[News] Update: NHL green lights season-ticket drive for Las Vegas

[SuperMatt18]

Originally Posted by Frequitude

Then you end up with 17 in the East and 15 in the west. Or you have to redo alignment and begrudgingly move someone back to the west.

Or Toronto 2 is a Western conference team, just like the Leafs were in the past.

[Resolute 14]

Originally Posted by Frequitude

Then you end up with 17 in the East and 15 in the west. Or you have to redo alignment and begrudgingly move someone back to the west.

If you relocate Florida, you might as well move the Lightning to the Central division. Nashville is relatively close and the rest of the Central teams (save Denver) probably aren't much further away than the northeast is.

[Tron_fdc]

I can't wait for this.

- Craps table on the concourse
- Champagne room intermissions
- all day/all night benders with the hockey game sprinkled in

Gonna be SO awesome.

[squiggs96]

MOD EDIT: Once again, please just stick to hockey talk.

[Locke]

Originally Posted by Tron_fdc

I can't wait for this.

- Craps table on the concourse
- Champagne room intermissions
- all day/all night benders with the hockey game sprinkled in

Gonna be SO awesome.

The ability to order lap dances at your seat! That ought to make everyone uncomfortable.

[sureLoss]

http://www.reviewjournal.com/sports/...drive-february

Las Vegas Hockey Vision wants to take ticket reservations, names and emails from local residents as part of a ticket drive and also provide a website that would show sight lines from seats and suites to the ice, Foley said.

He noted local residents would be able to sign up for ticket plans such as quarter-, half- or full-season plans.

Foley envisions the new franchise opening a new hockey practice facility that could be used by local residents when the team is not practicing and also forging relationships with youth hockey leagues to grow the sport in the Las Vegas Valley.

Foley, who lives in Jacksonville, Fla., but also owns homes in Montana and California, said his title insurance business has had offices in Las Vegas for 25 years and his wife is already hunting for a house in the Las Vegas area.

Foley said he believes a Las Vegas franchise does not necessarily need to be coupled with a second team to enter the NHL. His goal is for the Las Vegas franchise to win a Stanley Cup within eight years of entering the league.

[troutman]

Does "local resident" mean "casino"?

[Locke]

An expansion team is sure to win the Stanley Cup well before the Oilers.

[Locke]

Originally Posted by troutman

Does "local resident" mean "casino"?

Corporations are 'residents.'

[Mean Mr. Mustard]

Originally Posted by squiggs96

From the things I've witnessed, and heard from other people who personally witnessed it, it's not crap. You can defend your team on a rival team's message board, but that doesn't mean these type of things don't happen. These happenings are being discussed on your own boards as well. I've seen a couple of prominent Flames players do similar things, so I'm not saying it's confined to one team or person. Because I've seen it happen, I brought up an example I'm familiar with.

My point still stands that NHL players don't need to go to Vegas to do things that would make their wives uncomfortable.

I truly don't care what NHL players do on their own time. I am a fan of a team and frankly what a person does on their own time (as long as it is legal) is of no concern to me. I tend to make a point of not going prying into other people's lives. I understand that NHL players do things that likely go against my personal moral compass, but so do a bunch of people and likewise, I am sure that I do many things that go against a large number of people's belief patterns, that being said.... who really cares?

[Finger Cookin]

Potential owner Foley: Las Vegas NHL franchise won't rely on tourists

Originally Posted by TSN

"I don't want to see everyone in the stands with a Canucks jersey on," Foley said in an interview with ESPN's Scott Burnside. "I'm not trying to promote the Red Wings."

+10 respect points for singling out awful Canucks fans

[Derek Sutton]

The locals in Las Vegas tend to embrace things that are catered towards them pretty good. One reason I believe the ECHL and even the IHL back when had such good attendence was because they were events the locals could attend and not have to deal with loud, drunk, obnoxious tourists. We have a place there bodering Summerlin and really it is any city USA once you get away from the Strip, and it is a great city. That being said, I doubt there are more then 10,000 locals who would consider purchasing season tickets, and of them, about half who could afford it.

[Itse]

I don't see the tourist angle being significant.

Fans are already skipping games against the bottom feeders, because they're not good hockey games. Many don't even watch them on TV. Why would they go to see those games in Las Vegas of all places?

Sure, Las Vegas gets a lot of tourists, but places like NY and LA get even more, and they have much better teams than an expansion franchise will have. NY even has one of the most iconic buildings. How many here took the time to see a hockey game last time you were in New York? Or anywhere. (And this is a site with mostly pretty hardcore hockey fans.)

As far as I've noticed, even European NHL fans don't usually go to see hockey games while they're in US or Canada, and for them it's truly a rare opportunity.

Of course most teams don't really target the tourists, so who knows, maybe if they did it would be more of a thing. But I don't see it.

[Cleveland Steam Whistle]

Originally Posted by Itse

I don't see the tourist angle being significant.

Fans are already skipping games against the bottom feeders, because they're not good hockey games. Many don't even watch them on TV. Why would they go to see those games in Las Vegas of all places?

