NHL to Atlanta odds just increased significantly

[DaveG]

View attachment 813265

 

[Number8]

Move or expansion? Either way, I'm sure the owners are drooling over the incoming cheques.

The only good news some owner’s have had this week.

 

[Terry Yake]

34+ teams is just too many. would make more sense if the coyotes just relocated to ATL

 

[TLEH]

I think people are full of shit on the market. If you field a competitive team in a major American market, with a good stadium and location, and run the team correctly, they'll be successful.

In Houston, in Atlanta, in Phoenix, SLC.. they'll all be successful. If you run the team like shit and put the arena in a hard to get to area with no parking or whatever, yeah don't be shocked if people don't come.

I think at the end of the day, my problem with team 33 and 34 more has to do with the fact that I don't think the league can support it, talent wise.

 

[Gaylord Q Tinkledink]

Great for hockey fans in Atlanta.

For fans who want actual good hockey, this isn't it.

Though, at the rate the NHL wants to expand it might dry up the talent so much players employ goons again.

Then you'll have animosity, fights, goals, saves, skilled plays and make hockey fun again instead of whatever the NHL has been doing for the past 15 years.

 

[BKarchitect]

It wouldn’t be the Coyotes re-locating. That would also throw the conferences completely out of whack. You aren’t going to get Detroit or Columbus to accept a move to the West.

Also…a lot of people can type words on X/twitter or make claims about handshake deals for votes on a project.

Is this Twitter post really enough to say “yeah, looks like the NHL is back in Atlanta”? Weekes has been gasing up expansion to Atlanta for years now and is @notthrashers Twitter really have actual news or just a “source” that is saying the vote, which hasn’t even happened yet, means the NHL has agreed to move into Atlanta?

Seems like a stretch to me. This seems like more gasing up with little actual substance. I live in a city that voted for a new arena project and passed it on the basis of getting a team. That was the entire deal.

15 years later….

 

[Slats432]

oh yay, more expansion

just what the NHL needs, more teams to water down the product even more

So you don't want McDavid to score 200 points?

 

[bossram]

Atlanta is one of the biggest and fastest growing metro areas in the U.S. It makes sense the NHL wants to be there.

Looking like the next round of expansion is Atlanta and Utah, for East/West balance.

 

[FlyguyOX]

Could we potentially see a four team expansion? Utah, Atlanta, Houston, and... Quebec?

Just looking at the map, Forsyth County is on the far Northeast edge of the Atlanta Metro. It's 25 miles from downtown to the entertainment district.

Yes previous teams suffered from being inaccessible to some fans, being in downtown meant being far from the NE burbs. But this district is also far from downtown and far from most of suburban Atlanta.

The problem in Atlanta is that the whole thing is just too sprawly, not enough density to support some big city amenities.

Gathering location at red dot. Pretty close to middle of metro atlanta, which boasts a population over 3x the size of Nashville.

Compared to Gainesville, sure. I would bet that hockey is about the 15th most popular sport by participation in Atlanta, if even that. I know it's a big city, but hockey simply is nothing but an afterthought there. That they get a 3rd kick at the can is absolutely ridiculous, when there are places filled with hockey fans that are dying to get a franchise.

How is that any different from Tampa or Nashville? In fact I’m sure hockey is more popular because of most people in atlanta not being FROM Atlanta

 

[SEALBound]

Ridiculous, this city have already fails twice with the NHL, give a chance to Houston or even Salt Lake City. Even Quebec would be a better option right now.

Yes, but hear me out:

 

[Breakers]

Jeff O’Neil is gonna lose his mind over this news

LOLOL
He’s got this thing specifically about Atlanta going back for a 3rd time. They just don’t like hockey there.

 

[Edgelord]

Is the talent pool there to ice 34+ teams of quality players?

 

[FlyguyOX]

Only 1, Houston, would have anywhere near the financial backing of Atlanta.

And I’m not even sure of that. I’ve seen many reports saying the nhl wants a team in Houston more than Houston wants a team

 

[Moon Man]

Good for those fans to get a team again.

In Canada, there have been studies. Many people feel as if it is a family death, when their team leaves. A similar feeling.

 

[FlyguyOX]

I doubt that they did this so quietly.

Previous rounds of expansion have been very public facing over a long timeframe. They make a big deal about accepting bids, and transparently keep noncompetitive bids in the mix just to ramp up pressure and drive the prices higher. The final vote by the Board of Governors is highly anticipated and covered extensively by the media, especially in the local market so they can throw a big party when it’s made official that they’re getting a team. That celebration and all the hype leading up to it is a huge part of driving season ticket sales, which usually begin months in advance in order to show the strength of the market.

In this case, it would have happened completely out of public view? And the municipality was the first to know, and stayed leak-free throughout the process? And an owner is all lined up without anyone saying a word? And the BoG made this decision with no leaks? And no bidding process, no attempt to create a bidding war?

I’d say it’s more likely that this is a Quebec City or Hamilton situation. The municipality is basically building the arena on speculation, having been assured that a team is imminent but not actually having one in hand.

It’s possible. I was told of the atlanta nhl movement a couple years ago before it even became a topic that was hinted at by ANYONE in the media

 

[Dr Jan Itor]

I mean, why not try a third time?

 

[FlyguyOX]

It wouldn’t be the Coyotes re-locating. That would also throw the conferences completely out of whack. You aren’t going to get Detroit or Columbus to accept a move to the West.

Also…a lot of people can type words on X/twitter or make claims about handshake deals for votes on a project.

Is this Twitter post really enough to say “yeah, looks like the NHL is back in Atlanta”? Weekes has been gasing up expansion to Atlanta for years now and is @notthrashers Twitter really have actual news or just a “source” that is saying the vote, which hasn’t even happened yet, means the NHL has agreed to move into Atlanta?

Seems like a stretch to me. This seems like more gasing up with little actual substance. I live in a city that voted for a new arena project and passed it on the basis of getting a team. That was the entire deal.

15 years later….

I’ve communicated with NHL to Atlanta on twitter and we’ve heard similar things about the NHL to atlanta since before weekes and buccigross started throwing it out there. I was told the new arena would be at Northpoint Mall in Alpharetta though, so was off there. Close enough though

 

[Lilou]

At this point I would just move the jets back to atlanta. They can barely sell out games in Winnipeg unless the Leafs show up and Leaf fans pack the arena.

 

[TheOrganist]

I can't think of a market I find less interesting for an NHL team than Atlanta. Just why?

 

[FlyguyOX]

I’ll add this as something to think about to.

When atlanta got its MLS expansion team (2018 I think?) it immediately became the biggest team in the league, breaking all kinds of attendance records even worldwide much less in North America. And that team is downtown.

The city is capable of awesome
Support

 

[TLEH]

As much as I think Phoenix can support a team, if that leadership/ownership group can’t get a f***ing NHL stadium cobbled together then it’s time to move them. Especially with the amount of time they’ve had.

 

[Beukeboom Fan]

Different ownership group plus exponentially better location.

All of those things are vital for success.

 

[LOFIN]

Not even going to read the thread entirely.

Atlanta Flames, made the playoffs once in their 9 years of existence. Thrashers made the playoffs once in their 11 years of existence.

I don’t really want to say the market is doomed, when it has had teams like this trying to make it work. The NHL has sinne learned and it shows with Vegas and Seattle: expansion teams should not be horrible for years when they first come into the league.

 

[MCR74]

Stick to baseball. Hockey doesn't work in Atlanta. Never has, never will.

 

[FlyguyOX]

I can't think of a market I find less interesting for an NHL team than Atlanta. Just why?

Would go a long way towards DEI imo…