Nashville Predators Being Sold?

[EatSleepJeep]

http://www.rim.net/company/maps/index.shtml

Most of the buildings on their campus are new within the last 10 years and seems like it would probably need more space than 26 acres to replace.

http://www.rim.net/news/kit/media/images/b...5x3_med-res.jpg

[xyzzyva]

I think the arena is the major factor, along with concerns that, as a smaller city, it couldn't support a fourth major league team. It would, IIRC, be the smallest city to have all four.

I'm pretty sure it's already the smallest market to have even three major league teams, and smaller than most with just two. Wisconsin is lucky to have the Packers oddity. If only more Green Bay-like situations existed in this country...

[Brian in Boston]

Any reason why Milwaukee has never been bandied about as a potential destination for an NHL franchise? Arena issues? I would have thought that the region would have made it a natural choice.

I think the arena is the major factor, along with concerns that, as a smaller city, it couldn't support a fourth major league team. It would, IIRC, be the smallest city to have all four.

The Bradley Center (where the Bucks play) was built with private money by a philanthropic family that owned the Admirals. They publicly talked about using it to lure an NHL franchise at the time.

Methinks that the much-beloved (tongue planted firmly in cheek) Bill Wirtz has lobbied amongst his fellow NHL owners long and hard against a top-tier pro ice hockey franchise being allowed to set-up shop just 91 miles from the home of the Chicago Blackhawks.

[josh_cat_eyes]

Why are we just hearing about him buying the team. Why was there no storys leading up to it or anything. For the pens it was like ok today he is doing this and tomorrow he is doing this. Purhaps he pulled out of the pens deal because he thought he had a better chance of moving the preds. My thought is he plays next season in Nashville then moves them to Hamilton until the new arena is done in Cambridge. Sounds good too me!

"Cat Eyes" - Josh

[friarcanuck]

This could be the first franchise to move in a decade. Where will they go? My guess is either Kansas City, Kitchener-Waterloo, or Hamilton.

Kitchener-Waterloo? Hamilton? You can't be serious.

What was it? Only five months ago when this very same guy said he wanted to move the Penguins to Hamilton or Kitchener-Waterloo?

I don't think it will happen because I don't think the NHL will let it happen, but the owner definitely has shown great interest in moving a franchise to either location.

I just can't see Kitchener-Waterloo or Hamilton ever happening. Sure the population and hockey fan base is there, but with Buffalo and Toronto on their door step, they're 2 governor votes down already.

Hamilton has something close to and NHL calibre arena for years with Copps, but they can't even hold an OHL team there. The last time I went to a Bulldogs game, it wasn't very packed.

Kitchener-Waterloo-Cambridge might be close to a better choice, because of their draw from cities west of Toronto like London and Windsor (if you forget about Detroit), but they'll need a new arena before even thinking of moving into the cite. The 5000+ seat Aud won't hold an NHL team.

If they go to Hamilton, there's no need to make a new logo and uniform!

Anyone remember the Canadian TV show "Power Play?"

Don't forget the Mustangs from Youngblood

[CC97]

Hamilton has something close to and NHL calibre arena for years with Copps, but they can't even hold an OHL team there. The last time I went to a Bulldogs game, it wasn't very packed.

If the AHL was able to pack NHL sized arenas then they wouldn't be a minor league.

I don't know if Hamilton would be a good place for the team -- I went to a neutral site pre-season nhl game there that was nearly empty, granted things could be different for regular season/playoff games involving their own team, I think that site in Cambridge would be a great place for a team... right off of the 401 (which is the highway that connects Detroit and Toronto, as well as other points East), and it would be right in the middle of several cities... Kitchener, Waterloo, Guelph, Brantford, Hamilton, London.

I'd certainley make the trip out to see a game, and I bet you could find 18,000 or so others in this region who'd be willing to 41 times a year.

