Will Atlanta Get Another Team?

[uglyredhonda]

The problems with the Thrashers have already been stated, save one: if you sum up 1999-2011, only one team performed worse on the ice during that period: the Maple Leafs. Thrashers: one playoff trip, no wins. There are very few cities out there that could survive a run like that. (A few of my former Thrashers chuckled over the continuing mediocrity of the franchise in Winnipeg - it took seven more seasons for the franchise to finally win a playoff series.)

The team also had no iconic plays for fans to connect with. If you ask a Thrashers fan what the biggest moments were, it's usually either the Dan Snyder memorial or Evander Kane knocking out Matt Cooke. Neither of those is a hockey play. (Comparatively, Braves fans had several iconic plays, particularly the Sid Bream slide in 1992.)

.

Right now, my Thrasher friends have a semi-realistic Wishful Thinking theory as to how another Atlanta NHL team might happen.

There's idle speculation that Liberty (Braves) is looking to purchase the Galleria property on the opposite side of I-285 from the Battery (and connected to the Battery via the pedestrian walkway). If they demolish the Galleria mall and conference center there, there's enough space for an arena.

It would be a good fit for them. Liberty wants the Battery to be a year-round destination, and an NHL team would be pretty much the perfect opposite schedule to the Braves. It's also in the right area of town for an NHL audience, and much easier to get to than Philips was.

Main problem: I can't see Cobb County putting a dime into it. The county commissioners that agreed to the Braves deal were mostly voted out of office due to the faults in the deal that ended up costing the county extra money. Having said that, the new commissioners were able to push through a property tax increase that will pay dividends in the long run, and the "we're running out of money" pleas that preceded it didn't count the extra tax revenues should the Braves continue to be successful. So the County might be rolling in extra cash in a few years.

It seems like the Battery finally gave Liberty a reason to consider the value of a team performing well on the field. If that's true, they certainly wouldn't be the worst owners an NHL team has had, and a far cry better than ASG. Bonus: it's possible that they might actually be able to afford to make something like this happen.

I'm not saying this will actually happen, and I doubt it will. But I think there's a strong case that it could actually work.

 

[joelef]

demographics hurt the thrashers

 

[powerstuck]

The team also had no iconic plays for fans to connect with. If you ask a Thrashers fan what the biggest moments were, it's usually either the Dan Snyder memorial or Evander Kane knocking out Matt Cooke. Neither of those is a hockey play. (Comparatively, Braves fans had several iconic plays, particularly the Sid Bream slide in 1992.)

While it's true, the team did have players with great careers. Ilya Kovalchuk, Marian Hossa and even Dany Heatley despite everything what happened outside the ice. And add all the players that are still playing in the NHL.

I mean it's like saying that what Gretzky did with LA and NYR doesn't count because he only won the cups with the Oilers.

 

[AtlantaWhaler]

While it's true, the team did have players with great careers. Ilya Kovalchuk, Marian Hossa and even Dany Heatley despite everything what happened outside the ice. And add all the players that are still playing in the NHL.

I mean it's like saying that what Gretzky did with LA and NYR doesn't count because he only won the cups with the Oilers.

Kovy is really the only player that qualifies. He was drafted by the team, spent a number of great years here, and outwardly didn't want to get traded, but also didn't want to move with the team.

The Heatley tragedy was such big news that it was a constant cloud over the player, team, and even (for no good reason) the player we got in return (Hossa). And, I'd also argue that during the Heatley years, attendance and "team buzz" was much better than post-accident.

 

[AtlantaWhaler]

Man...a local sports talk station is celebrating their 25th anniversary and this morning they were playing calls from Thrasher games. I loved me some Dan Kamal.

 

[Mayor Bee]

While it's true, the team did have players with great careers. Ilya Kovalchuk, Marian Hossa and even Dany Heatley despite everything what happened outside the ice. And add all the players that are still playing in the NHL.

I mean it's like saying that what Gretzky did with LA and NYR doesn't count because he only won the cups with the Oilers.

