Worst Market For the NHL?
- Thread starter Papadice
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Papadice
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the ducks only exist b/c of disney dollars. who the hell has even heard of anaheim? ask around. heck, la was there first, and they are mere miles apart! nice work, gary.
Lol Silver_made, a Kings fan putting down the Anaheim Mighty Ducks, I'm sure that you don't actually wish for the Ducks to fold, where would be your rivalry?
I think that since in any sports business, good or bad there has to be a team that's in 30th place, I'm going to say the Carolina Hurricanes, unfortunally their GM takes no strides at all towards making his club a success. They have hockey fans, I remember 2002 and 2001, the playoffs were great for them, just that some GMs in the league don't care at all.
I think that since in any sports business, good or bad there has to be a team that's in 30th place, I'm going to say the Carolina Hurricanes, unfortunally their GM takes no strides at all towards making his club a success. They have hockey fans, I remember 2002 and 2001, the playoffs were great for them, just that some GMs in the league don't care at all.
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Sotnos
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Cropduster
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Carolina no question-at least in the other cities you get a lot of transplants from up north who carry their hockey interests...
I don't think there are any poor market towns in the NHL. There are teams bankrupted by their players (Pittsburgh), and teams run by owners who will never get it right, (Carolina), and teams considered a venture then a capital loss by corporate investment geeks (Anaheim). But you can't blame the hockey fans in these towns for those failings. There needs to be a geographic balance of teams in the west as teams are far apart enough already. Two teams in Southern California makes sense, after all, 3 million Canadians live there. (They are "the only Canadians who don't like hockey," according to the late Jack Kent Cooke). One of the struggling teams could move to Seattle, I often wonder why they aren't considered more seriously. The Thrashers, Lightning and Wild proved that they can turn a loser into a winner and get support. The Blue Jackets have one of the most exciting goal tenders in Marc Denis and their attendence is great and their future looks bright.
Can you imagine such a discussion among NBA fans? No one ever suggests contracting the Nets or Clippers. Or NFL fans? The Cardinals or Chargers. The only time contraction has been discussed meaningfully in MLBaseball was when Selig used the scare tactic in an attempt to extort new buildings from Minnessota and Montreal. When his bluff was called, no one was contracted and the Expos moved.
Is there lingering anger against the NHL for expanding so quickly? Sure, fans have had to endure a decade of sloppy play and ridiculas rules changes. But that type of thing can be corrected quickly with time and solid steady leadership at the top. That's why I think it's imperitive that the league put a hockey man in charge when Bettman is fired.
Just my 2 cents. Oh, and thanks for not including the Capitals in your list of woe.
-HckyFght
Can you imagine such a discussion among NBA fans? No one ever suggests contracting the Nets or Clippers. Or NFL fans? The Cardinals or Chargers. The only time contraction has been discussed meaningfully in MLBaseball was when Selig used the scare tactic in an attempt to extort new buildings from Minnessota and Montreal. When his bluff was called, no one was contracted and the Expos moved.
Is there lingering anger against the NHL for expanding so quickly? Sure, fans have had to endure a decade of sloppy play and ridiculas rules changes. But that type of thing can be corrected quickly with time and solid steady leadership at the top. That's why I think it's imperitive that the league put a hockey man in charge when Bettman is fired.
Just my 2 cents. Oh, and thanks for not including the Capitals in your list of woe.
-HckyFght
Papadice
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that's not the point... read the first couple messages... this isn't to debate whether or not you'd contract a team... it's to see what team you think is the weakest hockey market...Top Shelf said:
Columbus and Nashville do not belong on this list. They have great fan support, they are developing hockey markets, and given time will be die hards.
Jovavic
Gaslight Object Project
To put Columbus on a poll for "weakest hockey market" shows how ignorant the starter of this thread is. I guess selling out over 90% of the team's games in 4 years isn't that great, nevermind the fact that the team on the ice hasn't even come close to being "average". Both youth and adult hockey programs and teams are booming all over, the sheets of ice we have now can't take it all. Maybe having 15K screaming fans to watch USA exihbition hockey isn't all it's cracked up to be, but God bless those awesome fans in Minny (the State of Hockey, btw) for making such a great enviroment for team USA to play in.
Roughneck
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Roughneck said:
die hards wasn't the word I was looking for. Point is there are worse markets that have been around a lot longer.