[rams80]

Any reason why Milwaukee has never been bandied about as a potential destination for an NHL franchise? Arena issues? I would have thought that the region would have made it a natural choice.

How's support for Badger hockey?

I'm pretty sure they did try to get a team back during the early 1990s NHL expansion. The Bradley Center was still new and I think I recall seeing it was built with something of the idea of landing a NHL team.

Early thoughts on where (if they move) the Preds end up.

1) Kansas City (probably NHL's choice)

2) Houston

3) Hamilton

4a) Portland

4b) Winnipeg

4c) South Ontario (Kitchener-Waterloo)

[Gothamite]

Methinks that the much-beloved (tongue planted firmly in cheek) Bill Wirtz has lobbied amongst his fellow NHL owners long and hard against a top-tier pro ice hockey franchise being allowed to set-up shop just 91 miles from the home of the Chicago Blackhawks.

Ah, he wouldn't know a top-tier pro hockey franchise if one skated up to him and checked him into the boards.

[stevio321]

i just got an email from the preds forums that craig leopold sent us a letter about the tenth season there he gives great reasons why he sold the team

[Gothamite]

Can't wait to read that - care to share?

[illwauk]

I'd just like to point out that the Preds AHL affiliate is in a perfectly good (and much more traditional) hockey market. And it's home to some of the best indoor ice facitilies in the US.

That's a good point.

I've wondered for some time if Leipold ever considered moving the Preds to Milwaukee, considering the fact that he still lives in Wisconsin.

Wherever they move, I hope we keep the affiliation.

Speculation here is that this frees up Leipold to buy the Bucks.

If it means getting rid of the apathetic senator AND not having to worry about someone tryin' to move them from Milwaukee I'm all for it.

Now if MU (or UWM, but MU is more likely) would just get a hockey team I'd be set. It's the least they could do for refusing to bring back football.

[cappital92]

Any reason why Milwaukee has never been bandied about as a potential destination for an NHL franchise? Arena issues? I would have thought that the region would have made it a natural choice.

How's support for Badger hockey?

I'm pretty sure they did try to get a team back during the early 1990s NHL expansion. The Bradley Center was still new and I think I recall seeing it was built with something of the idea of landing a NHL team.

Early thoughts on where (if they move) the Preds end up.

1) Kansas City (probably NHL's choice)

2) Houston

3) Hamilton

4a) Portland

4b) Winnipeg

4c) South Ontario (Kitchener-Waterloo)

31.5) Hartford,CT

[illwauk]

Any reason why Milwaukee has never been bandied about as a potential destination for an NHL franchise? Arena issues? I would have thought that the region would have made it a natural choice.

How's support for Badger hockey?

Badger hockey has always been bigger than you'd expect it to be in Milwaukee. Their games have been a staple on Milwaukee Public TV for years. Although you could argue that the Wisconsin hockey program has benefitted from a monopoly of talent and fan support in a state that could realistically support at least two other programs. It makes no sense to me that the state to our west (Minnesota) has 5 D1 programs, the state to our east (Michigan) has 7 and yet we have one. I point that out because I can definetly see how someone who's unfamiliar with Wisconsin could interpret that as a lack of support.

But I think we've just been the victims of bad timing more than anything. The old MECCA is a great arena but sucks as a hockey venue. And it is relatively small (just over 10,000 seats). The Pettit's built the Bradley Center in 1986-88 to entice an NHL team to move (rumour has it they were even eyin' the Blackhawks), but that probably never materialized since Milwaukee was home to three other teams at the time. Then once the Packers left, Milwaukee was in the thick of dealing with the "rust belt" stigma and missed out on all the mid-late 90's relocations. By the time Milwaukee started showing signs of life again around 2001, the Bradley Center had already become antiquated by today's standards (even though the physical building could be the poster child for good maitinence).

[Corvus]

I always wondered that too. It's in the north, so it's relevent. I also always thought about Seattle or Portland, or are they just too close to Vancouver... as far as hockey is concerned?

