NHL Expansion in 2010?

[scooter13]

I heard something yesterday that I found very interesting.

Why it never crossed my mind before, I don't know.

Regarding the situation in Nashville.

Since our friend Boots screwed up, his stake in the steam will be sent to bankrupcy court.

As we know, the bankrupcy judge doesn't give a flying you-know-what about who/what buys his stakes...all he wants to do is recoup the losses. I mean that's the guy's job.

So the NHL is basically going to have no say in who ends up with 30% of the Preds is the working theory.

Which of course leads up to the whole "own 30% is majority, and after 2 more seasons the majority owner can opt out of the contract at the areana if they don't average 14,000......" ect.

Yeah, they may have no say in who ends up with it. However, I am sure that there are stipulations that will make it a non-controlling/hands-off ownership.

Not that this would be a precedence, but I remember when Wayne Huizenga sold Blockbuster, it was to Viacom and part of the payment (if not all) was giving him stock. Since Viacom was/is associated with the MSG Network and the Rangers at the time, Huizenga's stock became "non-voting" because of conflict of interest. Now, this was through the SEC. I don't know all the in's and out's of Boots case, but I am sure that that kind of control over that portion of the team will be something that the NHL's lawyers will work for and be able to obtain.

[GMac]

Here's the thing if and when the NHL expands or moves a team it will be KC or Vegas because..

1 KC is absolutely begging for anyteam to come to their new arena thats just sitting there so you know there will be breaks and incentives for any team that moves to it.

2 Vegas is also a shoe in because Jerry "money bags" Bruckheimer wants in really really really badly and he wants it in Vegas... throw in they would be the only true professional team in vegas, that could be a drawing card but you never know till you try.

3 They are both American Markets... Bettman may think he can dangle the carrot in front of hockey fans when he says a move to Winnipeg would be "intriguing" but the fact of the matter is he needs the american households to get a better tv deal, cuz the one they have is terrible and is not viable for the future of the game. If he thought Canadian expansion was feasible he would have allowed Basille by the preds and move them to southern ontario, where they wouldnt have been within the leafs or sabres markets and had a HUGE fan base already there. If there can be essentially 3 teams in the NYC/NJ market another team in Ontario wouldnt kill the friggin leafs.

[Luigi74]

All this talk about expansion/contraction/relocation is why I designed my XHL concepts in the first place.

I know the logos were laughed at, but the idea is fundamentally sound:

A new league, all based in CFL stadiums.

I know Canadian fans would fill that.

Explain to me how your suppose to play a April playoff game in a outdoor stadium, let alone a 82 or so game schedule. Vancouver, one of the strongest Canadians markets couldn't even do one outdoor game.

A shorter season lasting from mid-November to early March would be one way to do it.

[Korbyn]

All this talk about expansion/contraction/relocation is why I designed my XHL concepts in the first place.

I know the logos were laughed at, but the idea is fundamentally sound:

A new league, all based in CFL stadiums.

I know Canadian fans would fill that.

Explain to me how your suppose to play a April playoff game in a outdoor stadium, let alone a 82 or so game schedule. Vancouver, one of the strongest Canadians markets couldn't even do one outdoor game.

A shorter season lasting from mid-November to early March would be one way to do it.

Less Hockey ... YIKES!

I am still recovering from the lack of hockey in 2004/05

[Shane Does Art]

All this talk about expansion/contraction/relocation is why I designed my XHL concepts in the first place.

I know the logos were laughed at, but the idea is fundamentally sound:

A new league, all based in CFL stadiums.

I know Canadian fans would fill that.

Explain to me how your supposed to play a April playoff game in a outdoor stadium, let alone a 82 or so game schedule. Vancouver, one of the strongest Canadians markets couldn't even do one outdoor game.

BC Place has a roof.

The other CFL stadia without rooves would need upgrades, but it would work fine once they were in place.

I don't like that idea at all...

[TrueYankee26]

There isn't enough talent in the hockey world to suppourt a 32-Team NHL.

I would rather have a strong 26 team league that if fun to watch, full of talent and has good stability anyday. The question then which four teams get the boot ...

Devils, Islanders, Panthers, Predators

[McCall]

There isn't enough talent in the hockey world to suppourt a 32-Team NHL.

I would rather have a strong 26 team league that if fun to watch, full of talent and has good stability anyday. The question then which four teams get the boot ...