Papadice
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My list does not necessarily reflect my own personal beliefs... Look at my message history on issues related to the viability of Columbus as a hockey market and you will see that although i initially thought Columbus would flop, that I truly think they have an excellent market now...Sir Ozzie X said:
My list was compiled based off of opinions that I've heard around these boards... I've heard several people mention both Columbus and Nashville as non-hockey markets so that is why they are on this list... I don't agree with it (particularly Columbus) and the proof is in the pudding... They are barely getting any votes...
Papadice
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I'd agree... Columbus fans have shown that they are right up there with some of the best in the league...Roughneck said:
btw, love the avatar... mmmmmm... Moose Green...
Papadice
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Just so you all know, when I created this poll, I also considered adding Chicago and New Jersey to the list... But Chicago I am convinced would be a great market if they had an owner that gave a rats @ss about building a decent team... As for Jersey, it floored me that they had something like 13,000 fans out for their home opener when they raised their cup banner to the roof... I think they have a horrible market... BUT, moving their team into the new arena that is supposedly coming should rectify most of that...
John Flyers Fan
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IMO New Jersey is the worst market in the NHL.
They should not be contracted, but if another team was contracted and New jersey could move into a new location.
They've been dominant for a decade and still have major trouble filling the building.
IMO they are the only current market that would not consistantly sell out the building for a GREAT hockey team.
They should not be contracted, but if another team was contracted and New jersey could move into a new location.
They've been dominant for a decade and still have major trouble filling the building.
IMO they are the only current market that would not consistantly sell out the building for a GREAT hockey team.
Rabid Ranger
2 is better than one
John Flyers Fan said:
I wouldn't say worst market, but worst location. The armpit where the Devils play is the single biggest reason they have attendance issues. If they get that new rink in Newark I guarantee attendance wouldn't be an issue.
Rabid Ranger
2 is better than one
IMO, all of the markets in the NHL can work, but the one I scratch my head at is Carolina. I never understood the move there.
Cropduster said:
Are you kidding me? There are no natives here. People always think it is such a novelty that I was born in Raleigh. The problem with this team is the management. People here are not big enough fans of hockey to pay high ticket, parking, and concessions price to watch a bad team. The story is the same in Chicago, Pittsburgh and most other struggling teams.
John Flyers Fan
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Rabid Ranger said:
I disagree in a big way, and I've been to a number of games at the meadowlands.
Moving to Newark might help slightly, but it isn't going to change the fact that too many people in that area are either:
Non-hockey fans
Rangers fans
Islander fans
Flyers fans
Terrier
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Sir Ozzie X said:
You should also point out that the 2005 Frozen Four will be held in Columbus. I will be there, although my team, Boston University, likely will not.
Just off the top of my head and not looking at attendance stuff I woudl of thought that Carolina, Anahiem, Boston(does this place ever have fans in it anymore?), New Jersey, Pittsburge, Pheonix and of course Florida and Tampa. Yes I still think Tampa doesn't have great fan support despite tehy were sold out for the playoffs. I dont think very many people went to there Stanley Cup parade.
Pheonix, Pittsburge have horrible horrible buildings which dont even high sky boxes so that could be a big factor. Pheonix is a relatively newish team that has sucked for the duration of time its been in there. Its hard to beleive a city that has Mario Lemieux on there team would still have touble selling tickets.
I think the really new clubs like Atlanta, Nashville and Columbus need to be given more time before they are labelled hockey waste lands. These clubs have yet to see competitive hockey except for Nashville last year. Give these 3 teams a couple good seasons were they make the playoffs and you will see there fan support grow a hell of alot better than Florida, Carolina and Tampe. Those 3 cities I have real questions about as they have all had semi successfull teams yet still seem to struggle to get people in to the games.
Pheonix, Pittsburge have horrible horrible buildings which dont even high sky boxes so that could be a big factor. Pheonix is a relatively newish team that has sucked for the duration of time its been in there. Its hard to beleive a city that has Mario Lemieux on there team would still have touble selling tickets.
I think the really new clubs like Atlanta, Nashville and Columbus need to be given more time before they are labelled hockey waste lands. These clubs have yet to see competitive hockey except for Nashville last year. Give these 3 teams a couple good seasons were they make the playoffs and you will see there fan support grow a hell of alot better than Florida, Carolina and Tampe. Those 3 cities I have real questions about as they have all had semi successfull teams yet still seem to struggle to get people in to the games.
Rabid Ranger
2 is better than one
John Flyers Fan said:
You don't think the fact the Meadowlands is in the middle of nowhere is a big reason why attendance suffers?
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