[GenerationW]

The NBA chose Toronto and Vancouver despite several strong bids from US cities as David Stern announced their intentions to take the game global

Much to its chagrin.

The NFL CHOSE Jacksonsville

And now secretly wishes it didn't. Even the NFL makes mistakes.

I'd be willing to bet the NHL wouldn't be standing in the way if someone were trying to move the Coyotes to Kansas City.

The NHL is so desperate that it wouldn't stand in ANYONE'S way if a sucker (not named Jim Balsillie) anted up to make that happen.

 

[GenerationW]

Do you have a source for this? I've always heard that they've had constant sellouts since the 40s. There are claims for that all over the internet, including ballparks.com, which lists actual attendance as far back as 1992.

BTW, Maple Leaf Gardens capacity for hockey varied from the high 15,000s to the low 16,000s, so naturally they never had higher attendance than that in the 80s.

To clarify my original statement, most Saturday night games from the mid-eighties to the early nineties did legitimately sellout. The majority of the midweek games, however, definitely did not.

The source is me. In my misspent youth, I went to many games in that time, and I was able to buy grays at the box office either on the day of the game or a few days before for most of them. I even got tickets for a Toronto-Detroit playoff game (87?) on the day of the game.

As for internet claims of sellouts since 1992, I can believe that. Before 1992, no way. Anyway, I'm pretty sure it was club policy to announce sell-outs for every game back then, so MLSE numbers for that era are probably bogus.

 

[mikenoseworthy]

Hi everyone,

I was quite disappointed when I found out that Jim Balsillie's bid for the Phoenix Coyotes failed. If you are in the same boat as me, I encourage you to visit the following links:

A thank you card for JB: http://thankyoujim.com

A petition asking the NHL to show JB the "front door": http://welovejim.ca

 

[Dan416]

Hi everyone,

I was quite disappointed when I found out that Jim Balsillie's bid for the Phoenix Coyotes failed. If you are in the same boat as me, I encourage you to visit the following links:

A thank you card for JB: http://thankyoujim.com

A petition asking the NHL to show JB the "front door": http://welovejim.ca

Careful or you might get mocked by people on this website for using that petition website. I can tell you that from experience here on this board.

 

[mikenoseworthy]

Careful or you might get mocked by people on this website for using that petition website. I can tell you that from experience here on this board.

Details?

 

[Dan416]

Details?

Oh you know, just being openly mocked for starting a petition to cancel the Sheppard LRT. People said all sorts of things, like petitions are stupid, they won't change anything, what's the point, etc. etc. So brace yourself for the bashing

 

[mikenoseworthy]

Oh you know, just being openly mocked for starting a petition to cancel the Sheppard LRT. People said all sorts of things, like petitions are stupid, they won't change anything, what's the point, etc. etc. So brace yourself for the bashing

That's OK. I am just doing what I can as a fan and having some fun. Feel free to sign the petition

 

[GenerationW]

There are at least five other teams who will or could be in trouble in the next few years, so Balsillie could be back. If not, I hope there's a big contraction and the league goes down to 25 or fewer teams. Then they'd have to fire The Count.

 

[TOareaFan]

There are at least five other teams who will or could be in trouble in the next few years, so Balsillie could be back. If not, I hope there's a big contraction and the league goes down to 25 or fewer teams. Then they'd have to fire The Count.

There are, however, other options........Seattle (long considered a good hockey market with a history of successful junior teams in the Pacific Northwest and a good rival just up the road) not only is a major league city without a hockey team it is a major league city without a winter sports team.......like it or not, there is a strong push to go back to KC with their new arena being teamless and, again, having no winter competition.......Hartford is back courting the NHL, there is US city in the heart of the northeast hockey market that is a good solution to any problem-child southern teams looking for a home........even Houston would be a decent solution, still in the south but it strengthens the Dallas team with a texan rival, is a major market for tv and is likely a better place than one or two of the current locations.

then there is the possiblity/likelihood that the NHL (as they did in Edmonton, Calgary, Vancouver, Ottawa) finds a way to restructure the economics of a team/market to do the right thing and maintain teams in the markets they are in...so maybe the oft talked about (but hasn't happened) need to move teams like Pheonix, Florida, Atlanta and Tampa doesn't actually have to happen (at least, maybe not all of them).

the Islanders are often thought of as a likely mover, to me it is more likely that they solve their problems where they are and stay.

