Will Fort McMurray eventually get a WHL team?

[Jets4Life]

I know there is not much talk of the WHL expansion short-term. However, do you think it's inevitable that Fort McMurray will eventually land a WHL team, either through expansion or relocation? According to the 2010 census, there are nearly 77,000 people living in Fort McMurray.

I know there arena capacity is a problem (2,300), but my guess is that it is only a matter of time before the city starts to talk about building a 7500 seat arena, specifically designed to attract the WHL, and bigger entertainment events to the city. Thoughts?

[krazycanuck]

Nope, for a couple reasons:

The biggest thing is the travel, if they join the central division they'll have to play games regularly in Cranbrook, which is over 1100kms away. I know Prince George is already viewed as an outpost, but even that about 750kms to Vancouver. Travel to Lethbridge and Medicine Hat for a Ft. McMurray team would also be in the 900km+ range.

The arena issue is a huge thing to overcome. If I'm not mistaken they did just renovate their AJHL arena so justifying sinking money into a new spectator arena wouldn't fly easily. With all the infrastructure issues they're struggling to keep up with, I can't see it happening.

Finally, I don't know how that city would do with a WHL team. Sure, the population is huge and booming. But how many people there have an interest in supporting a local team? The transient population doesn't seem to lend itself to season tickets.

[Resolute 14]

If you add a team to Fort Mac, the Ice would certainly move back to the BC Division. But truth be told, I'd probably put a team in Grande Prairie first, though the same issue with a small arena exists there too. The city of GP is over 50,000 population, but has a market area of 250,000 - though a large percentage of that is too far away to be expected to come to games with any regularity. But it is a more permanent population than Fort McMurray.

That said, if you can believe it, now that the Calgary Vipers are done, someone decided to put a North American Baseball League team in Fort McMurray to pair up with Edmonton. I'm curious to see if it actually gets off the ground.

[604flames]

New rink is a must, though the Oil Barons are consistently one of the better supported AJHL clubs of late no?

Teams in the BCHL complain about roads when they come to play the Smokies I can only imagine what WHL teams would think about Highway 63.

[Locke]

Name Contest Time!

The Fort Mac Blow
The Fort Mac Lot Lizards
The Fort Mac Forts!

[Matty81]

I think it's just a matter of when. The size of the oil reserves there coupled with the decline in wells, I bet there are 150-200 k up there in 15-20 years.

Also once the construction slows, all the camp dudes leave, and all the projects are in production mode like they were in the 80s and it'll settle down and be a decent place to live again if you don't mind the ridiculous coldness.

[604flames]

They're definitely thinking about it..

http://www.mymcmurray.com/municipali...southern-tour/

[Maritime Q-Scout]

All they'd have to do is charge Fort McMurray a travel subsidy fee to make it affordable for the other teams to travel there. The QMJHL did that when they expanded into the East.

I don't recall if Bathurst, PEI, or Saint John had to pay travel subsidies, but Halifax, Moncton, Cape Breton, and St. John's all did.

This of course is assuming they get a new stadium, an expansion or relocation.

Heck, the Q would have no problem giving them a team. The Q is so over expanded I'm surprised that there aren't 47 teams in Montréal alone!

[Muta]

I can confirm that an arena is in the plans there, and that whole process is more underway than most think.

[Jets4Life]

Originally Posted by 604flames

New rink is a must, though the Oil Barons are consistently one of the better supported AJHL clubs of late no?

Teams in the BCHL complain about roads when they come to play the Smokies I can only imagine what WHL teams would think about Highway 63.

By the time Fort McMurray would land an WHL team, I would imagine that Highway 63 will be fully twinned.

[Jets4Life]

Fort McMurray should draw WHL or AHL Team

http://www.mymcmurray.com/fort-mcmur...-team-germain/

“We’ve got to start thinking big, thinking bold, and moving ahead,” he said. “I think it’s very realistic that we become a WHL city or become an AHL city, something along those lines, when we’re 250,000 [in population].”

Germain says he’s focusing on the current expansion plans at Macdonald Island, but he hopes a new five thousand to eight thousand seat arena will eventually be built downtown as well.

“When we build it, I want it to be clear that the interface between that baseball [stadium], the lower townsite redevelopment, and the new hockey arena, has to be well thought-out to get the same kind of synergetic relationship that they have in Columbus and in Kansas City,” he insisted.

[killer_carlson]

I have no doubt that if this was serious, that their corporate sponsorship opportunities would rival most NHL franchises.

The travel would be the biggest thing, followed by the rink.

[shermanator]

An AHL team in Fort Mac? Hmmm, would definitely be an interesting spot to put them.

[Northendzone]

Originally Posted by Locke

Name Contest Time!

The Fort Mac Blow
The Fort Mac Lot Lizards
The Fort Mac Forts!

upgraders?
tailings?
mighty ducks?

[killer_carlson]

Ft. Mac Economy Savers
Ft. Mac Job Providers
Ft. Mac Money

Personally, I like the team name "Money".

Imagine the sports broadcast.....tonight the Marlies are visiting the Money in Ft. Mac....

[Notorious Honey Badger]

Fort McMurray Skanks
Fort McMurray Rig Pigs

[Matty81]

I'd say bring the Oil Barons name over. There's also some pretty good stories about the first guys who explored the area via canoe and a ton of local wildlife if they want other options.

Sadly no oil rigs even up there but I'm guessing by your other super clever skanks suggestion that it was just a bad attempt at humor.

[Resolute 14]

Originally Posted by shermanator

An AHL team in Fort Mac? Hmmm, would definitely be an interesting spot to put them.

Not a chance in hell.

It's WHL or bust for Fort Mac.

[Sylvanfan]

Originally Posted by Northendzone

upgraders?
tailings?
mighty ducks?

Dirty Ducks

[Flickered Flame]

with the Broncos in trouble, there is a potential relocation from Swift Current.