McKenzie NHL Expansion targets: #1 Seattle and #2 Las Vegas

[sureLoss]

http://www.tsn.ca/videohub/?collection=72&show=256381

• Seattle is primary target
• Las Vegas is 2nd on list (NHL wants to be first pro team in Las Vegas)
• Quebec City will be considered if NHL decides to expand by 3 teams

[3rd line Grinder]

I dont see Quebec as a likely expansion target for the NHL. Not with so many teams in the sun belt struggling. More likely that a team like Florida will move there rather than put a brand new team there

[devo22]

with the new alignment, not really surprising that two Western cities are the top candidates. For Quebec they'd have to change it again. All you have to do with Seattle and LV is put them into the Pacific and shift Phoenix to the Central, done.

[Jacks]

Originally Posted by 3rd line Grinder

I dont see Quebec as a likely expansion target for the NHL. Not with so many teams in the sun belt struggling. More likely that a team like Florida will move there rather than put a brand new team there

Florida makes a nice profit thanks to their sweetheart arena deal.
Explanation here
http://blogs.edmontonjournal.com/201...at-lose-money/

[Husky]

Seattle would be great. A "sports place with lots of other stuff to do too.

[FlamesAddiction]

Originally Posted by 3rd line Grinder

I dont see Quebec as a likely expansion target for the NHL. Not with so many teams in the sun belt struggling. More likely that a team like Florida will move there rather than put a brand new team there

Not sure that it would be the Florida teams, but I agree that the league likes having a relocation option in their back-pocket. When the threat of leaving is real, the other teams can use it to leverage arena funding.

[TurdFerguson]

Me: heading down to Vegas to catch the ... Umm... Hockey game.
Wife: ok, I guess. Good seats? ( looking at tickets)
Me: ummm
Wife: spearmint rhino...is that the teams name?
Me: guess so. Gotta go!

[Cali Panthers Fan]

Seattle makes sense. Good hockey market there. Portland would be a better choice before Vegas, but there's more money in LV, so financially it's a better idea. The last sporting franchise in Las Vegas that I can remember was the CFL's Las Vegas Posse…and that was pathetic.

[Cheerio]

I see Seattle and Kansas City as the top 2 options

[TurnedTheCorner]

Went to Vegas to watch the draft last summer. Going for a game seems like a natural extension.

[codynw]

I could see Vegas doing well because of all the tourists, no?

[Da_Chief]

I really hope they're not serious about expanding with 3 teams all together. The talent is already watered down, adding three teams together will only make it worse.

As a Flames fan

2 really bad teams in so now we'll have to compete with 2 more crappy teams for top picks in our rebuild.

vs

2 bad teams coming in when we don't have much talent so we shouldn't lose any impact players.

I hope they wait 4-5 years so we can properly re-build.

[Cali Panthers Fan]

Originally Posted by codynw

I could see Vegas doing well because of all the tourists, no?

You need about 10 000 season ticket holders and the boxes sold out. Boxes won't be a problem with all the casinos and big spenders, but you need a solid fan base that actually lives in the city, otherwise you're going to have attendance issues. Florida Panthers and Phoenix Coyotes were built around the idea of snowbirds from both the colder U.S. states and Canada, but that hasn't worked out very well so far for either team.

Tourism might sell out single games, but you need a stable and loyal fan base to attend when the Columbus Blue Jackets are in town.

[Lanny_McDonald]

Las Vegas will be a terrible market. There is a reason why other leagues have stayed away. Too many entertainment options.

[Sidney Crosby's Hat]

Originally Posted by codynw

I could see Vegas doing well because of all the tourists, no?

The problem is, that's risky isn't it? In order to make it work in the NHL you need a big season ticket base but it would be difficult to build one in Vegas. Most people who live in Vegas don't really like going near the strip (or they work on the strip, which means they probably work in the evenings).

I suppose it could work if your season ticket base is a collection of all the hotels on the strip who then turn around and sell them to the tourists (or offer it to them in gambling incentives and that sort of thing). It definitely wouldn't be your typical NHL model, though.

[Joborule]

Originally Posted by Da_Chief

I really hope they're not serious about expanding with 3 teams all together. The talent is already watered down, adding three teams together will only make it worse.

I don't even know how they could do 3 since it would make the league unbalanced. They should include another team to expand by 4.

I figure that they're not very serious about that though. It'll be 2 with Seattle for sure being one, and Quebec City would probably be via relocation if one is to occur soon. Otherwise QC would have to wait for a while till the league expands by 2 again.

[Da_Chief]

Vegas has a population of ~500 000 with no major team to support. This is exactly why NHL wants to be the first one. You look at Florida/Phoenix they have plenty of other choices, Vegas folks don't. This is why I think it will work.

Last year they had 40 million tourists. Vegas will be a hit but make sure they start winning soon.

I could probably arrange a group of people overnight for a Flames game in vegas. Every fan base will do that with all other entertainment option available. 2 for 1 basically.

[Sidney Crosby's Hat]

Originally Posted by Joborule

I don't even know how they could do 3 since it would make the league unbalanced. They should include another team to expand by 4.

I figure that they're not very serious about that though. It'll be 2 with Seattle for sure being one, and Quebec City would probably be via relocation if one is to occur soon. Otherwise QC would have to wait for a while till the league expands by 2 again.

The NHL did have an odd number of teams from 1978 to 1991 so it's not like they wouldn't do it for that specific reason.

Also, I'm sure Toronto will have a second team at some point in the next 10 years.

[albertGQ]

Originally Posted by TurnedTheCorner

Went to Vegas to watch the draft last summer. Going for a game seems like a natural extension.

You went to Vegas to watch the draft that was held in New Jersey?

So if you go to Vegas for a game will you just go to the pub and watch the Devils on TV?

[undercoverbrother]

#### NHL, just get a team back in Quebec City.