TSN: Realignment: Tampa in the Central division

[ThunderAlleyNomad]

Maybe I'm just not seeing it right, but I'm still not seeing the advantage.

In addition to having eight teams in the division, we now have the added travel. Everybody felt so sorry for the poor Jets to have to travel to the SE, but this is ok?
Meanwhile every other team in the division that isn't TB or FLA has the easy travel for most of their divisional games.

Secondly, maybe it's heresy, but not everybody cares about playing original 6 teams all the time. And quite honestly, I'm not actually seeing more coverage from TSN and the rest of the Canadian media as a plus. It has never been good, why would more of the same old **** amped up to extreme levels be a better thing?

 

[LightningStrikes]

Maybe I'm just not seeing it right, but I'm still not seeing the advantage.

In addition to having eight teams in the division, we now have the added travel. Everybody felt so sorry for the poor Jets to have to travel to the SE, but this is ok?
Meanwhile every other team in the division that isn't TB or FLA has the easy travel for most of their divisional games.

Secondly, maybe it's heresy, but not everybody cares about playing original 6 teams all the time. And quite honestly, I'm not actually seeing more coverage from TSN and the rest of the Canadian media as a plus. It has never been good, why would more of the same old **** amped up to extreme levels be a better thing?

They will have to deal with the fact that Tampa is actually a healthy (and wealthy) organisation that sells out most of its games. And having three Canadian superstars in Stamkos, St. Louis and Lecavalier on the team sure doesn't hurt.

I could see some angry Torontonians bash our jerseys, though.

 

[Coopers Gum]

It could be worse. NBC is much more in love (read: biased) with Atlantic division teams.

They are also very ignorant of us.

 

[HoseEmDown]

I don't watch TSN or CBC so I could care less, I got Rick Peckham and Bobby Taylor on sunsports. I'd rather have less national coverage so I can hear them call a game.
Kenny Albert kept calling Brian Lee, Chris Lee, you can not disrespect that man like that.

 

[Picklepete]

I really dont think anybody should be unhappy.
As fans the travel, cost $, ect dont really affect us.

I care about level of opponents, good games, ect.
I want the better teams and with this we get MUCH better.
I cant stand playing panthers, canes, ect all the time.
Now..That being said it will be tougher to make play offs too.

 

[berlin]

For travel sake, Carolina should be in our division.

 

[chasespace]

I really dont think anybody should be unhappy.
As fans the travel, cost $, ect dont really affect us.

But they do. The more money ownership spends on travel, lodging, etc. the less likely they may want to spend to the cap if the financial rewards of the conference we're in aren't what they predicted.

Most Tampa fans(that I've come across) would rather play Philly, Washington, Carolina, and Pittsburgh as they're viewed as rivals.

Sure the snowbirds from Canada will want to see their teams but Tampa shouldn't cater to them, they should cater to their own fans. This alignment pretty much tells Tampa that it's better for them to cater to the visiting fans than their own.

 

[Felonious Python]

But they do. The more money ownership spends on travel, lodging, etc. the less likely they may want to spend to the cap if the financial rewards of the conference we're in aren't what they predicted.

Most Tampa fans(that I've come across) would rather play Philly, Washington, Carolina, and Pittsburgh as they're viewed as rivals.

Sure the snowbirds from Canada will want to see their teams but Tampa shouldn't cater to them, they should cater to their own fans. This alignment pretty much tells Tampa that it's better for them to cater to the visiting fans than their own.

I don't really think this is about TB as it is the Panthers.

 

[Picklepete]

But they do. The more money ownership spends on travel, lodging, etc. the less likely they may want to spend to the cap if the financial rewards of the conference we're in aren't what they predicted.

Most Tampa fans(that I've come across) would rather play Philly, Washington, Carolina, and Pittsburgh as they're viewed as rivals.

Sure the snowbirds from Canada will want to see their teams but Tampa shouldn't cater to them, they should cater to their own fans. This alignment pretty much tells Tampa that it's better for them to cater to the visiting fans than their own.

Well.. Disagree, but I have season ticks so I'm not worried about fans of other teams !
AND...As cheap a tickets can be obtained maybe more home fans should not be so damn cheap & buy tickets.
Then we sell out and shut out visiting fans.
p.s. - dont wanna hear all the lame excuses ect ect..

 

[Picklepete]

I don't really think this is about TB as it is the Panthers.

agree..

 

[IdealisticSniper]

The travel sucks, the extra expenditures sucks, but the biggest thing IMO?

Now we have to deal with the worst fan bases in the league more than 2 times a year.

Having to deal with the idiotic Boston, Buffalo, and Montreal fans is horrible.

I could give two ***** about original 6 teams and this team doesn't need help help selling tickets. Even if they did I'd rather a half empty arena of lightning fans than a full arena with half another teams fans.

