Nashville Predators moving to Canada? NOPE! Sorry, Canucks (and KC!)...

Re: Nashville Predators moving to Canada? Sure seems like it...

Until Basillie showed up with all his Crackberry money there were no well-heeled investors willing to put a team there. I don't know if Hamilton ever had a shot. Copps Coliseum was built with the hopes of luring a team there. The Sabres would have screamed bloody murder (more than the Leafs). They sell loads of tickets in the Golden Horseshoe.

 

Re: Nashville Predators moving to Canada? Sure seems like it...

I'm sure they were impressed with The Scope.

Nobody is leaving Nashville until attendance drops below 14K AND the city refuses to make up the difference.

 

Re: Nashville Predators moving to Canada? Sure seems like it...

The difference between Hamilton and K-W is the magical 50 mile radius. Hamilton's within that for both Buffalo and Toronto. K-W is not.

Huggy's bang on. A team in Hamilton would have screwed the Sabres since somethink like 15% of their season ticket base is from Ontario--not to mention all those who drive down for single games.

 

Re: Nashville Predators moving to Canada? Sure seems like it...

I wanted to put up a Hampton Roads Rhinos logo up here, but they apparently no longer exist on the interweb

 

Re: Nashville Predators moving to Canada? Sure seems like it...

Scouts are now Devils. Some folks wanted the team to be the MoHawks (Mo=Missouri, Hawks=Jayhawks=Kansas), but Chicago nixed that.

My sentimental favorite would be Halifax, but SW Ontario seems logical.

And yes, Fenian...go Sens. (never thought I'd say that!)

 

Re: Nashville Predators moving to Canada? Sure seems like it...

But Elliotte, is KC what Balsillie wants?

And I hate to keep beating a dead horse but if Balsillie has just purchased 25 acres of land near Cambridge, don't you think his intention would be to relocate the franchise there?

And any franchise that requires the city to buy tickets to mantain attendance levels doesn't deserve a team. Honestly, I was hoping the Preds would work because it seemed like a great sport forthat city. But it ain't.

 

Re: Nashville Predators moving to Canada? Sure seems like it...

A rink that was designed for AHL specifications and nothing further.

 

Re: Nashville Predators moving to Canada? Sure seems like it...

I believe Karmanos was looking at moving the Whalers into the Palace or a new arena when he moved them to Carolina, yes.

 

Re: Nashville Predators moving to Canada? Sure seems like it...

I would think 15 per cent is on the low side, particularly with the recent rise in the Canadian dollar. I thought it was even as high as half. Maybe there's an answer online...

 

Re: Nashville Predators moving to Canada? Sure seems like it...

Bill Davidson, owner of the Pistons, also owns the Tampa Bay Lightning.

When he bought the hockey team, the primary attraction was the Ice Palace, which hosts virtually all the arena-sized concerts, etc. in the Tampa area. The first couple of seasons Davidson owned the team, it still sucked, attendance was awful, and there were intermittent rumors Davidson was thinking of moving the franchise to Auburn Hills. (Davidson also hates Mike Ilitch's guts, and has a batallion of high-priced lawyers, so the 50-mile rule was seen as nothing as a minor annoyance to the possible move.)

When the Lightning got good and started drawing sellout crowds, that talk died off. But they didn't make the playoffs this year, so attendance will taper off again in a big hurry.

(When the Whalers were up for grabs looking for a home town, there was some talk of Auburn Hills for them as well, but that fizzled because a) Davidson and Karmanos aren't friends either, and b) there was some thought Davidson wanted to keep the Palace open for himself, to give the Tampa Bay ticket marketing crew the leverage to say -- well, not SAY, but to hint -- "better start buying tickets or Davidson might move the team." )

Red Wings playoff attendance was down because they cranked playoff ticket prices over the moon (their regular-season prices are astronomical in the first place, highest in the league) -- lower-bowl tickets were close to $300. Apiece. Upper-bowl in the rafters were close to $100.

It was nothing more than Econ 101 -- supply and demand reaching equilibrium.

 

Re: Nashville Predators moving to Canada? Sure seems like it...

The Lightning played the Devils this year in the first round and lost in 6 games. Attendance is fine in Tampa and there's no reason to suspect that will change.

 

Re: Nashville Predators moving to Canada? Sure seems like it...

My mistake on them not making the playoffs.

But if they DON'T make the playoffs for a season or two in row, attendance will crash. People will not watch hockey in Tampa Bay just to watch hockey.

This is invariably true in all the Sun Belt cities. If the team is good, real good, a Stanley Cup contender, they will draw. If they aren't, they won't.