Sure, Las Vegas gets a lot of tourists, but places like NY and LA get even more, and they have much better teams than an expansion franchise will have. NY even has one of the most iconic buildings. How many here took the time to see a hockey game last time you were in New York? Or anywhere. (And this is a site with mostly pretty hardcore hockey fans.)

As far as I've noticed, even European NHL fans don't usually go to see hockey games while they're in US or Canada, and for them it's truly a rare opportunity.

Of course most teams don't really target the tourists, so who knows, maybe if they did it would be more of a thing. But I don't see it.

People go to New York and LA for different reasons. Your assessment on the fact that tourists don't do it in LA or NY with better hockey clubs or iconic buildings is fair..............but it's not really the comparable to the Vegas experience.

I could go to the casino here in Calgary, but I don't. I do when I go to Vegas. I could have gone to the Casino in Montreal when I was there but I didn't, but I do in Vegas. I could go see a show or a concert when I visit almost any city I travel to, but I don't, but I do when I'm in Vegas.

Different destinations offer desires and behaviours from the tourists. Vegas is all about attracting people down to see show's, exhibitions, events, then stay the weekend and get drunk and gamble. Hockey would be a part of this event entertainment package. Fair to question whether it will have enough appeal, but comparing the behaviour of NY and LA tourist patterns is pretty much irrelevant.

[Finger Cookin]

Doing an industry night for workers on the strip is probably much more important than catering to tourists.

[Phanuthier]

Originally Posted by Derek Sutton

The locals in Las Vegas tend to embrace things that are catered towards them pretty good. One reason I believe the ECHL and even the IHL back when had such good attendence was because they were events the locals could attend and not have to deal with loud, drunk, obnoxious tourists. We have a place there bodering Summerlin and really it is any city USA once you get away from the Strip, and it is a great city. That being said, I doubt there are more then 10,000 locals who would consider purchasing season tickets, and of them, about half who could afford it.

yeah I like the Summerlin area (I actually stay there when I go to Vegas.. have a friend who lives there), little younger and more energetic feel to it..... I think if LV were to build a sports facility for the locals, it would be around there instead (of the stripe).

[Table 5]

Originally Posted by kunkstyle

On the flip-side, they're not infallible, either.

Yeah, while I tend to think the NHL decision makers tend do a decent job most of the time, if you look at league expansion from the early 90s on, it seems like almost half of these could be considered bad or questionable moves.

Anaheim: Win
Arizona: Fail
Atlanta: Super Fail
Carolina: Questionable
Columbus: Questionable
Florida: Fail
Minnesota: Win
Nashville: Win
Ottawa: Win
San Jose: Win
Tampa: Win

[Coach]

Originally Posted by Table 5

Yeah, while I tend to think the NHL decision makers tend do a decent job most of the time, if you look at league expansion from the early 90s on, it seems like almost half of these could be considered bad or questionable moves.

Anaheim: Win
Arizona: Fail
Atlanta: Super Fail
Carolina: Questionable
Columbus: Questionable
Florida: Fail
Minnesota: Win
Nashville: Win
Ottawa: Win
San Jose: Win
Tampa: Win

There would have been more fails on your list a few years ago.

Tampa
Nashville
Anaheim
Carolina

Have all struggled for attendance in the recent past. Championships, solid play and some grass-roots investment has brought them some consitency. Although Anaheim, considered one of the best teams over the last few years, still seems to have trouble with regular season games.

It's been well documented that Columbus has a great fanbase, but the team has been so bad since it first started there that fan support is dwindling. Hopefully Davidson and Kelkalinen (?) can bring them some success as I'd like to see them do well. They're similar to Nashville in that way I think.

Florida and Arizona both should have moved years ago.

[getbak]

Originally Posted by Table 5

Yeah, while I tend to think the NHL decision makers tend do a decent job most of the time, if you look at league expansion from the early 90s on, it seems like almost half of these could be considered bad or questionable moves.

Anaheim: Win
Arizona: Fail
Atlanta: Super Fail
Carolina: Questionable
Columbus: Questionable
Florida: Fail
Minnesota: Win
Nashville: Win
Ottawa: Win
San Jose: Win
Tampa: Win

If you're counting every market the NHL has entered, or re-entered since 1990, you also have to include Dallas, Colorado, and Winnipeg. Although Dallas and Colorado have had some struggles in attendance recently, I think you'd have to count all three markets as wins.

[Scoutski]

Originally Posted by Itse

How many here took the time to see a hockey game last time you were in New York? Or anywhere. (And this is a site with mostly pretty hardcore hockey fans.).

I've only been an ice hockey fan since the 08-09 season as I'm Australian and I discovered it through a Canadian friend. I moved to Los Angeles late last year and one of the first things I did was go see the Kings play (I don't care about the Kings).

Also, about 2 months ago, I took a 10 day trip to New York and I made sure to go see the Rangers play (I definitely don't care about the Rangers).

I don't claim to speak for the majority but seeing a local team play when you're visiting a city is one of my favorite tourist activities...