[News] Group led by Anson Carter asks NHL to bring an expansion team to Atlanta

[Reggie Dunlop]

[Sylvanfan]

Move Arizona to Atlanta rename Thrashers...get proper arena in Phoenix/Scottsdale, than move Jets to Phoenix metro. When Atlanta fails in 12 years...move that team back to Winnepeg. So simple.

To really make this work better cancel Calgary arena, throw the Flames in the mix to relocate to Atlanta.

Than put the expansion team in Calgary.

[konradical]

I feel like they'd need a plan for 36 teams before they start adding them. Like they dont have to come all at the same time but need to be somewhat close in introduction.

My guess

Atlanta (Metro), QC (Atlantic), SLC (Pacific), Houston (Central)

The only wildcards is if ARizona gets relocated to SLC. Also QC would be great but idk if they do get it. I just dont see any team in the Atlantic region being able to put the money and have the arena ready besides QC

[Strange Brew]

As fans, we always focus on the city in which the team would play. But for expansion or relocation, you need the following in order:

1) An owner willing and able to pay what it takes to acquire a franchise
2) A viable arena, with an agreement in place that will support the economics of owning the team
3) A market that is able to support the team

From what it sounds like Atlanta, SLC and Phoenix has item 1. As of now, Houston does not.
Houston has item 2 should Fertitta decide he wants to pay for a team. Phoenix, Atlanta and SLC do not have viable arenas as of yet. but that can change.

IMO any of these markets could support a team but I would actually rate them Houston, Phoenix, SLC and Atlanta.

[TOfan]

Is Georgia a tax free state? That would be awesome for the league to add more teams in tax free states. Especially for the Canadian teams.

[Strange Brew]

Georgia has state income tax. Athletes don't seem to flock there in other sports.

But it seems to be a uniquely Canadian attitude that players don't want to be here. This year's NBA final might end up between Milwaukee/Cleveland and OKC/Minnesota.

[getbak]

Originally Posted by dustygoon

Anyone know much about Alpharetta? Is this a Glendale or Kanata situation?

It's worse. The arenas in Glendale and Kanata are both about 15 miles from the centres of their major cities. Alpharetta is about 25 miles from downtown Atlanta.

It's twice as far from downtown as the Braves' new stadium is. I was in Atlanta in the fall and went to a Braves game... and it was a pain in the ass to get to from downtown (and even worse getting back).

This just seems like a real estate scam more than anything.

[D as in David]

Potential owners for the new Atlanta franchise.

[Ba'alzamon]

Can't expand the league while the Coyotes are still playing out of an outhouse.

[bluejays]

Canada can’t afford another team aside from probably the GTA. Today’s big pro sports market really needs enough corporate support to continue support. Smaller towns just can’t. For those clamouring for QC, how? Look at Winnipeg these days. Despite a great team put together for years, they still have crap attendance. Anyway, not sure what to think of Atlanta as I wasn’t sure what their issues were last time around, but I can be sure they have the corporate part down.

[Blaster86]

Originally Posted by D as in David

Potential owners for the new Atlanta franchise.

Look! A lost reddit karma farming repost bot!

[PeteMoss]

Is there anywhere where it says who is actually fronting the money in this?

[dustygoon]

Originally Posted by PeteMoss

Is there anywhere where it says who is actually fronting the money in this?

It shows those three dud investors plus NY Life real estate contributing some land that looks dodgy.

[bluejays]

Originally Posted by dustygoon

It shows those three dud investors plus NY Life real estate contributing some land that looks dodgy.

Proof of concept bid. I bet they’ll be scrambling after to get investors if given any green light to proceed.

[Flames1217]

Originally Posted by Strange Brew

As fans, we always focus on the city in which the team would play. But for expansion or relocation, you need the following in order:

1) An owner willing and able to pay what it takes to acquire a franchise
2) A viable arena, with an agreement in place that will support the economics of owning the team
3) A market that is able to support the team

From what it sounds like Atlanta, SLC and Phoenix has item 1. As of now, Houston does not.
Houston has item 2 should Fertitta decide he wants to pay for a team. Phoenix, Atlanta and SLC do not have viable arenas as of yet. but that can change.

IMO any of these markets could support a team but I would actually rate them Houston, Phoenix, SLC and Atlanta.

Quebec City has all three and they still won't allow a team to go there lol.

[dustygoon]

Originally Posted by bluejays

Proof of concept bid. I bet they’ll be scrambling after to get investors if given any green light to proceed.

It's never good to have bidders without locked in financing or a solid reputation that can get commitments when selling any business.

This is even more true with the NHL. Bettman has cleaned out the old way of letting mysterious money buyers entering the fray.

These "ASE" investors are worse than B list.

Just read about the property that is involved.

[Radio]

They'll relocate to Quebec when it fails yet again. All Atlanta teams go to Canada.

[SuperMatt18]

If they have a strong ownership group with deep pockets to spend money it will work. If not it will fail.

Biggest problem with places like Arizona and Atlanta is they never had good owners.

The expansion rules nowadays tend to facilitate having good owners though, because you're not going to spend $500M to $1B to get a team and then not invest to make it work.

[D as in David]

Originally Posted by Blaster86

Look! A lost reddit karma farming repost bot!

Or, as it turns out, having the other poster on ignore.

[Locke]

I mean...once you read "Group led by Anson Carter..." you don't really need to keep going to know that whatever that group's goals are...they are going to fail at them. Hard.