Quote:
Originally Posted by Joborule
If the Staples Centre can handle two basketball teams and a hockey team, while having a bajillion other events occur in that venue, any venue can theoretically handle three hockey teams.
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I guess I'm not really saying they couldn't do it, just that it would be nealry impossible on different levels.
-The Staples centre juggles those teams because they are all major sports teams, that routinely sell out, so it's justified.
-Los Angeles has other large venues, like the Hollywood Bowl so they don't miss out on major tours due to scheduling conflicts.
-To add to that, not only is the Saddledome our only large venue for major concerts, but Calgary, unlike LA is a city that most tours won't bend over to make sure they hit our city. So we need to have flexibility with dates in order to get those acts in.
-Even in Canada, major city centres don't typically go crazy for junior/minor league hockey, especially when that city already has an NHL team.
-The hitmen are drawing in the 6-7k range with no NHL team to compete against at the moment. You add another non NHL team to the Dome, and you're likely splitting most of the types of fans that will go to Hitmen games regularly, between the Hitmen and Heat. You're not likely going to get a whole different type of fan that doesn't go to Flames or Hitmen games coming out of the woodwork and buying Heat tickets.
-Yes, they are the Flames affiliate, and yes there is always farm team interest from hardcore fans, so a message board like Calgarypuck may give off the impression that there are thousands of Flames fans foaming at the mouth to go see the up and comers on a nightly basis/ But unfortunately that isn't the case with most of the city. The average fan thinking is more along the lines of "I'd rather just watch those players when/if they make the NHL."
So overall, it seems like it could work on paper, but the reality is when you combine the logistical issues of a city with one aging hockey arena suitable for junior/pro teams, with the fact that you'd be putting a junior team and a minor league affiliate against eachother for a small portion of city residents that will pay money to see non NHL hockey, and you've got a recipe for disaster.