Division-centric sites for season resumption - reported to be Edmonton and Toronto

[Ernie]

BC Provincial Health Officer Bonnie Henry has now changed her position on Vancouver as a hub city. She has signed off on a plan that would allow NHL players to quarantine together for 2 weeks when they arrive. They would be able to travel to practice rinks together etc during that time.
Ben Kuzma: Revised quarantine plan could bolster Canucks in hub-city bid race

This could be very attractive from the NHL and NHLPA's perspective. The tighter rules in BC make it harder for NHL players to arrive, but regardless of the city they would be going to they would likely have to follow similar rules by their own volition. The main benefit is that BC has the lowest transmission rates in North America, so players could potentially have a LOT more freedom once their quarantine is over. Once their initial period is over, they could visit restaurants in groups of up to 6, and the summer outdoor recreation opportunities in Vancouver are unparalleled, all at very low risk of an outbreak amongst the players.

 

[KevFu]

I would absolutely hate to see the calendar shifted to a Dec-Aug season as Mirtle suggests.

The schedule is perfect to me, as there's always either hockey or baseball happening. April and October are the 2 best months of the year, and I don't want to watch hockey in July and August in non-pandemic years.

I think the NHL will shift back towards their "normal" season, but it will take them about 3 years to slowly shift it back. You can't just finish a season in mid-October and start the next season right afterward.

So if 2019-20 finishes 18 weeks behind schedule.
2020-21 starts 11 weeks behind schedule (New Year's Day)
2021-22 starts 5 weeks behind schedule (Thanksgiving Weekend)
2022-23 starts on schedule.

That totally works.

The NBA, on the other hand, I strongly suspect they will never go back to an October start. They've een WANTING to push their season start date back for years now: One owner has been saying "I don't know why we don't start on Christmas Day" since well BEFORE the pandemic.

They'll start their 2020-21 season on Christmas Day (or New Year's Day). And then after that, they'll settle into either a Christmas or "Second week of December" start. Their ideal time would be to start after the college football conference championship weekend. They'd compete with football/hockey for 6 less weeks, and instead compete with baseball/MLS for six more weeks. Makes perfect sense for them.

 

[CHRDANHUTCH]

I think the NHL will shift back towards their "normal" season, but it will take them about 3 years to slowly shift it back. You can't just finish a season in mid-October and start the next season right afterward.

So if 2019-20 finishes 18 weeks behind schedule.
2020-21 starts 11 weeks behind schedule (New Year's Day)
2021-22 starts 5 weeks behind schedule (Thanksgiving Weekend)
2022-23 starts on schedule.

That totally works.

The NBA, on the other hand, I strongly suspect they will never go back to an October start. They've een WANTING to push their season start date back for years now: One owner has been saying "I don't know why we don't start on Christmas Day" since well BEFORE the pandemic.

They'll start their 2020-21 season on Christmas Day (or New Year's Day). And then after that, they'll settle into either a Christmas or "Second week of December" start. Their ideal time would be to start after the college football conference championship weekend. They'd compete with football/hockey for 6 less weeks, and instead compete with baseball/MLS for six more weeks. Makes perfect sense for them.

the problem with the NBA IS not just that, Kev.... some teams share arenas, and then add in the WNBA and/or G-League teams that share other arenas and compete for date availability ie... Ontario and Stockton to name two California markets that share arenas... not just with an NHL franchise, but the AHL AND/OR the ECHL depending on the market... in Phoenix, as another example, the Suns have their arena, the Coyotes have theirs in Glendale, and the NAZ Suns are in a third Arizona market.

 

[KevFu]

the problem with the NBA IS not just that, Kev.... some teams share arenas, and then add in the WNBA and/or G-League teams that share other arenas and compete for date availability ie... Ontario and Stockton to name two California markets that share arenas... not just with an NHL franchise, but the AHL AND/OR the ECHL depending on the market... in Phoenix, as another example, the Suns have their arena, the Coyotes have theirs in Glendale, and the NAZ Suns are in a third Arizona market.

Even more of a reason for the NBA to stagger their season off the NHL as much as they can. The NBA/NHL regular seasons overlap for 184 days, before factoring in preseason and playoffs. If the NBA started on Christmas, their regular seasons would only overlap for 93 days. It would be easier for the NHL to schedule playoff series around the pre-established NBA regular season schedule than when both Boston or multiple LA teams are scheduling.

