New IHA?

[lopernv]

I saw it on TSN SportsCenter.

Can anyone find the story?

[DEAD!]

I saw it on TSN SportsCenter.

Can anyone find the story?

You mean this?

http://tsn.ca/nhl/news_story.asp?id=126634

Rudy Giuliani is behind this?

[Brass]

Yeah. Wasn't the WHA suppossed to return too?

[Ez Street]

Yeah. Wasn't the WHA suppossed to return too?

yeah May 20th, does anyone remember that lie.....

Bobby Hull Tourney?

WTF?

[Brass]

Yeah. Wasn't the WHA suppossed to return too?

yeah May 20th, does anyone remember that lie.....

Bobby Hull Tourney?

WTF?

Once May 19th came around, they probably changed it.

[youcan'tseeme]

IHA will never be worth $5 Billion. If they get the Canadian teams from the NHL and a couple americans teams. Add Winnipeg and Quebec and play to go into Europe in 5 years then they got a league i'll watch but I doubt it.

[jkrdevil]

IHA, don't mention that name on these boards.

The 5 billion number seems about right. That's about what the NHL was worth pre-lockout. If they can raise that money and get the players the league will be a success. It seems this will be more successful than the WHA because of the ablity to raise money and get the league off the ground. It seems like with Gulliani involved the possible league could get Wall Street money.

It seems that before they announce anything they want to make sure they have the sponsors and the players lined up. They want to get all the ducks in a row. That's the only way a new league can start up.

[Wild Winger]

To tell u the truth, I really enjoy my minor league hockey more than the NHL now. I mean come on, when u think about it. The guys in the minors are real hockey. Sure, they may not be as fast and have the moves like the pros. But, that is the point of the minor league system, to build talent. And in minors, the guys out there are skating their butts off trying to win the game. Not just for themselves, but for the fans. Those guys appreciate the fans and want to win for them and their city/town. They play for pride and trying to get to the next level. That is something that the so-called "best players in the world" forgot long ago. So, as far as this new league goes, I'll believe it when I see it. For now, I'll just keep enjoying my home town Richmond RiverDogs.

[Bleujayone]

As much as I'd like someone to make a serious attempt at another major hockey league, how serious can one take any league who mentions such places as Portland, Omaha, Las Vegas, other southern US locals, but leaves out very obvious hockey markets that already have NHL and AHL present? If you're unwilling to put teams in all major markets, you won't be taken seriously as a major league.

If a group of investors really has as much money as some groups claim to have, then why don't they just get on with it and start up a league already? Sign all the biggest super-stars players to healthy contracts (which should be no problem considering what they are currently being paid in Europe), put franchises in big markets, and get on with it. Unless the lockout stops these players do not have to honor their current NHL contract, and when their contracts do expire they may choose to stay in much the same way many players went to the WHA in the '70s. Even if the NHL comes back shortly thereafter, they are going to have a difficult task getting back up to speed if their players, fanbase, and television coverage are tied up with another league. A 50-year old fan who's followed the Leafs or Bruins for decades may not stray as easily, but an 8-year old, who's looking for more current players to follow isn't going to have the same emotional investment, and could care less about the financial politics. All he/she really cares about is that hockey isn't being played. The younger fans are going to care less and less about tradition and loyalty the longer the lockout goes, eventually they are simply going to root for whoever's playing, and when a league loses its youngest fans, its future is in the most danger.

In short, if there's a group of people ready to form a new league (IHA, WHA, or otherwise) they should quit specualting what the NHL will do next, get off their collective rear-ends, put to gether the ultimate hockey league, and be prepared to go to total war against the NHL in terms of business. The time to strike is now while hockey fans have NO alternatives. If they are being this slow and cautious they either are being lead by people with little confidence, or they simply do not have the financial horsepower they claim to. Even if the NHL take another year off, at this point I'm not convinced we're going to see any other serious major league take to the ice.

[omnivore]

As much as I'd like someone to make a serious attempt at another major hockey league, how serious can one take any league who mentions such places as Portland, Omaha, Las Vegas, other southern US locals, but leaves out very obvious hockey markets that already have NHL and AHL present? If you're unwilling to put teams in all major markets, you won't be taken seriously as a major league.

