The Return of the Hartford Whalers

[PoutinePourMoi]

Interesting info on the Whalers possible return:

http://msnbc.msn.com/id/11329765/

http://www.bizjournals.com/specials/2006/0213/sports_expansion/3.html

We are 3rd behind LA and Philadelphia in line to get a professional sports team. LA has already been guaranteed to get a football team by 2010, and Philadelphia apparently is next in line for a new MLS franchise.

Hartford is the #1 most likely to get an NHL franchise, and they are earning double the local income needed to support a team.

Something is bubbling....

 

[Panic at the Back]

Next in line for MLS is Toronto and a Midwestern city (Cleveland, Milwaukee, Tulsa are the rumors).

Philly doesn't have an owner or stadium for MLS - so that's out.

===
Hartford gets an arena and they might have a shot.

 

[PoutinePourMoi]

Next in line for MLS is Toronto and a Midwestern city (Cleveland, Milwaukee, Tulsa are the rumors).

Philly doesn't have an owner or stadium for MLS - so that's out.

===
Hartford gets an arena and they might have a shot.

Yeah, I dont care about Philly, I think it might have been a US only thing though.

Hartford needs a team before an arena. The word on the street is (its actually fact, I just like saying that) that the mayor of Hartford just has to ink the arena deal with Northland to make it go through, with no interference from the state government. So an arena is no problem. The team is the big issue.

Wait until after the Olympic break. I have heard that something is due to happen.

 

[CBJ goalie]

Move Pittsburgh to Hartford?

 

[PoutinePourMoi]

Move Pittsburgh to Hartford?

Its been discussed. Its the word on the street as far as I have heard. I have also heard Atlanta and to a lesser extent Nashville but I doubt both of those.

 

[Panic at the Back]

Okay, I'd take Atlanta. Nashville, would be okay - but for some reason I don't see that happening.

 

[Panic at the Back]

Yeah, I dont care about Philly, I think it might have been a US only thing though.

Hartford needs a team before an arena. The word on the street is (its actually fact, I just like saying that) that the mayor of Hartford just has to ink the arena deal with Northland to make it go through, with no interference from the state government. So an arena is no problem. The team is the big issue.

Wait until after the Olympic break. I have heard that something is due to happen.

Can you send me links to the stories about Hartford's mayor inking the deal?

I missed a few days out of town and didn't see anything new.

 

[GKJ]

Philly doesn't have an owner or stadium for MLS - so that's out.

Philly has 2 state of the art stadiums less than 5 years old. Where the hell would they play in Tulsa and Milwalkee?

Any MLS team would most likely play at the Linc, as the stadium has already hosted soccer games in the past, and a few weeks ago, the MLS held their entry draft in Philly, even though there isn't even a team here. They're definetaly eyeing this market, but I can't say it would be a rousing success (then again, not much of the league is)



As far as the midwest teams in the MLS, they all struggle (except Dallas, they now have a soccer only stadium)


The MLS needs some respectability in larger markets including big money markets like Philly, something that it won't get in Tulsa




As far as baseball...4 teams in SoCal? The other 3 teams down there wouldn't let that happen.

 

[PoutinePourMoi]

Can you send me links to the stories about Hartford's mayor inking the deal?

I missed a few days out of town and didn't see anything new.

there is no link to the story about hartford inking the deal. It is just fact. The state dosent have any say in what the city of Hartford wants to do. Well, to a certain extent, but this one is the city.

 

[Spydey629]

Philly has 2 state of the art stadiums less than 5 years old. Where the hell would they play in Tulsa and Milwalkee?

Any MLS team would most likely play at the Linc, as the stadium has already hosted soccer games in the past, and a few weeks ago, the MLS held their entry draft in Philly, even though there isn't even a team here. They're definetaly eyeing this market, but I can't say it would be a rousing success (then again, not much of the league is)

As far as the midwest teams in the MLS, they all struggle (except Dallas, they now have a soccer only stadium)

The MLS needs some respectability in larger markets including big money markets like Philly, something that it won't get in Tulsa

As far as baseball...4 teams in SoCal? The other 3 teams down there wouldn't let that happen.

MLS just needs to move into markets where soccer is king. (Yeah, I know, hard to beleive). But Rochester, NY deserves a team. The A-League Raging Rhinos outdraw some MLS teams, a team in that particular market would do fantastic.

And in all honestly, I find this article a little hard to beleive... NO market can sustain MLB?? And LA has trouble with every sport, not due to $$$, but because no one arrives on time or stays until the end!

 

[Panic at the Back]

Philly has 2 state of the art stadiums less than 5 years old. Where the hell would they play in Tulsa and Milwalkee?

Peter Wilt and his multi-millionaire potiential owner want to build a facility in Milwaukee.
Tulsa - has some sort of facility or is willing to build something. Not sure if an owner has been identified.

Any MLS team would most likely play at the Linc, as the stadium has already hosted soccer games in the past, and a few weeks ago, the MLS held their entry draft in Philly, even though there isn't even a team here. They're definetaly eyeing this market, but I can't say it would be a rousing success (then again, not much of the league is)

MLS is trying to get out of renting NFL stadiums. Its bad for business if they can't control the facility, see DC United and Metrostars.

As for Philly, the draft goes wherever the National Soccer Coaches Convention goes - next year its in Indianapolis.

As for the success of the league, considering its entering its 11th season and averages 15,000 a game, its going pretty well.