WNBA isn't much of a factor. Only LA/Minnesota/Brooklyn WNBA teams share an arena with an NBA team. Staples Center can handle 184 days of NBA/NHL overlap with hardwood and ice, so handling NBA overlap with 20 WNBA games should be easier.

 

[IU Hawks fan]

I think the NHL will shift back towards their "normal" season, but it will take them about 3 years to slowly shift it back. You can't just finish a season in mid-October and start the next season right afterward.

So if 2019-20 finishes 18 weeks behind schedule.
2020-21 starts 11 weeks behind schedule (New Year's Day)
2021-22 starts 5 weeks behind schedule (Thanksgiving Weekend)
2022-23 starts on schedule.

That totally works.

The NBA, on the other hand, I strongly suspect they will never go back to an October start. They've een WANTING to push their season start date back for years now: One owner has been saying "I don't know why we don't start on Christmas Day" since well BEFORE the pandemic.

They'll start their 2020-21 season on Christmas Day (or New Year's Day). And then after that, they'll settle into either a Christmas or "Second week of December" start. Their ideal time would be to start after the college football conference championship weekend. They'd compete with football/hockey for 6 less weeks, and instead compete with baseball/MLS for six more weeks. Makes perfect sense for them.

I think you can still start 21-22 on time if you play a schedule similar to 2012-13 in the 48 game range that only finishes 2 weeks or so behind normal. If they want to play 60+ games next year then yeah, Cup Final will be pushed well into July and October is probably lost at that point.

 

[CHRDANHUTCH]

Even more of a reason for the NBA to stagger their season off the NHL as much as they can. The NBA/NHL regular seasons overlap for 184 days, before factoring in preseason and playoffs. If the NBA started on Christmas, their regular seasons would only overlap for 93 days. It would be easier for the NHL to schedule playoff series around the pre-established NBA regular season schedule than when both Boston or multiple LA teams are scheduling.

WNBA isn't much of a factor. Only LA/Minnesota/Brooklyn WNBA teams share an arena with an NBA team. Staples Center can handle 184 days of NBA/NHL overlap with hardwood and ice, so handling NBA overlap with 20 WNBA games should be easier.

Kev:

the NBA's plan was this schedule, not the NHL's...... the G-League season typically starts in November anyway, and is 50 games Max + a an annual showcase tourney in place of an All Star game and how much longer are the Islanders in Brooklyn anyway makes that piece of your post moot.... because it's two separate arenas that the Nets use anyway.... harkening back to the Nets stint in the ABA as the New York Nets, before Continental Airlines and the Meadowlands were fashionable even for the Devils, and why they went to Newark while the Nets went to Brooklyn... that's why the name Long Island Nets was selected when Nassau/Suffolk let the Islanders leave the Island with the caveat they had to be in relative vicinity of Manhattan, or the Rangers...

MSG has the Knicks G-League franchise in Westchester.

 

[KevFu]

Kev:
the NBA's plan was this schedule, not the NHL's...... the G-League season typically starts in November anyway, and is 50 games Max + a an annual showcase tourney in place of an All Star game and how much longer are the Islanders in Brooklyn anyway makes that piece of your post moot.... because it's two separate arenas that the Nets use anyway.... harkening back to the Nets stint in the ABA as the New York Nets, before Continental Airlines and the Meadowlands were fashionable even for the Devils, and why they went to Newark while the Nets went to Brooklyn... that's why the name Long Island Nets was selected when Nassau/Suffolk let the Islanders leave the Island with the caveat they had to be in relative vicinity of Manhattan, or the Rangers...

MSG has the Knicks G-League franchise in Westchester.

The NBA has secretly wanted to push their schedule back, permanently, well before the pandemic hit because they would be competing for TV ratings with football less time of the year. NBA ratings get better starting Christmas Day. They lose the TV ratings war with the NFL, and win the ratings war with MLB. So if they play DEC-AUG instead of OCT-JUN they get better TV ratings overall and make more TV money because of it.

IF they made this change...
- YES, they would have to change the G-League schedule accordingly to correspond with the NBA season. This would be a minor side effect that they would just execute. It wouldn't be a problem, or factor into their decision either way.

