radoran Posted October 8, 2015 Share Posted October 8, 2015 You'd need a new one, no doubt, but Saskatoon already has a 15,000+ seat arena. The SaskTel Centre can hold 15,195 for hockey. If you could get people to drive from Regina on a regular basis, Saskatoon works. I'm just not so sure you could. As hockey crazed as the province is, that's still a lot to ask. 41 home games plus "playoffs"? Second level seats in CGY and EDM are $70 + fees (2013)... More expensive in the lower bowl. Again Green Bay is the only thing even close to Saskatoon in terms of size with a major sports team. They have eight home games 2 hours from 1.3 million people in Milwaukee. And are one of the deepest legacy teams in all of sport. To be clear, I like Canada a lot and would love to see a second team in Tronno. But trying to shove teams into places that simply cannot afford them isn't what the NHL is about these days. And places that are one third the size of the comparable NHL City (Winnipeg) is, unfortunately, doing exactly that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScottM Posted October 8, 2015 Author Share Posted October 8, 2015 41 home games plus "playoffs"? Second level seats in CGY and EDM are $70 + fees (2013)... More expensive in the lower bowl. Again Green Bay is the only thing even close to Saskatoon in terms of size with a major sports team. They have eight home games 2 hours from 1.3 million people in Milwaukee. And are one of the deepest legacy teams in all of sport. To be clear, I like Canada a lot and would love to see a second team in Tronno. But trying to shove teams into places that simply cannot afford them isn't what the NHL is about these days. And places that are one third the size of the comparable NHL City (Winnipeg) is, unfortunately, doing exactly that. I agree. I simply meant to point out that while Saskatoon has a lot more things going for it than people think, the nearby population is a killer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
radoran Posted October 8, 2015 Share Posted October 8, 2015 I agree. I simply meant to point out that while Saskatoon has a lot more things going for it than people think, the nearby population is a killer. I mean, some people question having a team in Buffalo (which is four times the metro size and with as rabid a hockey-mad population as you will ever find south of the border) AND has Rochester's additional population 90 minutes away AND the Niagara peninsula just across the Peace Bridge AND an NHL legacy. And we want a team in Saskatoon? This isn't to make fun of Saskatoon - again, I like Canada - but rather to just look at the economic reality of the situation. Having a team in Saskatoon does nothing for the league in any meaningful sense. Not in TV ratings. Not in merchandise revenue. Nothing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScottM Posted October 8, 2015 Author Share Posted October 8, 2015 I mean, some people question having a team in Buffalo (which is four times the metro size and with as rabid a hockey-mad population as you will ever find south of the border) AND has Rochester's additional population 90 minutes away AND the Niagara peninsula just across the Peace Bridge AND an NHL legacy. And we want a team in Saskatoon? This isn't to make fun of Saskatoon - again, I like Canada - but rather to just look at the economic reality of the situation. Having a team in Saskatoon does nothing for the league in any meaningful sense. Not in TV ratings. Not in merchandise revenue. Nothing. The bold part is the only thing I might disagree with. The Saskatchewan Roughriders are the reason. Everything else, though? Spot on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
radoran Posted October 8, 2015 Share Posted October 8, 2015 The bold part is the only thing I might disagree with. The Saskatchewan Roughriders are the reason. Everything else, though? Spot on. Jeez, did not realize they sold $10M in Roughriders merch. That's crazy. But the CFL salary cap per team is Andrew MacDonald's salary. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScottM Posted October 8, 2015 Author Share Posted October 8, 2015 Jeez, did not realize they sold $10M in Roughriders merch. That's crazy. But the CFL salary cap per team is Andrew MacDonald's salary. IIRC, only the Habs and Leafs have bigger merchandise sales than the Riders in Canada. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScottM Posted October 9, 2015 Author Share Posted October 9, 2015 And don't forget that Hamilton Ontario tried for a team. They support Leafs and Sabres Hamilton would do better than Saskatoon. The population base is about 720,000, and there are enough fans in the area that I think it could support another team. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
