University Of Toronto Study: Canada can support an addtional SIX franchises

[htpwn]

We have the fans. They have the cash. The sport is a religion. So Canada can definitely support another six NHL teams — two more in the Golden Horseshoe — according to a new study that challenges the league’s America-first mentality.

“Instead of taking the supply of hockey where the demand isn’t,” it asks, “should the NHL go where the demand is?”

Attempts to promote hockey in southern American markets have been largely unsuccessful, argues the report from the Mowat Centre for Policy Innovation at the University of Toronto. Instead, the NHL should focus on bolstering the game in Canada where demand is greatest.

Above excerpt from: http://www.thestar.com/article/973221
City-by-city summary: http://www.thestar.com/sports/hockey/nhl/article/973310--a-dozen-nhl-teams-north-of-the-border
Damien Cox's opinion piece: http://www.thestar.com/article/973313--twelve-pack-of-canadian-little-more-than-fantasy
The study itself (PDF file): http://www.mowatcentre.ca/pdfs/mowatResearch/31.pdf

Click to read more...

 

[Theokritos]

Can't wait to hear what the Universities of Nashville and Tampa have to say about this.

 

[OthmarAmmann]

I'd like to see an NFL franchise move to Toronto and cut the balls off the NHL

 

[Canuckle]

If Chicago can support two baseball teams and LA can support two basketball teams, why can't Toronto have two hockey teams?

 

[Buck Aki Berg]

If Chicago can support two baseball teams and LA can support two basketball teams, why can't Toronto have two hockey teams?

Ask MLSE.

 

[Jeffrey93]

I'm pretty tired of hearing how the Sabres 'heavily rely on Canadians'. They don't. And the ones that do support the Sabres are from the Niagara region....Buffalo would still be the closest option for them.

I find it odd that the article by Robson analyzes Toronto II, Hamilton, Kitchner-Waterloo AND London.

Then cites the population within an hour of London. Chatham-Kent (110,000) and Sarnia (88,000) are the only significant population bases within an hour of London that aren't in the same direction as Hamilton & K-W.

Even considering London & Kitchener-Waterloo kind of causes this article to lose some credibility.

 

[BadHammy*]

6 more? I call bs.

 

[MXD]

Giving a "B" to London takes a bit of credibility out of them, but that research is, otherwise, common sense.

 

[saskganesh]

6 more? I call bs.

So does Damian Cox.

It looks like a fairly shallow market study that doesn't try to build a reasonable business case. I don't think the authors would survive on the BoH boards.

 

[Kitsune]

I'm pretty tired of hearing how the Sabres 'heavily rely on Canadians'. They don't. And the ones that do support the Sabres are from the Niagara region....Buffalo would still be the closest option for them.

I find it odd that the article by Robson analyzes Toronto II, Hamilton, Kitchner-Waterloo AND London.

Then cites the population within an hour of London. Chatham-Kent (110,000) and Sarnia (88,000) are the only significant population bases within an hour of London that aren't in the same direction as Hamilton & K-W.

Even considering London & Kitchener-Waterloo kind of causes this article to lose some credibility.

Remember - and this something that does not get bounced around a lot but Kitchener-London is considered the 4th largest TV market in Canada, larger then Calgary, Edmonton, Ottawa, Winnipeg and Quebec. And, its outside of the exclusive zones for both the Sabres and Leafs.

 

[Gump Hasek]

I doubt Hamilton could support a team; league expenses have skyrocketed since they were last seriously considered. A second Southern Ontario team should be located in downtown Toronto though. No owner in the US wants to see Hamilton come into their buildings; very few in the US have ever even heard of Hamilton. Copps is not an NHL caliber building by any means.

 

[TheDevilMadeMe]

A second team in Vancouver is just crazy talk.

 

[CGG]

I find it odd that the article by Robson analyzes Toronto II, Hamilton, Kitchner-Waterloo AND London.

Then cites the population within an hour of London. Chatham-Kent (110,000) and Sarnia (88,000) are the only significant population bases within an hour of London that aren't in the same direction as Hamilton & K-W.

Even considering London & Kitchener-Waterloo kind of causes this article to lose some credibility.

Reading is good. It helps to note that London only remotely works if KW and Hamilton don't have a team. It's almost like they should even mention that in the article. Oh wait, they did:

The JLC, with only 10,000 seats, isn’t large enough for the NHL. And the plan only works if nearby Hamilton and Kitchener-Waterloo are out of the running.

 

[IceAce]

I'd give you 3 more (Winnipeg, Quebec, and Hamilton/So. Ontario). 6 is just insanity.

 

[btn]

This is what happens when HFBoards doesn't allow people to do homework on the BoH Board.

2 in Toronto is a common sense one, perhaps with a new owner the NHL might be able to do something on this.

 

[Big McLargehuge]

I'd give you 3 more (Winnipeg, Quebec, and Hamilton/So. Ontario). 6 is just insanity.

Agreed. Anything past that is just asking for a Canadian Thrashers.

 

[Pitlick*]

Canada could support 3 more teams for sure (Quebec, Winnipeg, Kitchener/Hamilton/Toronto2). But any more is really pushing it.

 

[Ketzlaf]

Canada could support 3 more teams for sure (Quebec, Winnipeg, Kitchener/Hamilton/Toronto2). But any more is really pushing it.

Montreal could easily support a second team.

 

[Kebekoi]

I think Canada can support :

Manitoba Jets
Québec Nordiques
Ontario Tigers
Toronto NotLeafs

More than that its streching it.

They could put a team in Seattle to take some market from Vancouver, but in the city itself...
I don't think a Maroons II could survive in Montréal.

 

[Ketzlaf]

I think Canada can support :

Manitoba Jets
Québec Nordiques
Ontario Tigers
Toronto NotLeafs

More than that its streching it.

They could put a team in Seattle to take some market from Vancouver, but in the city itself...
I don't think a Maroons II could survive in Montréal.

What? They would constantly sell out!

 

[MAROONSRoad]

I'd like to see an NFL franchise move to Toronto and cut the balls off the NHL

Nope. That would not be good for the CFL. Moreover, southern Ontario could support several additional NHL teams regardless imo.

GHOST

 

[ATHF]

A second team in Southern Ontario should be in ACC with a Lakers/Clippers type scenario unless they decide to build a new rink in Hamilton. As I understand it from the people I've spoken to in the arena business, the renos to Copps would cost as much or more than a new building would and would essentially be a band-aid solution that would require a new building within ten to fifteen years...

I also find the idea of twelve Canadian teams to be a pretty ludicrous one..eight or nine....maybe....twelve is pushing it, big time.

 

[dronald]

A second team in Southern Ontario should be in ACC with a Lakers/Clippers type scenario unless they decide to build a new rink in Hamilton. As I understand it from the people I've spoken to in the arena business, the renos to Copps would cost as much or more than a new building would and would essentially be a band-aid solution that would require a new building within ten to fifteen years...

I also find the idea of twelve Canadian teams to be a pretty ludicrous one..eight or nine....maybe....twelve is pushing it, big time.

They got the Raptors in there too mate.

 

[Blue Dragon]

They got the Raptors in there too mate.

The Staples Center has the Kings, Lakers and Clippers...your point?

 

[MAROONSRoad]

How many Premiership and Championship League football franchise exist in London metro?

Arsenal | Charlton Athletic | Chelsea | Crystal Palace | Fulham | Tottenham Hotspur | Watford | West Ham United | Wimbledon

You would think GTA/southern Ontario could support a few more NHL franchises in addition to the Leafs considering the population and the fact that hockey is by far the number 1 professional sport in Canada.

GHOST