Speculation: NHL expansion to come in 2017?

[13th Floor]

Agreed 100%.

The NFL is currently happy at 32-and believe me they could expand a lot easier than the NHL if they wanted to (they're not even in the 2nd largest market in the nation!!!).





Out of curiosity why do you think that Vegas would be a failure? I think it would actually be a huge success.

I half-agree. I don't think it would be a definite failure, but I wouldn't bet on a huge success either. Some of the usual anti-Vegas reasoning is pretty crappy though because most people equate Vegas with one street they see on TV.

My biggest fear is the NHL feeling the need to take this chance. They seem to have this track record of gaining stability and momentum as a league, and then doing something stupid.

 

[Skip To My Lou]

Out of curiosity why do you think that Vegas would be a failure? I think it would actually be a huge success.

Gut instinct, I just don't like the culture Vegas brings for a sports team. The gambling and the high-life lifestyle will be an issue for the players during the season. Plus, I have a feeling that it will be a near-empty arena type of feeling similar to Arizona and Florida that the majority of the fans will be from the visitors.

 

[13th Floor]

Gut instinct, I just don't like the culture Vegas brings for a sports team. The gambling and the high-life lifestyle will be an issue for the players during the season. Plus, I have a feeling that it will be a near-empty arena type of feeling similar to Arizona and Florida that the majority of the fans will be from the visitors.

You mean as opposed to the Mormon lifestyle available in LA and NY?

 

[KnishOfTheCrease]

I'd love a team here in Vegas. I live a 1/2 mile from the arena site (on Las Vegas Blvd between Turnberry Place and the new SLS Hotel & Casino). In fact, the reasoning for a new arena is for an NBA expansion franchise. Of course that's only speculation in the media. But, MGM is also building a new 20,000 seat arena behind NyNY and Monte Carlo and the NBA does not want to be involved directly with a casino. This other group building the arena has received assurance from the league directly (supposedly). MGM arena won't be ready for 18 months. The other arena won't be ready for another 30-36 months.

 

[KnishOfTheCrease]

goofiness aside, $540M wouldn't be a bad investment to get the first pro team in vegas...

And if the NHL is looking to move to 4 new cities I highly doubt they are looking to create 4 new teams. Which teams would be most likely to relocate? PHX, FLA, NYI?

The article I saw last night was Vegas & Seattle get expansion team. While Quebec gets a relocated team.

 

[IslesRock4]

The NFL has 32 teams. And even if it didn't, having 2 more teams than the other major leagues wouldn't really be that big of a deal, especially when you consider the benefits of it allowing the conferences/divisions to have an even number of teams and fix it so that only half the league makes the playoffs.

I believe you misunderstood me, Seph. I don't have a big issue with the NHL expanding to 32 teams by adding Seattle and Vegas. The idea of a 4 team expansion including two more eastern teams is what I see as ridiculous.

 

[On Edge]

Me as Lord and ruler of NHL:

No to Las Vegas. No to Toronto.

Absolute yes to Quebec. They earned it, deserve it and will support it.
A very wary eye on but yes to Seattle.

Another wary eye on Florida Panthers, Carolina, Arizona.

 

[rikker]

heard today on the radio that Toronto is in the running for another team...

 

[VT Isles Fan]

I was just up in Quebec and everyone I spoke to was gushing about how they would love to have their team back. I asked them who they root for now, and apparently they still hate the Habs, instead they've become Bruins fans. The enemy of my enemy is my friend I guess. LOL

I have tickets for the Habs-Avalanche preseason game at Le Colisee on September 26th, which is supposed to be the last game played in the building before they demolish it. It'll be interesting to see which team the majority is rooting for that night.

 

[ScaredStreit]

Gut instinct, I just don't like the culture Vegas brings for a sports team. The gambling and the high-life lifestyle will be an issue for the players during the season. Plus, I have a feeling that it will be a near-empty arena type of feeling similar to Arizona and Florida that the majority of the fans will be from the visitors.

