NHL Expansion back on agenda?

[voyageur]

The key word there is “might.” I don’t recall this ever remotely being a pressing demand by Canadian broadcast partners. And if it was it that was, it doesn’t seem like there’s enough muscle to sway the NHL into a major realignment.

Push comes to shove, someone will (over)pay for an NHL deal north of the border.

I think Toronto in particular wants to be competing against the biggest American markets, New York, Boston, Detroit. The time zones is a big issue for a lot of the teams.

Winnipeg doesn't get a single game on Hockey Night in Canada on CBC this year so they aren't important to the major networks.

I think the next media deal in Canada is blocks, similar to the NFL, which allows Rogers, Bell, and Amazon to bid. TVA vs. Bell in Quebec could be a battleground. More exposure through more platforms.

I like the idea of Quebec getting in, and moving Boston into the Metropolitan division. Renewing a Canadiens-Nordiques rivalry that could produce huge tv ratings, and allowing Boston-New York to be a legitimate NHL rivalry. Dollars and sense the arena in Quebec could certainly allow the team to generate more revenue than Atlanta as a market, especially the merchandising side. Atlanta will get a team though because of the potential to create new hockey fans, and the corporate investment the league brand covets.

I wonder if the league would ever consider an 18-16 alignment, they did run a 16-14 alignment before carefully choosing the next two western expansion markets.

 

[Takuto Maruki]

I don’t recall this ever remotely being a pressing demand by Canadian broadcast partners.

This is the funniest thing about the North Division dead-enders. You would think that if there was a massive groundswell of support for it from the Canadian teams then Sportsnet would have asked the NHL to consider it, or like you mentioned, would have had enough muscle to force it through. But not only has there not been that groundswell of support from anywhere other then fans, but teams absolutely hated the North Division because it effectively guaranteed that a good chunk of divisional games would start at prime time in Mountain or Pacific Time Zone - basically a death sentence for getting eyeballs from eastern markets.

 

[Headshot77]

The year is 2100. The NHL is a 40 Team league. 2 Conferences have 5 Divisions of 4 each.

Northwest: EDM, CGY, VAN, WPG
Pacific: SEA, LV, UTA, *Portland*
California: SJ, ANA, LA, *San Diego*
Midwest: DAL, COL, *Houston*, *Phoenix*
Great Plains: MIN, CHI, STL, *Kansas City*
---
Northeast: MON, TOR, OTT, *Quebec*
Metro: NYI, NYR, NJ, PHI
Great Lakes: DET, PIT, BUF, CBJ
Atlantic: WSH, NSH, BOS, *Virginia Beach*
Southeast: TB, FLA, CAR, *Atlanta*

 

[GreenHornet]

Atlantic: WSH, CAR, NSH, *Virginia Beach*
Southeast: TB, FLA, CAR, *Atlanta*

Are the Hurricanes playing in both divisions or does North Carolina get another team (say, in Charlotte)?

 

[Big Z Man 1990]

Also, back in 2023 the final four playoff teams all ended up being from the Sun Belt, which served to impair the ratings of the Cup Final.

My proposal sets a maximum of two Sun Belt teams in the final eight - one from the South Division, and one from the West Division.

 

[Headshot77]

Are the Hurricanes playing in both divisions or does North Carolina get another team (say, in Charlotte)?

Oops.

 

[nhlfan79]

Why is this silly tangent still being discussed in this thread? It literally will never happen for very obvious reasons. Can we get back on point?

 

[cheswick]

You're both correct, but on opposite ends, and not at the middle.

The NFL I think does believe that the CFL works within their own business scheme because it allows for more labor. Even with the combined spring football league currently operating, there's always going to be a desire for high level, professional jobs. Which is why the CFL has persisted for years now - because it is the gold standard for that second level of football jobs. If the NFL was truly going to kill the CFL, then they would have done so in 2020 when the CFL was effectively on the ropes, having cancelled their season and having the Major Market Question looming as large as it has ever in decades.

The reason why the NFL isn't trying to run the CFL (or really Aussie Rules football, considering that the AFL down under is operating under the same structure of being an effective national pro league in a place that the NFL covets for international dollars) out of town is that the owners of the teams, and the commissioner really, would run to the feds the instant they heard or got a whiff of the NFL actually going into the process of taking bids for an expansion team in Toronto. And no matter what government is actually in power, there's an expectation to protect Canadian cultural interests (of which the CFL absolutely is) alongside the jobs that are present from what can be spun as the conquering American horde looking to do damage. Even with the resources Goodell and the NFL have to put up a case in that scenario, why would you bother going up against the whims of a government who's going to be intent on muzzling you, and nationalist fervor whipped up by the opposite party?

The CFL has been in far worse shape than 2020. The league was on the verge of collapse in the late 90s and the NFL actually gave them money to keep them afloat. The NFL has no interest in killing the CFL.

 

[BKIslandersFan]

Why is this silly tangent still being discussed in this thread? It literally will never happen for very obvious reasons. Can we get back on point?

Why do we keep humoring that guy? He keeps talking nonsense.

 

[aqib]

You're both correct, but on opposite ends, and not at the middle.

The NFL I think does believe that the CFL works within their own business scheme because it allows for more labor. Even with the combined spring football league currently operating, there's always going to be a desire for high level, professional jobs. Which is why the CFL has persisted for years now - because it is the gold standard for that second level of football jobs. If the NFL was truly going to kill the CFL, then they would have done so in 2020 when the CFL was effectively on the ropes, having cancelled their season and having the Major Market Question looming as large as it has ever in decades.

The reason why the NFL isn't trying to run the CFL (or really Aussie Rules football, considering that the AFL down under is operating under the same structure of being an effective national pro league in a place that the NFL covets for international dollars) out of town is that the owners of the teams, and the commissioner really, would run to the feds the instant they heard or got a whiff of the NFL actually going into the process of taking bids for an expansion team in Toronto. And no matter what government is actually in power, there's an expectation to protect Canadian cultural interests (of which the CFL absolutely is) alongside the jobs that are present from what can be spun as the conquering American horde looking to do damage. Even with the resources Goodell and the NFL have to put up a case in that scenario, why would you bother going up against the whims of a government who's going to be intent on muzzling you, and nationalist fervor whipped up by the opposite party?

Decades ago that would have been the case but not anymore. There was once a time that players actually chose the CFL over the NFL, now you make more on an NFL practice squad then starting in the CFL.

The Premier of Ontario recently called for an NFL team in Toronto. https://dailyhive.com/toronto/doug-ford-toronto-nfl-team

The challenge is that there won't be government funding for a stadium. So you would need a Stan Kroenke-type person who is willing to bankroll a stadium and supporting infrastructure. The other challenge is the NFL already has TV deals in Canada so they may not view it as adding new revenues like European expansion would.