Devils, Islanders, Panthers, Predators

Considering they just completed their first season in a brand spanking new arena, and the team has had some winning success, I highly doubt they'd ever be contracted.

[Magnus]

All this talk about expansion/contraction/relocation is why I designed my XHL concepts in the first place.

I know the logos were laughed at, but the idea is fundamentally sound:

A new league, all based in CFL stadiums.

I know Canadian fans would fill that.

Explain to me how your suppose to play a April playoff game in a outdoor stadium, let alone a 82 or so game schedule. Vancouver, one of the strongest Canadians markets couldn't even do one outdoor game.

A shorter season lasting from mid-November to early March would be one way to do it.

Yes. Exactly what I was thinking. 72 games can fit easily in a span from November to the end of March.

I don't like that idea at all...

Why?

[rams80]

All this talk about expansion/contraction/relocation is why I designed my XHL concepts in the first place.

I know the logos were laughed at, but the idea is fundamentally sound:

A new league, all based in CFL stadiums.

I know Canadian fans would fill that.

Explain to me how your supposed to play a April playoff game in a outdoor stadium, let alone a 82 or so game schedule. Vancouver, one of the strongest Canadians markets couldn't even do one outdoor game.

BC Place has a roof.

The other CFL stadia without rooves would need upgrades, but it would work fine once they were in place.

And walls in some cases IIRC.

How would these renovations be paid for pray tell? I thought Canada was less cool on the whole concept of "city funds pleasure palace for sports team" thing.

[Korbyn]

All this talk about expansion/contraction/relocation is why I designed my XHL concepts in the first place.

I know the logos were laughed at, but the idea is fundamentally sound:

A new league, all based in CFL stadiums.

I know Canadian fans would fill that.

Explain to me how your suppose to play a April playoff game in a outdoor stadium, let alone a 82 or so game schedule. Vancouver, one of the strongest Canadians markets couldn't even do one outdoor game.

A shorter season lasting from mid-November to early March would be one way to do it.

Yes. Exactly what I was thinking. 72 games can fit easily in a span from November to the end of March.

I don't like that idea at all...

Why?

Because he is a hockey fan as such he doesn't want to watch less hockey.

[Magnus]

All this talk about expansion/contraction/relocation is why I designed my XHL concepts in the first place.

I know the logos were laughed at, but the idea is fundamentally sound:

A new league, all based in CFL stadiums.

I know Canadian fans would fill that.

Explain to me how your supposed to play a April playoff game in a outdoor stadium, let alone a 82 or so game schedule. Vancouver, one of the strongest Canadians markets couldn't even do one outdoor game.

BC Place has a roof.

The other CFL stadia without rooves would need upgrades, but it would work fine once they were in place.

And walls in some cases IIRC.

How would these renovations be paid for pray tell? I thought Canada was less cool on the whole concept of "city funds pleasure palace for sports team" thing.

My thoughts are that the corporations that put up the funding to own the various new teams (like Bombardier and BCE) would have ample capital to provide for the necessary renovations. If not, I'm sure the fans would support the team. The Riders and Stamps are already fan-owned.

[Shane Does Art]

All this talk about expansion/contraction/relocation is why I designed my XHL concepts in the first place.

I know the logos were laughed at, but the idea is fundamentally sound:

A new league, all based in CFL stadiums.

I know Canadian fans would fill that.

Explain to me how your suppose to play a April playoff game in a outdoor stadium, let alone a 82 or so game schedule. Vancouver, one of the strongest Canadians markets couldn't even do one outdoor game.

A shorter season lasting from mid-November to early March would be one way to do it.

Yes. Exactly what I was thinking. 72 games can fit easily in a span from November to the end of March.

I don't like that idea at all...

Why?

I don't want to watch a Canadian League that's about 10 teams tops... Why would I want to watch a League, with the same 10 teams, outdoors during the winter all the time.?

Do you really think players with the chance to get to the NHL, or who play in the NHL, would bother with another major league?

[CC97]

I don't want to watch a Canadian League that's about 10 teams tops... Why would I want to watch a League, with the same 10 teams...

Now we know why Ottawa can't keep a CFL team

[rams80]

All this talk about expansion/contraction/relocation is why I designed my XHL concepts in the first place.

