NHL in Seattle?

[GCM]

It would certainly help out the divisions in the west a bit. Not so much distance traveled.

Say the Wild get put in the Central

Detroit gets their wish to move to the East

and let's say the Thrashers move to Seattle

 

[headsigh]

and let's say the Thrashers move to Seattle

In all seriousness though, isnt it a tad early to toss Atlanta into the relocation dance? The BoH forum is up to date on this, Atlanta has 3 different local entities interested in purchasing the team, one of which includes Tom Glavine and possibly Anson Carter for whatever reason.

 

[SirQuacksALot]

Some of us wouldn't mind, but yeah, you're basically right. It's absolutely a Seahawks and Mariners town--nothing else rates.

Never been to a Sounders game?

 

[Sadekuuro]

Actually, I have. Popular for the moment, but I suspect it's primarily because it's the hot new thing, and not because a huge mass of people suddenly give a crap about soccer. You hear little enough talk about them around town (much like the Sonics in their final years).

 

[ponder]

I'll agree with the general consensus of "not before another Canadian team (Quebec, Winnipeg or Hamilton) or even Portland."

 

[ShouldveDraftedFiala]

Actually, I have. Popular for the moment, but I suspect it's primarily because it's the hot new thing, and not because a huge mass of people suddenly give a crap about soccer. You hear little enough talk about them around town (much like the Sonics in their final years).

Are you kidding me?

The Sounders have had a strong dedicated following for a long time even before the MLS days, same with the Whitecaps and Timbers. A supporters group like this isn't just going to up and die, just because you haven't heard of them.

 

[Big McLargehuge]

Portland, Seattle, and Vancouver have the types of demographics that make soccer far more viable than most cities. I can't speak for the Whitecaps much, but I have little doubt that the Sounders and Timbers will grow before they shrink in popularity. What you're seeing now is the die-hards that have been largely following the team since before the MLS. Expansion teams with preceding followings and sustainable demographics are going to be what the MLS needs if it's going to continue to grow from complete joke to quality league (it'll never be able to top the best European leagues, but it can be a top 10 worldwide league).

Even as a casual soccer fan from Pittsburgh I can definitely say that what the Sounders have going for them is definitely not 'new team smell'. Plop an MLS team in Pittsburgh and they'd probably attract 15,000 for their first game and then 5,000 for the rest of the season. The MLS is at it's best in the medium-sized markets and the west, especially along the Pacific Coast.


That doesn't mean that the Sounders or Timbers are about to become the city's #1 team overnight...but they're going to have better support than most of the older teams in the league out of the gate and will only grow.

For the record...I'm a Sounders fan.

 

[Bubba88]

I'm not against moving a franchise, but what about expension?

move the Yotes to Winnipeg. AND bring in Quebec + Portland/Seattle if they finally want it

 

[PensFan1253]

The Sonics moved out BECAUSE of the arena, so it's not going to draw a team in.

Portland, on the other hand, seems to have a fine arena and is a great sports city.

That's partially true. David Stern allowed that team to be hijacked when he in reality never should have let the Hornets move back to New Orleans. The other part was after the city dumped money into Key Arena 10 years before and dropped a massive amount of money on Safeco and Qwest, they didn't want to build a arena based on an owner's demands. Keep in mind Paul Allen, the same guy you claim is the savior of Portland sports, strong-armed Seattle to where he paid virtually nothing for the stadium

 

[BMOK33]

Seattle, Portland, Salt Lake City, and Indianapolis are all U.S. cities which probably should have gotten NHL teams before Florida, Nashville, Atlanta, and Phoenix.

 

[Jack Be Quick]

I actually believe Seattle would be the best target location for an NHL team to relocate to or expand to if necessary (though I really don't want another expansion).

Correct.

A NHL franchise in Seattle is a no brainer.

I can't imagine the thought process of people who feel otherwise.

 

[John Price]

Seattle / Vancouver rivalry would be cool.

All for it

 

[Jack Be Quick]

Seattle deserves to see Ichiro Suzuki with World Series win.

And Queens deserves to see Jose Reyes with a ring.

