TheHonestMaple said:
The bare minimum expectation of some rules is a brain dead take lol
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You are way off topic. Pursue this anymore, and your account will be affected.

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CONFIRMED: Bridgeport Islanders relocating to Hamilton this fall.
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JakeLRS said:
CONFIRMED: Bridgeport Islanders relocating to Hamilton this fall.View attachment 710511
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Very disappointing to hear. No one gets excited for OHL or AHL. If we can't get an NHL team the next best thing is PWHL! A missed opportunity because a PWHL team would be very successful here!
 
Stec said:
Very disappointing to hear. No one gets excited for OHL or AHL. If we can't get an NHL team the next best thing is PWHL! A missed opportunity because a PWHL team would be very successful here!
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NHL is never happening, so you probably shouldn't be using that as a benchmark.

Once the novelty of the PWHL wears off, the difference in attendance between it and the AHL won't be much - except they can host more games with the AHL.
And I wouldn't rule out a PWHL team coming down the road as well. It's only 15 additional games, so there's lower odds it'll get in the way of concert scheduling.

Concerts should still take priority over the AHL regardless, as it'll generate bigger attendance and revenue.

I just hope they don't stick with the Bridgeport name and actually change it to Hamilton. ;)
 
king10 said:
Is this a bit?
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Nope! Hamilton has been down this road before why will it be any different this time!?
  • AHL (American Hockey League):
    • Hamilton Canucks (1992–1994).
    • Hamilton Bulldogs (1996–2015).
  • OHL (Ontario Hockey League):

PWHL has all the momentum and excitement right now and is expanding I just personally feel it will be a better fit at this time. Also from my understanding they play fewer games than the AHL which is probably better for the concert venue first approach.
 
I mostly agree with Stec. The PWHL would have more of an event vibe. It is the top tier of its sport, which is better in my mind than minor league men's hockey where everyone just wants to be called up. My biggest worry would be that either the novelty would wear off in Hamilton and/or the overall level of interest in the league would wear off everywhere.

That said, I agree with narduch that the PWHL is probably not in a hurry to put a team here.
 
I want the AHL to work in Hamilton again — the market can support it. But if the Canadiens couldn’t make it stick here, it’s fair to say it’ll be an uphill battle with the Islanders. Bridgeport hasn’t exactly been a strong on-ice product lately, and last season was among the league’s worst....ever. With today’s AHL schedule basically creating regional mini-leagues — where 95% of games are against the same seven teams — you really need a competitive, well-run operation for it to succeed.

I still prefer OHL where we get to see all teams in the league at least twice, instead of seeing the below 7 teams over and over. Utica on a Wednesday night screams of 2k crowd.

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I want to also add that the PWHL also attracts the "entire family" way more so than just the dudes or father and sons that mostly attend the other leagues which in turn is a bigger boon for businesses in the city. The last game had entire families come out I never seen so many daughters attend a hockey game before I wasn't at the game specifically but I was inside Jackson Square that day and the mall was rammed with families shopping and eating in the food court and it was the same outside at the local restaurants and shops. If you are thinking from a financial impactful standpoint not just for the arena but the city as a whole then the PWHL is the better bet!

Speaking of Jackson Square that day they need to capitalize on this if it every comes to fruition and for other big events I never saw that mall so full of life before it was great to see!
 
I would also rather see tbe PWHL. The only way the AHL works here is if the Marlies came here. A largely TML fan base isn't going to support the NYI farm team. Im a Bruins fan so Id maybe go see a Providence Bruins game if they came. My Dad is a NYI fan so he thinks it's great.

I would go see the PWHL more often.
 
I think an AHL farm team for a Canadian team would work.

There were quite a few habs fan in the Hamilton area when the Bulldogs were the affiliate of the Canadiens. I think the move to Laval was to help with distance between the farm team and the main team.

I feel if the Marlies or the Condors (Oilers) moved to Hamilton, there would definitely be more energy around having an AHL affiliate here.
 
I do think I'd prefer PWHL and it would be a bigger deal. It's a higher level sport, and Hamilton generally struggles at one of the hate capitals of Canada. While most of that hate is directed at POC and LGBTQ+ individuals, I think having a strong women's league sport showing here would help the general goal of making Hamilton more welcoming to everyone.

That all being said, an AHL being back is still huge news and a big improvement over the amateur hour OHL Bulldogs.

I'm not super interested in sports themselves, but more the political, economic, and social impacts of sports, so to me the real value of a sports team locating here is how it impacts Hamilton's residents from a overall social standpoint and how it benefits the economy of the city, with specific interest to the downtown.

I've already heard from a few business owners with whom I've spoken before that their businesses are already busier than prior, and it's especially noticeable on non-weekend days, as those were already pretty profitable.

Will continue keeping my eye on this, and hope to find an excuse to attend something here, though not being into sports or big size concerts may make that difficult. But I'd be curious to check out a lacrosse game. If only because I'd like to learn more about how lacrosse is played.
 
Chris R. said:
I do think I'd prefer PWHL and it would be a bigger deal. It's a higher level sport, and Hamilton generally struggles at one of the hate capitals of Canada. While most of that hate is directed at POC and LGBTQ+ individuals, I think having a strong women's league sport showing here would help the general goal of making Hamilton more welcoming to everyone.

That all being said, an AHL being back is still huge news and a big improvement over the amateur hour OHL Bulldogs.

I'm not super interested in sports themselves, but more the political, economic, and social impacts of sports, so to me the real value of a sports team locating here is how it impacts Hamilton's residents from a overall social standpoint and how it benefits the economy of the city, with specific interest to the downtown.

I've already heard from a few business owners with whom I've spoken before that their businesses are already busier than prior, and it's especially noticeable on non-weekend days, as those were already pretty profitable.

Will continue keeping my eye on this, and hope to find an excuse to attend something here, though not being into sports or big size concerts may make that difficult. But I'd be curious to check out a lacrosse game. If only because I'd like to learn more about how lacrosse is played.
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Would definitely recommend attending a game - even just one for the experience! Overall I found it very similar to hockey without the puck and ice. Overall a fun, and relatively affordable, night out
 
Bookings have been pretty quiet lately. I remember discussion of 120+ events and 1 million-plus people going through the gates each year. I think both numbers are looking pretty unlikely in 2026. (And also would look unlikely with a full-time hockey tenant in the mix).
 
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