If a group of investors really has as much money as some groups claim to have, then why don't they just get on with it and start up a league already? Sign all the biggest super-stars players to healthy contracts (which should be no problem considering what they are currently being paid in Europe), put franchises in big markets, and get on with it. Unless the lockout stops these players do not have to honor their current NHL contract, and when their contracts do expire they may choose to stay in much the same way many players went to the WHA in the '70s. Even if the NHL comes back shortly thereafter, they are going to have a difficult task getting back up to speed if their players, fanbase, and television coverage are tied up with another league. A 50-year old fan who's followed the Leafs or Bruins for decades may not stray as easily, but an 8-year old, who's looking for more current players to follow isn't going to have the same emotional investment, and could care less about the financial politics. All he/she really cares about is that hockey isn't being played. The younger fans are going to care less and less about tradition and loyalty the longer the lockout goes, eventually they are simply going to root for whoever's playing, and when a league loses its youngest fans, its future is in the most danger.

In short, if there's a group of people ready to form a new league (IHA, WHA, or otherwise) they should quit specualting what the NHL will do next, get off their collective rear-ends, put to gether the ultimate hockey league, and be prepared to go to total war against the NHL in terms of business. The time to strike is now while hockey fans have NO alternatives. If they are being this slow and cautious they either are being lead by people with little confidence, or they simply do not have the financial horsepower they claim to. Even if the NHL take another year off, at this point I'm not convinced we're going to see any other serious major league take to the ice.

I think it's branding. They're afraid that it would be too much. Plus, they know these leagues would never sell, but they're trying their best to look like real players.

Running the NHL as a single-entity would certainly make it fall off the earth, as if it hadn't already. Just doesn't make a ton of sense.

I agree that it's time for a rival league. But I think that most pro sports leagues in today's world are operating under the presumption that the Big 4 will always be that.

While I can understand why...it just seems like a pretty stupid idea to hold onto.

[jkrdevil]

As much as I'd like someone to make a serious attempt at another major hockey league, how serious can one take any league who mentions such places as Portland, Omaha, Las Vegas, other southern US locals, but leaves out very obvious hockey markets that already have NHL and AHL present? If you're unwilling to put teams in all major markets, you won't be taken seriously as a major league.

If a group of investors really has as much money as some groups claim to have, then why don't they just get on with it and start up a league already?   Sign all the biggest super-stars players to healthy contracts (which should be no problem considering what they are currently being paid in Europe), put franchises in big markets, and get on with it.  Unless the lockout stops these players do not have to honor their current NHL contract, and when their contracts do expire they may choose to stay in much the same way many players went to the WHA in the '70s. Even if the NHL comes back shortly thereafter, they are going to have a difficult task getting back up to speed if their players, fanbase, and television coverage are tied up with another league.  A 50-year old fan who's followed the Leafs or Bruins for decades may not stray as easily, but an 8-year old, who's looking for more current players to follow isn't going to have the same emotional investment, and could care less about the financial politics. All he/she really cares about is that hockey isn't being played. The younger fans are going to care less and less about tradition and loyalty the longer the lockout goes, eventually they are simply going to root for whoever's playing, and when a league loses its youngest fans, its future is in the most danger.

In short, if there's a group of people ready to form a new league (IHA, WHA, or otherwise) they should quit specualting what the NHL will do next, get off their collective rear-ends, put to gether the ultimate hockey league, and be prepared to go to total war against the NHL in terms of business.  The time to strike is now while hockey fans have NO alternatives. If they are being this slow and cautious they either are being lead by people with little confidence, or they simply do not have the financial horsepower they claim to.  Even if the NHL take another year off, at this point I'm not convinced we're going to see any other serious major league take to the ice.

I think it's branding. They're afraid that it would be too much. Plus, they know these leagues would never sell, but they're trying their best to look like real players.

Running the NHL as a single-entity would certainly make it fall off the earth, as if it hadn't already. Just doesn't make a ton of sense.

I agree that it's time for a rival league. But I think that most pro sports leagues in today's world are operating under the presumption that the Big 4 will always be that.

While I can understand why...it just seems like a pretty stupid idea to hold onto.

I disagree with that. It has worked for MLS with little teams movement and they have been able to build up their league. Single ownership would mean all revenues would be equal shared by each team as they have 1 owner. Each team would have different presidents and front office. They still would compete on the ice and for players off of it. The only difference would be each teams budget for players would be the same so their would be an unofficial salary cap.

As for the other post on why these new leagues would be going to places like portland. I think it has to do with Arena availability. A lot of the arenas or owned or partially owned by NHL owners. Thus, they wouldn't be able to get a lease to play their. And with the non-nhl owned rinks that are home to NHL teams what does an arena do when the lockout ends. 1 of the teams most likely will have to leave and the Arena will probably keep the NHL teams as they are older and more established. So they have to look at places where they can have teams. Places with nba teams but not NHL, like portand, is a good fit because they have a big enough arena.

What these leagues have to do is go to these smaller market places and sign big names away. Hoping that can in return let them move into bigger markets.