What if the Flames cannot play in Calgary for 2013-14?

[Flames Draft Watcher]

Don't really get this thread. All the Flames season ticket holders are mostly based in Calgary. You just can't have them playing out of Saskatchewan, Red Deer or wherever.

It's Calgary or throw in the towel on the season.

[PeteMoss]

Originally Posted by Flames Draft Watcher

Don't really get this thread. All the Flames season ticket holders are mostly based in Calgary. You just can't have them playing out of Saskatchewan, Red Deer or wherever.

It's Calgary or throw in the towel on the season.

I'm sure the NHLPA would have a slight issue with that unless the players still get paid and if the players are getting paid the owners are going to want some revenue. So they'd be playing somewhere.

[Resolute 14]

Originally Posted by MrCallahan

I'm willing to bet that the NHL will front a lot of money to help make sure the Saddledome is ready for home opener.

They did this for the Heritage Classic, if McMahon Stadium was missing something that needed to be in place in time, the NHL just sent in their own guys and fronted the cost immediately. Not sure if the Flames had to pay for it in the end, but the NHL played a big part in getting McMahon ready, and I can see them doing the same thing for the Saddledome.

That being said, I'm sure that would depend on the damages. Structural damage could make them look for possible alternatives.

The NHL did not front the Flames money for the Heritage Classic. The NHL bought the game from the Flames. Everything about that event was in the NHL's control.

[Resolute 14]

Originally Posted by Flames Draft Watcher

Don't really get this thread. All the Flames season ticket holders are mostly based in Calgary. You just can't have them playing out of Saskatchewan, Red Deer or wherever.

It's Calgary or throw in the towel on the season.

If the arena is unavailable, you have no choice. The fact that the New Orleans Hornets' season ticket holders resided in Louisiana didn't top the team from temporarily relocating to Oklahoma City. In an emergency situation, odd things happen. And with that said, "throwing in the towel on the season" is absolutely not an option. If they came back and said there was enough damage that the building would be out of commission into the season, the Flames would be calling somewhere home, but they would be playing.

[Brannigans Law]

Originally Posted by Table 5

This is such a silly debate to be having.....we might as well be discussing Stanley Cup parade routes for next season. The Dome will be just fine when the season rolls around. it might not be perfect, but it will be usable. The Flames have stated as such, and so does common sense. Moving the team to Saskatoon, or any other place, seems likely an infinitely bigger logistical headache than not having a Jumbotron for a few weeks.

Honestly though isn't there a chance this is underestimating the damage done and the time to fix everything? Katrina put the Superdome in New Orleans out for a whole NFL season... now obviously the damage to Katrina was a little more intense and the size of the Dome is much larger compared to our Saddledome.. but it took over a year before the place was operational again for a professional sports team. I think hoping it to be ready in 4 months is wildly optomistic.

[Resolute 14]

I have very little doubt that the arena will be operational in time, myself. But that doesn't mean we can't discuss what would or could happen in the hypothetical scenario where they find damage is significantly worse than expected.

[Plett25]

Saskatoon also works because visiting teams often play in Edmonton he night before/after. Changing the location of all the October games from Calgary to Saskatoon could be done in September if the repairs are going slower than expected.

Wouldn't be ideal, but if they need an extra month to get the dome ready, a five game NHL ticket pack would be a pretty easy sell in Saskatoon even at the last minute

[Sidney Crosby's Hat]

I would think that even if the only thing you can do is repair the ice plant, playing in a Saddledome with 5,000 less seats, zero concessions and no scoreboard is still a better experience than watching or playing in the Corral (or Saskatoon, or Edmonton, or wherever).

[Nittmo]

send our beloved Flames to Saskatoon for a season, do the re-build/new build properly...the saddledome is wrecked electrically..squash it and start new

[Vulcan]

What happened to the Whalers when their roof collapsed.

January 18, 1978 - At 4:30 am, under the weight of snow and ice, the Hartford Civic Center Coliseum roof collapses. The Whalers are forced to relocate to Spingfield while the Civic Center is repaired and enlarged.

I could see them temporarily moving to Saskatoon as there are no alternative sites in Calgary.

