Brian in Boston Posted July 12, 2003 Share Posted July 12, 2003 From the "A Fool and His Money Are Soon Parted" file...The new incarnation of the World Hockey Association - set to take the ice in conjunction with a possible NHL lockout during the 2004-2005 season - has announced its first official franchise sites. The league has announced that a single ownership group has stepped up to the plate in Phoenix, Arizona. WHA officials have approved the group as the prospective owners in Phoenix, and would have us believe that the group has substantial experience in sports ownership/management. Said group is said to be targeting the America West Arena as their home, and will begin negotiations on a lease shortly.Several parties are interested in placing a team in the Twin Cities, and WHA officials are now studying their applications. In anticipation of setting up shop in Minneapolis-St. Paul, league officials are currently involved in lease negotiations with the Target Center in Minneapolis. They must really love the market if they're willing to go to the trouble of doing the "heavy lifting" on the lease FOR the future owner(s).David Waronker, the minor-league hockey magnate who bolted the Atlantic Coast Hockey League with his multiple franchises and launched WHA2, has begun talks with arena managers in Birmingham, Alabama. He has said that he will have a local office in place by this fall. He plans on working very closely with the WHA2 franchise in nearby Pelham, Alabama. Both Waronker and the owners of the Pelham club say that the two teams will co-exist, apparently with Pelham serving as Birmingham's farm team, once the WHA launches in 2004.Waronker has also touched base with WHA brass to begin the process of receiving approval to move his Miami Manatees to the WHA. The Manatees will apparently operate at the WHA2 level this season, then jump to the "senior" WHA circuit the following year.So... there you have it: Birmingham, Miami, Minnesota and Phoenix.Just wondering, but does anyone want to go in on relaunching the World Football League? I've got dibs on the Toronto Northmen... no, I mean Memphis Southmen... oh, let's just move to Nebrasaka and become the Omaha Middlemen. Our mascot is a put-upon regional sales manager.Brian in Boston Brian in Boston Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nitroseed Posted July 12, 2003 Share Posted July 12, 2003 Does it seem odd that three of those four are in some of the HOTTEST cities in the nation? This is hockey, right? Shouldn't they target the northern half of the country where the fanbase is stronger? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DEAD! Posted July 12, 2003 Share Posted July 12, 2003 nitroseedPosted on July 11 2003,22:06Does it seem odd that three of those four are in some of the HOTTEST cities in the nation?Maybe this is about field hockey? Ok, probably not. Hey, it's minor hockey. Sure the fan base is greater in the northern half, but I think it does snow quite often in places like Texas! Think about this, if it's too hot you can go to the rink and cool down! :cool: I saw, I came, I left. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian in Boston Posted July 12, 2003 Author Share Posted July 12, 2003 I've got to tell you Nitro... I think that you might be giving these guys credit for having something approaching "foresight". Frankly, that's something I believe that they are sorely lacking. I know that the NHL appears headed for a lockout, but can these WHA clowns really believe that their venture has any long-term viability? Come on! The NHL will suffer a partial-season shutdown - a season at most - and then come back with their house in a somewhat better financial order. Where will that leave the "new" WHA? Particularly in markets where they end up going head-to-head with an NHL club?The second-coming of the WHA will be gone by the 2006-2007 season at the absolute LATEST. More likely, they have teams that can't finish the first year. The last thing that the North American spectator-sport market needs is another minor (no matter what they may say) professional hockey league with big-time aspirations. Ask the International Hockey League how that works out; oh, right... there GONE!Brian in BostonP.S. Any word from UMass-Dartmouth? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nitroseed Posted July 12, 2003 Share Posted July 12, 2003 Nope, no word from Dartmouth. I did get an email from the mayor of Manchester, NH though... telling me that the other guy I CC'ed would make decisions about the logo. I was flattered that he even emailed me to tell me that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jkrdevil Posted July 12, 2003 Share Posted July 12, 2003 Brian I agree, this won't work. Number one these idiots didn't learn from the NHL hockey doesn't work in southern cities. 2nd when it goes up against the Wild in Minnesota, it will fail because the nhl has far better talent. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
budbowl77 Posted July 12, 2003 Share Posted July 12, 2003 from the way this looks...its already doomed to fail. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Puckguy14 Posted July 12, 2003 Share Posted July 12, 2003 I'll say that WHA-II should look at Canadian cities and dedicated towns that the NHL left. Up in Canada like Winnipeg, Hamilton, Quebec City, Saint John(?). Down here cities like Kansas City, Cleveland, Orlando (where the Solar Bears were huge), and even San Francisco (where the IHL Spiders did fairly well). 2004 San Jose Sharks 7th Man Fan of the Year San Jose Gold Miners - 4x Lombardi Cup Champions Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jkrdevil Posted July 12, 2003 Share Posted July 12, 2003 I think Hartford would be a good fit. It's just far enough outside the NY market where it wouldn't be competing that much with the 3 New York metro team.Also,Brian where did you here the news of this new WHA Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Discrim Posted July 12, 2003 Share Posted July 12, 2003 I think Hartford would be a good fit. It's just far enough outside the NY market where it wouldn't be competing that mush with the 3 New York metro team.Also,Brian where did you here the news of this new WHAi agree with puckguy on that assessment...give teams to cities the NHL forgot and also to places that went down with the IHL(i miss that league)...but not cities that already have NHL (i.e. Phoenix area, L.A., NYC...pure stupidity but probably what they'll go for) A strong mind gets high off success, a weak mind gets high off bull Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CDunn Posted July 12, 2003 Share Posted July 12, 2003 They should definately put their focus on Canada. Teams in cities with NHL teams seems like a bad move. However, if there was a team to come to Atlanta, the prices were lower, and the product wasn't terrible, I'd go watch. