Quote:
Originally Posted by BruceM
Somehow I don't see that sort of thing happening again anytime in the near or moderate future, strong or weak economy.
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That would require the NHL needing to show logic like a normal person though.
I often find that if you take the most illogical choice possible, the NHL will do it, and they have a surprisingly high rate of luck/success.
Let's move a team from Minnesota to Dallas. That sounds dumb, yet Dallas is a sterling franchise (as is the NEW Minnesota franchise).
Let's move a team from Quebec to Colorado. The Avs are a successful franchise.
Let's start playing hockey games in baseball stadiums. Huh, look at all the PR for the Winter Classic.
And then there's the non-success stories: Phoenix, Nashville, Atlanta, the first lockout, the second lockout, etc.
And the future non-success story- Let's play the Winter Classic in a southern football stadium. Seriously, they've already discussed the Rose Bowl. The Rose Bowl! As if there's not something with a 100x the importance (in American eyes/advertising eyes) and tradition that happens in the Rose Bowl on Jan. 1.
As for the second team in Toronto:
globeandmail.com: A second NHL team in Toronto?
And that gives further proof of why they don't want Balsille to move the Yotes to Hamilton, because they feel it wouldn't be a big name draw and would kill the Sabres. And because they want him to put a second team in Toronto.
Anything else I've said need backing up?
(I do realize that one Governor claims expansion won't happen- but c'mon, they are already the laughing stock of professional sports leagues, right? Doesn't even Don Garber snicker at them now while he succesfully moves INTO Canada?)
Sorry, disgruntled hockey fan with too much time on his hands. And I've had this discussion about 1000x already.