Expansion?

[Ziggyjoe21]

I would think that a Penguins fan would be very careful not to talk about where an NHL team belongs and doesn't belong.

Uh yea, i do say so. What makes you think a team doesn't belong in Pittsburgh? Is it the 3rd largest TV audience among US teams? Is it the 96% capacity at home games despite being the worst team in NHL 'til the last week? Maybe its the up and coming youth hockey programs?(also one of the top in USA). Pens draw fans. Pens draw more fans when they suck than NJ does when they're good.
So why exactly should I be careful to talk about a team not belonging in a city?

My whole point was that if a team can't draw a good audience, especialy in the playoffs, they need to move.

 

[Big#D]

So why exactly should I be careful to talk about a team not belonging in a city?

My whole point was that if a team can't draw a good audience, especialy in the playoffs, they need to move.

Because too many people have suggested that the Pens need to be moved. By saying that you think another team should move is somewhat like the pot calling the kettle black. I personally think the team should stay in Pittsburgh.

And as for moving, New Jersey will be ... into a new stadium with better access to public transportation and a better concession agreement. Right now, the Devils have the worst concession agreement in the NHL (less revenues), a poor location that is difficult to access with public transportation (most people in the greater New York City area don't have access to a vehicle) and are among the most expensive tickets in the NHL to buy. Once they move, they will be more fan friendly and will attract more fans to games.

So before you go spouting off about another team needing to be moved, remember all the threads that have been started saying that Pittsburgh should be moved (to KC, Houston, Winnipeg, etc.)

 

[Ziggyjoe21]

Because too many people have suggested that the Pens need to be moved. By saying that you think another team should move is somewhat like the pot calling the kettle black. I personally think the team should stay in Pittsburgh.

And as for moving, New Jersey will be ... into a new stadium with better access to public transportation and a better concession agreement. Right now, the Devils have the worst concession agreement in the NHL (less revenues), a poor location that is difficult to access with public transportation (most people in the greater New York City area don't have access to a vehicle) and are among the most expensive tickets in the NHL to buy. Once they move, they will be more fan friendly and will attract more fans to games.

So before you go spouting off about another team needing to be moved, remember all the threads that have been started saying that Pittsburgh should be moved (to KC, Houston, Winnipeg, etc.)

If people really wanted to go to a game, they'd find ways to get there. Even if the tickets are expensive, NY/NJ salaries are higher compared to most states, so that shouldn't be an issue either.

And what does Pittsburgh moving, and threads about it, have to do with me talking about the devils moving? Why should that stop me? I'm not the one making stupid un informed threads.

FYI, i hope the devils do stay in NJ. I have nothing against them. They're a good divisional foe for the pens. Alot of history there.
It's just that they don't attract fans, even for the playofffs.

 

[SlapnutsV1]

Because too many people have suggested that the Pens need to be moved.

I assume you're referring to posters here at HF about the Penguins needing to move. You do realize a lot of posters here have no idea what they are talking about, right?

I appreciate the hope that the Penguins stay in Pittsburgh, though.

 

[Big#D]

I assume you're referring to posters here at HF about the Penguins needing to move. You do realize a lot of posters here have no idea what they are talking about, right?

I appreciate the hope that the Penguins stay in Pittsburgh, though.

Yes, I realize it.

As a Devil's fan (and a Colorado Rockies fan before that), I'm sure you can understand my annoyance with posters suggesting that the Devils need to move (just as people say the Pens need to move). That and hearing every other day about how boring the Devils are and how they can't fill their arena are enough to make me want to hurt someone. And then this year with all the cap issues compounded with this misinformation people spout about the CBA and salary cap figures, and the ridiculous trade proposals people suggest - it's almost enough to drive a person insane. I've never understood certain fans' obsessions with the way another team runs its business. I mean, who cares what another team does business-wise. I just care if my favorite team wins.

 

[Twine Seeking Missle]

Would Brooklyn be too far from Uniondale to relocate the Islanders? If their arena is that bad, why not use the new arena in Brooklyn???