I know the logos were laughed at, but the idea is fundamentally sound:

A new league, all based in CFL stadiums.

I know Canadian fans would fill that.

Explain to me how your supposed to play a April playoff game in a outdoor stadium, let alone a 82 or so game schedule. Vancouver, one of the strongest Canadians markets couldn't even do one outdoor game.

BC Place has a roof.

The other CFL stadia without rooves would need upgrades, but it would work fine once they were in place.

And walls in some cases IIRC.

How would these renovations be paid for pray tell? I thought Canada was less cool on the whole concept of "city funds pleasure palace for sports team" thing.

My thoughts are that the corporations that put up the funding to own the various new teams (like Bombardier and BCE) would have ample capital to provide for the necessary renovations. If not, I'm sure the fans would support the team. The Riders and Stamps are already fan-owned.

Why would the corporations want to buy into your Canadian Super League? It may show a modest profit in the long run, but the start up costs are quite higher than you make them out to be. As for the fans....do you have any comprehension of how many bake sales it would take to fund one conversion project?!

[Magnus]

I don't want to watch a Canadian League that's about 10 teams tops... Why would I want to watch a League, with the same 10 teams, outdoors during the winter all the time?

Do you really think players with the chance to get to the NHL, or who play in the NHL, would bother with another major league?

In response to your first point, I want rooves over the stadia (see above); as well, die-hard fans would argue that better hockey was played when there were less teams in the NHL.

As for the argument about talent level, that remains to be seen. It can't be any worse than what the NHL will be watered down to when the KHL really takes off.

My argument is based on the fact that Bettman is basically ignoring Canada to try desperately to get a TV deal in place. My plan would address that differently.

I would put together international TV deals with European countries instead, and even go so far as to schedule a prime time matchups at 1 PM EDT so that in the EU it would start at 7 PM local time.

[Magnus]

dp

[Magnus]

As for the fans....do you have any comprehension of how many bake sales it would take to fund one conversion project?!

Well, I think that argument depends on the size of the cookies being sold.

A few ten-story cookies would probably fetch a good few million apiece.

I still have about 12 years until the date I would ideally like to start this league, so I'm sure that the economic situation will have changed somewhat from now.

But as the NFL has shown on numerous occasions, some cities that are passionate about their team actually are willing to pony up cash through taxes to pay for stadia that house the teams they worship.

I don't know for sure. That's obvious. But I think this idea has a good shot.

[rams80]

I don't want to watch a Canadian League that's about 10 teams tops... Why would I want to watch a League, with the same 10 teams, outdoors during the winter all the time?

Do you really think players with the chance to get to the NHL, or who play in the NHL, would bother with another major league?

In response to your first point, I want rooves over the stadia (see above); as well, die-hard fans would argue that better hockey was played when there were less teams in the NHL.

Teams'd still try to "trap".

As for the argument about talent level, that remains to be seen. It can't be any worse than what the NHL will be watered down to when the KHL really takes off.

Assuming it does. I agree with the line of thought that feels this is much ado about nothing.

My argument is based on the fact that Bettman is basically ignoring Canada to try desperately to get a TV deal in place. My plan would address that differently.

I would put together international TV deals with European countries instead, and even go so far as to schedule a prime time matchups at 1 PM EDT so that in the EU it would start at 7 PM local time.

Ok....you lost me. How is that better than what Bettman is doing?

[CC97]

My argument is based on the fact that Bettman is basically ignoring Canada to try desperately to get a TV deal in place. My plan would address that differently.

I would put together international TV deals with European countries instead, and even go so far as to schedule a prime time matchups at 1 PM EDT so that in the EU it would start at 7 PM local time.

Ok....you lost me. How is that better than what Bettman is doing?

Yeah I'm lost too... the big beef CBC had with the NHL was when they were scheduling what would normally be HNIC 7pm Saturday night games at 1pm for NBC -- your solution to fix this is to schedule games at 1pm ET to benefit the EU. Bravo!

[Sabrejeff]

I think after the Sonics left, you should try and get a team to Seattle, thats the only place that expansion makes sense. I guess the NHL hasn't learned their lesson about expanding to quickly, because the last time expansion happened it worked out real well (besides Minnesota and Columbus)

Um the last time the NHL expanded was Minnesota and Columbus. Or are you counting Atlanta and Nashville as a part of the last expansion the couple seasons before?