All sounds good for Seattle, once again that's a when not if situation.
All sounds good for Seattle, once again that's a when not if situation.
I keep thinking that 2021 makes more sense than 2020 for the Seattle expansion. It allows more time for the arena work to be completed. And it gives the NHL and the players a year to get a new CBA done (assuming a 2019 opt out by one of the two parties).
The nhl won’t announce expansion until after the September 2019 opt out deadline. It makes no sense to have an ED in June 2020 and have Seattle’s first game schedule in October and worry about whether that will get postponed due to a work stoppage.This is what I have been saying--expanding and having either another lost season or lockout right afterwards makes no sense
The nhl won’t announce expansion until after the September 2019 opt out deadline. It makes no sense to have an ED in June 2020 and have Seattle’s first game schedule in October and worry about whether that will get postponed due to a work stoppage.
They would push it back to 2021.
They can announce the team but I don’t think they set them to start playing until a cba is signed if the opt out clause is exercised.What in the world are you talking about. The NHL isn't going to delay expansion announcement of Seattle for another whole year. The team will be announced the moment the arena is finalized and ready for construction.
San Jose started in a season with no CBA, plus Ottawa and Tampa Bay's start date was set also despite labour uncertainty.
Worst case scenario I think Seattle will just play a partial season if there is a work stoppage. It's possible their start date gets delayed until 2021 but I doubt it will stop the Board from approving the franchise in the fall.
Approving a team, definitely, the nhl will go ahead and announce it. Kind of kills the buzz when your first ever game could get delayed multiple times until a cba is ratified.
I don’t have much confidence that Fehr and Bettman will come to terms on a new cba without missing games if the opt out is exercised in sept 2019.
can you/anyone guesstimate how much more/less a broadcast contract would be worth with:I understand that no one wants to see a team awarded FOLLOWED by a lockout/strike a few months, weeks down the road.
But lets be honest, NHL wants and must approuve Seattle before the end of 2021 season (and I would say much much earlier) because their US-TV deal expires with 2020-21 season. The league wants to cash in on Seattle and have it be part of the new TV deal because as long as the team is not confirmed, no network will ''pay'' for 25 US teams when there is no guarantee that team #25 is in. And given that the next deal will be a 5 years + in length, if they miss that, it's going to sting them for a long time.
Dave Mahler from KJR is live tweeting the Oak View news conference which is going on right now. Follow him @softykjr if you want more info on the newser. Too busy dealing with Mariner trade deadline stuff to offer any comments at the moment so read and discuss.
UPDATE 11:44am
So I seriously have to add this in....Tommy or SD, your thoughts? Apparently, Bagshaw's down there asking questions about neighborhood impact. Seems as if this may mean she could be a problem for this at the Council level?