Speculation: KHL team in Alaska?

[Babula]

this whole thread is more like a provocation nowadays. the question is... is it about the sport only or politic perceive of the current situation. Political overtones push the KHL down, right now more than ever.

 

[SoundAndFury]

By the European standarts, Miami is a tremendous hockey market. The Panthers draw more than 600k per season, that's a 1/3 of the SHL or NLA total attendance.

And Panthers would draw so much more if they actually played IN Miami but they play in Sunrise which happens to be 50 km away

 

[Urbanskog]

The more teams KHL has in Pacific region, the easier the travel becomes for the Pacific teams. Miles travelled are distributed more evenly, which is a good thing.

Meh. I'm sure that a team from Korea/Japan/China would more than love to join though.

 

[Toffu]

And we are on China..

Next step, why not Australia?

 

[Babula]

And we are on China..

Next step, why not Australia?

the step after circus, why not. Please guys, take it more serious !

 

[loppa*]

Too far fetched. It's fun to think about though. But nothing more than that.

 

[bishonen91]

Split Croatia,
Ljubljana Slovenia
Vienna Austria
Berlin
Somewhere in great flat state of Denmark
Malmo
Valerenga
Helsinki

 

[Exarz]

By the European standarts, Miami is a tremendous hockey market. The Panthers draw more than 600k per season, that's a 1/3 of the SHL or NLA total attendance.

Remember that they play 41 home games, almost double to what we play here in Europe. With 600,000 in 41 games, the Panthers have an average attendance of 14,634 – Not the best (Bern has the best?), but one of the better attendances in Europe. Dinamo Minsk had an average of attendance of ≈ 15,000 last season.

But as you said, they are still a big hockey market compared to Europe!

 

[SoundAndFury]

How did this thread become one more "KHL expansion" thread?

 

[Sucro]

How did this thread become one more "KHL expansion" thread?

There was such thread already, it got merged into the Expansion somewhen cause there is no much to talk about. We all know that there are not many free spots in the league and Alaska is far from being a goal for expansion.

I told you so

 

[Rekin]

Remember that they play 41 home games, almost double to what we play here in Europe. With 600,000 in 41 games, the Panthers have an average attendance of 14,634 – Not the best (Bern has the best?), but one of the better attendances in Europe. Dinamo Minsk had an average of attendance of ≈ 15,000 last season.

But as you said, they are still a big hockey market compared to Europe!

I disagree. Miami is what I'd call a very compact hockey market. Surely there are locals that have fallen in love with the game and the team ever since its great 1996 run for the cup, but they are still the exceptions. The stereotypical Panthers "fan" (paying customer) is still the Canadian retiree and there aren't just quite many enough of those in Southern Florida to fill up the arena night in, night out. So there are a lot of free tickets being given away constantly and despite somewhat masquerading the attendances that's also eating the organization's profits and future perspectives.

As for the Alaska expansion... no, of course not going to happen. The Aces have been fairly successful in the ECHL and could potentially make it in the AHL as well, but Anchorage is still backwater and I doubt that "the Russian league" would be greeted with much enthusiasm there either.

 

[Den]

Yeah Irkutsk, Murmansk, North Pole..

Murmansk is actually relatively close...

 

[robwangjing]

Did anyone see this White House petition?

"Thousands sign WhiteHouse.gov petition for Alaska to secede -- to Russia"

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/201...te-house-petition-to-return-alaska-to-russia/

https://petitions.whitehouse.gov/petition/alaska-back-russia/SFG1ppfN

Is it some kind of joke because of the Crimea situation or do the people of Alaska really want to belong to Russia?

It would be funny if it reaches over 100 thousand signatures so we could see a response from the White House.

 

[Jussi]

Did anyone see this White House petition?

"Thousands sign WhiteHouse.gov petition for Alaska to secede -- to Russia"

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/201...te-house-petition-to-return-alaska-to-russia/

https://petitions.whitehouse.gov/petition/alaska-back-russia/SFG1ppfN

Is it some kind of joke because of the Crimea situation or do the people of Alaska really want to belong to Russia?

It would be funny if it reaches over 100 thousand signatures so we could see a response from the White House.

Based on the poor English grammar and the Cyrillic letters in signatures, I doubt this was started by anyone American.

 

[robwangjing]

Based on the poor English grammar and the Cyrillic letters in signatures, I doubt this was started by anyone American.

Not to try to talk down on Americans, but some of their grammar can be awful, reading on the internet. So I wouldn't rule it out being an American.

But most likely a "joke" petition I would say, yes. And funny that so many foreigners signs it. Also the Americans whom signs it are often from other states, like Texas, New York and other places.

 

[Skobel24]

Won't happen. Alaska couldn't support it. I'm not sure there would be enough interest in the KHL to make fans want to go.

 

[goal oriented]

I honestly don't think it has a chance, at all.

There is only one market in Alaska even close to big enough and that is Anchorage with about a quarter of a million people. Plus they already have an ECHL team and a NCAA Division 1 University team. And I don't think either of those are even close to selling out their games. I can't see how you could add a third team so the ECHL would likely have to move and are the local fans ready to just throw all their support behind a "Russian" hockey league? I just don't see them being able to generate the revenue for 7-10 million dollars in salary annually.

There are 2 NCAA D I teams, one NAHL team

 

[hansomreiste]

There are 2 NCAA D I teams, one NAHL team

What did you exactly have in mind when writing this post and answering a 2-year one?

 

[DonskoiDonscored]

what a weird bump.

And there are two NAHL teams in Alaska, 1 ECHL, 2 NCAA.

 

[Alexander the Gr8]

I see one major difficulty that stands out immediately. Russian and other European players who go to the NHL need green cards and work visas to be able to play in the US. The same would happen if there was a KHL franchise in Alaska.
I think the KHL should look towards Europe for further expansion. Maybe try to get more Finnish teams to follow Jokerit and leave the Liiga.

 

[Milos Krasic]

KHL needs to get back in the Czech Republic