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JQK Posted July 12, 2003 Share Posted July 12, 2003 If thyese guys play their cards right, and the get the NHL lockout/strike, they have a chance to weasle their way in, and maybe have a good foothold.And let's all be honest.. there is no way, NO WAY, that the NHL is getting a new CBA in time for 04-05, so this definantly could work... Stay Tuned Sports Podcast Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Puckguy14 Posted July 12, 2003 Share Posted July 12, 2003 And let's all be honest.. there is no way, NO WAY, that the NHL is getting a new CBA in time for 04-05, so this definantly could work...There is a better chance that the San Jose Sharks make the western conference finals over Colorado rather than Goodenow and Bettman actually WORKING on the CBA rather than prepping for a work stoppage. 2004 San Jose Sharks 7th Man Fan of the Year San Jose Gold Miners - 4x Lombardi Cup Champions Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DEAD! Posted July 12, 2003 Share Posted July 12, 2003 Puckguy14Posted on July 12 2003,04:09There is a better chance that the San Jose Sharks make the western conference finals over Colorado rather than Goodenow and Bettman actually WORKING on the CBA rather than prepping for a work stoppage.That could happen! Just believe...... follow me....... close your eyes ........breathe deeply...... and........... I saw, I came, I left. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mac the Knife Posted July 12, 2003 Share Posted July 12, 2003 The WHA is doing something that the USFL barely missed doing back in the 80's - they are timing their launch to coincide with a labor stoppage in the "big" league.Had the USFL launched in 1982 as opposed to 1983, there's a slightly greater possibility (albeit, a remote one) that the league would've been successful. People cared about the NFL product, and were pissed when the '82 strike hit.The WHA is banking on the NHL going on strike, presumably for the year-plus that everyone is saying will be the case. There's a fundamental difference here though - not enough people give a damn about hockey in the cities they'll be playing in. Even with the WHA playing and the NHL not, not enough people are going to watch the WHA product... and to tell the truth, I'm not sure how many will watch the NHL product if there's a strike. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JQK Posted July 12, 2003 Share Posted July 12, 2003 The USFL was doing great in spring. What killed them is moving to fall to go against the NFL. Trump killed that league.Even withthe stoppage, i don't thenk the USFL would be around, because one the NFL came back, it was over anyway. I believe, that if the USFL stayed in spring, we would have a successful, and profitable springtime football league today. Stay Tuned Sports Podcast Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mac the Knife Posted July 12, 2003 Share Posted July 12, 2003 JQ:You should read "The $1 League" by Jim Byrne, or look at some of the research I have on the USFL - the league was dead in the water in mid-1983. They just didn't realize it yet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jkrdevil Posted July 12, 2003 Share Posted July 12, 2003 Don't worry the WHA also plans to put team in europe shortly after they launch. And players thought west-coast trips were hard. You would think these people wouild relize that there is no room for a new major pro sports league with over-expansion in every sport. Also, for those of you who havn't seen the new WHA logo here it is copy/paste.WHA Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian in Boston Posted July 12, 2003 Author Share Posted July 12, 2003 I've found info on the new WHA via several sources including The Sports Business Journal, local newspaper coverage, wire-service reports, Our Sports, etc.As for the long-term viability of this new sports venture, let me make a few things clear: First of all, I readily admit that the NHL will experience a lockout/strike in 2004-2005. At least part - and more likely all - of the season will be lost due to the work stoppage. I'm also willing to bet that when the NHL returns to action (and it WILL return to action), it stands a very good chance of having lost at least a couple of franchises in weaker markets and support from a portion of its fan base. So, the work stoppage will allow the new WHA to establish a foothold for a season's worth of play. The real question is with regard to what sort of long-term prospects the new league might enjoy upon the NHL's return. IMHO, history shows that it won't have much of a shot.The so-called "Big 4" in North American sports are the NFL, MLB, the NBA and the NHL. The All-American Football Conference, American Football League, World Football League and United States Football League have all come and gone from the Fall-season pro football landscape (the USFL without even playing a game after its initial spring seasons); the NFL survives. The Continental Baseball League, Global Baseball League and United Baseball League were all nothing more than press-conferences and the glimmer in prospective owners' eyes; MLB has lost some of its "national pastime" cache, but lives on. The American Basketball Association and original World Hockey Association lasted long enough to place a few franchises each in the longer-lasting, better-supported, more successful NBA and NHL, respectively. So what does history say that the long-term prospects of this new league are? Slim and none... and slim just left the building.On a specific franchise-siting note, while former New England/Hartford Whalers' owner (and original WHA co-founder) Howard Baldwin has mentioned that he would love to return "major" professional ice hockey to Hartford - presumably in the new WHA - there is no chance of that happening under current circumstances. The presence of the AHL's Hartford Wolfpack isn't the only obstacle in and of itself. More importantly, Madison Square Garden Corporation owns and manages the Hartford Civic Center. They just happen to be the parent company of the NHL's New York Rangers. I can't believe for one minute that they are going to rent the Hartford Civic Center to a team in a rival league, displacing their own farm team at the same time. Unless someone has plans to build a new facility in Hartford, or to buy the Civic Center from Madison Square Garden Corporation, the return of major professional hockey to Connecticut's capital is a dream... at best.Brian in Boston Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DEAD! Posted July 12, 2003 Share Posted July 12, 2003 Well perhaps he can make good use of the Mohegan Sun arena. Conneticut is not a BIG state right? I saw, I came, I left. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.