Atlanta and KC arenas too busy for NHL hockey???

[knorthern knight]

Because this topic covers both Atlanta and KC (and potentially other cities), it should have its own thread. We're aware of how desparate Glendale is for the 45 nights a year that the Coyotes would (partly) fill Jobing.com arena, and all the parking revenue that would provide.

That may be the case out in the boonies of Glendale, but what about major cities. Do they want or need NHL teams in their arenas, or can their arenas make more money with something other than an NHL team those 45 evenings? This may be regarded as heresey on this board. But consider the possibility that maybe an arena in a large urban center can draw events to fill its winter schedule without relying on an NHL hockey team. I'm sure that icing up an entire hockey rink is NOT cheap, especially with rising energy prices. And in "the sunbelt", who do you think fans will pay $100 for a seat in the "nosebleed section"...

• Justin Beiber or Lady Gaga or Tom Petty
• or an NHL hockey game

In this case, the NHL team would be less of an asset to the arena than a bunch of concerts and trade shows. And you never want to depend too much on any one customer. An NHL strike/lockout can cost an arena 40+ bookings in one season. A cancelled rock concert is one or two bookings. I wouldn't be surprised to see the Atlanta Hawks slowly edged out as well, but it would be "PR suicide" to admit it in Atlanta. Maybe just not restart the Hawks after the lockout?

I stumbled over a couple of posts here that drove me to this idea. First, in the KC thread, in post http://hfboards.com/showpost.php?p=32973852&postcount=135

I think AEG knew damn well what they are doing.

http://www.sprintcenter.com/news/detail/sprint_center_recognized_as_americas_third_busiest_arena

The Sprint Center was the nation's third busiest arena and sixth busiest arena in the world in 2010. AEG keeps the arena absolutely packed with events because they are a huge, international arena manager with tons of clout. They've been making money hand-over-fist with the Sprint Center without having a major tenant. This is a world-class arena and it's located in a thriving new downtown district. So you are completely off-base saying somehow AEG is not a competent arena manager. Del Biaggio was a con-man who swindled a lot of organizations for a long time, not the least of which were the Nashville Predators who actually did sell 27% of their team to him.

The problem now is frankly that they've been TOO competent with the Sprint Center. I'm quite cynical at this point but if they are making a killing without a major sports tenant (I don't count Arena football), where's their incentive to keep trying to get one for us?

The article at the Sprintcenter.com website says, amongst other things...

Sprint Center, Kansas City’s award winning arena, was one of three US concert venues listed among the Top 100 Worldwide Arenas -- trailing venues in New York City and Atlanta.

A little help from "Mr. Google" turned up a similar article for the Phillips Arena at http://philipsarena.com/Content/view.aspx?CID=94f53b8b-860b-4721-852c-d90b195af67c and I quote...

ATLANTA, July 15, 2010 – Atlanta’s Philips Arena has once again earned international acclaim as a top ranked entertainment venue according to industry-leading publication Pollstar magazine. For the first half of the 2010 calendar year, Philips Arena has been named as the No. 2 concert and events venue in the United States and the No. 5 concert and events venue in the world

http://hfboards.com/showpost.php?p=32964862&postcount=461

30 THOUGHTS
By Elliotte Friedman

4) Interesting: Word is The Raine Group, which is handling the sale of the Atlanta Thrashers for Atlanta Spirit LLC, is telling prospective buyers the team can be moved because having those dates available for other events (ie. concerts) is a better financial option than hockey. Neither a phone call nor a follow-up email were returned by 10 p.m. ET Monday.

http://www.cbc.ca/sports/blogs/elli...eefe-has-coaching-chops-plus-30-thoughts.html

Click to read more...

 

[No Fun Shogun]

That's definitely an interesting concept, though on the flip side you could make the exact same claim about True North and the MTS Centre in Winnipeg, which is one of Canada's busiest and most profitable arenas despite not having an NHL team (though they do have the Moose, obviously).

However, I think you're giving AEG a little too much power here. Sure, they're the operators of the Sprint Center, but Kansas City still owns the arena and I can just about guarantee you that they're interested in adding a third or even a fourth major sports team to the city, whether that be the NBA, NHL, or both.

 

[Duke749]

So that's the new angle we're going to take with Atlanta? The arena is TOO busy for NHL hockey? lol Ok. Phillips Arena actually has some competition with the Gwinnett Arena not too far north of Atlanta.

 

[Shawa666]

So that's the new angle we're going to take with Atlanta? The arena is TOO busy for NHL hockey? lol Ok. Phillips Arena actually has some competition with the Gwinnett Arena not too far north of Atlanta.

He probably says that the arena could be more profitable without hockey.

 

[Foppa]

However, I think you're giving AEG a little too much power here. Sure, they're the operators of the Sprint Center, but Kansas City still owns the arena and I can just about guarantee you that they're interested in adding a third or even a fourth major sports team to the city, whether that be the NBA, NHL, or both.

AEG had exclusive rights for the past three years in negotiating for a team. I think that just ran out but you are underestimating the ineptness and lack of foresight of our local government.

http://puckchaser.com/index.php/2010/10/09/kc-officials-blase-about-nhl-in-sprint-center/