Why does Toronto only have one team ?

[Hawker14]

New York has three teams, two struggling at the gate.
Los Angeles has two teams, one struggling at the gate

Why does Toronto only have one team ? There are tonnes of Leaf fans who are unable to get even one ticket to a game, what gives ? An area almost unanimously considered as the greatest hockey market on earth, perhaps it's lack of corporate support that only nashville and carolina can give.

Do Bettman and the NHL Board of Governors hate Canada when it's obvious Canada loves the NHL ?

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[GuloGulo]

TML don't want nobody pissing on their gate.
You know the original canadian teams weren't THAT happy about letting other franchises from .ca into the league in the first place? It's no coincidence three teams from the WHA merger were Canadian. The demand for pro hockey was, but the then NHL bigwigs didn't want to share their market.

 

[tml_4ever]

because if there was another team, leaf fans wouldn't be fans of their team anyways, and that new team would die

 

[Lobstertainment]

Could Toronto finacially support another Team?

Probably

Would they?

Probably not, this is Leafs Nation, imagine putting another Baseball team in Boston, it would never fly.

 

[arrbez]

I know everyone likes to make TML out as the big bad bully in this case, but I doubt you'd find another team who would welcome a new franchise into their city in this day and age. Montreal and Vancouver probably have the population to support another team, but it won't happen there either. Here's the two biggest reasons why:

A) Toronto doesn't want another team. I've never heard any outcry from the city or surrounding area for another team. Toronto is a Leafs city first and foremost.

B) Regional rights and tv issues and stuff. As I say, no new franchises will ever show up in a city with an existing team from here on out. It's a much different world now than it was back in the day. Hamilton could probably support a team, but they're too close to Buffalo and Toronto for it to ever happen. It would really hurt the Sabres.

 

[Porn*]

Could Toronto finacially support another Team?

Probably

Would they?

Probably not, this is Leafs Nation, imagine putting another Baseball team in Boston, it would never fly.

precisely.

hamilton on the other hand... could handle a team, and would make for great rivalries.

toronto vs. hamilton
hamilton vs. buffalo

 

[Metallian*]

New York has three teams, two struggling at the gate.
Los Angeles has two teams, one struggling at the gate

Why does Toronto only have one team ? There are tonnes of Leaf fans who are unable to get even one ticket to a game, what gives ? An area almost unanimously considered as the greatest hockey market on earth, perhaps it's lack of corporate support that only nashville and carolina can give.

Do Bettman and the NHL Board of Governors hate Canada when it's obvious Canada loves the NHL ?

new york has 2 teams, not 3

if we're gonna go by state, then ontario has 2 teams, cali 3 teams, ny 3 teams, fla 2 teams



hamilton couldnt support a team. not a chance.

 

[Porn*]

new york has 2 teams, not 3

if we're gonna go by state, then ontario has 2 teams, cali 3 teams, ny 3 teams, fla 2 teams



hamilton couldnt support a team. not a chance.

I disagree big time... hamilton could support one.

 

[Puckclektr]

new york has 2 teams, not 3

if we're gonna go by state, then ontario has 2 teams, cali 3 teams, ny 3 teams, fla 2 teams



hamilton couldnt support a team. not a chance.

Look at a map. Islanders, Rangers, Devils. Hamilton can easily support a team..

 

[Porn*]

Look at a map. Islanders, Rangers, Devils. Hamilton can easily support a team..

+ sabres fans and leftover leaf fans that can't afford leaf tickets

 

[Free Edler]

I disagree big time... hamilton could support one.

Hamilton has lost OHL teams in the past and barely supported their AHL team in years past. Why do you think they could support one? Certainly if they could, Winnipeg should be a lock for the next round of expansion/relocation.

As for Toronto, I pretty much echo the opinions expressed here. Of course it would be possible for the GTA to have another NHL hockey team, but it would be a money-losing and therefore foolish venture. Fans there bleed blue and white, and bringing in another team just wouldn't be profitable. Nobody would go to the games.

For proof, just look at the days of the WHA, when the Toronto Toros were around, and the Leafs were one of the worst teams in the league, and had the giant Ballard noose around their neck. Long story short, the Toros ended up turning tail and running to Birmingham after a couple years because despite the Leafs' lousy performance, fans wouldn't switch allegances.

 

[Porn*]

Hamilton has lost OHL teams in the past and barely supported their AHL team in years past. Why do you think they could support one? Certainly if they could, Winnipeg should be a lock for the next round of expansion/relocation.

As for Toronto, I pretty much echo the opinions expressed here. Of course it would be possible for the GTA to have another NHL hockey team, but it would be a money-losing and therefore foolish venture. Fans there bleed blue and white, and bringing in another team just wouldn't be profitable. Nobody would go to the games.

For proof, just look at the days of the WHA, when the Toronto Toros were around, and the Leafs were one of the worst teams in the league, and had the giant Ballard noose around their neck. Long story short, the Toros ended up turning tail and running to Birmingham after a couple years because despite the Leafs' lousy performance, fans wouldn't switch allegances.

the GTA is massive... lots of hockey fans, leafs and not. with the proper marketing... it could and should be done. Hamilton is growing quite a bit to boot.

