Book Feature Rocky Hockey: The Short but Wild Ride of the NHL's Colorado Rockies (by Greg Enright)

[NorthStar]

@Jocke1 - I'd love to see that yearbook signature with Grapes and Blue! As for the national cable TV coverage of the Rockies, I know for a fact that it wasn't just that one game. I happen to have footage of the Rockies playing:

* against Washington on Dec. 6, 1980 on ESPN
* against Minnesota on Dec. 28, 1981 on USA
* against St. Louis on Jan. 8, 1982 on ESPN

In addition, when I check the 506 Archive, I can see that there were these other broadcasts:

* against the Rangers on Jan. 14, 1980 on UA-Columbia (predecessor of USA)
* against Minnesota on Oct. 17, 1980 on ESPN
* against Washington on Mar. 10, 1981 on ESPN
* against Boston on Oct. 16, 1981 on ESPN
* against Toronto on Nov. 6, 1981 on ESPN
* against Edmonton on Mar. 26, 1982 on ESPN

So there were definitely a handful of games during those couple of years. Which makes me even more curious now about my original question of whether the team was relatively overexposed or underexposed (or neither).



I definitely remember reading about the possibility of the Rockies moving to Ottawa instead of to NJ, and how this alternative plan was a non-starter because:

(a) it was determined that the new arena, even if/when expanded, wouldn't be able to generate sufficient supplementary revenue from non-hockey sports/events

(b) it was determined that the Ottawa 67's couldn't survive with a pro team in town (obviously, the 67's and the Senators were able to co-exist years later, so I'm not too sure about this one)

Im curious as to these games listed on tv for footage of the Rockies games.. and also if the Rockies did move to Ottawa, what name would the Ottawa team have taken?? Just thinking that would be something if we didnt have to have the Ottawa Senators join in 1992??

 

[SealsFan]

Right up my alley, can't wait to get this book! I was driving around Long Island with a "Rocky Hockey" bumper sticker on the back of my station wagon back in the day and the only thing that got more strange looks was the "MARRUUUUKKKK" bumper sticker right above it (Dennis Maruk on the Seals)....

 

[Jocke1]

This was uploaded yesterday:

 

[frontsfan2005]

Im curious as to these games listed on tv for footage of the Rockies games.. and also if the Rockies did move to Ottawa, what name would the Ottawa team have taken?? Just thinking that would be something if we didnt have to have the Ottawa Senators join in 1992??

The name "Ottawa Senators" was being used by Ottawa's Central Jr. A team that began play in 1979. This team is still around, now known as the Ottawa Jr. Senators in the Central Canada Hockey League as they added the Jr. in 1992 when the NHL came back.

When Ottawa was trying to get an NHL team in 1990, it was always known as the Senators.

My guess would be Senators, but the logo would be completely different. Probably something along these lines:

Or:

 

[NorthStar]

The name "Ottawa Senators" was being used by Ottawa's Central Jr. A team that began play in 1979. This team is still around, now known as the Ottawa Jr. Senators in the Central Canada Hockey League as they added the Jr. in 1992 when the NHL came back.

When Ottawa was trying to get an NHL team in 1990, it was always known as the Senators.

My guess would be Senators, but the logo would be completely different. Probably something along these lines:

Or:

ah that might make sense as that would have been the case when Ottawa was trying to get back into the NHL .. if I recall right Ottawa did join the WHA but didnt do well.. what was the reason as to that WHA failure till it was time to recruit the Colorado Rockies to move to Ottawa at that time?? and that logo on the bottom might have been best choice till later on if moderized or changed somehow...

 

[frontsfan2005]

ah that might make sense as that would have been the case when Ottawa was trying to get back into the NHL .. if I recall right Ottawa did join the WHA but didnt do well.. what was the reason as to that WHA failure till it was time to recruit the Colorado Rockies to move to Ottawa at that time?? and that logo on the bottom might have been best choice till later on if moderized or changed somehow...

Yes, Ottawa had two WHA teams, the Ottawa Nationals (72-73) and the Ottawa Civics (75-76).

The Nationals played the full season in 72-73 and they had the worst attendance in the league (avg. of 3,226 playing out of the Civic Centre, which sat 9,862 I believe at the time). It is worth noting that when Ottawa received the franchise, it was an "Ontario" franchise that was expected to play out of Maple Leaf Gardens in Toronto. The City of Ottawa was also demanding that the Nationals pay $100,000 to secure dates for the 73-74 season. The Nationals then moved their playoff games to Toronto, and eventually relocated there as the Toronto Toros.

As for the Civics, they began the 75-76 season as the Denver Spurs. The Spurs had absolutely terrible attendance (under 3,000/game) and with the NHL looking to move into Denver (the Scouts would relocate to Denver for the 76-77 season), the Spurs unofficially folded in December before the league stepped in and brokered deal with an Ottawa ownership group called The Founders Club to buy the team from Spurs owner Ivan Mullenix and immediately move to Ottawa. As the deal was being done, the Civics did play two games in Ottawa, both sellouts, however, The Founders Club wasn't willing to pay what Mullenix wanted. Mullenix then gave an ultimatium, pay $1.5 million or the team would fold in 10 days. The Founders Club offered $1 million, he said no, and the club folded on January 17, 1976.

As for what was the reasoning that Ottawa wanted back in the NHL - it has to do with the recent WHA-NHL merger and the Flames moving from Atlanta to Calgary. In 1982, Canadian cities by population were:
1. Toronto (3,130,000)
2. Montreal (2,848,000)
3. Vancouver (1,290,000)
4. Ottawa (754,000)
5. Edmonton (668,000)
6. Calgary (609,000)
7. Quebec City (580,000)

Ottawa was the 4th largest Canadian market, and of course being the capital city of Canada, and didn't have a team. Renovating the Nepean Sports Complex to 15,000 was the plan, but it fell through, the Rockies moved to East Rutherford, and Ottawa had to wait another 10 years before the Senators came back.