Put your "new" wha thinking caps on...

[Brian in Boston]

Well, the new incarnation of the World Hockey Association has wrapped up its inaugural meetings... and they seemed to have succeeded in creating more questions than delivering answers.

The league announced that representatives of fifteen cities were on hand. However, based on the announcements that were made, I count sixteen cities as having been in attendance:

Birmingham, Alabama

Chicago, Illinois

Cincinnati, Ohio

Cleveland, Ohio

Halifax, Nova Scotia

Hamilton, Ontario

Jacksonville, Florida

Miami, Florida

Orlando, Florida

Phoenix, Arizona

Portland, Oregon

Quebec City, Quebec

San Francisco/Oakland, California (Their designation... not mine.)

St. Louis, Missouri

Toronto, Ontario

Vancouver, British Columbia

Of the sixteen cities, ten "committed" to participating in the league's inaugural season: Chicago, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Hamilton, Orlando, Portland, Quebec City, St. Louis, Toronto and an unnamed Canadian city that will play host to a team comprised entirely of Russian players. Said city will be determined and announced at a later date.

So... what happened to the previously announced franchise sites of Phoenix and Minneapolis? Phoenix was in attendance, but wasn't listed as an inaugural season site. Minneapolis wasn't represented at the meetings. Given the league's past announcements about shooting for teams in twelve markets, as well as the previous naming of Phoenix and Minneapolis as franchise sites, are we to assume that Phoenix and Minneapolis are, in fact, in?

Oh... here's a good one: the Toronto-based franchise is reportedly exploring playing its games at SkyDome! Does that sound like a good idea to ANYBODY?!?!? And is Toronto ready for its THIRD professional hockey team?

But enough about the details. It's time to put our thinking caps on and brainstorm identity packages for these squads. Will the teams in former WHA markets simply adopt the names of their original WHA franchises? Will they use similar logos? Can we assume that the NHL aquired the Nordiques name in its merger with the original WHA, and if so, where does that leave the "new" WHA's Quebec franchise?

Brian in Boston

[NickNickNick]

From TSN.ca:

Looks like Toronto's professional hockey scene will once again have the "Toros" as a member

http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/news_story.asp?ID=63956

[Phil]

Oh... here's a good one: the Toronto-based franchise is reportedly exploring playing its games at SkyDome! Does that sound like a good idea to ANYBODY?!?!? And is Toronto ready for its THIRD professional hockey team?

For the first part, no, except for the fact that people will go because it's hockey... in SkyDome... until everybody realizes 'this sucks, it's better in the ACC', and head back there.

For the second part, yes, especially if there is an extended lockout. I think people will be put off enough by the NHL to not want to support it, and in turn want to support the renegade league... do I think they'll get huge support? No, but more than some other teams.

By the same token, won't that be the third Chicago team (or have the Wolves packed up without me noticing)?

[GMac]

Whoa whoa WHOA... when did they say they are going to 4 on 4 hockey... that idea is completly new to me... i can see no red line, but 4 on 4.... thats a stretch...

but that article on TSN... Gino likes running his mouth saying the AHL and the OHL are no talent leagues... if the NHL gets their crap together and there is no lock-out the same is going to be said about WHA...

I have to say I have a slight problem with the WHA, with only 16 team maximum... the NHL "superstars" will be fine and they will be able to make somewhat a living for their families in the WHA however the role players will be locked out, and will lose leverage in bargaining when they lose the numbers because of WHA defectors....

[STL FANATIC]

Does anybody really think the NHL and the Players are really gonna let the lockout happen? I really don't. That said, I'm pretty excited about this league, especially if St. Louis gets a team. They do btw have a UHL team as well (well in St. Charles).

[Discrim]

By the same token, won't that be the third Chicago team (or have the Wolves packed up without me noticing)?

no, the wolves are still in chicago.

[CC97]

Hell, if they crack the lid at skydome for a couple of games i'll be there.

[DEAD!]

Hell, if they crack the lid at skydome for a couple of games i'll be there.

With the way SkyDome's roof is built I think mother nature will one day crack the roof! Oh Wait! My mistake! I'm thinking of the big O

[TylorTyler]

For the first part, no, except for the fact that people will go because it's hockey... in SkyDome... until everybody realizes 'this sucks, it's better in the ACC', and head back there.

I'm not sure if you live in Toronto or not, but it is extremely hard, practically impossible for just anyone to get a ticket to a hockey game here. It's mostly, probably 80% corporate... and I think that if we can get a good brand of hockey at a good price, your gonna see a lot of people show up. And if the new Toronto team was any good... just like the Raptors and the Rock, who successfully built up a fan base, people are gonna come to the show.

It's a big city and I think people are looking for the chance to get off the couch, and take the family out to a sporting event and not have to take out a bank loan to do that.

Simply... "heading back" to the ACC is not an option in this town, if you don't have the big bucks.