radoran Posted October 9, 2015 Share Posted October 9, 2015 Hamilton would do better than Saskatoon. The population base is about 720,000, and there are enough fans in the area that I think it could support another team.Yeah, but I really consider that A "second Tronno" team (and I think I referenced that earlier in the thread). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScottM Posted October 9, 2015 Author Share Posted October 9, 2015 Yeah, but I really consider that A "second Tronno" team (and I think I referenced that earlier in the thread). I knew you mentioned Toronto, but my bad if I missed the Hamilton reference. Wasn't the fact that Canada already has Hamilton the reason the Canadians on the board didn't want Buffalo when we Americans offered it a while back? Lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
radoran Posted October 9, 2015 Share Posted October 9, 2015 Aside from another team in Tronno (be it "Hamilton" or wherever) the Canadian market is tapped out once Quebec comes online. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WordsOfWisdom Posted October 12, 2015 Share Posted October 12, 2015 Indeed. Money talks. I just don't see how they will draw enough attendance for any sustenance there. To use an analogy, maybe the NHL is like a college: They will sell you a degree if you're willing to pay for it, but they don't care whether you ever get a job out of it or not. The NHL is in the business of selling teams to well heeled customers. Whether the team succeeds or fails doesn't really matter. The expansion fee is just free money for the league. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yotes Jackets Posted October 21, 2015 Share Posted October 21, 2015 What does this mean for the future of the Coyotes in Phoenix? I think this franchise could have succeded had they put the rink in Scottsdale instead of Phoenix. Also having a winner on the ice would have helped a lot. There are hockey fans here and the youth game has really picked up. It's just an hour drive (to the rink) from the money and fans that love the game. I'd be sad to see the Yotes go but I can't blame them. To move to Vegas just wouldn't make sense. Seattle would be a better destination. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
radoran Posted October 21, 2015 Share Posted October 21, 2015 I'd be sad to see the Yotes go but I can't blame them. To move to Vegas just wouldn't make sense. Seattle would be a better destination. They're talking about expansion for Vegas and for Quebec. Nothing has been done about Seattle - and I don't think they have a suitable rink there at this point. So the Yotes are short-term safe. Long term, the NHL likes having a team in the 12th largest media market in the country. Gotta agree with your assessment of Glendale, though... I do think the top two teams targeted for relocation would include Arizona and Florida. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yotes Jackets Posted October 21, 2015 Share Posted October 21, 2015 They're talking about expansion for Vegas and for Quebec. Nothing has been done about Seattle - and I don't think they have a suitable rink there at this point. So the Yotes are short-term safe. Long term, the NHL likes having a team in the 12th largest media market in the country. Gotta agree with your assessment of Glendale, though... I do think the top two teams targeted for relocation would include Arizona and Florida.Ahh thank you for clarifying Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WordsOfWisdom Posted October 22, 2015 Share Posted October 22, 2015 I do think the top two teams targeted for relocation would include Arizona and Florida. My thoughts haven't changed. I think there's no chance that the league expands right now. There is simply no interest. They are going to move existing teams to new locations. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
radoran Posted October 22, 2015 Share Posted October 22, 2015 My thoughts haven't changed. I think there's no chance that the league expands right now. There is simply no interest. They are going to move existing teams to new locations. They have a billion dollars worth of interest from Quebec and Vegas. That seems something that would make NHL owners Very Interested. As we've discussed, I'd rather them relocate Florida to Quebec and put two teams in the West to balance out the Conferences. I really hate the unbalanced Conferences and Divisions. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScottM Posted October 22, 2015 Author Share Posted October 22, 2015 They have a billion dollars worth of interest from Quebec and Vegas. That'd make me interested. Very interested. My thoughts haven't changed. I think there's no chance that the league expands right now. There is simply no interest. They are going to move existing teams to new locations. Now, put yourself in the place of a team owner. You'd be interested too. Even factoring that out, saying there's no interest is just plain wrong. Quebec has been dying to get a new team for years. I think the interest in Vegas will subside and it'll turn into another Phoenix, but for now, the prospect of something new -- a top level professional sports team -- is drawing plenty of interest. No interest? Yeah, there's interest. There's a lot of interest. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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