There are temptations everywhere. Look at what happened to Josh Freeman down here in Tampa. And that didn't happen at the Hard Rock Casino either.

Remember Vegas is the entertainment capital of the world. People go there to be entertained. And a hockey game could be the start to a good night out for many people. They'd sell tons of ticket imo. Not to mention the area is populated enough to have a decently sized permanent fanbase. Eventually one of the big 4 teams is going to take the plunge. And imo it should be the NHL--why not?

 

[LeapOnOver]

heard today on the radio that Toronto is in the running for another team...

I heard it was some burrough in Ontario...don't necessarily know if it's considered Toronto though. I think they just meant another city in the province...just like Hamilton has been talked about for many years.

 

[LeapOnOver]

I'd love a team here in Vegas. I live a 1/2 mile from the arena site (on Las Vegas Blvd between Turnberry Place and the new SLS Hotel & Casino). In fact, the reasoning for a new arena is for an NBA expansion franchise. Of course that's only speculation in the media. But, MGM is also building a new 20,000 seat arena behind NyNY and Monte Carlo and the NBA does not want to be involved directly with a casino. This other group building the arena has received assurance from the league directly (supposedly). MGM arena won't be ready for 18 months. The other arena won't be ready for another 30-36 months.

I think they are mostly concerned about the lack of static population in Vegas. The turnover rate in the city is tremendous. However, I do think people would be making trips from the more residential areas like Henderson. I'm not really sure how the NHL would fair there. Tourists may not go out of there way to see an NHL game when visiting Vegas because, hell there is so much more to choose from. They would actually have to try to sell the game as a "show" which could lead to antics. Just not sure how I feel about it.....

Nobody is mentioning Kansas City, they are pretty much the most NHL ready city out of all the one's being mentioned.

 

[iONiONiON]

Me as Lord and ruler of NHL:

No to Las Vegas. No to Toronto.

Absolute yes to Quebec. They earned it, deserve it and will support it.
A very wary eye on but yes to Seattle.

i agree. i think Quebec and Seattle will be much better for the NHL oppose to Las Vegas, Toronto and Kansas City

 

[charlie1]

I have tickets for the Habs-Avalanche preseason game at Le Colisee on September 26th, which is supposed to be the last game played in the building before they demolish it. It'll be interesting to see which team the majority is rooting for that night.

That should be great. Hopefully it won't be filled with Habs fans from MTL. When I asked my cab driver in Quebec if he was a Habs fan he literally pumped the breaks.

 

[charlie1]

I think they are mostly concerned about the lack of static population in Vegas. The turnover rate in the city is tremendous. However, I do think people would be making trips from the more residential areas like Henderson. I'm not really sure how the NHL would fair there. Tourists may not go out of there way to see an NHL game when visiting Vegas because, hell there is so much more to choose from. They would actually have to try to sell the game as a "show" which could lead to antics. Just not sure how I feel about it.....

Nobody is mentioning Kansas City, they are pretty much the most NHL ready city out of all the one's being mentioned.

100% agree on this. That city is mostly filled with tourists looking for a night on the town. I'm sure they would view a hockey game as a waste of a night.

 

[nthill93]

I think Vegas could be a hit. There is a lot of people going there in there 20's and I'm sure they would want to go to a hockey game and drink.

 

[KnishOfTheCrease]

I agree that we would get a lot of tourists. However, I think we could get plenty of locals between Henderson, North Las Vegas & Summerlin area. We supported an ECHL team pretty well, which ironically was booted from their arena this year because they don't bring enough GAMING revenue to the Orleans Casino which it is attached to. The team had to go on hiatus for the 14'-'15 season because they have no place to play.

As a local for 10 years, I treat living in Vegas like any other city. I got the party/gaming out of my system the first year and now do the same activities I'd do in any other city, ie go to "AAA" Baseball, "AA" Hockey, movies, etc. There are plenty of families who do the same thing. Attendance would flip flop like any other city depending on the opponent/dates.

