Fertitta shows renewed interest in bringing hockey to Houston (Bloomberg)

[StreetHawk]

Would be nice if there were a bit more detail there, but I'm sure it will come out soon...

Houston is the most ready to go of any other city. Just comes down to whether Fertitia is willing to pay the price that the NHL wants. Has his tune changed from a few years ago when questioned the price that Seattle paid? Now, the expansion fee for Houston will be around triple that to $1.75 bill - $2 bill (going off the TB valuation sale of $1.4 bill and Houston being a larger market).

 

[LT]

Yea, Houston has all the pieces needed to host a team as early as next season.

It will all come down to Fertitta paying for an actual team. Given his financial growth lately and desire to try and develop a monopoly on the Houston entertainment market, I would hope he realizes those costs are only ever going to go up. It's pricey now, sure, but it's not like it's going to get cheaper.

If he truly wants a hockey team in Houston, it's now or never IMO.

 

[lakeshirts37]

Yeah, the NHL's ideal situation would be:

(Coyotes stay) expand to SLC, ATL, HOU and QC.
One per division (well, SLC to Central and ARZ slides west), everyone is happy.

If the Coyotes move, you don't want them to go to the biggest (aka most expensive) market, you want them going to the smallest one so you can charge top dollar in expansion fees...

Like SLC, ATL, HOU and San Diego paying expansion fees, and QC getting the Coyotes.



The NHL has wanted a team in Houston for decades, but the Rockets owner has always been the only one that could make it happen.

Theres nothing ideal about QC

 

[No Fun Shogun]

My hunch is that if you gave a truth serum to Bettman and asked him which four cities he wanted to add to the NHL to get to 36, he'd say, in no particular order, Atlanta, Houston, Salt Lake City, and either Portland, Oregon or Kansas City, realignment considerations be darned.

And if they need to move a team to the East, as much as I think most would want Chicago, the Hawks serve as an important road draw for a load of the West, so I wouldn't be surprised if Nashville was tapped to join the East instead.

 

[GreenHornet]

My hunch is that if you gave a truth serum to Bettman and asked him which four cities he wanted to add to the NHL to get to 36, he'd say, in no particular order, Atlanta, Houston, Salt Lake City, and either Portland, Oregon or Kansas City, realignment considerations be darned.

And if they need to move a team to the East, as much as I think most would want Chicago, the Hawks serve as an important road draw for a load of the West, so I wouldn't be surprised if Nashville was tapped to join the East instead.

I wouldn't be surprised either. In fact, while I could be wrong, I think the Preds organization and fans might welcome that move. And given Nashville's proximity to Columbus, Carolina and a potential new team in Atlanta (plus the fact that St. Louis is the only city in the Preds' current division that's even remotely close), moving east makes sense, IMHO.

 

[StreetHawk]

Yea, Houston has all the pieces needed to host a team as early as next season.

It will all come down to Fertitta paying for an actual team. Given his financial growth lately and desire to try and develop a monopoly on the Houston entertainment market, I would hope he realizes those costs are only ever going to go up. It's pricey now, sure, but it's not like it's going to get cheaper.

If he truly wants a hockey team in Houston, it's now or never IMO.

That's what it comes down to. but, it's a pure economic decision for him. This isn't someone who loves hockey. If it makes sense then he'll pull the trigger. If it doesn't he won't. He knows he controls the Houston market since he controls the arena and I recall someone mentioned per the agreement, there is a distance that another arena has to be away from the Toyota Center if there is another arena in the area. If that radius doesn't make sense, then the option is really fertitia or bust for Houston. So seems like a game of chicken he's playing with the NHL.

But, NHL has outs with ALT and SLC. And who knows if Austin down the line becomes viable as the 2nd TX option for them.

 

[Tawnos]

My hunch is that if you gave a truth serum to Bettman and asked him which four cities he wanted to add to the NHL to get to 36, he'd say, in no particular order, Atlanta, Houston, Salt Lake City, and either Portland, Oregon or Kansas City, realignment considerations be darned.

And if they need to move a team to the East, as much as I think most would want Chicago, the Hawks serve as an important road draw for a load of the West, so I wouldn't be surprised if Nashville was tapped to join the East instead.

For the last one, I'd add San Diego to that mix. Though I actually think it'd be Atlanta, Houston, and two of SLC, Portland, KC, and San Diego. SLC is high on the list right now because they really do have an enthusiastic owner, but SD and KC have the advantage of no NBA team.