This is a straight up **** you from the league and there is NOTHING positive about it from a TB perspective. NOTHING.

 

[Felonious Python]

I don't think you guys understand. Original 6.

ORIGINAL SIX.

It's allows the Florida teams to play pretend that anyone cares about them.

 

[HoseEmDown]

I don't think you guys understand. Original 6.

ORIGINAL SIX.

It's allows the Florida teams to play pretend that anyone cares about them.

When I think original 6 I think
Anaheim San Jose Columbus Nashville Tampa Bay and Florida.

 

[BoltSTH]

They could offset some of the cost by opening a visitors merchandising store

 

[muffin with tentacle]

It's allows the Florida teams to play pretend that anyone cares about them.

I care about Tampa.

In spite of your unfortunate climate, you guys do love your hockey team. And you guys have always had lots of awesome Canadian players. Looking forward to having you in the division.

(Panthers can GTFO, though.)

 

[ThunderAlleyNomad]

I care about Tampa.

In spite of your unfortunate climate, you guys do love your hockey team. And you guys have always had lots of awesome Canadian players. Looking forward to having you in the division.

(Panthers can GTFO, though.)

#1. Thank you for the kind words. Although I will admit that I would have to be dragged kicking and screaming back north, so I'll take the unfortunate climate.

#2. That avatar may actually give me nightmares.

 

[EbencoyE]

The travel sucks, the extra expenditures sucks, but the biggest thing IMO?

Now we have to deal with the worst fan bases in the league more than 2 times a year.

Having to deal with the idiotic Boston, Buffalo, and Montreal fans is horrible.

I could give two ***** about original 6 teams and this team doesn't need help help selling tickets. Even if they did I'd rather a half empty arena of lightning fans than a full arena with half another teams fans.

This is a straight up **** you from the league and there is NOTHING positive about it from a TB perspective. NOTHING.

Agreed. I probably won't go to as many games after realignment, even if ticket prices don't go up. The away fans (most of whom shed their Lightning loyalty as soon as their old team comes to visit which makes them even more annoying) are bad enough as it is, and I get my fill of northern elitist douchebaggery here on HF

I'll save my money and wait for the Bolts to get their own arena back instead of a winter home for the snowbirds. Market to the away fans, and you kill off your home fanbase. Can't have your cake and eat it too.

 

[MattM92]

Agreed. I probably won't go to as many games after realignment, even if ticket prices don't go up. The away fans (most of whom shed their Lightning loyalty as soon as their old team comes to visit which makes them even more annoying) are bad enough as it is, [MOD: edit]

I'll save my money and wait for the Bolts to get their own arena back instead of a winter home for the snowbirds. Market to the away fans, and you kill off your home fanbase. Can't have your cake and eat it too.

Let's hope that not too many think the same way as you. When Lightning faithful don't buy tickets because of away fans, it leaves more tickets open to away fans.

 

[Off Center]

Agreed. I probably won't go to as many games after realignment, even if ticket prices don't go up. The away fans (most of whom shed their Lightning loyalty as soon as their old team comes to visit which makes them even more annoying) are bad enough as it is, and I get my fill of northern elitist douchebaggery here on HF

I'll save my money and wait for the Bolts to get their own arena back instead of a winter home for the snowbirds. Market to the away fans, and you kill off your home fanbase. Can't have your cake and eat it too.

it's a punch to the gut when the bolts aren't doing well and the arena is overrun with opposing fans, but it actually creates a sort of cool dynamic when the team and home fan base is strong. there's a back and forth between the sets of fans that forces both to keep the energy high, but ideally the home team fans are a significant majority. this is a big contributor to the excitement of attending european football matches (moreso the chanting and cheering during, not so much the occasional bashing in of each others' faces afterwards) or local rivalries in any of the north american pro or college sports

i know baseball and hockey are 2 very different live sports experiences, but the Rays are a good example...i've been to at least 100 rays games over the years and the best ones were games like the Cubs series in 2008, where the place was packed and you had a very passionate and pretty substantial contingent of Cubs fans that raised the bar for the home fans to get behind their team. then again, fan bases from the midwest are far less likely to be *******s than fans from the northeast. pink hat and yankee fans are still obnoxious, but these days they get drowned out and the ratio\experience is much different than it was in the Devil Rays years. there are games against very good teams like the Rangers or Angels that are well attended but you could probably be sitting on the infield baseline and overhear a conversation in the outfield seats

i think that back and forth can bring a little more passion out of the home fans and add to the atmosphere. as long as it doesn't sound like an away game, i think the players can feed off of it too

also, having some connections to the hotel industry locally, it sure can help fill a few rooms and restaurants over the years

edit: the travel is a real killer though. especially when you've got another division where you could do a circuit of the home cities in fewer miles than it takes to get from miami to tampa

 

[The Wyzerhood]

http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=660138&navid=nhl:topheads

Re-alignment plan will go into effect next season.