 

[Long Island Mike]

The Long Island Lighthouse Project: Dead?

Everyone: Charles Wang may NOT get his wish of the massive Lighthouse Project in a Newsday report yesterday 10/21.
www.lighthouseli.com/ due to opposition by the Town of Hempstead and some NIMBY groups. He may force his hand and perhaps move the Islanders off LI.
Is Hamilton still interested? Thoughts from LI MIKE

 

[jn_12]

There's a pretty extensive thread on this at HFboards http://hfboards.com/showthread.php?t=593930

Here's the best post from that thread that outlines the current situation:

Long story short, Wang made the "deadline" right when the team was announcing a preseason game in Kansas City. He put that deadline on October 3, the date the Islanders played their home opener and would debut Tavares.

He pretty much was using these dates for the biggest media/PR hit possible. He was trying to whip as many fans (aka VOTERS) into a frenzy and pepper politicians with pressure to put through the Lighthouse.

His goal is moving into a new home ASAP.

Technically, there IS an out-clause, but the politics involved are such a big factor, and there's virtually zero chance he has the opportunity to exercise that clause.

This isn't JUST about an arena. An arena could make the TEAM profitable, but not profitable enough for him to recover his losses. He'd be $850 million in the hole if he just built a new arena with zero chance of recovering all he's put into the Islanders. The project he wants to build would recover so much revenue, he can build a new arena himself.

The odds of the Islanders moving out of the NYC area are remote.
For that to happen:
#1 - The Lighthouse Project (his real estate venture he's trying to build) would have to be blocked by the Town of Hempstead, when Nassau County and the State of NY have already backed it so fully, they have agreed to lease terms on the land.

#2 - The Nets arena in Brooklyn (The Barclays Center) would have to be either (a) killed completely or (b) built without an NHL rink, and the Borough of Brooklyn has already said they want the Islanders. They could apply pressure to the developers to include the rink/Islanders

#3 - Queens would have to fail in their bid to lure the Islanders. They are trying to develop the area near the Mets CitiField, and are planning on a convention center/civic arena. Their place faces hurdles and the timeline is moving a little slow for 2015, but...

The Islanders TV contract is SO massive, that staying in NY is the #1 priority for the franchise. In a new NY area arena, the Islanders could get to top 4 in revenue in the NHL with a good lease (and a bidding war between Brooklyn/Queens/Nassau could lead to one).

In KC, they could be about like St. Louis in revenue. Which isn't bad, but in New York, they could be almost the Rangers.

So Hamilton is entirely off the radar.

 

[GenerationW]

I find it hard to believe that the Islander TV deal is SO massive. Massive to me means the team should be making money, and no believes that they're profitable.

 

[jn_12]

Well, believe it. NYI's contract with Cablevision was signed in the 90s at an original $12million/year and that number increases annually. In 2000-01 they got $17.5million and today they're getting around $21million and by the time the contract is up in 2031 they'll be getting $36million. That probably puts them in the top 10 in the league, maybe top 5 after the Leafs, Rangers and maybe Canadiens or Canucks.

Why they aren't making money is tied to their lease. They pay $20million/year right now, which essentially negates their TV earnings. So they're forced to meet salary requirements through ticket revenues which is near impossible in what is pretty much considered the worst arenas in the league.

 

[Long Island Mike]

The New York Islanders: Leaving Long Island a remote thought?

JN and GW: Interesting link on the Islanders and what Charles Wang's options are-he has other options before a Hamilton move would even be considered.
LI MIKE