QMJHL’s Acadie-Bathurst Titan to move to St. John’s Newfoundland

[BondraTime]

I'm all for the Newfies getting a team, but feel for Titan fans and will always have doubts about the herculean financial issues and logistics that a team faces out there.

This has been in the works for a long time, and has been a very poorly held secret around town for people on the hockey scene around St. John’s

It’ll go well for the first season, numbers will begin to dwindle the 2nd year, and past that it will be sparse with them moving again within 5 years of coming.

It happens with every team, with every league we bring in. We keep jumping at the opportunity and it never works out long term. This will be no different, and I’ve heard that from some people who would have a very good idea on the economics involved.

 

[GKJ]

Jake Allen played for St. John's.

And Huberdeau played with St. John in their Mem Cup year of 2011.

Whoever had Jacob DeSerres as an overage is who I’m thinking of.

 

[eojsmada]

Whoever had Jacob DeSerres as an overage is who I’m thinking of.

Looks like Saint John Seadogs, based on quick search

 

[LadyStanley]

Check out this Podcast: Soft Tampering ft. Patrick Burke Soft Tampering ft. Patrick Burke

Jeff Marek, The Sheet podcast.

About an hour in, new franchise will pay one way for travel, and any additional days due to being snowed in.

 

[ColinM]

I'm curious as to what the travel costs for St. John's will be relative to Rouyan Noranda or Val D'or. On the surface I would think its easier to fly out of Moncton, Halifax, or Potentially Ottawa than either of those 2 locations, given the number of direct flights from those cities.

As others have mentioned given the long string of failure in St. John's over the past 20 years I'm curious about what the ownership intends to do differently this time? Or did they just grab the lowest hanging fruit and are hoping for the best?

 

[jetsmooseice]

As others have mentioned given the long string of failure in St. John's over the past 20 years I'm curious about what the ownership intends to do differently this time? Or did they just grab the lowest hanging fruit and are hoping for the best?

Yeah, colour me skeptical. It feels like every team there fails, and always with some kind of dramatic flourish. Not just hockey teams, they've had basketball teams that have all failed as well. Mary Brown's Centre is cursed.

 

[EH7]

I'm curious as to what the travel costs for St. John's will be relative to Rouyan Noranda or Val D'or. On the surface I would think its easier to fly out of Moncton, Halifax, or Potentially Ottawa than either of those 2 locations, given the number of direct flights from those cities.

You've got the gist of it. From Stephane Leroux:

Already, draft calendars for the 2025-2026 season are being prepared. Basically, the 12 Quebec-based teams would travel to Newfoundland once every two years to play two games. The other five teams in the Maritimes Division will travel to Newfoundland twice to play doubleheaders for a total of 32 home games.

Currently, Quebec teams travel by bus twice a season to the Maritimes for three-game trips. Let's take the example of a team like the Drummondville Voltigeurs. They would travel to the Maritimes on the same principle as they are now: (Moncton, Saint John, Charlottetown, Sydney) and for their second trip, they would travel to Halifax for one game and then fly from Nova Scotia to Newfoundland for two games. It remains to be finalized, but basically the Quebec teams would save a long trip or a long return by bus from the Maritimes.

The Newfoundland team would go out on the road between 8 and 10 times a season to play 3 or 4 games on the road.

Chronique de Stéphane Leroux | Le Titan déménagera; la LHJMQ de retour à Terre-Neuve | RDS

Le club sera relocalisé à compter de la prochaine saison, rapportent plusieurs sources.

www.rds.ca

It’ll go well for the first season, numbers will begin to dwindle the 2nd year, and past that it will be sparse with them moving again within 5 years of coming.

Perfect timeline for one of the American markets to come on board via relocation.

 

[ColinM]

You've got the gist of it. From Stephane Leroux:

Chronique de Stéphane Leroux | Le Titan déménagera; la LHJMQ de retour à Terre-Neuve | RDS

Le club sera relocalisé à compter de la prochaine saison, rapportent plusieurs sources.

www.rds.ca

Interesting. It definitely sounds cost efficient although it sounds like on a given year some teams will have more difficult opponents than others. Although 6 road games taken out of a possible 35 of so seems like a bit of an after thought. I wonder if this also means the divisions will go back to being 6 teams each.

 

[voyageur]

Yeah, colour me skeptical. It feels like every team there fails, and always with some kind of dramatic flourish. Not just hockey teams, they've had basketball teams that have all failed as well. Mary Brown's Centre is cursed.

It's not likely to succeed in the long run but Newfoundland is a hockey market, and with the Growlers being phased out of the ECHL this is the next available option, and seemingly a more financially feasible one.

 

[Nogatco Rd]

Sais tu, Acadie, j'ai le mal du pays
Ta neige, Acadie, fait des larmes au soleil

 

[LadyStanley]

Sale finalized

 

[jetsmooseice]

I feel bad for the fans in Bathurst and area. I've been in their shoes and it's not a great feeling.