GreenHornet
Registered User
But why do that when we can just keep the BIG OWE TRAIN CHURNING?!?!
Stan Kroenke joins real estate group building NHL/NBA quality arena in San Diego
- Thread starter MMC
- Start date
TheLegend
Megathread Gadfly
But why do that when we can just keep the BIG OWE TRAIN CHURNING?!?!
Engineering Catastrophies S3, E9
StickShift
In a pickle 🥒
If Phoenix does indeed return as a future expansion franchise, and Atlanta and Houston happen as expected—there is an obvious path towards adding another California franchise to create a balanced 36-team / 6-division NHL:
| West - Mountain | East - Atlantic |
| Vancouver Calgary Edmonton Seattle Colorado Salt Lake City (Relocation) | Montreal Boston Toronto Detroit Ottawa Buffalo |
| West - Pacific | East - Metro |
| Los Angeles Anaheim San Jose Vegas Phoenix (Expansion) San Diego (Expansion) | New York Rangers New York Islanders New Jersey Philadelphia Pittsburgh Columbus |
| West - Central | East - Southeast |
| Winnipeg Minnesota Chicago St Louis Dallas Houston (Expansion) | Washington Carolina Tampa Florida Nashville Atlanta (Expansion) |
The NHL. is not going to put 4th team in California so if build that arena it will be for the NBA . not the NHL.
Cities most likely to be considered for an NHL. team
Houston
Quebec City
Southern Ontario (Hamilton)
Kansas City
Portland
Cities most likely to be considered for an NHL. team
Houston
Quebec City
Southern Ontario (Hamilton)
Kansas City
Portland
MMC
Global Moderator
Headshot77
Bad Photoshopper
- Feb 15, 2015
- 3,938
- 1,933
California, as an individual state, has the 5th highest gdp of any NATION in the WORLD.
The NHL would be happy to throw a 4th and a 5th team there if they could. A 2nd team in the Bay and San Diego could carve out their own fanbases.
PCSPounder
Stadium Groupie
Sacramento built a basketball arena. San Francisco built a basketball arena. San Diego is plotting to build more than a basketball arena, but only to a certain size.
My joke of the hour, however, is that the Golden Knights are the Inland Empire’s team. Hey, Vegas is California’s backyard, after all.
My joke of the hour, however, is that the Golden Knights are the Inland Empire’s team. Hey, Vegas is California’s backyard, after all.
StickShift
In a pickle 🥒
Strongly disagree. Consider that if San Diego were in Canada, it would be the third largest metro area by population. And in your list there, it would be the second largest only to Houston.
Quebec city and 2nd GTA team is a pipe dream. Only way franchises end up in the two markets is because no American markets/owners want a team.
No Fun Shogun
34-38-61-10-13-15
Barring an ecological catastrophe that would impact a helluva lot more places than just California, betting on California's economy to continue to grow is a smart bet. Especially since the city lost the Chargers, there's absolutely a demand for more pro sports in the area.
Also, to reiterate, it is easily the most pleasant major city I have ever been in my life. There was an old NFL joke that the reason why the Chargers never succeeded was because you have to be angry to be good at football, and it's impossible to be angry in San Diego (if you have money). That's a place that'll easily attract free agents.
I like the area so much that I got a parking ticket at Torrey Pines State Beach just to the north of the city, and I'd still recommend the beach as being great.
Also, to reiterate, it is easily the most pleasant major city I have ever been in my life. There was an old NFL joke that the reason why the Chargers never succeeded was because you have to be angry to be good at football, and it's impossible to be angry in San Diego (if you have money). That's a place that'll easily attract free agents.
I like the area so much that I got a parking ticket at Torrey Pines State Beach just to the north of the city, and I'd still recommend the beach as being great.
This is a fantastic alignment, well done. I might swap Columbus and Washington but really that's minor. Nashville being in the east allows them to easily be flipped back west if a west team relocates to Toronto or QC.
And the best part? A 6 division 2 conference structure would lead back to a 1v8 playoff format.
I've never been to SD but from everything I've heard, I agree 100%. Players would love it there. SD once they get the arena makes even more sense than SLC given the only other pro competition is baseball, so only a 2ish month overlap.
