NHL to Atlanta odds just increased significantly

[BLNY]

I don't want any fan base to lose their franchise but another expansion team feels so unneeded.

When your tv deal sucks. Adding teams every couple of years is a nice cash infusion.

 

[Leafs87]

Fantastic can’t wait for Leafs ticket prices to go up to feed another failed franchise

 

[dj4aces]

Atlanta (with no disrespect intended) makes no sense unless there is a 4-team expansion. There are multiple cities at this point that I would put ahead of them.

Unfortunately for those writing their "list of places ahead of Atlanta I would put a team", there's a number of other factors one doesn't consider when they only look through the lens of a fan.

Rather than write out an extensive list of those factors, there's really only one that matters: Does the Board of Governors want a team in Atlanta? IF, and this is a big if, it's true that the league has given Forsyth County its assurance a team would be located here, there's your answer.

Fantastic can’t wait for Leafs ticket prices to go up to feed another failed franchise

Oh, come now. Those prices have risen since you posted that comment. MLSE doesn't need a reason to ramp up those prices!

(And by the time you read this, they'll have gone up again!)

 

[Look Up]

Let's call them the Atlanta Flashers - pays homage to the two former NHL teams.

 

[dirtydanglez]

i hope it's relocation not expansion.

not to confident about atlanta again but its a new arena so i guess they'll be around a while.

 

[The Expert]

What's the definition of insanity?

 

[SK13]

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.

It's pretty clear from the success of Tampa Bay and Nashville that hockey in a large, non-traditional market can find enough of a foothold to be profitable.

There's a reason the expansion rules are now so favorable. They don't start at the bottom anymore.

 

[Ted Hoffman]

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.

Not just that: when the Thrashers came into the league, Ted Turner was the owner. There were zero questions about the viability of the team. It was when he sold his businesses to Time Warner, who got control of the Thrashers, who sold it to ASG, who fought amongst each other for 3-4 years, who finally settled that ex-the lead guy and then decided "f*** hockey, we don't want it" that the viability of the team became an issue.

And at that point, it wasn't an question of "if" hockey was going to leave Atlanta. It was a question of when, because the then-owners would have just dumped it on the NHL if they'd had to.

 

[FlyguyOX]

Another benefit is that this new area called The Gathering will be an attraction, but you also have two similar type of work/entertainment/food centers within 15min each way called The Halcyon and Avalon.

 

[Ted Hoffman]

Fantastic can’t wait for Leafs ticket prices to go up to feed another failed franchise

Spoiler: if we cut the league to however many teams you find desirable, and put them in whatever places you deem desirable, Leafs ticket prices aren't going down by the first penny. If anything, they'll go up even more.

 

[PunchImlach is Alive]

View attachment 813284
Gathering location at red dot. Pretty close to middle of metro atlanta, which boasts a population over 3x the size of Nashville.


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

I have no problem expanding into Atlanta (awesome city btw) but the proposed arena location has always been a bit of an unknown for me because of the distance. Comparably to other markets however, it does seem like its a moot point. The Thrashers moved over a decade ago. I think its lost on some people that cities do in fact grow and demand / interest changes.

 

[EpochLink]

Name it the Atlanta OutKast, with Andre 3000 and Big Boi as the logo's

 

[tny760]

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.

i was thinking the same, i think there's probably a lot of canadians and yankees in here primed and ready to shit on a city they know very little about. hell even as a californian i know very little about the area but i know the film industry is booming there and this isn't the first time i've heard about huge growth there in general. atlanta 2024 is not atlanta 1999 or 2011, not by a longshot

i do question that location being so far out of the heart of atlanta but who knows what that area looks like 10 years from now

 

[Look Up]

Speculation Prediction: shitty contracts incoming to get this team started right. One of the following will be a Flasher: Huberdeau, PLD, or Nurse.

 

[Juniorhockeyguru]

ugh why?

 

[Howboutthempanthers]

I don't think we need any more teams personally. But as far as the fans of Atlanta go, I'm really happy for them. I think if they have good ownership, the franchise will succeed.

 

[Chainshot]

I'm happy for the fans who lost their team, but I really hope there's a better plan to make this work this time.

I suppose the more beneficial expansion drafts rules that Vegas and Seattle got compared to past teams will help. Having a franchise start out in the basement for years is not an easy way to build a fan base.

Have ownership who aren't nitwits would also help.

 

[moosemeister]

f*** yeah! Stoked for Atlanta hockey fans

 

[Groo]

Atlanta isn't just a major metropolitan area. It's the hub of an entire region. I can see why the NHL would seek to return

 

[jcs0218]

I want to see the NHL expand to 4 new cities at the same time just to see how chaotic a 4 team expansion draft would be.

 

[Ted Hoffman]

What's the definition of insanity?

Complaining repeatedly about something that doesn't impact you, me or anyone else here in any way.

ugh why?

To make people who still don't understand the real reason why two NHL teams have left Atlanta mad.

 

[flashy]

Let's call them the Atlanta Flashers - pays homage to the two former NHL teams.

no.

 

[FlyguyOX]

Atlanta isn't just a major metropolitan area. It's the hub of an entire region. I can see why the NHL would seek to return

Yeah seems weird to not be in THE largest population and business hub in the entire southeast.

 

[AKL]

I hope it's the same Thrashers branding as last time. The logos, the colors, everything was perfect.

 

[FlyguyOX]

no.

My biggest shocker was when I was talking to Canadian buddies and they had no idea a thrasher was a bird (that I see all the time outside my house I’ll add)

I hope it's the same Thrashers branding as last time. The logos, the colors, everything was perfect.

My personal favorite jersey they had followed by the powder blue

Fun face: kovalchuk had a powder blue Bentley we always saw around the Duluth ice forum where they practiced and shared facilities (somewhat) with the local youth teams