Is Saskatchewan (CAN) suitable for an expension team

[KirkAlbuquerque]

because the biggest most important city in the entire province is not even on the level of Newark NJ

 

[Rabid Ranger]

No, it can't support an NHL team, and that's okay. There are lots of markets in the U.S. and Canada that can't.

 

[FlyguyOX]

Just can't see it. no population.

Regina 255 K
Saskatoon 367 K
the whole province is 1.2 mil

Winnipeg is the smallest NHL market at
783 K ...Twice Saskatoon.

with a "realistic draw" of close to 850K for the "metro area" and surrounding communities... even the Jets struggle to fill the barn every night...

I just don't see the population there to support a team.

Metro ATL 6.3M
Metro Houston 7.1M

Tons of corporate hubs, especially ATL.

 

[Bradely]

Thank you for correcting some of these exaggerated takes. Saskatchewan probably won't ever be able to support an NHL team for a variety of reasons, but at least Regina and Saskatoon won't move 30 minutes further apart for every page in this thread. Also 60k for a 2 bedroom house? If you believe that, I've got ocean front property for you near Moosomin.

You guys are correct. There is alot of folks here not knowing, saying anything exactly like someone we all know and believing themselves.

Saskatchewan is a young and healthy province.

Having a city growth in size, etc.... is not always good. Stay as you are folks. Toronto was big, now it's huge and expensive.... really expensive. Montreal is on the same path.

And yes, some of our best comes out of Saskatchewan!!!

 

[NVious]

Not sure if sarcasm?

Regardless Phoenix the city has more population than Saskatchewan the province. Kind of a stretch to include the two.

As long as Saskatchewan has 5001 hockey fans, it shouldn't be a problem.

 

[M88K]

The metro area of the biggest city is 300k.
Hell there's barely 1m in the entire province.
Winnipeg is the current smallest market, and the city alone is over 2x the population of Saskatoon metro.

There is 0 shot without massive population growth that an NHL team goes there.

There's still cities that are 2-3x as big without an NHL team

 

[S E P H]

Why the hell not?

Because there are zero corporate businesses in Saskatoon (which is where the team would probably play). Corporate businesses are long-term season ticket holders and will keep those tickets even if the team is struggling on the ice through a rebuild fam. NHL is still a very gate-driven league and one of the problems in Winnipeg is that they lack corporate business partners to take a good chunk of those season tickets to keep the team afloat. Sorry mate, but Barclay isn't going to open a 500 office job in Saskatchewan. Neither is google, meta, berkshire hathaway, J&J, Visa, and others.

 

[nhlfan9191]

I think people use the weak argument that they can sell out Roughrider games but it's different selling out 9 weekend games a year than it is to sell out 41 games a season scattered through the week

This is the problem. Roughriders are also during the summer so people can travel in from outside of Regina. Winter driving for 41 home games during the winter would be brutal.

 

[Frank Drebin]

I grew up in Saskatchewan
Edmonton gets a bad rap for an nhl city but its Vancouver compared to saskatoon or regina

 

[Skidooboy]

Metro ATL 6.3M
Metro Houston 7.1M

Tons of corporate hubs, especially ATL.

OWNER ?
Arena?

 

[jigglysquishy]

Because there are zero corporate businesses in Saskatoon (which is where the team would probably play). Corporate businesses are long-term season ticket holders and will keep those tickets even if the team is struggling on the ice through a rebuild fam. NHL is still a very gate-driven league and one of the problems in Winnipeg is that they lack corporate business partners to take a good chunk of those season tickets to keep the team afloat. Sorry mate, but Barclay isn't going to open a 500 office job in Saskatchewan. Neither is google, meta, berkshire hathaway, J&J, Visa, and others.

Not on the scale, but Nutrien's HQ is in Saskatoon and they have a market cap of $35 billion.

They also have Cameco, market cap $25 billion.

So their largest is similar in size to Winnipeg's largest, but second largest is much bigger.

BHP's Canadian HQ is in Saskatoon and they have a market cap of $165 billion.

The problem is the drop off after these major players. A few billionish mining companies, but I wouldn't expect them to play.

