Should the WHL expand to Winnipeg?

[KingJet*]

We could support one, maybe have them play in the Iceplex or something, or make a new little arena and an MJHL, MMJHL, High School and MMAAAJHL etc could play there, not such a bad idea. Build it like by the new Ikea or something. Only reason I say that is cause Iceplex I doubt will get redone when they just built it, I honestly think they should have put a bowl in the main arena and legit seats(WFP).

 

[MAROONSRoad]

Perhaps it's me but if a team is going to be in the Western Hockey League, shouldn't a team be placed....oh I don't know....in the West?

Oh, I don't know, that's a bit of a fail...Winnipeg is in the West. It is part of what Canadians know as "Western Canada," which is not an official geographical jurisdiction, but perhaps a geographic/cultural term comparable to "the South" designation in the US (which wouldn't include AZ I take it). Winnipeg is the gateway city to Western Canada, which includes the provinces of Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta and British Columbia.

Manitoba (of which Winnipeg is the capital city) has a long history in the WHL. Now defunct teams have included the Flin Flon Bombers (Bobby Clarke's and Reggie Leaches' junior team), the Winnipeg Clubs, the Winnipeg Monarchs, the Winnipeg Jets and the Winnipeg Warriors (Theo Fleury's junior team btw). One of the charter member clubs of the WHL is the Brandon Wheat Kings, a team located a couple of hours drive from Winnipeg in Manitoba's second largest city.

The Winnipeg Warriors, btw, shared the Winnipeg Arena with the Winnipeg Jets of the NHL.

.....

Why doesn't Winnipeg have a WHL at present? The only suitable venue would be the MTS Centre. I suspect that while it may make sense for the new NHL team to share the MTS Centre with a WHL team, having a WHL team share the building with the AHL Moose likely did not make sense to TNSE. In terms of fan support, ticket prices, 'buzz factor," expected attendance levels etc., there is not a clear enough distinction between the AHL and WHL brands to make them attractive co-tenants. The AHL has better, older players and is a professional, development league. The WHL, on the other hand, is an exciting brand of junior hockey that is well respected, and the teams do not have issues with players being called up to the NHL like AHL teams do. A WHL and AHL team would, however, essentially compete against each other rather than being complementary in my opinion. That is not the case with a NHL/WHL combination.

 

[MAROONSRoad]

We could support one, maybe have them play in the Iceplex or something, or make a new little arena and an MJHL, MMJHL, High School and MMAAAJHL etc could play there, not such a bad idea. Build it like by the new Ikea or something. Only reason I say that is cause Iceplex I doubt will get redone when they just built it, I honestly think they should have put a bowl in the main arena and legit seats(WFP).

If Winnipeg obtains a WHL team in the next couple of years, I'd be very surprised if it wasn't TNSE purchasing the team and having it play most of its 36 home games out of the MTS Centre. They would be following the NHL/WHL model of the Flames and the Oilers.

 

[Buck Aki Berg]

I guess it could make sense. There are going to be a lot of folks that aren't able to attend Jets games on a regular basis just because of how hot the tickets will be, so a junior team could find a good following in the area if run effectively.

They thought the same thing about the Marlies in Toronto....

I can see Winnipeg having the same all-or-nothing mentality as Toronto. Even for the people who can't afford to see the Jets, they didn't wait fifteen years for NHL hockey to come back so they could watch the WHL.

 

[cbcwpg]

IMO the WHL will not expand to Winnipeg. Two reasons: Travel, and potentially attendance.

Attendance: The last iteration of a WHL team in Winnipeg suffered attendance wise due to having to compete with the NHL. Now at the time 1980-84 the ticket prices for the WHL weren't all that much lower than the NHL, but given today's high NHL prices, maybe a WHL team would offer an alternative for some people. Debatable. All my money is in the Jets (never thought I would type that name again), so I know I would never go to a WHL game.

Travel: This is the big issue. The WHL is a bus league and Winnipeg is 3 hours east of Brandon ( which is currently the most eastern WHL team ) so that additional travel is a big issue. I know someone who played for the Warriors and if you think travel was bad for the visiting teams, according to this guy I know, it was horrid for the Warriors. IIRC the question has been put to the WHL brass over the years, and the answer has always been NO to Winnipeg because of the travel.

 

[Killion]

I can see Winnipeg having the same all-or-nothing mentality as Toronto.

I dont see it that way Haymaker. A lot of people out here said the same thing about the Vancouver Giants 10yrs ago; "never make it, this is a Canucks town, they own it, no one will go". Well, the opposite proved true. People who were either shutout financially or through waiting lists for the Nucks', those who just liked top level junior, flocked to the games, sponsors lining up. If I had to compare Winnipegs' hockey tastes to anywhere else in Canada, Vancouver, not Toronto, is far more accurate, and of course the Marlies are an AHL franchise, not Major Jr....

 

[Fidel Astro]

I would check out WHL games in Winnipeg. Absolutely.

If TNSE can figure out the dates without concert/NHL conflicts, I think they should do it. A lot of Moose fans liked the AHL because it was a fun atmosphere they could take the whole family to for a relatively low price. Not so with the Jets, but the WHL might be a good alternative for the kids. Tickets would probably be quite cheap.

 

[Puckschmuck*]

The WHL is a bus league and Winnipeg is 3 hours east of Brandon ( which is currently the most eastern WHL team ) so that additional travel is a big issue.

Brandon is only 2 hours away. Sorry, just needed to correct that

 

[allin4466]

I would check out WHL games in Winnipeg. Absolutely.

If TNSE can figure out the dates without concert/NHL conflicts, I think they should do it. A lot of Moose fans liked the AHL because it was a fun atmosphere they could take the whole family to for a relatively low price. Not so with the Jets, but the WHL might be a good alternative for the kids. Tickets would probably be quite cheap.

This could probably work out well. Brandon traditionally plays a good chunk of their home games on Friday/Saturdays. A Winnipeg team could likely piggy back off that as it would make sense for a team visiting Brandon to make their next stop Winnipeg.

The reason the WHL didn't move to Winnipeg is IIRC there was an agreement with the AHL not to infringe on each others markets. They were pissed when they went to Abbotsford.