vegas

 

[Holden Caulfield]

NHL wants to be the first league to put a team in Vegas. What they don't have: Owner. Building.

They have a building.

http://www.multivu.com/mnr/64298-aeg-mgm-resorts-new-indoor-arena-las-vegas-sports-entertainment-venue

 

[MoreOrr]

Latest on expansion from Bob McKenzie via Insider's trading.

http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=439258



Or perhaps more and staggered over multiple years? Bettman is listening so perhaps he's seeing how many are taking.

*So there is a list

Still don't think we'll see an expansion of two PTZ teams, for the same Division, in the same Season. If two far west teams are next to come into the League by expansion, there'll likely be a year or two gap between the two teams entering the League.