[Rumour] NHL to expand to 34 teams? Houston and Atlanta

[Manhattanboy]

Originally Posted by zamler

#### off Gary league is watered down enough as it is.

For what it’s worth at the lunch last week Bettman said there are no plans at all to expand beyond the current 32 teams.

[Reggie Dunlop]

A 36 team league would probably be the end goal, whatever the timetable.

[Ozy_Flame]

Originally Posted by butterfly

The recent American expansion teams have been an absolute success. Six years later and Las Vegas is still selling standing room tickets, after they missed the playoffs. Leading the league in attendance percentage. Seattle tickets are among the most expensive in the league.

And yes, there's no reason why there shouldn't be two Toronto teams.

Las Vegas - IMO - has a unique demographic and ticket pull base. I wouldn't compare it against anything else since it's a tourist dynamo. That said, it is a success, I agree.

There is no reason why the Golden Horseshoe shouldn't have a 2nd team. There's over 8 million people in the area.

And I wouldn't put it past fans to be fans of both the new team and the Leafs. A second team opens up game access to people further out from the GTA (unless its placed in Markham). They'll pick battles when the two face each other.

[Rutuu]

Originally Posted by ComixZone

Also Quebec and Calgary are small market teams, so yeah...I actually don't think you're far off. It's pretty wild that Alberta actually has two teams given our limited population.

The numbers you refer to get mentioned a lot, but they need to be cut a few different ways.

#1: Count number of hockey fans...there is an acquisition cost to converting non-hockey fan population figures.

#2: Big metro populations can help with number 1, but they should be looking at a population density map in correlation with #1 as folks don't travel huge distances for a sport that plays 2-4 times a week.

#3: A traditional cable TV market is dead, the big tv deal isn't coming south of the border as it doesn't exist anymore. Concentrate on sustainably profitable locations. A European foothold / division makes more sense if they really want to "grow the game".

[Muta]

[FlamesAddiction]

Whatever happened to Portland? For a while, they, along with Houston, were always considered the next locations.

[iamca]

Never a fan of Gary Bettman.

He way past his apex, not sure he had one as commissioner, but he needs to go.

Stop trying to grow the game in the US when you have a team In Arizona that has been perpetually propped up by the league.

Adding teams now is further diluting the on ice product.


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[MoneyGuy]

Are Calgary and Edmonton really small-market cities? Total populations are smaller but consider the numbers of people who care about hockey and will buy tickets and swag.

[Locke]

Originally Posted by MoneyGuy

Are Calgary and Edmonton really small-market cities? Total populations are smaller but consider the numbers of people who care about hockey and will buy tickets and swag.

I suppose its relative, but I would wager that yes, they still qualify as 'small market.'

Its not really just about the population size, its about the reach. For example, look at the Metropolitan Division.

Those are HUGE markets with the exception of Columbus and maybe Carolina.

[activeStick]

Maybe y'all know better than me but I've been going to Quebec City regularly now as my new client is there and the city streets are dead after the dinner crowd finishes. I guess the population might be enough but boy, the city seems dead.

[Paulie Walnuts]

Originally Posted by iamca

Never a fan of Gary Bettman.

He way past his apex, not sure he had one as commissioner, but he needs to go.

Stop trying to grow the game in the US when you have a team In Arizona that has been perpetually propped up by the league.

Adding teams now is further diluting the on ice product.


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He's probably the reason we still have a team. He's done many things wrong but he helped most Canadian teams stay put.

[Flames1217]

Originally Posted by activeStick

Maybe y'all know better than me but I've been going to Quebec City regularly now as my new client is there and the city streets are dead after the dinner crowd finishes. I guess the population might be enough but boy, the city seems dead.

Nightlife is great here.

Which part of the city are you staying at ?

[Tuco]

Is there enough talent in the league for 2 more teams?

[Sylvanfan]

Well if the Flames and Coyotes can get new arenas are there any teams left who have not got a new building or two during Bettmans time besides the Rangers who never will?

[Strange Brew]

Originally Posted by Reggie Dunlop

A 36 team league would probably be the end goal, whatever the timetable.

Why?

[White Out 403]

Originally Posted by Flames1217

If Atlanta gets another shot before Quebec City I will legit be pissed.

Bro that's step 1 to getting the Nords back

[butterfly]

Originally Posted by FlamesAddiction

Whatever happened to Portland? For a while, they, along with Houston, were always considered the next locations.

Have you been there recently? It's a death spiral.

[Reggie Dunlop]

Originally Posted by FlamesAddiction

Whatever happened to Portland? For a while, they, along with Houston, were always considered the next locations.

[Strange Brew]

Everyone has complaints about certain cities.

Before anything else, you need an owner willing to plunk down what is likely to be close $1 billion for a franchise. Expansion teams aren't granted to cities, they are granted to multi billionaires.

[sharkov]

Since Atlanta has relocated to Canada twice, this would mean nordiqies are confirmed to return in 15 years