Regina or Halifax?

[Mr BLUEandWHITE]

Does anyone think that if the nhl was to relocate would these cities if they built the appropriate arena work. i believe the population of regina is around 200 000 and halifax is around 360 000. could this work???

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[ColinM]

Both of those cities are too small for the NHL. They are great major junior centers, but don't have the population that Winnipeg, Hamilton, or Quebec City does.

 

[mr gib]

never

 

[ZombieMatt]

Halifax is a junior hockey city. Professional hockey has failed in the city in the past.

 

[Gnashville]

Does anyone think that if the nhl was to relocate

The NHL does not relocate teams owners do The NHL only approves the move. Individual owners do the Moving.

 

[JKP]

Not right now. Maybe in 10 yrs at the pace we're growing here. There's not enough corporate money around here to make it work.

 

[MassiveHabs]

was gonna say, I love Halifax, but there is no way in my mind that it could support an NHL team...good junior city though...I love me a Mooseheads game

 

[Canadude*]

Halifax is one of (if not) the greatest junior cities in the world for attendance. ( Halifax has broken the record for attendance several times and had the best WJHC in Canada to date) However, Halifax is too small to support 100+ dollar per tickets NHL hockey.

 

[JKP]

Halifax is a junior hockey city. Professional hockey has failed in the city in the past.

Professional hockey failed here because the AHL teams weren't promoted very well and the city was a lot smaller when they were here. The Mooseheads have succeeded because they've had great owners (Moosehead Breweries and now Bobby Smith) that really work hard to promote the team, especially to kids and families. I've taken my 3 yr old to two games this fall and he loves it!

 

[The Mighty Duck Man]

There is nothing more I'd love than an NHL city in Regina, but they don't deserve it. The Pats were red-hot recently, and their tix are like $13, and attendence was still terrible. Halifax, I don't think they could hold an NHL city either, but I'd say it's better than Regina.

 

[CCF]

I'm from Regina, I spend my days between Regina and Saskatoon. I would love to see a team in Regina, but I think it comes down to not having enough corporate sponsors. Although the population of Regina is small, like the Riders, the team would draw from all across Sask. which has a population of one million. Obviously it's not going to happen, but it would be nice to put hockey in a place where it's deserved.

As for the Pats example, I think they've been so bad for so long that people are reluctant.

 

[CantHaveTkachev]

if there isn't one in Winnipeg there's no way in Hell Saskatchewan ever gets an NHL team

unless you're Bill Hunter

 

[Emerald City Bruin]

And here I thought this thread was about who was right in the current dispute, Shane Halifax or the Regina Pats.

 

[Kevin Forbes]

Professional hockey failed here because the AHL teams weren't promoted very well and the city was a lot smaller when they were here. The Mooseheads have succeeded because they've had great owners (Moosehead Breweries and now Bobby Smith) that really work hard to promote the team, especially to kids and families. I've taken my 3 yr old to two games this fall and he loves it!

No, professional hockey has failed here because the city doesn't support losing teams. Did you go to any Herd games two years ago?

 

[Lionel Hutz]

I live in Halifax, have for a while and will forever. I'd love to see NHL hockey here more than anyone else, but there is absolutely no chance of it ever happening.

Yes, the population is 360,000 give or take, and growing. The problem is that cities of comparable sizes in central Canada or the US may be able to support a team, because there is a population in the surrounding region which effectively makes the city bigger. Halifax is relatively remote on the East coast, and accounts for well over 1/3 of the province's polulation. So, while 360,000 is not a bad sized city, that's it, the rest of the province, with the exception of a few municipalities, is rural. From Halifax, 3hr drive to 100,000 Moncton, 5hr drive to 80,000 Sydney region etc.

Not enough corporate support. The economy in Halifax is bumping, in the province it is not. Also, the industry here is not largely made up of the large corporations that will purchase boxes - ie: banks, law firms, accounting firms, consultants, etc etc. Professional firms - alot of the industry is labour based, just not the demographic that pours corporate dollars into supporting a team.

All of that being said, ask me in a few years, perhaps a decade. Halifax is growing and is attracting corporate investment. I've seen countless studies that project Halifax to be one of the largest cities on the entire East coast in the future, and predict that the rate of growth will increase.

 

[PEli*]

No, professional hockey has failed here because the city doesn't support losing teams. Did you go to any Herd games two years ago?

I went to about 20 games. Can't say that the fans went away that much. Even in seasons where we're contending, 8-9k is the usual. This year we've been at just over 7k most nights. And the team isn't very good.

 

[Kitsune]

regina - never. Saskatoon has a NHL ready arena (well, ok, give them 4 months to finish putting in the seats, bring Sask Place to about 18500 capacity). Plus, any one here know about the Saskatchwen Blues?

 

[Mr BLUEandWHITE]

I personally would love to see a league of 28 teams
10 canadian
18 american

Toronto
Montreal
Ottawa
Quebec
Halifax
Winnipeg
Edmonton
Regina
Calgary
Vancouver

Just think of the rivalries that could be created by these 10 teams and the fans would just be going nuts. Plus Hockey Day in Canada would be crazy.
Toronto vs. Ottawa
Montreal vs. Quebec
Winnipeg vs. Halifax
Edmonton vs. Calgary
Regina vs. Vancouver

this is far fetched but hey anything can happen eh
Go CANADA Go!!!