Disclaimer: I'm a METS fan;

 

[Jack Be Quick]

I bet Vancouver could decently supplement a Seattle team's ticket sales. Vancouver is a big market and tickets for the Canucks are some of the most expensive in the league. Seattle would likely have cheap tickets until the team picked up popularity, and with Vancouver ~2 hours away a lot of people would probably make the trip to see an NHL game, especially the 6 times a year the Canucks would visit.

lol. I'm a NYC'er but a DEVILS HOCKEY fan nonetheless.

Your lower bowl, 2nd round tickets start at $290.

Lower bowl at the ROCK starts at, well, I don't know

Lower bowl at the garden starts at, well, they don't know either

 

[LEAFANFORLIFE23]

no they don't atleast not before the likes of Quebec and Winnipeg

 

[BamBamCam*]

I live in Seattle, the NHL would never ever survive here. Portland is a better hockey town and could support a team. Please do not bring up the soccer attendance record as that is mostly supported by the large Mexican American population who would not g to a hockey game. This town is a ****** sports town nevermind a hockey town.

 

[BigEyedPhish]

I think Florida should move to either Seattle or Indianapolis, hockey could use some more exposure in the heart land.

Mexico City could be a huge market as well.. haha

 

[tony d]

Back in the early 90's I had Seattle getting a team. But now I doubt they ever get a team because of the concerns with the arena as others have mentioned.

 

[TheFountainhead]

Why hasn't the NHL tried a team in Seattle? It's larger than other cities currently supporting NHL teams (DC, Nashville, Long Island, etc), has a stadium (wherever the SuperSonics used to play) and would only need to compete with the Seahawks (first half of the season) and the WHL teams in the area.
There are junior teams in Washington state doing well so it wouldn't be unrealistic to expect a team in Seattle to do fairly well (at least compared to other teams failing to draw crowds currently in the NHL)

The DC metro area is SIGNIFICANTLY more densely populated than Greater Seattle (well over 2 million more people in the immediate DC area.) So no, Seattle isn't a bigger market than DC.

Also, the DC/Baltimore corridor is the fourth most densely populated region of the U.S., and with no NHL team in Baltimore, the vast majority of the fan support in that region beyond DC metro (which itself is less than two hundred thousand people short of being a top 5 U.S. market in terms of population size), belongs to the Caps. In short, there really is no comparison in terms of market size between what the Caps occupy and what a team in Seattle would likely grab.

That's not to say that Seattle couldn't support a team though. The fans in the Pacific Northwest are very, VERY passionate.

 

[hdtrax]

I'm not against moving a franchise, but what about expension?

move the Yotes to Winnipeg. AND bring in Quebec + Portland/Seattle if they finally want it

Please, no. The talent pool is diluted enough in the league anyway. Move failing teams that aren't making money so that revenue sharing can be more equitable than it is right now.

And Seattle might as well wait a little while longer considering that Vancouver will kick the Canucks out of the city soon enough

But in all seriousness, Portland is a pretty decent option - even with the Winter Hawks there (though they would likely be moved) - but as a previous poster mentioned, it all depends on Paul Allen. The guy literally OWNS the Northwest US.

 

[Huddy*]

call em the Seattle Dive

 

[MoreOrr]

I'd change the title... Portland deserves an NHL team!

It's not that Seattle wouldn't be a good place for an NHL team, but that Portland would be even better. And if not for Paul Allen, Portland might likely already have a team.

 

[piercehannigan]

How about the NHL replaces the cruddy NBA Wizards' Verizon Center time slot, with ANOTHER NHL team?!?!?! Yeah! Case solved!

 

[redwing471]

Cleveland, Cincinnati, Indianapolis, Milwaukee, Houston, Kansas City...

Probably all cities that would do better with a hockey franchise than Seattle...

 

[TheFountainhead]

How about the NHL replaces the cruddy NBA Wizards' Verizon Center time slot, with ANOTHER NHL team?!?!?! Yeah! Case solved!

How does that solve a perceived need to have a team in the Pacific Northwest?

Also, there are a lot of Wizards fans in D.C. that would vehemently object to that proposal anyway (myself included.) They're just about the worst team in basketball currently, and have been on an aggregate basis for the last 4 years or so, but as soon as they show signs of life the Verizon Center is going to be packed to the rafters again. When they were just a moderately successful team during the days of Arenas, Butler. And Jamison, they sold out routinely, so I wouldn't be so quick to banish them to the nettherworld.