Why did Quebec not get a team?

[Machinehead]

Not sure where the disconnect here. Both of these takes can be true:

a) Winnipeg is a deserving and fantastic hockey market.
b) To your average sports fan, having a city like Winnipeg takes away some of the league's prestige.

I agree, they're both true.

The league is in a tough spot where there's certainly money to be made catering to Canadian markets, but the fact is, most Canadian cities are not exactly world capitals.

The majority of Americans don't know what Winnipeg is.

 

[Machinehead]

Of course not... For the most part people in the US aren't going to watch the SCF between two American teams either. I was responding to someone saying the leagues image as a whole is diminished because Winnipeg (or Calgary, or Edmonton, etc) isn't "major league"... Like Joe Sportsfan rejects the league outright because the Winnipeg Jets are a real life thing.

It's not about an outright rejection of the league.

People outside of Canada are not going to watch, follow, or spend money on a team in Winnipeg.

 

[kabidjan18]

The majority of Americans don't know what Winnipeg is.

The majority of Americans I know don't even know there is a french speaking part of Canada. I'm not Canadian so I don't know what the stigma is against Winnipeg, but it seems like a perfectly fine city in Canada to me.

 

[Machinehead]

And again, my personal preference, I'll take Winnipeg and their fans. The casual fan can play in traffic. It's not my league and they don't pay my bills.

 

[MetM]

Quebec City has a population of ~800,000 while Seattle has a greater metro area population of ~4 000,000. Pretty clear choice if you're the NHL BoG. Plus Quebec City already had a team, they might be a candidate for relocation but I doubt expansion is in the cards for them.

As long as they fill the 18/20k arena.
How much does it matters how many people live around?

 

[Machinehead]

The majority of Americans I know don't even know there is a french speaking part of Canada. I'm not Canadian so I don't know what the stigma is against Winnipeg, but it seems like a perfectly fine city in Canada to me.

There's no stigma against Winnipeg. It's just not really a market to the country with 10 times the poulation.

 

[Cacciaguida]

I don't the casual viewer outside of Canada is going to watch Winnipeg in the SCF, no.

NHL cares more about people who will spend money on their product compared to people who won't even watch the semis.

 

[End on a Hinote]

Anytime people criticize a market like Winnipeg, Edmonton or Calgary for not being "major league" I just feel the need to remind them that the biggest pro sports league on earth has a team in Green Bay, Wisconsin.

 

[ForumNamePending]

It's not about an outright rejection of the league.

People outside of Canada are not going to watch, follow, or spend money on a team in Winnipeg.

I don't think that's what NJ DevLolz is saying though...

Perception your average sports fan has of the NHL is diminished because you have markets like Winnipeg. Seriously, this isn't difficult.

...
b) To your average sports fan, having a city like Winnipeg in the NHL takes away some of the league's prestige.

I read this as in the eyes of the typical American sports fan the NHL is diminished in general because Winnipeg is in the league. So someone isn't going to bother with the SCF, regardless of who is playing, because they know the league also includes Canadian "backwaters" like Winnipeg and Ottawa.

NJ DevLolz, feel free to correct me if I'm reading this wrong.

 

[sandysan]

Anytime people criticize a market like Winnipeg, Edmonton or Calgary for not being "major league" I just feel the need to remind them that the biggest pro sports league on earth has a team in Green Bay, Wisconsin.

because the fan base owns the team from years gone by.
A NFL starting today, probably doesn't include the packers.

 

[End on a Hinote]

because the fan base owns the team from years gone by.
A NFL starting today, probably doesn't include the packers.

I know I'm late bringing it up as I've noticed GB has been discussed in previous pages here, but regardless of history, it's about the look of having teams in these markets that seems to be the concern.

 

[tntkid]

Don't worry.

Arizona will be on their way to Quebec in a couple of seasons.

 

[Captain Bowie]

They'll get a relocation within 5 years.

 

[sharski]

Didn't hire enough lobbyists

 

[Mr Positive]

The market is not strong enough.

The canadian dollar isn't strong enough.

The NHL is after big TV markets. Seattle, Houston, Oklahoma and those places simply get priority. The only reason the Jets got a team really is that the Thrashers had to move, and no other owners stepped up.

 

[JETZZZ]

I really hope this was sarcasm considering how close Seattle is (230km).

Yep. That was the joke I was trying to make

 

[Bounces R Way]

As long as they fill the 18/20k arena.
How much does it matters how many people live around?

Ticket sales make up just one portion of a team's revenue. They get a piece of any TV deal, merchandise sales, plus the corporate sponsors. It matters a lot how big a market is. Kinda why the two most valuable teams in the NHL are the New York Rangers and the Toronto Maple Leafs.

 

[Pay Carl]

OK but NY is different. Its not like Las Angeles has 2 teams though...

Less than an hour between the Honda Center and Staples Center, not sure you could have picked a worse example

 

[JETZZZ]

Less than an hour between the Honda Center and Staples Center, not sure you could have picked a worse example

I know. I was trying to be funny. Im sorry everyone.

 

[Pay Carl]

No, but that's about the same distance from Columbus to Cleveland, and yet Cleveland is still generally associated with the Jackets.

* * *​

Because those teams have owners who wish to own franchises in those cities.

And for the record - let he or she who would take a team away from fans first volunteer his or her own. No excuses.

Yeah but it’s Canada. Ohio is fine with one team because it’s Ohio, not exactly a hockey Mecca

Nordqiues fans hated the Canadiens. Expecting disgruntled Nordiques fans to want to get behind the Habs is like expecting Islander fans to support the Rangers if they folded

 

[Pay Carl]

I know. I was trying to be funny. Im sorry everyone.

Oh whoops haha, sorry to pile on then

 

[Jeremy2020]

Anytime people criticize a market like Winnipeg, Edmonton or Calgary for not being "major league" I just feel the need to remind them that the biggest pro sports league on earth has a team in Green Bay, Wisconsin.

to be fair, the NFL would move the team out of Green Bay in a heartbeat if they could..they've made several rules to ensure a situation like Green Bay never happens again

 

[Jetster231]

It's not about an outright rejection of the league.

People outside of Canada are not going to watch, follow, or spend money on a team in Winnipeg.

You'd be surprised. Tons of Jets fans in Finland and Europe.

 

[End on a Hinote]

You'd be surprised. Tons of Jets fans in Finland and Europe.

Assuming its primarily due to Laine, but there were TONS of Jets tarps at their game in Finland last month.

 

[blueandgoldguy]

Milwaukee has two big four sports teams and has a metropolitan population of 1.6 million people, which is in the top 40 in the U.S. Winnipeg's metro isn't even half that.

Winnipeg's metro is over half that though I know what you are saying.

Your argument about not taking a league seriously because Winnipeg is in it doesn't really hold much water and I suspect is nothing more than a weak attempt to throw shade. Winnipeg's contribution and influence on pro hockey - see WHA Winnipeg Jets, signing of Bobby Hull and them being the first North American team to heavily incorporate Europeans as well as introduce a high, up-tempo style of offensive hockey utilized by the Oilers for their dynasty - is far greater than a certain cities with teams in the big 4 in the US. ie. Buffalo and Memphis

IS the NFL big league for having a team in Buffalo - a city only marginally bigger than Winnipeg with a metro population of 1.1 million. That would make it quite a bit smaller than Calgary (1.5 million) and Edmonton (1.4 million). I guess not, using your standards, right? And I guess that should also apply to their hockey team too?

As for Quebec City, my best guess is their time will come in 7 or so years from now...and given the rates both cities are growing, Buffalo and Quebec City will practically be the same size by then.