With expansion over, what cities are the faves to get a relocated team?

[Asheville]

This is not a thread to discuss the specific teams that are likely to move.

Let's discuss the cities most likely to receive a relocated team IF such an upheaval took place, regardless of the franchises.

My guess would be Houston. Too big of a market. I'd like to see a team in Atlanta again.

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[Cataphract]

This is not a thread to discuss the specific teams that are likely to move.

Let's discuss the cities most likely to receive a relocated team IF such an upheaval took place, regardless of the franchises.

My guess would be Houston. Too big of a market. I'd like to see a team in Atlanta again.

The NHL has failed in Atlanta twice already. I can't see them going there again quite yet. Houston is probably the most likely. Kansas City might be a candidate. Portland wouldn't be bad either.

 

[Maplebeasts]

Atlanta failed twice. They should never have a team again. West it's Houston east it's QC imo.

 

[McDLT]

Atlanta failed twice. They should never have a team again. West it's Houston east it's QC imo.

You got it - case closed. Move along folks.

 

[Asheville]

Atlanta failed twice.

The second time around was on Atlanta Spirit Group. The fan support was there.

 

[Harvey Birdman]

No to Atlanta ever again. It just doesn't work. Houston is the city out West for a team to relocate toward with a runner up to Kansas City. And you'd have to think that city in the East would be Quebec City.

 

[LamorielloAndSon]

Mexico City, Mexico
Havana, Cuba
Albuquerque, New Mexico
Tijuana, Mexico
Jaurez, Mexico

 

[Maplebeasts]

The second time around was on Atlanta Spirit Group. The fan support was there.

Not necessarily. State farm arena has a capacity of 21000. The last 2 seasons they did not even get to a 14000 average and the year before that they didn't even get to 15000.

 

[AvsFan29]

Montreal will fight relocating a team to Quebec with everything they have.

 

[Cellee]

Wasn't the arena in Atlanta renovated for basketball that would basically make it impossible for hockey anyway?

 

[Harvey Birdman]

Montreal will fight relocating a team to Quebec with everything they have.

Oh I have no doubt, but you have to think the Leafs would do the same thing for Hamilton. Its just where in the East could a team go that it could actually succeed. All the markets have ether been experimented with or tried save a couple. Those are really Quebec whom lost their team, and Hamilton which would have to do battle with Toronto they same as Montreal would fight to stop Quebec. There really isn't anywhere left in the states Eastern half that are left for a market or have not already been tried.

 

[Pizza the Hutt]

Portland - decent population, already has good ticket sales.

 

[LamorielloAndSon]

Mexico City, Mexico
Havana, Cuba
Albuquerque, New Mexico
Tijuana, Mexico
Jaurez, Mexico

People probably think I’m kidding but I think 2 of these cities will have a team in the next 20 years

 

[AvsFan29]

Oh I have no doubt, but you have to think the Leafs would do the same thing for Hamilton. Its just where in the East could a team go that it could actually succeed. All the markets have ether been experimented with or tried save a couple. Those are really Quebec whom lost their team, and Hamilton which would have to do battle with Toronto they same as Montreal would fight to stop Quebec. There really isn't anywhere left in the states Eastern half that are left for a market or have not already been tried.

I'd suggest Markham Ontario, but it would have some of the same issues that Hamilton would. It's more centralized in the GTA, where Hamilton is pretty far west with less population around it.

The rivalry would be fantastic, though.

 

[Erndog]

The second time around was on Atlanta Spirit Group. The fan support was there.

Fool me once, shame on — shame on you. Fool me — you can't get fooled again.

 

[Dustin]

Quebec City and Kansas City would be the classic nominations.

 

[Bixby Snyder]

Atlanta failed twice. They should never have a team again. West it's Houston east it's QC imo.

QC failed twice also, no team for them.

 

[Bixby Snyder]

Albuquerque, New Mexico

 

[tucker3434]

Hockey can work in Atlanta, but not if the team is consistently dead last and ownership doesn’t care. All non traditional markets would struggle in those conditions.

We’re a top 10 metro area in the states and find a way to support 4 other major pro teams. The NHL will want to give Atlanta another try but not in the near future.

 

[LamorielloAndSon]

I lived there for 7 months last winter and it sucks how far every nhl team is, they just passed a population of over a million people and it would get all the draw for being the only major sports team there

 

[Harvey Birdman]

I'd suggest Markham Ontario, but it would have some of the same issues that Hamilton would. It's more centralized in the GTA, where Hamilton is pretty far west with less population around it.

The rivalry would be fantastic, though.

I mean sure, but as you said Markham would have the same uphill fight that Hamilton would. You can just sort of lump in if you will any GTA options into one. Because you have to believe the Leafs organization would fight till their last breath to stop a GTA expansion regardless of where it was. But I also do agree the rivalry would be absolutely intense.

 

[Gardner McKay]

Not necessarily. State farm arena has a capacity of 21000. The last 2 seasons they did not even get to a 14000 average and the year before that they didn't even get to 15000.

State farm arena has been recently renovated and I am not sure if the seating capacity has changed. I don't believe it was 21,000 when it was Phillips arena. Best I can find says it was roughly 18,000 when the Thrashers were still there. The Thrashers problems did not stem from lack of fan support, it stemmed from mismanagement and an ownership group that just didn't care about hockey, therefore they were content with letting Don Waddell run that team into the ground over and over. The Thrashers were never successful, therefore how can you sell out an arena? How can you be successful when ownership doesn't care and you have a ****ing asshat as a GM? If ownership was at all interested in hockey, significant changes would have been made in the Thrashers organization before relocation was ever an option.

 

[Nordiques1979]

Portland. Pacific Northwest could handle two team.

 

[AvsFan29]

I mean sure, but as you said Markham would have the same uphill fight that Hamilton would. You can just sort of lump in if you will any GTA options into one. Because you have to believe the Leafs organization would fight till their last breath to stop a GTA expansion regardless of where it was. But I also do agree the rivalry would be absolutely intense.

Yep. Rogers owning 75 percent of MLSE makes it pretty tough for any team to relocate to the GTA.

There certainly isn't a lack of fans willing to pay, but if fan revenue is all that mattered, there would be 3 GTA teams.

 

[Nordiques1979]

Quebec City and Kansas City would be the classic nominations.

I'm rooting for a comeback of the Nordiques obviously. But I have to admit that this City won't ever have a team anymore.

NHL and hockey is a business, and let's face it, bigger markets are available (Houston, Kansas City...) even in Canada (Markham or even a second team in Toronto could work). I'm all for more Canadians teams but not at any price, excepted Toronto, teams in Canada are a mess, Montreal still make big bucks but results speaking it's really bad.