 

[charlie1]

I agree that we would get a lot of tourists. However, I think we could get plenty of locals between Henderson, North Las Vegas & Summerlin area. We supported an ECHL team pretty well, which ironically was booted from their arena this year because they don't bring enough GAMING revenue to the Orleans Casino which it is attached to. The team had to go on hiatus for the 14'-'15 season because they have no place to play.

As a local for 10 years, I treat living in Vegas like any other city. I got the party/gaming out of my system the first year and now do the same activities I'd do in any other city, ie go to "AAA" Baseball, "AA" Hockey, movies, etc. There are plenty of families who do the same thing. Attendance would flip flop like any other city depending on the opponent/dates.

I'm assuming that most people wouldn't make the drive from say LA or SD just to watch a hockey game there. Most folks go to Vegas for the "Vegas experience." But maybe the resident population could support it (you would know better than I). In which case I guess the relevant question is, what is the resident population of Vegas? And how does that compare to other hockey towns?

 

[BroadwayJay*]

I'm assuming that most people wouldn't make the drive from say LA or SD just to watch a hockey game there. Most folks go to Vegas for the "Vegas experience." But maybe the resident population could support it (you would know better than I). In which case I guess the relevant question is, what is the resident population of Vegas? And how does that compare to other hockey towns?

600k, metro vegas is 2m.

About the same as Raleigh, NC. with a greater city population.

 

[Seph]

I believe you misunderstood me, Seph. I don't have a big issue with the NHL expanding to 32 teams by adding Seattle and Vegas. The idea of a 4 team expansion including two more eastern teams is what I see as ridiculous.

Ahhh, I probably misunderstood the tweet, I was thinking that was a list of possible locations. 32 teams makes perfect sense, which is probably why I assumed that.

34 teamns does not make sense, I agree.

 

[MatthewBarnabysTears]

Eventually a league is going to make a ton of money off a team in Las Vegas. The more I think about it, the more I start to think, why shouldn't the NHL be the league to take that chance, and to take a chance expanding to 34 teams? There's every reason to believe sports leagues are generating enough revenue to support additional teams, and if there's any league that should be taking risks to improve its stature it's the NHL.

 

[Levi Walking Bear]

I have tickets for the Habs-Avalanche preseason game at Le Colisee on September 26th, which is supposed to be the last game played in the building before they demolish it. It'll be interesting to see which team the majority is rooting for that night.

That should be interesting about the fan reaction and have a fun, safe trip. My mother was from Quebec City (I was born there) so when she went for a visit home we would catch some Nordiques games, uncle Henri was a season ticket holder. Can't remember if it was 1982 or 83, we saw an Islanders 7-2 win with Anders Kallur getting a hat trick.

 

[replayer]

600k, metro vegas is 2m.

About the same as Raleigh, NC. with a greater city population.

It's the 30th largest metro area in the US, larger than Raleigh, Nashville and Buffalo.

 

[VT Isles Fan]

That should be great. Hopefully it won't be filled with Habs fans from MTL. When I asked my cab driver in Quebec if he was a Habs fan he literally pumped the breaks.

I have a feeling there will be a strong Habs contingent, but we'll see. The cabbie's reaction doesn't surprise me, that's like asking an Isles fan if they were rooting for the Rangers in the Final this year. (Which my co-workers here in Vermont asked me on numerous occasions)

 

[VT Isles Fan]

That should be interesting about the fan reaction and have a fun, safe trip. My mother was from Quebec City (I was born there) so when she went for a visit home we would catch some Nordiques games, uncle Henri was a season ticket holder. Can't remember if it was 1982 or 83, we saw an Islanders 7-2 win with Anders Kallur getting a hat trick.

I've always loved going to Quebec, even when I lived in Queens I would make it up there at least once a season. It'll be great to be in that building one last time, and I'm looking forward to going by the new place as well.

Don't remember the hat trick by Kallur, but I know we had some high scoring games against the Nordiques during those years.