Which Cities are Candidates to Get an NHL Team?

[gstommylee]

If I was a billionaire, I'd totally consider Milwaukee for an NHL location. Now they have a new arena, not far away from Chicago, good NCAA hockey fans, it'd be a no-brainer to place a team there.

I mean, there should be a four-team expansion of these teams (after Seattle).

Kansas City/Houston - Central
Milwaukee - Central
Quebec - East
Hamilton - East

Colorado and Arizona would move back to the Pacific.
Florida and Tampa would join the Metro and be re-named Atlantic.

KC is out. Milwaukee can't support another team.

Houston is relocation only. The potential owner won't pay 650m for a team. price will be even higher in canada.

 

[stator]

Scratch Milwaukee off the list then.

I would also assume the same. The NHL doesn't like situations where the team is not the operators of the arena, but another sport team is.

 

[gstommylee]

I would also assume the same. The NHL doesn't like situations where the team is not the operators of the arena, but another sport team is.

Its not that. there is just not enough for the market in Milwaukee to support another team. They already have the bucks, packers and brewers. Had the bucks relocated to another city then it could support an NHL team but not all 4.

 

[AdmiralsFan24]

Its not that. there is just not enough for the market in Milwaukee to support another team. They already have the bucks, packers and brewers. Had the bucks relocated to another city then it could support an NHL team but not all 4.

The Packers are two hours away.

 

[gstommylee]

The Packers are two hours away.

Either way. I don't see the market supporting a 4th team.

 

[AdmiralsFan24]

Either way. I don't see the market supporting a 4th team.

It's not a 4th team.

 

[gstommylee]

It's not a 4th team.

I see the packers as a entire state of Wisconsin team. So yes the entire region the NHL would be the 4th team. I don't see NHL doing well when they are up against packers bucks and brewers especially college sports when the cost of the franchise is 650m.

 

[CHRDANHUTCH]

The Packers are two hours away.

did you forget the years the Packers played select games in Milwaukee

 

[AdmiralsFan24]

I see the packers as a entire state of Wisconsin team. So yes the entire region the NHL would be the 4th team. I don't see NHL doing well when they are up against packers bucks and brewers especially college sports when the cost of the franchise is 650m.

Entire state's team. That's basically every team we have. So why is it only Milwaukee that has to support it? A lot of fans come from outside the metro area.

did you forget the years the Packers played select games in Milwaukee

No. It does nothing to change my point. They play two hours away. If Milwaukee area can go up to Green Bay to watch the Packers (they do), then Green Bay area residents can come to Milwaukee to watch the teams here (they do) as do residents of Madison, Kenosha, Fond du Lac, Sheboygan, Appleton, etc.

 

[gstommylee]

Entire state's team. That's basically every team we have. So why is it only Milwaukee that has to support it? A lot of fans come from outside the metro area.



No. It does nothing to change my point. They play two hours away. If Milwaukee area can go up to Green Bay to watch the Packers (they do), then Green Bay area residents can come to Milwaukee to watch the teams here (they do) as do residents of Madison, Kenosha, Fond du Lac, Sheboygan, Appleton, etc.

It has to do with more than just fan support. It can sell out all of the games and still not do financially well.

650m price tag. Who is going to pay for it only to be 2nd tenant in an arena that is operated by someone else.

 

[AmericanDream]

It's not a 4th team.

now we are really reaching here...the Packers are 2 hours away like you said, not even in the discussion.

it boils down to this as everything else being said here against Milwaukee is pure opinion and borderline factless.

IF...and this is a massive IF, there is an ownership group or Wesley Edens, and Marc Lasry want a hockey team, and they are willing to pay the $550-650 mil for a team, then something will happen. Anything else when it comes to the city can't support another team, not enough corporations or population is just nonsense at this point.

The only reason why there is no NHL Hockey in Milwaukee (as everyone wants to ignore the AHL team that was here for decades) is that there simply is no one willing to put up the money to have it - simple as that.

Lloyd Pettit and his group was the closest, they had the $30 million in place to make their bid and bring NHL hockey to Milwaukee - hell they worked hand in hand with the commissioner, BOG's etc to get that in place, they were right there- but when greedy NHL saw how many teams wanted in at that time, they upped the fee to $50 million, Milwaukee wanted out and Ottawa and Tampa got in.

