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Originally Posted by Ozy_Flame
The last two games Abbottsford played in the 'Dome pretty much had attendance that would fill the entire lower bowl.
Don't forget - the Flames are building a new arena, and the Saddledome isn't going away - it just wouldn't be the Flames home arena anymore.
I'm pretty sure there is enough fans in a metro area of over 1 million to draw a respectable 5-10k fans per game. This is a city with a insane lust for hockey and alot of money. I believe the Flames season ticket wait list is a good indication of this.
And as for the "cannibalization" of the Hitmen, I don't think it would happen. Different brand of hockey, and fans stay loyal to their teams. Plus, the ticket pricing for Hitmen games allows it to separate from NHL caliber home games. The Hitmen have been around long enough for people to recognize that.
Even in Abbottsford, before they moved to Victoria and after the Heat had already rolled into town, the Chilliwack Bruins were averaging 3400 per game.
I would be optimistic of the Heat succeeding in Calgary, although that doesn't necessarily imply the Flames would be the best owner for both the Hitmen and the Heat. I think the market is here though.
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I am 99% sure the Dome would be torn down as soon as the Flames have a new arena. It would be too expensive to maintain a rink of that size without an NHL team as a tenant.