 

[Puckclektr]

+ sabres fans and leftover leaf fans that can't afford leaf tickets

There are lots of hockey fans that can't go to Leaf games. I drive from Barrie to Buffalo a few times a year and I am not a Sabres fan. I have been to one Leaf game in about 8 years, not because I hate the Leafs, but because tickets are to expensive. I am not going to pay for tickets from a scalper. It is cheaper for me to watch a Devils game in NJ, including hotel and gas and food than it is for tickets to a Leaf game...
In Hamilton you have aprox. 750,000, plus other cities within an hour.
Niagara Region 400,000+
GTA aprox. 6,000,000
Kitchener 400,000+
Guelph 100,000
Brantford 100,000
A little over an hour
Durham region 500,000+
Barrie 150,000
London 400,000+

 

[Metallian*]

on top of the struggle against the leafs fan base, have any of you guys ever been to hamilton? with the mess with the steel industry and so many people losing their jobs, do you people honestly think hamilton could get people to buy tickets and support the team financially as well as other franchises? sure they'd find fans but i dont think it would work

plus hamilton would have to get a new arena, and pay fees to the leafs for their territory compensation, they would need money coming back fast and it wouldnt happen in a city like hamilton

 

[CarolinaCapsFan]

Look at a map. Islanders, Rangers, Devils. Hamilton can easily support a team..

Um,, just to be technical, the Devils are in New Jersey, not New York?

 

[Porn*]

on top of the struggle against the leafs fan base, have any of you guys ever been to hamilton? with the mess with the steel industry and so many people losing their jobs, do you people honestly think hamilton could get people to buy tickets and support the team financially as well as other franchises? sure they'd find fans but i dont think it would work

plus hamilton would have to get a new arena, and pay fees to the leafs for their territory compensation, they would need money coming back fast and it wouldnt happen in a city like hamilton

a) it would provide thousands of jobs
b) it would bring tourism
c) the nhl can avoid making hamilton pay the leafs anything
d) copps colliseum is sufficient

 

[Metallian*]

a) true, but you need people willing to spend money in the area for those jobs to pay dividends. thats not the case here. hamilton is a poor city. moreso than buffalo.
b) noone wants to go to hamilton as a tourist attraction. ever.
c) good luck with that. MLSE and the Sabres will petition the hell out of this
d) whats the seating capacity of Copps? sure, its good for AHL teams but NHL? i dunno

 

[Puckclektr]

Um,, just to be technical, the Devils are in New Jersey, not New York?

Um, exactly, but we are talking about cities not states, therefore, the Devils are in metro NY. Buffalo is in the same state but 6 hours away

 

[Puckclektr]

a) true, but you need people willing to spend money in the area for those jobs to pay dividends. thats not the case here. hamilton is a poor city. moreso than buffalo.
b) noone wants to go to hamilton as a tourist attraction. ever.
c) good luck with that. MLSE and the Sabres will petition the hell out of this
d) whats the seating capacity of Copps? sure, its good for AHL teams but NHL? i dunno

don't know for sue but I think it is like 16,000

 

[Puckclektr]

a) true, but you need people willing to spend money in the area for those jobs to pay dividends. thats not the case here. hamilton is a poor city. moreso than buffalo.
b) noone wants to go to hamilton as a tourist attraction. ever.
c) good luck with that. MLSE and the Sabres will petition the hell out of this
d) whats the seating capacity of Copps? sure, its good for AHL teams but NHL? i dunno

Hamilton is not a poor city. East Hamilton is a hole, but there is nothing wrong with the rest of the area including Burlington, Mountain, Stoney Creek and other burbs like Ancaster, FDundas, Flamborugh, Grimsby etc.

 

[Metallian*]

mississauga could support a hockey team better than hamilton

 

[Bear of Bad News]

In before the lock. This one could get ugly.

 

[GSC2k2*]

the GTA is massive... lots of hockey fans, leafs and not. with the proper marketing... it could and should be done. Hamilton is growing quite a bit to boot.

I live in Hamilton. Clearly you know nothing about the city.

Hamilton is not growing fast.

Hamilton has little to no corporate base.

Hamilton is a lower income-per-capita town. It is a union town.

Hamilton has ZERO chancve of supporting an NHL franchise, even if they didn't have to pay infringement fees to TO and BUF.

ZERO.

 

[Metallian*]

I live in Hamilton. Clearly you know nothing about the city.

Hamilton is not growing fast.

Hamilton has little to no corporate base.

Hamilton is a lower income-per-capita town. It is a union town.

Hamilton has ZERO chancve of supporting an NHL franchise, even if they didn't have to pay infringement fees to TO and BUF.

ZERO.

THANK YOU

someone with sense on the matter

 

[GSC2k2*]

a) it would provide thousands of jobs
b) it would bring tourism
c) the nhl can avoid making hamilton pay the leafs anything
d) copps colliseum is sufficient

Can you do nothing but quote hackneyed theories that don't necessarily apply in every circumstance?

Exactly what "tourism" would an NHL franchise bring to Hamilton? "Tourists" from Burlington? Kitchener?

Exactly what "thousands" of jobs would it bring? Thousands of hot dog vendors?

I guess you have not set foot in Copps, either. It is about 17k, but little to no boxes, which is where the $$ is.