 

[Daximus]

I grew up in Saskatchewan
Edmonton gets a bad rap for an nhl city but its Vancouver compared to saskatoon or regina

Saskatoon is nicer than Edmonton in my opinion. Edmonton is honestly just a larger Regina. Saskatoon as a city is massively underrated.

 

[Daximus]

Not on the scale, but Nutrien's HQ is in Saskatoon and they have a market cap of $35 billion.

They also have Cameco, market cap $25 billion.

So their largest is similar in size to Winnipeg's largest, but second largest is much bigger.

BHP's Canadian HQ is in Saskatoon and they have a market cap of $165 billion.

The problem is the drop off after these major players. A few billionish mining companies, but I wouldn't expect them to play.

There are a lot of smaller players in there as well but by the time Saskatoon gets to 700k or 800k they should have some solid corporate sponsorship. We are a looong ways away from that though. We can maybe revisit this in 50 years. By then the NHL will be pushing 40 teams maybe more.

 

[Juxta Position]

The largest city in Sask is about 40% the size of Wpg which is the smallest city in the NHL. Not a snowball's chance in hell. Not even close. So far from close that I can't even describe it. And the number of players from there means nothing. It is completely irrelevant.

The largest city is Saskatchewan is irrelevant when it comes to an NHL team. the team would be Saskatchewan's team not Regina or Saskatoon's team. by placing the team in Saskatoon, you have fans from Regina, Moose Jaw, Prince Albert, and a whole host of smaller communities within 2 hours of the arena. To a lot of you, that doesn't sound like that is feasible, but people in Saskatchewan are used to driving long distances to get anywhere. So a 2 hour drive to go watch the "local" NHL team would be nothing. I drive almost 2 hours just to go to Costco in Saskatoon.

I have lived in Saskatchewan for almost 50 years now, my entire life, and the problem isn't the everyday fan. I guarantee you the arena would be sold out; it is the fact that there is not enough corporate money in this province to support the team, as well it would be a very hard sell to players to come live in Saskatoon, when they have options like LA, New York, Vegas, Nashville etc.

I would love it as a resident of Saskatchewan, but I never see it happening.

 

[AlwaysSunnyInTampa]

Saskatchewan is better served as a neutral ground for a yearly outdoor heritage game between Canadian teams sometime around New Years Day. You rotate the East and West participants.

Yes. It will probably get stale quickly but we also live in an era where the Kings and Oilers are gonna square off for like the 5th time in a row in round 1 and all you get is a shoulder shrug if its pointed out

 

[LuckyDay]

Name them the Blues
If they pay all the fees and get the season ticket holders like Winnipeg did, Bettman, the rest of the league, and who ever "owns" their market will be happy to take their money. Then they will move the team somewhere else (probably south) that will actually generate revenue - unless it's hugely subsidized by the Province.
Unless Saskatchewan creates a fanbase outside of the province like Green Bay or Montreal, its simply not feasible.

 

[Frank Drebin]

Saskatoon is nicer than Edmonton in my opinion. Edmonton is honestly just a larger Regina. Saskatoon as a city is massively underrated.

I lived in all 3
Regina gets a bad rap but i loved it there. Could have been due to being 20-25 and single.
Saskatoon has some nice areas but I never go back and wish i still lived there. No offence intended. I don’t live right in Edmonton but in the burbs

The biggest thing for me in Edmonton is the winters are noticeably milder

 

[Mortimer Snerd]

The largest city is Saskatchewan is irrelevant when it comes to an NHL team. the team would be Saskatchewan's team not Regina or Saskatoon's team. by placing the team in Saskatoon, you have fans from Regina, Moose Jaw, Prince Albert, and a whole host of smaller communities within 2 hours of the arena. To a lot of you, that doesn't sound like that is feasible, but people in Saskatchewan are used to driving long distances to get anywhere. So a 2 hour drive to go watch the "local" NHL team would be nothing. I drive almost 2 hours just to go to Costco in Saskatoon.

I have lived in Saskatchewan for almost 50 years now, my entire life, and the problem isn't the everyday fan. I guarantee you the arena would be sold out; it is the fact that there is not enough corporate money in this province to support the team, as well it would be a very hard sell to players to come live in Saskatoon, when they have options like LA, New York, Vegas, Nashville etc.