Milwaukee can support a NHL team, they were ready to back in 1992-3 to do so. Milwaukee has had professional hockey there for years and an arena already in place for the time being...if there is an ownership group who wants to bring in a team and pony up the $$$$, they top the list of cities around the nation as the next destination after Seattle. But until then, that is the only reason why hockey isn't in Milwaukee right now.

 

[AmericanDream]

It has to do with more than just fan support. It can sell out all of the games and still not do financially well.

650m price tag. Who is going to pay for it only to be 2nd tenant in an arena that is operated by someone else.

That is the reason, there simply isn't anyone there yet willing to do it and I don't know enough about the new Bucs owners if they have any desire to help bring hockey there...but that seems doubtful with the money they just ponied up.

It is not about another team, or how many corporations there is, there just is nobody really pushing for a team since their try 20 plus years ago. Damn shame, Hawks vs Milwaukee Drunks would be awesome to see.

 

[WingsOverAvs]

a wisconsin team sounds good in theory but I have serious concerns

 

[gstommylee]

That is the reason, there simply isn't anyone there yet willing to do it and I don't know enough about the new Bucs owners if they have any desire to help bring hockey there...but that seems doubtful with the money they just ponied up.

It is not about another team, or how many corporations there is, there just is nobody really pushing for a team since their try 20 plus years ago. Damn shame, Hawks vs Milwaukee Drunks would be awesome to see.

Why would NHL or any group want a team in that arena where its not going to make money. Its all about getting some control of arena revenue. Unless the owners of the bucks want to own that team themselves are willing to pay 650m for it. I just don't see it happening.

 

[AmericanDream]

Why would NHL or any group want a team in that arena where its not going to make money. Its all about getting some control of arena revenue. Unless the owners of the bucks want to own that team themselves are willing to pay 650m for it. I just don't see it happening.

as I said, if the Bucs owners want in, then it makes sense...but if an outside group wants a NHL team in Milwaukee, yes the arena would be a tough sell having to pay $600 mil to split a building....many NHL teams split buildings, that isn't the be all end all, the fact that Milwaukee would have to pay that insane amount would likely be...it would have to be dispersed over years to help ease that cost or something like that. Or they play in the Bradley Center (which was fitted for hockey because Lloyd Pettit wanted hockey when they built the place) for 3-4 years until they get their feet off the ground.

the situation just isn't ideal for Milwaukee right now but the city itself is perfect for hockey and that is my point. it is a shame they never got in the league in 1992 or at least again when Columbus got in, much rather have Milwaukee over Columbus.

 

[gstommylee]

as I said, if the Bucs owners want in, then it makes sense...but if an outside group wants a NHL team in Milwaukee, yes the arena would be a tough sell having to pay $600 mil to split a building....many NHL teams split buildings, that isn't the be all end all, the fact that Milwaukee would have to pay that insane amount would likely be...it would have to be dispersed over years to help ease that cost or something like that. Or they play in the Bradley Center (which was fitted for hockey because Lloyd Pettit wanted hockey when they built the place) for 3-4 years until they get their feet off the ground.

the situation just isn't ideal for Milwaukee right now but the city itself is perfect for hockey and that is my point. it is a shame they never got in the league in 1992 or at least again when Columbus got in, much rather have Milwaukee over Columbus.

What stops the NHL from increasing it from 650m to 700m or 750m. Especially when you are up against canada. Unfornatelly i don't see the league expanding beyond 32 teams.

 

[AmericanDream]

What stops the NHL from increasing it from 650m to 700m or 750m. Especially when you are up against canada. Unfornatelly i don't see the league expanding beyond 32 teams.

nothing stops the NHL from raising the expansion fees to whatever they want, what matters is how many people respond to their demands...and from the sounds of it, you have 1 or possibly 2 teams that would even think about putting up that kind of money and Hamilton seems like they can, and maybe Quebec, but I just don't see the NHL wanting to go back to Quebec which is why they seem to be "out pricing" the smaller markets here, only focusing now on the Houston, Hamilton's of the world which is a shame as there are plenty of places we have talked to death on here that would do well with an NHL team.

IMO, it isn't always about the location that is the main issue with these franchises success, it is the vetting process and getting competent owners in place who are going to hire the right personnel for success from Top management down. Many of the failures we have seen had absolutely horrific ownership and even worse management. Vegas seems to have gotten it right, and Seattle looks like they will have the right people in place prior to the staff, so I think things are changing now and more pressure is being put on who actually is buying these teams and not just taking expansion money and running like we did in the past.

