NHL Metropolitan Division

[Sport]

Discover Division (the Coyotes exist on bad credit), Enterprise Division, GEICO Division (the Leafs are cavemen), Advil Division (Crosby gets headaches). Gary Bettman said this plan was not necessarily unconsidered.

LOL.

Anyways, Detroit should be in the West for the sake of rivalries (actually, doesn't this seem similar to Wisconsin when the B10 got divisions?) Columbus should be playing in the Quicken Loans Arena, and kept in the east.

NO.

I can understand the sentiment from everyone that the Blue Jackets don't need to be in the Eastern Conference and the arguments supporting it, but this is so wrong I can't let it go.

4 reasons:

1. And this is the most important one. Cleveland, with its 3 teams is already one of the most over-extended sports cities in the country. As a city they can't afford a 4th team because they can't afford 3 as it is. The Indians are a decent team and their attendance has been horrible for the last 5 or 6 years. A winter sports team in direct competition with their other winter sports team who has generations of fans would get crushed. Think Denver, but even worse because this hockey team isn't moving in with Stanley Cups.

2. Cleveland is not a hockey city. It should be what with its climate and "blue-collar sports!" attitude that's so perfect for hockey, but I've met few Cleveland natives with even a passing interest in NHL hockey. A lot of Cleveland people I know are anti-hockey fans, meaning they go out of their way to bash the sport. It seems incongruous with that city's image, but they're an NBA town with NBA people. An NHL team would only be accepted if they were instantly successful otherwise they'd get a big "who cares?" response from the good people of Cleveland.

3. The Blue Jackets have been horrible for a decade. With 3 teams of barely any success (and an everlasting losing stigma) there's no way Cleveland would've supported the same Blue Jackets run of ineptitude even close to the way they've been supported in Columbus.

4. The most obvious reason: In Columbus the Blue Jackets are the biggest professional sports team in town and they get treated as such. In Cleveland they'd be a distant 4th. Explain to me how that is a better situation for them.

Can we put this to bed now?

[tigerslionspistonshabs]

Fine, move Detroit back then. Either way, it makes no sense for both Detroit and Columbus to be in the East and leave it uneven.

^ And yes, Cleveland is not, never has been nor ever will be a hockey town.

[Evil G]

The most obvious reason: In Columbus the Blue Jackets are the biggest professional sports team in town and they get treated as such

That's because, other than the Crew, they're the only. Ohio State is the big name there.

[pcgd]

2. Cleveland is not a hockey city. It should be what with its climate and "blue-collar sports!" attitude that's so perfect for hockey, but I've met few Cleveland natives with even a passing interest in NHL hockey. A lot of Cleveland people I know are anti-hockey fans, meaning they go out of their way to bash the sport. It seems incongruous with that city's image, but they're an NBA town with NBA people. An NHL team would only be accepted if they were instantly successful otherwise they'd get a big "who cares?" response from the good people of Cleveland.

I'm gonna copy this and use it anytime anyone says St. Louis needs a NBA team. Just replace Cleaveland with St. Louis and NHL with NBA (and visa versa) it's the same situation.

[Sport]

The most obvious reason: In Columbus the Blue Jackets are the biggest professional sports team in town and they get treated as such

That's because, other than the Crew, they're the only. Ohio State is the big name there.

So they're the only one. In Cleveland they'd be a distant 4th. Explain to me how that is a better situation for them.

[Evil G]

Maybe not Cleveland, but there are other cities that likely would support the Jacks more than Columbus. Plus, if someone succeeds in putting the NBA in the Nationwide Arena, they would be a distant 2nd.

[Sport]

Maybe not Cleveland, but there are other cities that likely would support the Jacks more than Columbus.

Show me a city who would support 12 years of losing and horrible management. I'll wait.

Plus, if someone succeeds in putting the NBA in the Nationwide Arena, they would be a distant 2nd.

Maybe, but it's not gonna happen. I also don't see how it's relevant to this discussion.

[Evil G]

Plus, if someone succeeds in putting the NBA in the Nationwide Arena, they would be a distant 2nd.

Maybe, but it's not gonna happen. I also don't see how it's relevant to this discussion.

To justify the Jacks moving?

[IceCap]

Given how inept the Beej have been since entering the league I'm amazes by just how passionate the Columbus faithful have been. They've stood by this team despite the team, for the longest time, not doing anything to earn that devotion. They've proven themselves as a fanbsse deserving of a NHL team.

So yeah. Columbus is the right place for the Blue Jackets. End of story.

[Evil G]

The problem is, there isn't enough Columbus faithful.

[Sport]

The problem is, there isn't enough Columbus faithful.

That's not true either.

[Evil G]

Columbus was 28th in attendance. Even if that above statement is true, they just don't go out and support the team.

[Sport]

Columbus was 28th in attendance. Even if that above statement is true, they just don't go out and support the team.

Still waiting to hear another city that would support 12 years of losing without experiencing an attendance dip.

As was seen towards the end of last season, and by the tickets sold this offseason, a winning team will be overwhelmingly supported by this city.

[Evil G]

Quebec City? Markham?

[Kramerica Industries]

Columbus was 28th in attendance. Even if that above statement is true, they just don't go out and support the team.

Still waiting to hear another city that would support 12 years of losing without experiencing an attendance dip.

Well, any Original Six market, or a place like Philadelphia, but, well, to bring the traditional hockey markets/hotbeds into this discussion would be a really unfair trump card of sorts.

Quebec City? Markham?

We're not talking about the Coyotes.

[Evil G]

Quebec City? Markham?

We're not talking about the Coyotes.

If it was Phoenix, I would've thrown in Seattle and Kansas City.

[Sport]

Quebec City? Markham?

12 years of losing would affect even the most hardened fanbases in hockey including those two (Especially Markham). Remember, it wasn't that long ago that Pittsburgh was last in the NHL in attendance (after what, only 2 losing seasons?).

Columbus' support of this terrible team should be lauded, not condemn them as a market.

Using attendance when the team is terrible isn't all that fair an assessment.

[IceCap]

When the Jackets first started playing attendance was through the roof. Attendance was through the roof the season they made the playoffs. It's a market that's proven that it can support a team. Unlike Phoenix, which still struggled with attendance a season removed from a Western Conference Finals run. The Jackets have loyal fans, a community that's willing to support them if the team meets them halfway, and a market that the NHL should have a presence in anyway (Ohio). In a league that includes the Phoenix Coyotes of Arizona and the Florida Panthers you want to talk about moving the Blue Jackets? Child please.

[pianoknight]

After 2013, "Legends" and "Leaders" should be available.

[IceCap]

Markham?

AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! No. A second Toronto team will NEVER work. Best case scenario they'd manage to attract the small but loud "we hate the Leafs" contrarians of southern Ontario and whatever people managed to get tickets any time the Leafs happened to play them.

You know how the Clippers manage to have problems carving out their own identity in the LA sports scene because they essentially represent the same area of the LA metro area as the Lakers? A team in Markham would be that, even worse. As much as LA loves the Lakers they don't come close to being their own religion. Which the Leafs do in southern Ontario.

Also keep in mind that the Leafs could block the move on their own, and likely would too. They have a legal monopoly on pro hockey in one of, if not the, most hockey crazed markets in the world. Why would they voluntarily give that up?