I would love it as a resident of Saskatchewan, but I never see it happening.

The entire province barely has enough population. And people might drive from Saskation to Regina for a couple of football games per year. The number of games in a hockey season makes it a completely different proposition.

I grew up in Saskatchewan. I know what it is like. No, the arena would not be sold out. Sorry, not even close. Take off your green coloured glasses.

 

[WatchfulElm]

I think once the NHL expands to 64 teams by 2075, Saskatoon might start getting some consideration as a potential target for the next 32 teams.

 

[TheGreenTBer]

Saskatchewan is better served as a neutral ground for a yearly outdoor heritage game between Canadian teams sometime around New Years Day. You rotate the East and West participants.

Yes. It will probably get stale quickly but we also live in an era where the Kings and Oilers are gonna square off for like the 5th time in a row in round 1 and all you get is a shoulder shrug if its pointed out

Actually if you look at the Kings/Oilers playoff thread it's all about food so it's not all bad.

 

[Mr grumpy]

there are about 100 cities that would be ahead of them in getting a team. Remove, because Canada can support more team. Regina and Saskatoon would be behind a 2nd team in Toronto, Quebec City, Hamilton, and even a team in Surrey BC

 

[Juxta Position]

The entire province barely has enough population. And people might drive from Saskation to Regina for a couple of football games per year. The number of games in a hockey season makes it a completely different proposition.

I grew up in Saskatchewan. I know what it is like. No, the arena would not be sold out. Sorry, not even close. Take off your green coloured glasses.

why are you so angry?

yes, it absolutely would be sold out. Again the team would be located in Saskatoon, not Regina, and very centrally located. Add in the fact that it would be Saskatchewan's only true professional sports franchise (Roughriders don't really count, as it's not a big 4 league), and the support for the team would be fanatical.

 

[AlwaysSunnyInTampa]

Actually if you look at the Kings/Oilers playoff thread it's all about food so it's not all bad.

Really? Damn I gotta swing by and extol the virtues of poutine to the unwashed masses

 

[3074326]

OWNER ?
Arena?

Atlanta group requests NHL expansion franchise

The Alpharetta Sports & Entertainment Group has formally requested that the NHL commence with an expansion process aimed at bringing a franchise to the greater Atlanta area for a third time.

www.espn.com

Sources: U.S. billionaire eyes Houston NHL team

American billionaire Dan Friedkin has emerged as a strong ownership option to bring the NHL to Houston, sources told ESPN.

www.espn.com

The Atlanta group has a plan for an arena. Regarding Houston, one of the interested potential owners owns the Houston Rockets. Finding an owner and arena in either city isn't going to be a problem.

Note that I'm not necessarily trying to take the opposing side, just offering info.

 

[Skidooboy]

Atlanta group requests NHL expansion franchise

The Alpharetta Sports & Entertainment Group has formally requested that the NHL commence with an expansion process aimed at bringing a franchise to the greater Atlanta area for a third time.

www.espn.com

Sources: U.S. billionaire eyes Houston NHL team

American billionaire Dan Friedkin has emerged as a strong ownership option to bring the NHL to Houston, sources told ESPN.

www.espn.com

The Atlanta group has a plan for an arena. Regarding Houston, one of the interested potential owners owns the Houston Rockets. Finding an owner and arena in either city isn't going to be a problem.

Note that I'm not necessarily trying to take the opposing side, just offering info.

I mean I wonder if the NHL are interested in Atlanta after 2x losing the franchise...and I'm aware of the issues with previous owners etc...but I can't help wonder if there really is a market in Atlanta... I can't help but feel the team was not profitable... If it was the owner would have kept the thrashers there at the time. instead he couldn't wait to drop it. and no matter the issues or personalities...rich men almost never dump profitable enterprises...

Houston has been wanting a team for a looong time...this time I think if the owners are real and ready to pay up... then I can see one easily happening.

I don't have a dog in the race per say, but I 100% don't want to ever see another "Coyotes type situation" make the league look like minor league idiots for almost 25 years....