Quote:
Originally Posted by DiracSpike
This constant dismissal of new American cities as non-hockey markets is a micro view of what goes in to making a franchise successful. As pointed out even lower locales like Portland and San Diego have multiple times the population and GDP, along with newer arenas and the substantial advantage of making their dollars in USD and not CAD. The Flames will move without a new arena eventually, probably within 5 years.
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Maybe it's owing to the failure of the NHL to take hold in many of these big American cities with multiple times the population and GDP. Atlanta. Carolina. Miami. Phoenix. Even Colorado is averaging 4,000 fewer tickets sold per game than the Flames.
Big American city + NHL team =/= a loyal and lucrative fanbase.