Also, I have no idea what the economics are like in Milwaukee and whether the city could support both the Bucks and the NHL.
There's no way Milwaukee could support an NBA and NHL team, none. The only reason Milwaukee is ever mentioned for an NHL franchise is because the Bucks are always a possibility to move. With no arena and an aging owner with no family to give the team to, there's the assumption in Milwaukee that the team will be relocated when he dies if there is no arena in place.
Milwaukee makes no sense. Too small a market, it would cluster divisions, old arena, and the region is already served with Chicago and Minnesota.
The market is too small if the Bucks are still there, which is far from a guarantee. And would it really cluster divisions? Say for instance the Thrashers move to Milwaukee, then Nashville can move to the Southeast and Milwaukee could move to the Central. That doesn't really cluster divisions.
The arena is old, the only way it would work is if they could put in luxury boxes on par with newer arenas in a renovation, other than that there's nothing wrong with the Bradley Center.
Saying the region is served with Chicago I understand, even though a lot of people from Wisconsin hate all things Chicago and would never cheer for them, but Minnesota? They're six hours away. Nobody from Milwaukee is driving six hours each way to watch a hockey game.
I think that somewhere in Wisconsin would be a great place for hockey in the US. Im actually surprised that they have never had a there or had real serious talks of starting one up. Every other major sport is in Wisconsin and the University of Wisconsin is one of the biggest drawing teams in the NCAA.
There were serious talks back in the early 90s. Lloyd Pettit's dream was to bring an NHL team to Milwaukee, that's why the Bradley Center was built (and named after his wife Jane Bradley Pettit and the rink the Admirals play on is the Jane Bradley Pettit Rink). They did a market research study and concluded that Milwaukee would support a team as long as it was competitive, but with an expansion draft back then you weren't going to be competitive for a while when you included the $50 million expansion fee.
And every other major sport is the problem. The Milwaukee area isn't big enough and doesn't have enough disposable income to support the Brewers, Bucks and an NHL team plus the Packers.
From the sound of it, Milwaukee would need a new barn as well; Bradley Center isn't in terribly good shape.
As I said before, the Bradley Center is in fine shape. If they could do renovations on it to add the money making luxury suites that are needed, it would be a fine NHL building, certainly not the worst in the NHL and probably not even in the 10 worst.
Simply put, how do you know nobody is interested in a Milwaukee franchise? Because nothing has been reported in the media, or here on HFboards? Brilliant thinking! Just because you haven't heard of any interest in a Milwaukee franchise, doesn't mean such interest doesn't exist. Haven't lost you yet, have I?
If some Milwaukee billionaire wanted a team in Milwaukee, he would first approach bettman with his interest. If, as you contend, the Wirtz veto exists, then bettman would say that the nhl is not interested in a Milwaukee team at this point. Still with me? Then, if this Milwaukee billionaire wants to 'play by the nhl's rules', and keep his options open for a future nhl franchise, he shuts his mouth, and simply leaves bettman's office without another word. Nobody, including yourself and the rest of us here on HFboards, knows that the meeting ever took place.
1. There is nobody interested in a Milwaukee franchise. The market is too saturated as I said before. Maybe if the Bucks move there
might be someone interested.
2. We're kind of low on billionaires right now.
The only ones I can think of from Wisconsin are Craig Leipold (already owns the Wild), Herbert Kohler (in his 70s, chances he wants to spend a ton of money at that age to bring a team here are slim to none), Four members of the S.C. Johnson & Son fortune. One is the widow of Sam Johnson, another is their daughter and then their two sons one who is facing the possibility of 40 years in prison if he's convicted of having sexual contact with a teenage girl. John Menard Jr. (same problem as Kohler, he's in his 70s).
I just find a team in Milwaukee at any point in the next 15-20 years at least extremely unlikely.
