During times like these it’s good to have friends in high places in the National Hockey League office, friends such as the commissioner, who realizes the folly in siphoning fans from one hockey market to another. Forget No-Goal. Nothing could be more important to Buffalo Sabres fans than the health of the franchise, a concern Gary Bettman has repeatedly addressed by helping the team through its bankruptcy and protecting its territory from outside invasion.
Bettman’s affinity for Buffalo, one of the league’s more dynamic and rabid markets, comes in handy whenever there’s talk of relocating an existing team to southern Ontario. And there will always be talk so long as Canadian Black- Berry magnate Jim Balsillie hangs vulture- like over disabled franchises, waiting to execute the swoop-and-relocate maneuver.
Hamilton is the city most often associated with Balsillie’s relocation attempts, even though it’s conceded that Copps Coliseum requires full-scale renovations in order to become NHL-ready. Such a placement would severely impact the Sabres, who could expect a sharp decline in their Canadian fan base the minute the first puck is dropped. And that could jeopardize the well-being of a franchise that has stabilized by building a solid season ticket-base that includes Canadian subscribers.
The NHL has made it abundantly clear, time and again, that Hamilton is a no-go because of the damage it would inflict upon the Sabres, although Balsillie remains undeterred.
According to the Sabres about 11% of their fan base is Canadian. So for the sake of arguement lets make this 2000 fans per game. The Region of Niagara has a population of approx. 300,000 and how many of those fans come from outside of this area and how many of those would change their allegience? If the fans of the Sabres are so rabid (and I accept this characterization) how does this threaten them in anyway.