As far as the midwest teams in the MLS, they all struggle (except Dallas, they now have a soccer only stadium)

Chicago struggles? They get their own stadium this summer as well.

Columbus- on the field, but they own their own stadium.

Kansas City - they suck. Period.

Houston (formerly San Jose) should do very well.

Dallas actually struggles, but they will come around.

The MLS needs some respectability in larger markets including big money markets like Philly, something that it won't get in Tulsa

they need places they will be successful, competing for dollars and media coverage in Philly is going to a lot harder than in Tulsa.

As far as baseball...4 teams in SoCal? The other 3 teams down there wouldn't let that happen.

Dodgers, Angels, Padres, Giants, A's ..... heck what's one more.

 

[Panic at the Back]

MLS just needs to move into markets where soccer is king. (Yeah, I know, hard to beleive). But Rochester, NY deserves a team. The A-League Raging Rhinos outdraw some MLS teams, a team in that particular market would do fantastic.

MLS will go where there is a willing owner to buy the franchise. That does not exist in Rochester.

And in all honestly, I find this article a little hard to beleive... NO market can sustain MLB?? And LA has trouble with every sport, not due to $$$, but because no one arrives on time or stays until the end!

They still buy tickets, and revenue is where its at.

 

[GKJ]

Peter Wilt and his multi-millionaire potiential owner want to build a facility in Milwaukee.
Tulsa - has some sort of facility or is willing to build something. Not sure if an owner has been identified.


MLS is trying to get out of renting NFL stadiums. Its bad for business if they can't control the facility, see DC United and Metrostars.

As for Philly, the draft goes wherever the National Soccer Coaches Convention goes - next year its in Indianapolis.

As for the success of the league, considering its entering its 11th season and averages 15,000 a game, its going pretty well.




Chicago struggles? They get their own stadium this summer as well.

Columbus- on the field, but they own their own stadium.

Kansas City - they suck. Period.

Houston (formerly San Jose) should do very well.

Dallas actually struggles, but they will come around.



they need places they will be successful, competing for dollars and media coverage in Philly is going to a lot harder than in Tulsa.




Dodgers, Angels, Padres, Giants, A's ..... heck what's one more.

Tulsa wouldn't even have their own market, they'd have to share coverage with Dallas or KC. Philly has their own sports station, which is affiliated with comcast in Washington and Chicago, so there would also be cross-promotion and the media coverage wouldn't be a problem since they show some DC United games here anyways and give adequate media coverage for a team that isn't even in the same market to begin with. I personally probably wouldn't shell out the money myself to go see the team in person if there was one here, but they really have no reason not to come to Philly, the fans have proven in the past with other minor sports teams, that as long as the team is promoted, the fans will come. The WUSA did well here and they played in Villanova Stadium.

 

[Panic at the Back]

Well the key to any of this is a person with a lot of money willing to step forward.

Same for Hartford for NHL, or Philly for MLS.

 

[PoutinePourMoi]

Well the key to any of this is a person with a lot of money willing to step forward.

Same for Hartford for NHL, or Philly for MLS.

coughHowardBaldwincough....apparently there is someone else too. I dont care who it is, just bring them back.

 

[GWhale*]

The Whalers are now in all likelihood the frontrunner into getting (back) into the NHL! All the pieces are slowly coming into place, behind the scenes.

 

[Panic at the Back]

The Whalers are now in all likelihood the frontrunner into getting (back) into the NHL! All the pieces are slowly coming into place, behind the scenes.

Where do you get this info?

 

[Hunter Gathers]

Where do you get this info?

Yeah, really.

It's all hopes and dreams, hopes and dreams.

 

[GWhale*]

WTIC 1080 AM radio. They had promoted a big special on the NHL in Hartford all last week, it aired yesterday, and the big bombshell of it was that Larry Gottesdiener is in talks right now to try and bring the Whalers back as soon as possible. From the looks of it, Hartford's push is more aggressive than anyone else's at the moment.

 

[GWhale*]

Yeah, really.

It's all hopes and dreams, hopes and dreams.

Yes, my hopes and dreams for sure.

But also the CEO of a huge development corporation's money.

 

[Panic at the Back]

WTIC 1080 AM radio. They had promoted a big special on the NHL in Hartford all last week, it aired yesterday, and the big bombshell of it was that Larry Gottesdiener is in talks right now to try and bring the Whalers back as soon as possible. From the looks of it, Hartford's push is more aggressive than anyone else's at the moment.

What show was that on?

I never heard about it. Anything in the Courant?

 

[Hunter Gathers]

They just built or are in the process of building a huge, state of the art arena in KC. I think that their push might be a bit stronger, right now.

 

[GWhale*]

Who's leading their push? Where is the built-in rabid base that already exists in Hartford? What kind of hockey is played in Kansas City and how many NHL players come out of there?

I guess we'll have to agree to disagree. That and there's already an arena plan in Hartford, which takes care of that formality.

 

[GWhale*]

What show was that on?

I never heard about it. Anything in the Courant?

They said during the special that they'd post the special on wtic.com starting today.

 

[Hunter Gathers]

Who's leading their push? Where is the built-in rabid base that already exists in Hartford? What kind of hockey is played in Kansas City and how many NHL players come out of there?

I guess we'll have to agree to disagree. That and there's already an arena plan in Hartford, which takes care of that formality.

I didn't know that Hartford was a hotbed for NHL level talent, either.