Phoenix LXXXIII: "Stuff's Gonna Happen"

[LouisOlivier]

Just be patient all my Nordiques friends. If this team ends up in Seattle, I will continue to support the return of the national hockey league in my city, we all knew that it will be hard to bring the Nordiques back. The patience will pay someday.

 

[yotesreign]

IF the team does move to Seattle, which would be the ultimate slap in the face of Canada, I was wondering if there is anything I could do to stick it to the NHL. Unfortunately, I don't watch their games live. I don't buy their crummy merchandise and I don't have one of those "ratings" boxes.

Oh well...

Well... what's wrong with a little slap to the face of Canada once in a while?

While I agree it would be a bad thing to happen frequently, when was the last time Canada got a slap in the face? 1990s? Has Quebec tried to secede since the '90s?

Maybe the NHL moving the Yotes to Seattle would be just the skin bracer hockey fans who don't watch hockey or buy merch need to start watching again...

 

[Tawnos]

But is Seattle a bigger market than Quebec City in terms of hockey interest, Atlanta was a pretty big media market and it did not work there. It is not the size of the market that matters, what matters is how hockey interest there is. In Seattle the NHL would have compete against the NFL, MLB and the NBA (eventually).

Depends on your viewpoint. Growth potential is as important to some people as immediate interest.

 

[JimAnchower]

Sherwood seems to really be waving that "Save the Yotes" flag for all the political currency he can get.

He certainly seems to be playing it this way in case Westgate were to become a ghost town. He could then wash his hands of the situation and blame everyone else.

 

[LouisOlivier]

Well... what's wrong with a little slap to the face of Canada once in a while?

While I agree it would be a bad thing to happen frequently, when was the last time Canada got a slap in the face? 1990s? Has Quebec tried to secede since the '90s?

Maybe the NHL moving the Yotes to Seattle would be just the skin bracer hockey fans who don't watch hockey or buy merch need to start watching again...

I think some Nordiques fans are frustrating because Seattle just seems to be interested in hockey since last week and here you know it's a hockey town.

 

[Wheathead]

I think some Nordiques fans are frustrating because Seattle just seems to be interested in hockey since last week and here you know it's a hockey town.

Seattle has never really been interested in the Thunderbirds. Not like Portland and the Winterhawks.

I know they have NFL and MLB clubs as well, but the hockey fan base in Seattle isn't there.

 

[LouisOlivier]

Seattle has never really been interested in the Thunderbirds. Not like Portland and the Winterhawks.

I know they have NFL and MLB clubs as well, but the hockey fan base in Seattle isn't there.

Yep like the 2/3rd of the NHL cities loll

 

[OttawaRoughRiderFan*]

I plan on either burning all my NHL stuff and put it on youtube or
Pack everything and send it to NHL head office.

In any case, I know the NHL won't give a ****, but, you know, it'll feel good.

Good for you, buddy. I hope you do it.

I really wish Canadians would boycott this league. Our unconditional support sickens me.

 

[Hawker14]

Well... what's wrong with a little slap to the face of Canada once in a while?

While I agree it would be a bad thing to happen frequently, when was the last time Canada got a slap in the face? 1990s? Has Quebec tried to secede since the '90s?

Maybe the NHL moving the Yotes to Seattle would be just the skin bracer hockey fans who don't watch hockey or buy merch need to start watching again...

Whoa, whoa, whoa !

Quebec didn't try to secede, it chose to stay !

 

[brewski420]

I think some Nordiques fans are frustrating because Seattle just seems to be interested in hockey since last week and here you know it's a hockey town.

Interest in hockey has always been here, just look at success of WHL teams in metro area. People started really talking NHL after the Sonics left 5 or 6 years ago. Mostly just local talk so no reason for QC fans to know anything about Seattle. But make no mistake the interest has been here for a lot longer than a week.

 

[Whileee]

I've been saying for a while now that Glendale' track has been to try and delay the process long enough so that the NHL will have no choice to accept the $6.5M themselves and losses above that. CoG just hoping that the NHL does in fact have no other option for relocation and contraction will never happen.

Was worth a try, but it seems like Bettman finally does have a firm deadline in place. High stakes poker with lots of bluffing going on.

Daly said "no decisions is a decision" Glendale has to decide quick

Yup. I think that Sherwood is trying to delay things however possible. However, his suggestion that there are potential ownership groups that the NHL has not encountered or taken seriously won't take him far with the NHL now. It might deflect some of the criticism that the NHL is trying to deflect towards the COG, but it won't change the bottom line. Unless the COG agrees to terms presented to them by the RSE/NHL, and soon, the NHL is going to pull the plug on Glendale.

I hate to say it, but I think that moment is "imminent".

 

[Nordskull]

Interest in hockey has always been here, just look at success of WHL teams in metro area. People started really talking NHL after the Sonics left 5 or 6 years ago. Mostly just local talk so no reason for QC fans to know anything about Seattle. But make no mistake the interest has been here for a lot longer than a week.

Two weeks?

Kidding.

 

[maruk14]

Seattle has never really been interested in the Thunderbirds. Not like Portland and the Winterhawks.

I know they have NFL and MLB clubs as well, but the hockey fan base in Seattle isn't there.

Sorry - but this is uniformed. First off, the Winterhawks were obviously a great team this year and that helps teh attendance numbers but look at total tickets sold ... and if you are talking about "Seattle" you need to include both Everett and Kent (where the T-Birds now play). Both are about the same distance to the city.

