I'm wondering how we missed this, he apparently said it Wednesday on a Fan590 interview. End of the day it's very bizarre and idiotic for him to say it though, this tactic works in the NFL because they've mastered it and until last year had LA as a legit threat for leverage, plus they don't have multiple markets underwater like the NHL does. Seattle doesn't work, the NHL team would be at best fifth in the sports pecking order and maybe even all the way down at seventh. Kansas City....don't make me laugh. Toronto 2, that's it, that's the list, and that won't just cost a relocation fee, but the payoff to the Leafs and Sabres to go into the market. It's actually a remarkably empty threat. It seems like they're really clinging to the hope Calgary is made up of a bunch of emotional people who can't think logically. Pretty insulting really.
I can't think of who else you have on the list but I assume you meant 6th, if they got an NBA team too.
Seahawks, Mariners, Sounders, Huskies, Sonics.
Then would be the NHL team.
Although the mariners and sounders are mostly summer sports and wouldn't typically be in direct competition and the huskies are done by the first week of December.
It would be a huge black eye for the city to lose the Flames to Quebec City.
Of course someone like you would be ok with huge amounts of public money in a city where many people are struggling financially to Billionaires to pay for their toys.
Can we merge all the arena discussion. For some reason I'm captivated by the repetitive circle of arguments being presented but hate that I have to follow two threads.
I can't think of who else you have on the list but I assume you meant 6th, if they got an NBA team too.
Seahawks, Mariners, Sounders, Huskies, Sonics.
Then would be the NHL team.
Although the mariners and sounders are mostly summer sports and wouldn't typically be in direct competition and the huskies are done by the first week of December.
No I mean 7th. Basketball is significantly more popular than hockey in Seattle. UW basketball just hired a potential top level coach. So if that pans out and they can become a consistent top 20 team, it would likely go...
Seahawks
New Sonics
UW Football
Mariners
UW Basketball
Sounders
Hockey team
When the teams compete against each other is irrelevant. Doesn't change the fact that there are not unlimited corporate sponsor dollars and fan dollars for tickets. Obviously being at the absolute best fifth on the totem pole is not ideal for an NHL team, unless it's like the Rangers in New York or Kings in LA when you have 15+ million people. In a CSA of less than 5 million like Seattle? Probably not going to end well. Portland would probably be better since you'd only have to compete with the Blazers.
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"Think I'm gonna be the scapegoat for the whole damn machine? Sheeee......."
I don't live in Calgary so I voted the top one. That being said, I think sports teams are part of the fabric of a city and therefore I am one of the few who actually thinks that cities should chip in to fund arenas.
I visit many cities specifically because they have a sports team. I know many others that are like this. That is tourism dollars.
I am not a basketball fan, so I have zero desire to ever go to San Antonio for example. No MLB, NHL or NFL team, not going.
I don't live in Calgary so I voted the top one. That being said, I think sports teams are part of the fabric of a city and therefore I am one of the few who actually thinks that cities should chip in to fund arenas.
I visit many cities specifically because they have a sports team. I know many others that are like this. That is tourism dollars.
I am not a basketball fan, so I have zero desire to ever go to San Antonio for example. No MLB, NHL or NFL team, not going.
Yet, I love going to Pittsburgh.
I actually just got back from San Antonio. It was quite nice. Golf was dirt cheap but good, weather was great and they have this River Walk which is actually like a canal with bars and restaurants. There were two great NBA games going but I didn't get to go (man they wanted a lot of money for decent seats).