[CC97]

Then there's the Roadrunners, who I really wanted to see many times this year until they announced their ticket prices....   standing room at a Roadrunners game is the same price at a Leafs game   ???   Granted you're closer, but if the Toros are only going to charge $5 a ticket... i am so there!  Hell that's cheaper than an OHL game.

[Puckguy14]

Wow SF/Oakland.  Interesting combo.  Sounds like they haven't worked out a deal at the Cow Palace, Oakland Arena, or even the 1,000 seat Berkeley Iceland.  

But as I went through the press releases, I noticed they have 6 teams already playing?

The WHA2 has six member teams for the 2003 ? 2004 season: the Alabama Slammers, Jacksonville Barracudas, Lakeland Loggerheads, Macon Trax, Miami Manatees, and Orlando Seals. Each team will play a 60-game schedule. Every game will be broadcast on www.irn.fm.

Someone explain this to me?

[NickNickNick]

The WHA2 is an entirely different league from the new WHA.

The WHA2 is made up of old ACHL teams, I believe.  They do appear to be affiliated...

WHA:

http://www.worldhockeyassociation.net/

WHA2:

http://www.wha2.com/

[DEAD!]

Then there's the Roadrunners, who I really wanted to see many times this year until they announced their ticket prices.... standing room at a Roadrunners game is the same price at a Leafs game ??? Granted you're closer, but if the Toros are only going to charge $5 a ticket... i am so there! Hell that's cheaper than an OHL game.

OK $5 a ticket, but where will you be sitting? 18th row in the 500 level! Puh-leeeese! But, $5 is $5! Me, I'd rather pay $50+ to sit in the first row at a Rock game (assuming the players go off strike)!

[Ez Street]

Once again no Kansas City franchise. GRRRRRRRRRR :angry:

[Primal]

Can we assume that the NHL aquired the Nordiques name in its merger with the original WHA, and if so, where does that leave the "new" WHA's Quebec franchise?

I think a resurrected Nordiques would be very cool, if the franchise could get its hands on the name rights. They could finally put that spiffy "never used" identity package out on the ice!

And what would the NHL have to gain by not selling off the name? It's useless otherwise (unless there's some plot afoot to relocate the Avs back there that I'm not privy too...)

[umlegend]

I think Detroit is a better market for 2 teams than St. Louis,  Oakland, Minneapolis, Chicago and ESPECIALLY Phoenix.  When Karmonos bought the Whalers, his first plan was to find a way to move them to suburban Detroit, namely the Palace of Auburn Hills, home of the Pistons.  The Wings claimed exclusive territorial rights to the area in regards to an NHL team.  They would not have the same rights if it was a different league.  When we had the IHL Vipers at the Palace it did great while the teams were half way decent.  Then, they started to suck really bad and attendence followed.  That would be a grerat place for a team.  It was great when the Vipers had Satan, Samsonov, and Bondra (not all at the same time).

[yh]

There has been absolutely no news whatsoever on a St. Louis franchise.  I am not aware of there being any local interests looking to place a WHA team in St. Louis so I am already very skeptical of whatever source is providing this info.  Let's see some names.

[CC97]

Then there's the Roadrunners, who I really wanted to see many times this year until they announced their ticket prices....   standing room at a Roadrunners game is the same price at a Leafs game   ???   Granted you're closer, but if the Toros are only going to charge $5 a ticket... i am so there!  Hell that's cheaper than an OHL game.

OK $5 a ticket, but where will you be sitting? 18th row in the 500 level! Puh-leeeese! But, $5 is $5! Me, I'd rather pay $50+ to sit in the first row at a Rock game (assuming the players go off strike)!

Well you're ticket would be way up there... you just have to know how to manuvre your way down there  (just don't dare try it at a blue jays game!   )

[CJR]

I think Detroit is a better market for 2 teams than St. Louis, Oakland, Minneapolis, Chicago and ESPECIALLY Phoenix. When Karmonos bought the Whalers, his first plan was to find a way to move them to suburban Detroit, namely the Palace of Auburn Hills, home of the Pistons. The Wings claimed exclusive territorial rights to the area in regards to an NHL team. They would not have the same rights if it was a different league. When we had the IHL Vipers at the Palace it did great while the teams were half way decent. Then, they started to suck really bad and attendence followed. That would be a grerat place for a team. It was great when the Vipers had Satan, Samsonov, and Bondra (not all at the same time).

I just wonder where the hell the Detroit team would play. Not at the Joe, Ilitch would block them out. Same for the Palace with Davidson, I would think, since an NHL owner wouldn't want to support a WHA team in any way. Does Cobo still have ice? I didn't think it did. Ford Field or the Silverdome, like the Toronto team that would be in SkyDome? Of those two it would have to be the Silverdome as it'd be too expensive to put up and take down ice around the Lions schedule at Ford Field.

[Suigi]

Well, hold on a dad-blamed minute!

Whatever happened to Winnipeg?

Bobby Hull said, and I quote:

"Winnipeg is at the top of our list."

Why would the Golden Jet skip over the franchise that was practically NAMED for him?

BTW, go Nords! Whoo!