Portland - 240,749
Everett/Kent - 327,525

http://www.hockeyattendance.com/league/whl/2012/

Then - all those Winterhawk fans (and they are great, my comparison isn't a knock on them at all) would become Seattle NHL fans as well since Portland is a 3 hour drive from Seattle and many would make the trek north for games (and all the Canadians coming across the border too).

There is also this:

"The Seattle area ranks 12th nationally in adult hockey participation"

http://seattletimes.com/html/hockey/2019441232_hockeytown16.html

Seattle would be a great hockey market for all the reasons listed above + a reputation for having some of the loudest, most rabid fan bases across many sports.

 

[OttawaRoughRiderFan*]

Well... what's wrong with a little slap to the face of Canada once in a while?

I understand you feel that way, YR. If I was you, I would want the team to end up anywhere but Canada as well.

 

[LouisOlivier]

Interest in hockey has always been here, just look at success of WHL teams in metro area. People started really talking NHL after the Sonics left 5 or 6 years ago. Mostly just local talk so no reason for QC fans to know anything about Seattle. But make no mistake the interest has been here for a lot longer than a week.

I can compare the interest of having hockey back to your interest of having nba back.

 

[OttawaRoughRiderFan*]

Quebec didn't try to secede, it chose to stay !

Made me smile.

 

[Brodie]

Seattle and Quebec fans really need to stop engaging and attacking each other and retreat to their own threads.

 

[maruk14]

But is Seattle a bigger market than Quebec City in terms of hockey interest, Atlanta was a pretty big media market and it did not work there. It is not the size of the market that matters, what matters is how hockey interest there is. In Seattle the NHL would have compete against the NFL, MLB and the NBA (eventually).

See my post I just made about interest. Seattle is definitely not Atlanta (in support in any sport really) when it comes to the NHL. 2 WHL Teams in the metro area, 4 in the state, 1 across the boarder in Portland (3 hour drive) and another 3 hours to Vancouver. Seattle will be a great NHL city.

 

[Phil Parent]

Anything from any media figures this afternoon? Back to silence after yesterday's flurry?

 

[JimAnchower]

Yup. I think that Sherwood is trying to delay things however possible. However, his suggestion that there are potential ownership groups that the NHL has not encountered or taken seriously won't take him far with the NHL now. It might deflect some of the criticism that the NHL is trying to deflect towards the COG, but it won't change the bottom line. Unless the COG agrees to terms presented to them by the RSE/NHL, and soon, the NHL is going to pull the plug on Glendale.

I hate to say it, but I think that moment is "imminent".

I'm trying to figure why he is trying to delay. Maybe he thinks his "mystery buyer" is real and viable. Maybe he thinks the NHL isn't serious in it's threat to re-locate and that they will stay in the end, thus creating this same RFE situation to happen next year. Maybe he just wants as many quotes of his out there about his concern for Westgate if the Coytes leave as possible. His biggest obstacle seems to be that he doesn't have enough votes to along with him.

 

[viper0220]

See my post I just made about interest. Seattle is definitely not Atlanta (in support in any sport really) when it comes to the NHL. 2 WHL Teams in the metro area, 4 in the state, 1 across the boarder in Portland (3 hour drive) and another 3 hours to Vancouver. Seattle will be a great NHL city.

Yes Seattle will be a good hockey market...







For about 5 years then the novelty will wear off.

 

[madhi19]

Honestly, through all these threads, no one has been able to officially pin down why NHL has been so stubborn about the issue-a lot of speculation, a lot of theories-the NBC just being one of them, but nothing concrete. They do keep talking about wanting to grow the game in the US, and the idea of advertisers are interested in US teams, not Canada teams has come up again and again.

In short-there's been a lot of speculation, but nothing definitely proven. Your theory/idea is probably one small part of it, but there are other angles.

This whole Saga has been one of the strangest quagmires I have ever experienced reading about.

Peoples are overestimating the NHL resolve in the matter if the Atlanta mess did not show up I think the NHL would have moved on to Winnipeg three years ago. And not even asked Glendale to cover their loss. But they did because they had little choices in the matter and Glendale was dumb enough to say yes twice. They put so much money out that the NHL got outsmarted into thinking they can pull an even bigger con. The NHL came damn close of pulling it off I would not be shock to learn that Jamison is now persona non grata with the BoG for that reason. Now the gravy train is over and they can't wait to get the hell out of town before they start losing some real money.

 

[GordonGraham]

Wasnt Gary suppose to do a big radio interview today a 4.30pm ?

 

[Cryogenic Man]

Well, no one should be. The idea that NBC has an out from a contract based on the number of US franchises is beyond ludicrous.

And it isn't about having a problem renegotiating a contract, it's about the value of said future contract.

Considering the numbers (ratings) are pretty good, (AZ not being a real factor in that equation) and it's still early in the game contract wise, I still don't think it will be a problem to renegotiate an NHL record breaking contract extension in 2021.

But that's just my opinion.

 

[maruk14]

Yes Seattle will be a good hockey market...







For about 5 years then the novelty will wear off.

You know what they say about opinions.

Cause the WHL was here for 5 years then left ... oh wait, they added another team to this market 10 years ago and then the novelty wore off, right? Someone tell all those Silvertip fans that the novelty is finished?