- YES, it would be easier for the NBA/NHL shared venues to schedule because the NBA/NHL seasons would overlap less, but that's a side effect and doesn't factor into their decision making.

- YES, it would be more conflict with WNBA schedules than before, but that is a side effect and doesn't factor into their decision making.

The NBA venues would have an easier time with "overlapping leagues" with more WNBA overlap and less NHL overlap, because (a) Ice vs Hardwood and (b) only 3 NBA arenas have WNBA teams and 10 NBA arenas have hockey teams (9 NHL, 1 AHL). But that is a side effect and doesn't factor into their decision making.

You're whole aside on the Islanders in Brooklyn, and the Nets on Long Island is pointless. There is no Islanders/Nets overlap anymore. The Islanders are in Nassau Coliseum now until they move to Belmont. The New York Liberty WNBA team plays in Barclay's, and the Nets/Liberty would have an overlap if the NBA moved their season, but the NBA isn't going to have one WNBA team change their mind on better TV ratings and more $$$.

 

[CHRDANHUTCH]

The NBA has secretly wanted to push their schedule back, permanently, well before the pandemic hit because they would be competing for TV ratings with football less time of the year. NBA ratings get better starting Christmas Day. They lose the TV ratings war with the NFL, and win the ratings war with MLB. So if they play DEC-AUG instead of OCT-JUN they get better TV ratings overall and make more TV money because of it.

IF they made this change...
- YES, they would have to change the G-League schedule accordingly to correspond with the NBA season. This would be a minor side effect that they would just execute. It wouldn't be a problem, or factor into their decision either way.

- YES, it would be easier for the NBA/NHL shared venues to schedule because the NBA/NHL seasons would overlap less, but that's a side effect and doesn't factor into their decision making.

- YES, it would be more conflict with WNBA schedules than before, but that is a side effect and doesn't factor into their decision making.

The NBA venues would have an easier time with "overlapping leagues" with more WNBA overlap and less NHL overlap, because (a) Ice vs Hardwood and (b) only 3 NBA arenas have WNBA teams and 10 NBA arenas have hockey teams (9 NHL, 1 AHL). But that is a side effect and doesn't factor into their decision making.

You're whole aside on the Islanders in Brooklyn, and the Nets on Long Island is pointless. There is no Islanders/Nets overlap anymore. The Islanders are in Nassau Coliseum now until they move to Belmont. The New York Liberty WNBA team plays in Barclay's, and the Nets/Liberty would have an overlap if the NBA moved their season, but the NBA isn't going to have one WNBA team change their mind on better TV ratings and more $$$.

disagree.....sorry

 

[KevFu]

The Atlanta Hawks CEO and Dallas Mavericks owner have been pushing this idea for years. This pandemic is a catalyst for the rest of the league to really consider it (or be forced into it).

The Washington Post had a story on it from BEFORE the pandemic (March 6)

 

[CHRDANHUTCH]

The Atlanta Hawks CEO and Dallas Mavericks owner have been pushing this idea for years. This pandemic is a catalyst for the rest of the league to really consider it (or be forced into it).

nope.... not for pro hockey it's not, Kev..... you've been snowed by writers who have no clue how the league reacts to that, pandemic or not.

 

[IU Hawks fan]

What they miss is that the lower ratings is less about overlap with football and more about no one gives a crap about 82 regular season games. Move the season back to December and people will simply start paying attention 2 months later.

 

[IU Hawks fan]

nope.... not for pro hockey it's not, Kev..... you've been snowed by writers who have no clue how the league reacts to that, pandemic or not.

He's not making the argument that hockey should do it!

 

[CHRDANHUTCH]

He's not making the argument that hockey should do it!

it sounds like it is.

 

[IU Hawks fan]

it sounds like it is.

Re-read:

I think the NHL will shift back towards their "normal" season, but it will take them about 3 years to slowly shift it back. You can't just finish a season in mid-October and start the next season right afterward.

So if 2019-20 finishes 18 weeks behind schedule.
2020-21 starts 11 weeks behind schedule (New Year's Day)
2021-22 starts 5 weeks behind schedule (Thanksgiving Weekend)
2022-23 starts on schedule.

That totally works.

The NBA, on the other hand, I strongly suspect they will never go back to an October start. They've een WANTING to push their season start date back for years now: One owner has been saying "I don't know why we don't start on Christmas Day" since well BEFORE the pandemic.

