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

[Flames1217]

Originally Posted by midniteowl

May be that's the plan? Give it to Atlanta knowing that they will fail and then When they have to move, move them to Quebec City?

Why even bother giving it to Atlanta.

Quebec had the investors ready to pay the expansion fee and they still do.

Bettman is the one who shut the entire deal down.

[Hey Connor, It's Mess]

The Flames have a difficult enough time winning the cup with 32

[Reggie Dunlop]

MLB is looking at expanding as well.

[Strange Brew]

Buccigross reported something about this a week ago. Absolutely nothing picked up by local Houston media.

I did see Fertitta put in a $5.5 Billion bid for the Commanders so maybe he is serious about wanting more sports teams.

[saillias]

I would get a bit worried about talent dilution of the league at that point. Scoring has taken off in the league and if anyone remembers during the dead puck era it was argued that low scoring was actually a sign of very strong talent. Everyone was so good that it was becoming harder to score. I wonder if we're seeing the opposite of that, with 2 expansion drafts leading to 46 extra roster spots.

[zamler]

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

[butterfly]

Salt Lake City would be cool. You know, somewhere that kids actually play winter sports.

[Locke]

The concept of expansion is more than likely always on the table.

As someone alluded to before me, More Teams = More Money.

However, the NHL has to be really careful here. This is a niche sport in its biggest market, you're going to dilute talent without significantly growing revenues to actually grow the game to a point where it can sustain that growth.

Look at it right now, your average team's bottom 2 lines, 3rd D pairing and backup goaltenders are almost all muckers, grinders or otherwise generally interchangeable, so you can see the dilution.

And that dilution is a mix between availability of talent and ability to pay that talent within the confines of the salary cap.

Expansion brings in big money, but how many teams can hockey realistically sustain?

And 'Hard No' to Atlanta. Dont be daft.

[Manhattanboy]

I’m already jealous of their fan bases.

[Strange Brew]

If two teams bring in $50 million to each owner that they they don’t need to share with players, it will happen.

[McG]

Originally Posted by Reggie Dunlop

Someone will put up huge honey for another Southern Ontario team. Expansion fee PLUS a sizeable territorial sum to MLSE.

Massive market.

And maybe territorial fee to Buffalo too as it would draw from their catchment area.

[butterfly]

Originally Posted by Locke

However, the NHL has to be really careful here. This is a niche sport in its biggest market, you're going to dilute talent without significantly growing revenues to actually grow the game to a point where it can sustain that growth.

Its biggest market is Toronto, and it's not a niche sport there. Instant drama by putting a new team there.

[bluejays]

I can see the appeal of Atlanta. They laid down some roots there already and perhaps the kids who had the team have now played the sport over time and like it. Plus it’s a massive corporate environment. It’s a gamble though. I can see how players like the city for sure. Houston is a given.

What people don’t seem to understand about the economics of the sport still is the amount of corporate investment needed in the form of season tickets. Yeah Quebec City has passionate fans but will the corporate sector pony up the cash to pay for the team even when times are tough and the team isn’t doing well, beyond the first four honeymoon years? It’s a real issue. When you Venn diagram the eligible cities who have certain potential you realize there isn’t much expansion within Canada and the States anymore. Maybe the midwest some more?

[bluejays]

Originally Posted by butterfly

Its biggest market is Toronto, and it's not a niche sport there. Instant drama by putting a new team there.

I don’t think the leafs would be a problem, though they certainly wouldn’t like it. The issue is the Sabres revenue. Many fans go down to Buffalo to watch games. Get a more affordable city in the GTA and it eats away at Buffalo revenue. That can’t be good.

[ForeverFlameFan]

Originally Posted by Paulie Walnuts

Move Arizona to Houston.

Sure, in 30 years.

[btimbit]

Sure why not

[butterfly]

Originally Posted by bluejays

I don’t think the leafs would be a problem, though they certainly wouldn’t like it. The issue is the Sabres revenue. Many fans go down to Buffalo to watch games. Get a more affordable city in the GTA and it eats away at Buffalo revenue. That can’t be good.

No one is even going to Sabres games; they have the worst attendance in the league with an exciting team.

I doubt they have much leverage. Paying off the Leafs would be far more expensive, I think.

[midniteowl]

Originally Posted by Flames1217

Why even bother giving it to Atlanta.

Quebec had the investors ready to pay the expansion fee and they still do.

Bettman is the one who shut the entire deal down.

May be give it to Atlanta first, get the expansion fee, then move them to Quebec City and get the relocation fee? If they give it to QC, they can only extract one fee.



ps, I'm kinda joking here.

[FlamesAddiction]

I have no doubt that the NHL wants that Atlanta market, particularly that television market, which is massive. I don't think it's a coincidence that the NHL really started to ramp up their diversity marketing after the Thrashers left. Don't get me wrong, marketing and appealing to a more diverse audience is a good thing just for it's own sake, but for professional sports, it's all about dollars. Atlanta didn't fail because the city isn't wealthy, big enough, or a decent sports town; it failed because the NHL had trouble breaking into the demographics of more than half of the city. The last couple of years, the NHL has really moved hard on the diversity agenda, so I can see them wanting to try and capitalize on it soon.

[butterfly]

Originally Posted by FlamesAddiction

I have no doubt that the NHL wants that Atlanta market, particularly that television market, which is massive. I don't think it's a coincidence that the NHL really started to ramp up their diversity marketing after the Thrashers left. Don't get me wrong, marketing and appealing to a more diverse audience is a good thing just for it's own sake, but for professional sports, it's all about dollars. Atlanta didn't fail because the city isn't wealthy, big enough, or a decent sports town; it failed because the NHL had trouble breaking into the demographics of more than half of the city. The last couple of years, the NHL has really moved hard on the diversity agenda, so I can see them wanting to try and capitalize on it soon.

Houston is far more diverse than Atlanta. I agree, though, it isn't a good look to have two of the top 10 media markets in the US without a team.