I doubt AEG sells the Kings so I'm not sure who the owner would be, but I'm sure someone would love to have the team especially if an arena is already in place. Although that could also be a negative, as it seems like there's more money to be made when you own/operate the arena instead of just being a tenant
A 2nd GTHA. team would be an easy way for the NHL. to make a lot of money very fast in fact a 2nd team there would most likely make up it's expansion fee & them some turning huge profit in there first season or two that is why they don't want to relocate a team there there is more money to be made with expansion & the same goes for Houston big market big expansion fee that is why I think the next expansion teams will be in Houston & in Southern Ontario (Hamilton) but not for until 2030 at the least .
Yukon Joe
Registered User
The league really seems to like grouping traditional (northern) hockey markets with non-traditional (southern) markets - probably because it helps drive ticket sales in southern markets when northerners visit for winter holidays. The former south-east division was seen as unsuccessful for that very reason, and you now see the Florida teams in a division with a bunch of northern teams despite the fact it makes for longer travel.
Sacramento has never had any lower level of hockey before have then, either AHL, IHL, ECHL? So, no surprise there. Without a tenant who needs it, and since the city paid a portion of it, no reason for them to add to the costs.
SF, the GS Warriors asked the Sharks to join them, but SJ would rather be the main tenant in their own arena, Once the decision is made to go BB specific, that's pretty much it for that arena and the NHL.
As for SD, they need to replace their current arena as it's like 55 years old. The area needs a modern arena. Question is really what their liklihood is of attracting either the NHL or NBA. NBA, Sea/LV are the next 2 expansion cities, but NO may need a new home given their old arena.
For sure it will be able to house an NBA team, and AHL team as even with obstructed seats, it can accommodate the capacity needed for the Gulls of the AHL. But, they likely don't make it NHL caliber unless they get an NHL team.
StickShift
In a pickle 🥒
I wonder if the success of Tampa, Florida, and Nashville since then changes that? Feels like a different league now than then.
Yukon Joe
Registered User
So Vegas-Edmonton is a first round series. Vegas has been a very successful franchise. Yet I still hear people saying it costs as much to fly to Vegas and see a game as it does to see a game in Edmonton.
There's still a north / south divide in hockey, even if it isn't as steep as it once was.
KevFu
Registered User
It's different in the sense that they aren't all brand new teams with bad rosters at the same time, sucking at once like they were in the 1990s....
But at the end of the day, it's bad business practice to put the teams with 6+ generations of fans in one division, and teams with 2-3 generations of fans in another.
Bixby Snyder
IBTFAD
And those people would be full of shit as Vegas has higher average ticket prices than Edmonton.
The funniest part isn't even the Canadian markets you got wrong, it's the *American* markets you got wrong.....
It's very similar lifestyle and weather to Anaheim and yet the Ducks haven't been that great at getting free agents. San Diego in it's own way doesn't really care as much about sports. I think an NHL team would do fine there but I don't think it would be anything like the success of VGK or Seattle. I think the same can be said for Houston or Atlanta too. The bar has been set really high and to be received as just another entertainment option in crowded markets might make the NHL want to pause. Then again if people are offering up new arenas paid with taxpayer contributions and billion dollar franchise fees I can see why they keep adding
cowboy82nd
Registered User
Yukon Joe
Registered User
Cheapest ticket I can find in Las Vegas - $95 (US)
Cheapest ticket I can find in Edmonton - $271 (Cdn)
I don't know that it's cheaper once you include the flight, but there's definitely a difference.
KevFu
Registered User
Yeah, but that's not what "average" is. You have to factor in what the billionaire casino moguls are paying for their suites.
Yukon Joe
Registered User
But... you don't.
If' I'm an average schlub who is a passionate hockey fan what's the cheapest cost to get me into the game is what matters to me.
If anything you'd be better off arguing what the median price is - because the fact a few billionaire casino moguls pay a ridiculous price would otherwise skew the numbers. But for after-market prices that's much more difficult to figure out.
KevFu
Registered User
Ah, I may have misundersood the discussion taking place. I assumed it was about markets and revenue, arguing a market like San Diego vs a smaller one.
