Balsillie offers 212.5 million for Phoenix Coyotes

[JD]

And hopes to move the team to Southern Ontario.


http://tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=277664

:handball:

[Buffalogic]

****ty. I live in Phoenix and they just built a great arena for them and I love going to the games. It would suck if they moved, no more hockey in the desert.

[elltrain22]

****ty. I live in Phoenix and they just built a great arena for them and I love going to the games. It would suck if they moved, no more hockey in the desert.

Yeah it does!! Ya gotta admit though, hockey is def' not important in that area. I hate it that the team just build a new arena, but it's probably better the team settle in a place where the team will be appreciated by its fanbase. I live in NC, and I'll be the first one to admit, that once the Hurricanes string together 3-4 losing seasons in a row, no one will give a **** about this team. Hockey just doesn't belong in certain areas.

[Ebenezer]

Improve the NHL. Contract Nashville, Phoenix, Atlanta, NYI, Florida and one other team tomorrow. Make the teams stronger and concentrate on putting a better product on the ice that emphasizes play making and talent. Not lucky bounces and goonism.

[BillsSabresB.C.T. Fan]

The Sabres source told Channel 2 Balsillie made an even bigger offer to buy the Sabres and move them to Hamilton within the past couple years, but the Sabres rejected the offer.

Under normal circumstances, Balsillie would need league approval to make such a move, and the Sabres source said it would be unlikely the league would grant that approval. On the other hand, bankruptcy proceedings are complicated and unpredictable, and the Sabres view this as a potentially damaging situation for the Sabres due to their number of season ticket holders from Ontario.

While there has been speculation about the Sabres having territorial rights to keep a team out of Hamilton, the fact is, there is no clear cut NHL rule pertaining to that. An NHL franchise in Hamilton could have a direct effect on the Sabres attendance, but that franchise would probably have very little effect on the Toronto Maple Leafs, who play in a vastly larger market.
http://www.wgrz.com/sports/story.aspx?storyid=66515&catid=4

[THATHURMANATOR]

****ty. I live in Phoenix and they just built a great arena for them and I love going to the games. It would suck if they moved, no more hockey in the desert.
No offense but **** Phoenix. Enough with all the southern teams. Hockey will never be nationally accepted.

[OpIv37]

No offense but **** Phoenix. Enough with all the southern teams. Hockey will never be nationally accepted.

I don't disagree but here is the problem:


An NHL franchise in Hamilton could have a direct effect on the Sabres attendance, but that franchise would probably have very little effect on the Toronto Maple Leafs, who play in a vastly larger market.

I'd MUCH rather have that franchise in Pheonix or some other warm-weather city than in Hamilton leaching fans and sponsors from the Sabres.

[rbochan]

I don't disagree but here is the problem:


I'd MUCH rather have that franchise in Pheonix or some other warm-weather city than in Hamilton leaching fans and sponsors from the Sabres.
Put them in Portland or Seattle, at least they have a winter and they'd remain in the same conference.

[Ebenezer]

I don't disagree but here is the problem:


I'd MUCH rather have that franchise in Pheonix or some other warm-weather city than in Hamilton leaching fans and sponsors from the Sabres.
I bet if they let him put the team in Toronto it won't affect the Sabres as much. If the Leafs didn't already have the power base they do this would work. That is why he has to go outside of Toronto. They should take the team back to Winnipeg. I understand Manitoba is doing well financially.

[OpIv37]

I bet if they let him put the team in Toronto it won't affect the Sabres as much. If the Leafs didn't already have the power base they do this would work. That is why he has to go outside of Toronto. They should take the team back to Winnipeg. I understand Manitoba is doing well financially.

Winnipeg would be a blessing, but the article said Southern Ontario.

Too bad the economy in Hartford sucks worse than the rest of the nation. Bring back the Whale!

[trapezeus]

for being such a smart guy, baseille is a moron for wanting to invest in an NHL franchise. I wouldn't even let golisano will me the sabres. The NHL is in for a world of pain over the next 2 years. the falling of the coyotes is just the beginning or the contraction that we've all been asking for for several years.

the owners of the better teams are going to come to grips with this and let teams just fall by the waste-side and have their values go up as a result. it'll push up the cap for the remaining teams. but they refuse to do it themselves because they don't want to buy out the losing owners.

[THATHURMANATOR]

I don't disagree but here is the problem:


I'd MUCH rather have that franchise in Pheonix or some other warm-weather city than in Hamilton leaching fans and sponsors from the Sabres.
I am not worried about a team in Hamilton

Imagine the rivalry.

If anything it builds regional interest.

[Dr. Pepper]

Put them in Portland or Seattle, at least they have a winter and they'd remain in the same conference.

Balsillie will not buy a team to move it to Seattle or Portland. His mind is set on Southern Ontario. Whether it's Vaughn, Hamilton, or Kitchner is yet to be determined, but don't expect Oklahoma City, Vegas, or Seattle to be getting a team anytime soon. The NHL really screwed itself over by trying to expand into southern markets. Florida, Nashville, and Phoenix should all be gone soon. Carolina, Dallas, and Tampa Bay seem to be the only places in the south where hockey can work.