Portland certainly isn't. And its a 2-3 hour drive from Seattle to Vancouver, and thats *if* the border isn't a complete nightmare. Both Portland and Seattle have long standing WHL traditions with the Winterhawks and Thunderbirds, but I have no idea what that support is like. I'm also not sure how a team in Seattle would do, with the NFL, MLB, NBA and college sports to compete with.

As a Canucks fan, I would love a team in Seattle, so that we have a relatively local rival, and a somewhat reduced travel schedule.

However, I look forward to the inaugural 2008-2009 season of the KW Blackberries.

[illwauk]

Methinks that the much-beloved (tongue planted firmly in cheek) Bill Wirtz has lobbied amongst his fellow NHL owners long and hard against a top-tier pro ice hockey franchise being allowed to set-up shop just 91 miles from the home of the Chicago Blackhawks.

Ah, he wouldn't know a top-tier pro hockey franchise if one skated up to him and checked him into the boards.

LOL, real talk.

With the way he's alienated the Blackhawks faithful, I'm sure Wirtz has done everything in his power to keep the NHL out of Milwaukee. Especially since downtown Milwaukee is a shorter commute than downtown Chicago for a lot of northern Illinois suburbs (which is where a good chunk of 'hawks fans live).

[gojetsgo]

After thinking about it more, I don't think KC is where they will end up.

Think about it:

Balsillie was engaged in a bidding war for the penguins with an ownership group from KC who were just interested in filling the Sprint Center. Why would they bid against each other if he had any intention of moving a team to KC? If he was willing to put a team in KC, they probably would have come up with a mutual deal for the Pens, rather than fighting over them.

My guess is they will end up in Hamilton despite the Leafs/Sabres objections. Besides, if New York can support two teams (although the Isles don't really get much support), Toronto sure can.

Of course, you know where I'm routing them to go.

[DEAD!]

After thinking about it more, I don't think KC is where they will end up.

Think about it:

Balsillie was engaged in a bidding war for the penguins with an ownership group from KC who were just interested in filling the Sprint Center. Why would they bid against each other if he had any intention of moving a team to KC? If he was willing to put a team in KC, they probably would have come up with a mutual deal for the Pens, rather than fighting over them.

My guess is they will end up in Hamilton despite the Leafs/Sabres objections. Besides, if New York can support two teams (although the Isles don't really get much support), Toronto sure can.

Of course, you where I'm routing them to go.

Quebec City?

[IceCap]

After thinking about it more, I don't think KC is where they will end up.

Think about it:

Balsillie was engaged in a bidding war for the penguins with an ownership group from KC who were just interested in filling the Sprint Center. Why would they bid against each other if he had any intention of moving a team to KC? If he was willing to put a team in KC, they probably would have come up with a mutual deal for the Pens, rather than fighting over them.

My guess is they will end up in Hamilton despite the Leafs/Sabres objections. Besides, if New York can support two teams (although the Isles don't really get much support), Toronto sure can.

Of course, you where I'm routing them to go.

Toronto won't have to support two teams. A team in Hamilton will be just that, a team in Hamilton. Hamilton is not Toronto. I don't think the Leafs and Sabres objections will be a problem. The Ducks managed to get the go-ahead to set up shop in Anaheim with LA right next store.

I still think Hamilton is where they're end up, all though the Cambridge land deal is interesting to say the least. If they do end up playing within the Cambridge city limits I wonder what they'll call themselves. They would be outside of Kitchener-Waterloo, and Cambridge doesn't have the marketability value. Tri-City maybe?

[gojetsgo]

Hamilton is not Toronto.

Quite true.

[CC97]

If they do end up playing within the Cambridge city limits I wonder what they'll call themselves. They would be outside of Kitchener-Waterloo, and Cambridge doesn't have the marketability value. Tri-City maybe?

Ontario