Don_Cherry said:
How can you call yourself a fan of the game and then hope this league fails?
I get confused by people who say it's a joke, it'll never get off the ground, it'll fold after 3 months, nobody wants to play there, etc.
Sure it's been put together in an awful hurry and it's looked pretty unprofessional at times. And sure not every NHL player will be beating down the door to get picked up by a WHA tea, but as someone who has the health of the sport in mind I'd love for this league to flourish.
For years the NHL has had nothing to push it, this is a change I definitely welcome.
It's not about wanting this to fail. It's about hearing for 2 or 3 years that this thing is starting, and now that it's finally here, the thing looks like nothing other then a joke. The WHA's worst enemy so far, has been the WHA, and don't let them tell you anything different because it's the truth.
And for some reason people think that because a hockey league WANTS to be good, that it's going to push the NHL. This thing has shown no(and I repeat, NO) signs of respectablility.
First of all, they announced 7 teams plus a "founders franchise" for their drafts. So they have their drafts. Then a month later Vancouver gets the founders franchise but the league is down to only 6 teams.
Second of all, the league is already complaining about not being able to get leases. Do these people enjoy throwing money away? A LEASE to play in a bulding should be the FIRST THING you get.
Third, the league for some reason is spread out all across North America. Dallas, Detroit, Vancouver, Quebec City, Halifax, Florida(I assume those are the 6, more on that in a sec) would it not make more sense to keep the league close together to cut down on travel and fatigue? Because you know that Halifax team will love those trips to Dallas to play a game, then it's off to Detroit? Florida? Glad i'm not paying their travel bill.
Fourth, the league is treating it's fans like idiots. How did they get from 8 to 6(according to the Quebec owner) teams? What happens to the players drafted by those other 2 teams? The Halifax team said it'd have a coach and GM in place by the 31st of July, it's now the 6th of August and still nothing it official.
Fifth, Bobby Hull goes on the ATV news in Halifax and in one sentence says "this league will be very affordable, a husband can take his wife and child to a guy without having to mortgage the family home" then less then 5 minues later says "ticket prices should be about half of the NHL, about $60 each". Halifax is not Detroit or Dallas Mr. Hull. $60 tickets are NOT going to fly in a market where only Jr hockey has been a major success with ticket prices topping out at $15 each approximately.
Sixth, the league said it would not offer contracts with an out clause for players. Now you tell me, what NHL player is going to sign on for this league without an out clause? They've basically eliminated half the professional players they drafted with that comment and nobody is going to pay $60 to watch some kids, especially in Vancouver, Halifax, and Quebec City where the Giants, Mooseheads, and Remparts will have have solid CHL teams this season.
Seventh, they have 2 drafts, where TRADES happened, with NO hockey people in place:lol !! So who exactly picked these players? Who decided that Travis Green was the best player for Halifax to pick? Or that Simon Gagne was the best player available to this league?
Eighth, a thing that's still mind boggling to me, is that a league that DESPERATELY wants respect has the same people owning 2 teams
How the hell are we supposed to take this thing seriously, when you have people owning multiple teams?
And finally, only 1 or 2 teams has officially signed ANY members of a hockey staff at all and there are NO players signed, or even rumored to be considering signing with this thing.
I'd love nothing more for a league to start up and be entertaining, but so far the WHA has proven nothing to anyone and instead of getting better, they're actually getting worse.