[MolsonInBothHands]

Maybe the NHL use the opportunity to test out a potential new market like Quebec city or Seattle, or wherever there is a new stadium being built on spec?

[djsFlames]

I'd be sad to watch the francophones get their hands on our beloved team. However, it would be cool to have another community get behind us, maybe make some new fans along the way.

STHs would have a big issue with it, though.

[Jacks]

Originally Posted by Sidney Crosby's Hat

I would think that even if the only thing you can do is repair the ice plant, playing in a Saddledome with 5,000 less seats, zero concessions and no scoreboard is still a better experience than watching or playing in the Corral (or Saskatoon, or Edmonton, or wherever).

I agree. Concessions can be brought in, even if they have to use food trucks out front. Beer can be served in cans that are on ice. Lounges can be set up in tents if needed. Even if they have to play the first month on the road the seats can be replaced, they may not be as cushy in the Pres club though. The only things that are truly needed are the ice plant, the lights and the PA system.

They should be fast tracking the new arena.

[Acey]

Originally Posted by Flames Draft Watcher

Don't really get this thread. All the Flames season ticket holders are mostly based in Calgary. You just can't have them playing out of Saskatchewan, Red Deer or wherever.

It's Calgary or throw in the towel on the season.

You realize that other professional sports teams have had damaged arenas and played elsewhere, right?

[Textcritic]

Originally Posted by Nittmo

send our beloved Flames to Saskatoon for a season, do the re-build/new build properly...the saddledome is wrecked electrically..squash it and start new

Ken King said as much in his press conference that the flood damage to the Saddledome will have no effect on the plans for the new building. The extent of the damage does not change the fact that the Flames will need a new building in the course of the next five years, but also that they will still need a place to play in Calgary in the interim. The Saddledome will need to be repaired; otherwise, the Flames would be displaced from Calgary for a minimum of three full seasons.

[getbak]

You really can't compare this to New Orleans after Katrina because that was a whole other level of disaster. 80% of the city was flooded and between 80 and 90% of residents were evacuated (the whole city was under an evacuation order, but some people either couldn't or wouldn't leave).

The New Orleans Arena was actually relatively undamaged by Katrina, but the Hornets still played nearly two full seasons in Oklahoma City. They were already a struggling organization, and if anything, Katrina probably helped them survive because they were one of the rallying points for the city. For both of the seasons they played in OKC, they still played a few games in New Orleans.


For the 2010 flood in Nashville, the football stadium was actually flooded worse than the hockey arena. It was a similar level of flooding as the Saddledome, where the field and dressing rooms were under at least 6 feet of water. Even then, the Titans' 2010 season went off without any disruption. The first game at the stadium was 3 months after the flood, and they played every home game as scheduled.

[sekimet]

The flames WILL play in Calgary this coming season. People are blowing this flooding WAY WAY out of proportion. So take some breaths, relax, and let's focus on the draft!

[casucks]

Originally Posted by FlamesFanStrandedInEDM

-Tour around smaller towns that are still in "Flames(NHL) friendly territory" (Red Deer, Lethbridge, Medicine Hat, Saskatoon, Regina, etc)

Best idea I think! It would draw in some new fans and give fans in those communities a huge boost in cheering for their pride and joy!

[FlamesAddiction]

As someone else mentioned, I think the most likely scenario is that the Flames start the season at home in the Saddledome, even if it is only part capacity.

They will get in and fix the necessities right away (electrical and structural), then they can work on some of the cosmetic details even if it goes into October or November.

The next option would probably be Saskatoon, but I see that as maybe 5% likely.

[gunnner]

Originally Posted by Flames Draft Watcher

Don't really get this thread. All the Flames season ticket holders are mostly based in Calgary. You just can't have them playing out of Saskatchewan, Red Deer or wherever.

It's Calgary or throw in the towel on the season.

Hard to argue with such a well orchestrated opinion. I will take it a step further and suggest they should probably shut the entire NHL down indefinitely until the saddledome is fit for action. And why stop there, I dont think its fair if the NFL,CFL, and MLB continue to enjoy pro sports while electricians wearing rubber boots are rewiring the boom box in the flames dressing room. If the flames score a goal and Babara Streisand does not play, did they really even score? The show must not go on!