I hear what you are saying but the logistics would not work. Heres what I mean :

There are MANY Isles fan living in Suffolk county who make hour long trips to get to the Isles games. Good thing for me I live 5 mins away from the coliseum Anyway, How many Isles fans do you know living in the city? About 99% of Isles fans are on Long Island. Here are the 2 major problems with moving the team to Brooklyn.

1. The fans who live in eastern Long Island would find it much more difficult to get to Brooklyn than to Uniondale. The guys in front of me who have season tickets also were telling me last year how much of a hassle it is coming to the midweek games after they get off work. These guys are from the Stony Brook area which is about 45 mins from the coliseum. Add another 40-45 mins to their trip and these guys have to give up their season tickets.

2. Basically every hockey fan who lives in manhattan or brooklyn is most likely a Rangers or Devils fan. The Isles really have no fan base in that area. Fans like me who live in Nassau would still go to the games but fans like the guys in front of me would not.

Trust me I have thought of this possible situation but the more I think about it the more I know it could never work. The Isles are fine where they are and would probably be even better off if they moved to suffolk. That would give fans even further out east more chances to go to games and basically make the team accessable to most eveyone on the Island.

 

[EventHorizon]

If people really wanted to go to a game, they'd find ways to get there. Even if the tickets are expensive, NY/NJ salaries are higher compared to most states, so that shouldn't be an issue either.

You have to realize how hard it is to get to and from that arena. My fiancee's family have had Devils season tickets since the day they moved here. Getting to that arena (and now out of it) has become worse and worse each and every year. Traffic is worse, what should be no more than a 45 minute drive for us has been getting longer and longer -- close to an hour and a half. And now with half of the parking lot closed while they start building Xanadu -- you're looking at an hour of trafffic in the parking lot alone just to get out of the game. My fiancee and I are counting down the days until the Devils are out of that hell hole and into a building where we can hop on the train and not have to worry about traffic. I am sure that once the move happens, you will see attendance increase.

And also, cost of living is much higher here than it is in most other places in the country. When you're looking at a grand a month for a one bedroom apartment, spending even 30 bucks on a hockey ticket doesn't look too appealing to most people.

 

[Tb0ne]

I doubt we'll see expansion until at least 2010. I have no evidence to back that up.. but it just doesn't seem like the right time yet, as the league still has to build a better foundation with what they already have which probably means they are going to try and ensure the stability of all the franchises (Penguins for example).

Anyone have a good candidates list?

New Locations

• Kansas City
• Oklahoma City
• Milwaukee
• Houston (Obvious choice given the size and wealth of the city, as well as the growing hockey interest in Texas if I'm not mistaken)
• Seattle/Bellevue (Geographically it makes sense, especially as a rival to the Canucks. Would definatly cut down on travel times for the North West division. Not sure how popular Hockey is in the area though, or if they have plans or making a proper arena)
• Portland (Similar situation to Seattle, except I've read their arena is better, and hockey is more popular in the area?)

Returns

• Winnipeg (Arena might be too small, but there is no doubt the fans there want it probably more than any other candidate city)
• Hartford
• Quebec City (Lacks a modern NHL level arena?)
• Hamilton (Would the leafs allow it? and their arena might have to be upgraded)

As a Canadian fan I really hope that if there is further expansion that there will be one new team North of border. That's not because I don't think hockey has a place in the states (even in the south), only that with the new CBA, higher Canadian dollar, the loss of 2 Canadian teams already with no replacements, it just seems like the right time.

 

[CHRDANHUTCH]

Yes, I realize it.

As a Devil's fan (and a Colorado Rockies fan before that), I'm sure you can understand my annoyance with posters suggesting that the Devils need to move (just as people say the Pens need to move). That and hearing every other day about how boring the Devils are and how they can't fill their arena are enough to make me want to hurt someone. And then this year with all the cap issues compounded with this misinformation people spout about the CBA and salary cap figures, and the ridiculous trade proposals people suggest - it's almost enough to drive a person insane. I've never understood certain fans' obsessions with the way another team runs its business. I mean, who cares what another team does business-wise. I just care if my favorite team wins.

Weren't the Devils originally in KC before Denver anyway????????

 

[Big#D]

Weren't the Devils originally in KC before Denver anyway????????

Yes, but I wasn't a fan of the team at that time. I became a fan when the team was in Denver.