 

[StreetHawk]

For the last one, I'd add San Diego to that mix. Though I actually think it'd be Atlanta, Houston, and two of SLC, Portland, KC, and San Diego. SLC is high on the list right now because they really do have an enthusiastic owner, but SD and KC have the advantage of no NBA team.

Portland, have the arena, which is about a decade older than Houston's. Jody Allen running it, but there's no timeline or deadline for her to sell the team. Until she does, no NHL in Portland. The Allen family has never been interested.

KC - that arena has been around for 20 years now. Not sure market wise, it does much for the NHL.

SD - 4th team in SoCal. They do seem like they need to build a new arena as the current one that is used for concerts and the Gulls opened in 1966. Pushing 60 years now. Seats 14K for Basketball, and over 12K for hockey. Question is whether it makes sense as a market for the NHL.

 

[sneakytitz]

I'm in countless threads/websites so I can't remember if/where I've said this but it behooves the NHL/owners/future owners to have expansion, whether 2 or 4, solidified well prior to 9/15/26. That's when the current CBA expires and you don't want a cut of expansion fees being even a bargaining piece, much less a reality.

News to no one, but we're going to get an expansion announcement no later than next summer.

 

[Tawnos]

Portland, have the arena, which is about a decade older than Houston's. Jody Allen running it, but there's no timeline or deadline for her to sell the team. Until she does, no NHL in Portland. The Allen family has never been interested.

KC - that arena has been around for 20 years now. Not sure market wise, it does much for the NHL.

SD - 4th team in SoCal. They do seem like they need to build a new arena as the current one that is used for concerts and the Gulls opened in 1966. Pushing 60 years now. Seats 14K for Basketball, and over 12K for hockey. Question is whether it makes sense as a market for the NHL.

As I understood it, the Portland situation is tied up in litigation right now and the speculation has been that she’d be interested once that finishes.

There is going to be a new arena in San Diego. Also, they’d be the third SoCal team, not fourth.

 

[JKG33]

I wouldn't be surprised either. In fact, while I could be wrong, I think the Preds organization and fans might welcome that move. And given Nashville's proximity to Columbus, Carolina and a potential new team in Atlanta (plus the fact that St. Louis is the only city in the Preds' current division that's even remotely close), moving east makes sense, IMHO.

I think a revamp of the old southeast division would be an absolute banger now with Carolina, Florida, Tampa, and Nashville all in the top half of the league. The south/central covid division was fun. An expansion Atlanta team would be a natural fit. The problem becomes who are the other 3-4 teams that join them? Columbus and Washington make the most sense, but I'm not sure on the other 1-2

 

[KevFu]

I think a revamp of the old southeast division would be an absolute banger now with Carolina, Florida, Tampa, and Nashville all in the top half of the league. The south/central covid division was fun. An expansion Atlanta team would be a natural fit. The problem becomes who are the other 3-4 teams that join them? Columbus and Washington make the most sense, but I'm not sure on the other 1-2

Adding one team to each current division is sooooo much better for business than going back to the six division model.

You absolutely don't want a SE and SW division again.

 

[ponder719]

My hunch is that if you gave a truth serum to Bettman and asked him which four cities he wanted to add to the NHL to get to 36, he'd say, in no particular order, Atlanta, Houston, Salt Lake City, and either Portland, Oregon or Kansas City, realignment considerations be darned.

And if they need to move a team to the East, as much as I think most would want Chicago, the Hawks serve as an important road draw for a load of the West, so I wouldn't be surprised if Nashville was tapped to join the East instead.

All other considerations be damned, I think his "fourth city" would be a second team in the GTA, but otherwise, yeah, I don't think he'd give a damn about alignment if it meant the four optimal cities coming in. That said, that one comes with WAY more obstacles than any other option, so it's probably one of Portland/KC/SD for 36. QC he might be willing to do as a legacy play, but it's not going to be his dream.

That said, I do think we're nearing the end of the Bettman Era, and being able to pass the league off to Daly or whoever with a nice 36 team setup and a viable path to 40, brand new CBA, all the TV rights deals done, that's probably his perfect "ride off into the sunset" scenario.

 

[JKG33]

Adding one team to each current division is sooooo much better for business than going back to the six division model.