 

[Sens Rule]

I live in Halifax, have for a while and will forever. I'd love to see NHL hockey here more than anyone else, but there is absolutely no chance of it ever happening.

Yes, the population is 360,000 give or take, and growing. The problem is that cities of comparable sizes in central Canada or the US may be able to support a team, because there is a population in the surrounding region which effectively makes the city bigger. Halifax is relatively remote on the East coast, and accounts for well over 1/3 of the province's polulation. So, while 360,000 is not a bad sized city, that's it, the rest of the province, with the exception of a few municipalities, is rural. From Halifax, 3hr drive to 100,000 Moncton, 5hr drive to 80,000 Sydney region etc.

Not enough corporate support. The economy in Halifax is bumping, in the province it is not. Also, the industry here is not largely made up of the large corporations that will purchase boxes - ie: banks, law firms, accounting firms, consultants, etc etc. Professional firms - alot of the industry is labour based, just not the demographic that pours corporate dollars into supporting a team.

All of that being said, ask me in a few years, perhaps a decade. Halifax is growing and is attracting corporate investment. I've seen countless studies that project Halifax to be one of the largest cities on the entire East coast in the future, and predict that the rate of growth will increase.

Sorry Halifax is not growing nearly fast enough to ever get an NHL team. I think all of the current Canadian NHL markets are growing at a faster rate than Halifax except Montreal. Winnipeg and Quebec lost their teams with 700 000. populations and the smallest current Canadian team is Edmonton with just over 1 million population in the surrounding area. Halifax is not going to approach a million people in my lifetime. Halifax's population grew by only 16000 from 2001-2005 to 375000. That is not a very fast growth rate.

However Halifax could get a CFL team and support it I am sure if that is any consolation.

See list of Metro areas in Canada:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_the_100_largest_metropolitan_areas_in_Canada

 

[Lionel Hutz]

Sorry Halifax is not growing nearly fast enough to ever get an NHL team. I think all of the current Canadian NHL markets are growing at a faster rate than Halifax except Montreal. Winnipeg and Quebec lost their teams with 700 000. populations and the smallest current Canadian team is Edmonton with just over 1 million population in the surrounding area. Halifax is not going to approach a million people in my lifetime. Halifax's population grew by only 16000 from 2001-2005 to 375000. That is not a very fast growth rate.

OK, I'll take your word on it.

 

[Jyroe Habs Fan]

regina - never. Saskatoon has a NHL ready arena (well, ok, give them 4 months to finish putting in the seats, bring Sask Place to about 18500 capacity). Plus, any one here know about the Saskatchwen Blues?

Yes, Saskatoon purchased the St. Louis Blues in 1983 and it was later rejected by the NHL in a vote lead by the bastar(*&*(& Harold Ballard. Saskatoon had 18000 season tickets spoken for and was lead by Bill Hunter's group.

So Saskatoon would get a NHL franchise light years ahead of Regina, why?
* Largest urban centre in Saskatchewan 235,000 metro pop.
* Largest and newest rink (Credit Union Centre-formally known as Sask Place) and can be upgraded to 18000 seats if need be. It was built in 1988
* Regina please, the city is losing people and the Riders would be better off in Saskatoon. Saskatoon is booming economically and is a located centrally in the province. The NDP goverment is only thing keeping Regina's head above water.

 

[Moon Man*]

In most optimistic of circumstances, Halifax could pull it off in 10 years or so. I can easily see people making the long trek outside the city to see their favourite team, superstar players, or Canadian teams... if they landed a corporate contract with an airline who could offer cheap flights to ticket holders, they'd be in business...

Ahh, who'm I kidding. Despite all the rabid hockey fans in Atlantic Canada, they'd be shy of cutting the mustard as a break-even NHL team even then. Halifax put on a great show for the WJC and is one of the best homes for a Q team... the NHL is still be out of their reach unless the local population doubled in size.

 

[Jyroe Habs Fan]

I personally would love to see a league of 28 teams
10 canadian
18 american

Toronto
Montreal
Ottawa
Quebec
Halifax
Winnipeg
Edmonton
Regina
Calgary
Vancouver

Just think of the rivalries that could be created by these 10 teams and the fans would just be going nuts. Plus Hockey Day in Canada would be crazy.
Toronto vs. Ottawa
Montreal vs. Quebec
Winnipeg vs. Halifax
Edmonton vs. Calgary
Regina vs. Vancouver

this is far fetched but hey anything can happen eh
Go CANADA Go!!!

Drop Regina from your equation and add Saskatoon!!!!!!!!!
Regina is backwards as it gets buddy or are you a ballard fan!

 

[hockey_nut]

as it currently stands... there are only two options for NHL markets in Canada (aside from the current 6 nhl cities), and they are Quebec City and Winnipeg

Hamilton cannot support 2 pro hockey teams, Regina and Halifax are too small.

Winnipeg wants a team, badly... and Quebec would love the chance to get one, too. Not sure who has the edge, as the Peg can get ugly (as far as being cold)... but nothing's gonna happen for a few years, at least.
(frankly, i wouldn't be surprised to see either TB or FLA be the first to move)

 

[Leaf Lander]

i hope halifax never gets a teamm


cause that will mean no leafs on tv every saturday