 

[gstommylee]

nothing stops the NHL from raising the expansion fees to whatever they want, what matters is how many people respond to their demands...and from the sounds of it, you have 1 or possibly 2 teams that would even think about putting up that kind of money and Hamilton seems like they can, and maybe Quebec, but I just don't see the NHL wanting to go back to Quebec which is why they seem to be "out pricing" the smaller markets here, only focusing now on the Houston, Hamilton's of the world which is a shame as there are plenty of places we have talked to death on here that would do well with an NHL team.

IMO, it isn't always about the location that is the main issue with these franchises success, it is the vetting process and getting competent owners in place who are going to hire the right personnel for success from Top management down. Many of the failures we have seen had absolutely horrific ownership and even worse management. Vegas seems to have gotten it right, and Seattle looks like they will have the right people in place prior to the staff, so I think things are changing now and more pressure is being put on who actually is buying these teams and not just taking expansion money and running like we did in the past.

only 2 groups responded to the 2015 expansion process only vegas was awarded. The only reason why the NHL is doing the expansion process again is just for Seattle cause no one else is going to make that 650m bid.

 

[AmericanDream]

only 2 groups responded to the 2015 expansion process only vegas was awarded. The only reason why the NHL is doing the expansion process again is just for Seattle cause no one else is going to make that 650m bid.

agreed, and they are fine with that for now...32 teams is fine,. wait another 2-3 years start sending out feelers again and see what comes up...maybe Houston bites by then, and I think they possibly will..

 

[CHRDANHUTCH]

Entire state's team. That's basically every team we have. So why is it only Milwaukee that has to support it? A lot of fans come from outside the metro area.



No. It does nothing to change my point. They play two hours away. If Milwaukee area can go up to Green Bay to watch the Packers (they do), then Green Bay area residents can come to Milwaukee to watch the teams here (they do) as do residents of Madison, Kenosha, Fond du Lac, Sheboygan, Appleton, etc.

and why aren't the Bucks allowing the existing franchise to play in their arena, they tore the wrong arena down, AF24, the one that should be imploded is UWM Panther Arena, not the Bradley Center , WHAT advantage does that arena have? NOTHING, IT was abandoned for the Bradley Center, and that's no longer an option

 

[gstommylee]

agreed, and they are fine with that for now...32 teams is fine,. wait another 2-3 years start sending out feelers again and see what comes up...maybe Houston bites by then, and I think they possibly will..

Houstin's potential owner isn't going to bite especially if the price increases. Here's the issue, if they expand again and now have to relocate a team and there is no options for said team then want. You just overly expanded.

 

[AdmiralsFan24]

and why aren't the Bucks allowing the existing franchise to play in their arena, they tore the wrong arena down, AF24, the one that should be imploded is UWM Panther Arena, not the Bradley Center , WHAT advantage does that arena have? NOTHING, IT was abandoned for the Bradley Center, and that's no longer an option

There is no point having two 17,000+ seat arenas literally right next to each other, one which would be used exclusively for for minor league hockey team, a mid major basketball team and an indoor soccer team.

 

[613Leafer]

I think GTA #2 is really the most viable option.

Put a team in Mississauga, and you have Hamilton, Oakville, Burlington, Kitchener-Waterloo, Barrie, St. Catharines, Guelph, Brantford, Brampton, etc, all within <1 hour drive, and all of which would find a team in Mississauga more accessible than a team in downtown Toronto (i.e. ignoring population centres closer to central/eastern GTA).

If Winnipeg (800,000), Ottawa-Gatineau (1.3M), Edmonton (1.3M), Calgary (1.4M), etc can support one NHL team, I don't see why the GTA + Hamilton + St. Catharines + Kitchener-Waterloo + Barrie (~8.5M+) can't very very easily support two teams if all of those people are <1 hour from an NHL team.

 

[alko]

If I was a billionaire, I'd totally consider Milwaukee for an NHL location. Now they have a new arena, not far away from Chicago, good NCAA hockey fans, it'd be a no-brainer to place a team there.

I mean, there should be a four-team expansion of these teams (after Seattle).

Kansas City/Houston - Central
Milwaukee - Central
Quebec - East
Hamilton - East

Colorado and Arizona would move back to the Pacific.
Florida and Tampa would join the Metro and be re-named Atlantic.

If i was an billionaire, i would never ever buy a hockey team.

 

[nucks88]

As much as I despise Toronto the GTA could easily support another franchise.