You absolutely don't want a SE and SW division again.

Oh I agree about keepinb 4 divisions (conference 1-8 playoff format pls). But I don't think it'd make sense to have TB and FLA separate from CAR if NSH and ATL are joining. It's just a matter of who the other 4 teams would be in that division.

Would it be Columbus, Washington, and the Penn teams due to geography? Would it be the 3 Canadian teams + Buffalo?

 

[CHRDANHUTCH]

Oh I agree about keepinb 4 divisions (conference 1-8 playoff format pls). But I don't think it'd make sense to have TB and FLA separate from CAR if NSH and ATL are joining. It's just a matter of who the other 4 teams would be in that division.

Would it be Columbus, Washington, and the Penn teams due to geography? Would it be the 3 Canadian teams + Buffalo?

no to either scenario....

 

[LadyStanley]

And a WNBA team.

 

[MMC]

 

[BKIslandersFan]

As I understood it, the Portland situation is tied up in litigation right now and the speculation has been that she’d be interested once that finishes.

There is going to be a new arena in San Diego. Also, they’d be the third SoCal team, not fourth.

People need to understand San Diego is 100 miles away from Anaheim, let alone LA.

 

[sneakytitz]

Love this for the league. Houston needs to be in the mix. Such a big market.

 

[dj4aces]

Love this for the league. Houston needs to be in the mix. Such a big market.

With the way things are shaking out, it's time for all the major interested markets to make some noise. An expansion announcement, I feel, is imminent. For those of us who are either in or who support the markets who are outwardly interested in acquiring expansion franchises, it's hard to not be excited, and we're all gonna go on this crazy roller-coaster ride together.

 

[StreetHawk]

With the way things are shaking out, it's time for all the major interested markets to make some noise. An expansion announcement, I feel, is imminent. For those of us who are either in or who support the markets who are outwardly interested in acquiring expansion franchises, it's hard to not be excited, and we're all gonna go on this crazy roller-coaster ride together.

NHL exhausted all of the non NBA markets in the prior 11 expansion cities plus multiple relocations.

SJ, TB, Ott, Ana, FLA (originally shared arena with Heat), Nas, Atl (shared arena with Hawks), Min, Cbs, LV, Sea, plus relocations to Col (shared with Nuggets), Dal (shared with Mavs), Car, AZ (originally shared with Suns), plus back to Win.

NHL could still eye non NBA markets like KC, SD, Austin for example, but those are smaller markets than ATL, HOU, and back to AZ.

If TF had played ball earlier, I think he might have gotten the Coyotes since his Arena is NHL caliber.

 

[dj4aces]

If TF had played ball earlier, I think he might have gotten the Coyotes since his Arena is NHL caliber.

Hindsight is always 20/20. However, I would argue that it's better late than never. An expansion draft for Houston is probably the best way to go anyway.

 

[GKJ]

With the way things are shaking out, it's time for all the major interested markets to make some noise. An expansion announcement, I feel, is imminent. For those of us who are either in or who support the markets who are outwardly interested in acquiring expansion franchises, it's hard to not be excited, and we're all gonna go on this crazy roller-coaster ride together.

I think it’ll be another year before they formally announce an expansion process.

 

[StreetHawk]

Hindsight is always 20/20. However, I would argue that it's better late than never. An expansion draft for Houston is probably the best way to go anyway.

Yeah I just think it was how he worded his comments. If he kept it more neutral like I am interested in a team but I want to make sure that the numbers work is a better way of saying whatever he did about teams south of the Mississippi River.

 

[Headshot77]

Adding one team to each current division is sooooo much better for business than going back to the six division model.

You absolutely don't want a SE and SW division again.

I don't see why 6 divisions of 6 would be so bad. That's enough teams to ensure at least ONE of them is good. Let's add SLC, HOU, QC, and ATL to the mix:

Northwest: SEA, CGY, EDM, VAN, *SLC*, WPG
Southwest: SJ, LA, ANA, LV, PHX, COL
Central: *HOU*, DAL, MIN, CHI, STL, NSH

Northeast: *QC*, MON, OTT, TOR, BOS, BUF
Metro: PIT, PHI, NJ, NYI, NYR, DET
Southeast: *ATL*, FLA, TB, CAR, WSH, CBJ

That looks like a pretty good setup to me! #1 and #2 in each division gets a playoff spot plus two wild cards in each conference.