They'll start their 2020-21 season on Christmas Day (or New Year's Day). And then after that, they'll settle into either a Christmas or "Second week of December" start. Their ideal time would be to start after the college football conference championship weekend. They'd compete with football/hockey for 6 less weeks, and instead compete with baseball/MLS for six more weeks. Makes perfect sense for them.

 

[CHRDANHUTCH]

Re-read:

which is exactly what the NBA had already been discussing..... and reposted here

 

[LadyStanley]

Hmmm


On today's VGK FB live, Gary Lawless speculates that league wants one ET and one PT hub city, also one in Canada, one in US.

 

[LadyStanley]

I recall reading the plan was to have 6-8 weeks of "off season" between the awarding of the Stanley Cup and start of new season (training camp?).

We should get more clarification when they announce the dates for Phase 4 (training camp, play dates, etc.).

 

[KevFu]

which is exactly what the NBA had already been discussing..... and reposted here

I've been saying this whole time it is likely that the NBA does NOT return to their "Normal" season schedule;

while the NHL probably WILL RETURN to their normal season schedule (But it's going to take the NHL time to get there)

 

[SupremeNachos]

Looks like a bunch of the casinos and resorts on the Strip aren't enforcing all the distance and sanitizing rules they said they would. Some casinos and hotels don't have anyone wearing a mask, employee or customer. Tables and slots are packed to the max and the outdoor pool bars are even worse.

 

[LadyStanley]

@SupremeNachos I don't know where you are getting your information from, but the Nevada Gaming Commission would not approve casinos for reopening without required social distancing and cleaning PLANS.

From what I have seen on the local news, the EMPLOYEES are masked (excluding pool life guards in their perch), and social distancing reminders, sanitizing stations, etc., are in place.

HOWEVER, even though most properties are handing out masks to guests, the guests are NOT REQUIRED to wear them. Guests are not following social distancing, cramming into queues (check in), etc.

And that is based on the first few hours/days of reopening. (Lots of pent up desire/demand)

(Heck, there was even some push to get the casinos to ban smoking, except in dedicated areas, which might have delayed openings even longer.)

 

[LadyStanley]

FWIW I'm seeing a number of MSM folks say Vegas is IN as one of the hub cities.

Even though MGM recently announced the reopening of Mandalay Bay, etc., they could have blocked out entire floors for league use. They could even block out one floor per team in some places. If elevator access could not be restricted, NHL security at elevator could prevent unauthorized access. (You can't lock doors from access TO stairwells for emergencies, but you can lock them from entering floor.)

 

[discostu]

This relates to the NBA, but it highlights the challenges of the idea of sequestering the players in their own quarantine zone.



The rate of infection of whatever market the NHL chooses is going to play a big factor in the risks involved, and that's getting very difficult to forecast.

 

[CHRDANHUTCH]

This relates to the NBA, but it highlights the challenges of the idea of sequestering the players in their own quarantine zone.



The rate of infection of whatever market the NHL chooses is going to play a big factor in the risks involved, and that's getting very difficult to forecast.

also relates to the MLS... AS MLSE-Owned Toronto FC returns on the 8th;

 

[LadyStanley]

NHL hub city picks to come June 22; MGM preparing for Las Vegas’ selection

MGM in Las Vegas has set aside 2 hotels that meet the league's requirements of non smoking and non gaming, specifically Delano and Vdara. The former is all suites.


Hmmmm

 

[SupremeNachos]

@SupremeNachos I don't know where you are getting your information from, but the Nevada Gaming Commission would not approve casinos for reopening without required social distancing and cleaning PLANS.

From what I have seen on the local news, the EMPLOYEES are masked (excluding pool life guards in their perch), and social distancing reminders, sanitizing stations, etc., are in place.

HOWEVER, even though most properties are handing out masks to guests, the guests are NOT REQUIRED to wear them. Guests are not following social distancing, cramming into queues (check in), etc.

And that is based on the first few hours/days of reopening. (Lots of pent up desire/demand)

(Heck, there was even some push to get the casinos to ban smoking, except in dedicated areas, which might have delayed openings even longer.)

There are literally dozens of photos taken from this past week showing lobbies packed with people and outdoor pool bars crammed. Rules only work if they are enforced.