[JD]

Balsillie will not buy a team to move it to Seattle or Portland. His mind is set on Southern Ontario. Whether it's Vaughn, Hamilton, or Kitchner is yet to be determined, but don't expect Oklahoma City, Vegas, or Seattle to be getting a team anytime soon. The NHL really screwed itself over by trying to expand into southern markets. Florida, Nashville, and Phoenix should all be gone soon. Carolina, Dallas, and Tampa Bay seem to be the only places in the south where hockey can work.


Hockey can work anywhere. Its just where the NHL puts their money.

Where the NHL fails is investing in partnerships with Roller Hockey Leagues. Throw them a couple million, open up inline hockey arenas in the south.

The reason the NFL is ever growing is because football can be played in any climate and its fairly easy to set up and play as a youngster so people are hooked early. If you're born in the south, without a major hockey team or semi-major inline team.. its quite likely you'll never become a hockey fan.

[SabreEleven]

NHL fails because Bettman doesn't know what the **** he is doing which creates every problem explained in this thread.

[OpIv37]

Hockey can work anywhere. Its just where the NHL puts their money.

Where the NHL fails is investing in partnerships with Roller Hockey Leagues. Throw them a couple million, open up inline hockey arenas in the south.

The reason the NFL is ever growing is because football can be played in any climate and its fairly easy to set up and play as a youngster so people are hooked early. If you're born in the south, without a major hockey team or semi-major inline team.. its quite likely you'll never become a hockey fan.

that's nice for the next generation 20 years from now.

In most of the country, people don't grow up with hockey so they just don't care about it. I grew up in Rochester. My extended family is from the South Jersey/Philly area. Hockey is popular in both areas so we were always around it. I didn't realize how little the rest of the country cared about hockey until I moved down here. There are very few ice arenas. Adults don't play roller hockey- just kids, and there aren't even that many leagues for kids. And good luck finding any hockey equipment in stores. Sports Authority has a tiny section way in the back corner and they don't even restock it most of the year.

You can't just put hockey in a place like Phoenix and think it's going to catch on. It doesn't work that way.

If the NHL gets some roller hockey leagues going for the kids and the Coyotes start to win, people will grow up with it and in 10-15 years you might have a fan base. But they're broke now.

[OpIv37]

NHL fails because Bettman doesn't know what the **** he is doing which creates every problem explained in this thread.

Oh please. Bettman's totally on the right track. We need more teams, not less, and we need to put them in the right cities. Get New Orleans, Tulsa, Fort Lauderdale and Seattle on board, and put a team in Memphis so Nashville has a rival. Then the league will be great!

[JD]

that's nice for the next generation 20 years from now.

If the NHL gets some roller hockey leagues going for the kids and the Coyotes start to win, people will grow up with it and in 10-15 years you might have a fan base. But they're broke now.

You have to start somewhere. Whats wrong with looking ahead to the future of hockey? It can survive as is now.. well, if players take pay cuts in my opinion. But you're definitely right, just throwing a team in an area because it has a large population never guarantees that hockey will catch on.

Kansas City, from what I remember, has quite a good hockey following with a bunch of arenas mainly used for high school games. The new arena built a few years back is probably the sickest looking arena in the country.

http://www.scootutopia.com/photos/P2840042.jpg

[SabreEleven]

Oh please. Bettman's totally on the right track. We need more teams, not less, and we need to put them in the right cities. Get New Orleans, Tulsa, Fort Lauderdale and Seattle on board, and put a team in Memphis so Nashville has a rival. Then the league will be great!

Damn you are right...We need to get te NHL on Bravo and Life Time and then we'll be talking...

[SabreEleven]

Damn you are right...We need to get te NHL on Bravo and Life Time and then we'll be talking...

On 2nd thought, this would probably be a good thing. More people get/watch Bravo and Lifetime than Versus..

[Syderick]

Leaf's wouldn't want another NHL team in their area.

[SABURZFAN]

Improve the NHL. Contract Nashville, Phoenix, Atlanta, NYI, Florida and one other team tomorrow. Make the teams stronger and concentrate on putting a better product on the ice that emphasizes play making and talent. Not lucky bounces and goonism.


i disagree about the Islanders. there's too much hockey tradition to throw away. they have the fan base to stay but they need to put out a product to bring them in.

[Tiburon1724]

The Islanders put on a pathetic display, whenever we play there I swear you could hear a pin drop in that arena, and they don't seem to sell tickets. They're like the Mets of the NHL.

[JD]

The Islanders put on a pathetic display, whenever we play there I swear you could hear a pin drop in that arena, and they don't seem to sell tickets. They're like the Mets of the NHL.

In two-three years they will be the Penguins of this year with Tavares. When we finish last next year, hopefully that first overall pick helps us rise to the top a few years down the road and new management doesnt **** up a good team like last time. I love beer.

[ddaryl]

Leaf's wouldn't want another NHL team in their area.

neither would the Sabres