Gretzky is also the greatest player of all-time, and who had multiple major moments after leaving Edmonton:

* Point #1,851
* Goal #802
* The complete resurrection of the Kings from mediocrity toward contender
* The playoff run in 1992-93
* The high stick on Gilmour
* Three months with the Blues
* Finishing up in New York City
* Three more Art Ross Trophies and a Hart
* Being the catalyst for the NHL's look toward the Sun Belt and the South

And then on the other side is Ilya Kovalchuk. I like Kovalchuk, but there's simply no comparison between them as players or in terms of what they were able to accomplish individually or as a team.

 

[BKIslandersFan]

I don’t think there’s any evidence to indicate with good product relatively consistently, Atlanta as a market could not work.

Sorry but yea you do need to put on good product in almost any market, warm or cold, to be successful selling the product, especially in a new market.

 

[StreetHawk]

I don’t think there’s any evidence to indicate with good product relatively consistently, Atlanta as a market could not work.

Sorry but yea you do need to put on good product in almost any market, warm or cold, to be successful selling the product, especially in a new market.

Outside of say Toronto a market can’t be bad for an extended period of time. Carolina has missed the playoffs for how many years now? Florida with one appearance in a decade or something?

If you are rebuilding and you’re still at 85-90% capacity you’re still fine imo. It’s when you’re down to 50-60% capacity that is concerning.

 

[nhlfan79]

I'm hearing word that a three-year lease extension between the Gladiators and the Infinite Energy Arena is relatively imminent. From what I've been told, the terms are essentially agreed to, and it's up to the Glads new owner to simply sign the papers.

 

[Peiskos]

Atlanta has lost not one but two NHL teams already.

300 people showed up to the rally to "save" the Thrashers.

"The rally started at noon. Shortly before 3 p.m., Mann guessed that they had more than 100 signatures. She estimated 250 fans attended. Another estimate put the number at about 300." - Thrashers fans hold rally in Atlanta

People can bring up attendance figures until they are blue in the face, when the chips were down and when the fans were really needed to show in large force it was cricket..cricket..

The answer to this question is an overwhelming NO.


NEXT.

 

[BM14]

Third time is a charm?

lol

 

[nhlfan79]

Atlanta has lost not one but two NHL teams already.

300 people showed up to the rally to "save" the Thrashers.

"The rally started at noon. Shortly before 3 p.m., Mann guessed that they had more than 100 signatures. She estimated 250 fans attended. Another estimate put the number at about 300." - Thrashers fans hold rally in Atlanta

People can bring up attendance figures until they are blue in the face, when the chips were down and when the fans were really needed to show in large force it was cricket..cricket..

The answer to this question is an overwhelming NO.


NEXT.

That would have been as effective as showing up at a prison and protesting a death-row inmate's execution. ASG spent years literally calling fans expletives to their faces during team townhall events, lying about their intention to evict their own asset from their building, all while making it legally impossible for them to stay.

There should have been ZERO people there. By then, the ultimate outcome had been settled years before.

 

[The Pale King]

Atlanta has lost not one but two NHL teams already.

300 people showed up to the rally to "save" the Thrashers.

"The rally started at noon. Shortly before 3 p.m., Mann guessed that they had more than 100 signatures. She estimated 250 fans attended. Another estimate put the number at about 300." - Thrashers fans hold rally in Atlanta

People can bring up attendance figures until they are blue in the face, when the chips were down and when the fans were really needed to show in large force it was cricket..cricket..

The answer to this question is an overwhelming NO.


NEXT.

I mean, Macleans reported roughly 300 people showed up to the 'Save the Nords' rally in 1995. Lot of bad blood and mistrust by the time things get to that stage.

Nordiques Move to Colorado | The Canadian Encyclopedia

 

[AtlantaWhaler]

Atlanta has lost not one but two NHL teams already.

300 people showed up to the rally to "save" the Thrashers.

"The rally started at noon. Shortly before 3 p.m., Mann guessed that they had more than 100 signatures. She estimated 250 fans attended. Another estimate put the number at about 300." - Thrashers fans hold rally in Atlanta

People can bring up attendance figures until they are blue in the face, when the chips were down and when the fans were really needed to show in large force it was cricket..cricket..

The answer to this question is an overwhelming NO.


NEXT.

LOL...base it on some poorly planned rally after the ownership publicly not wanting the team and trying to sell it for years. Good call.

 

[BKIslandersFan]

Atlanta has lost not one but two NHL teams already.

DC lost two MLB teams before Nationals, NEXT!

 

[SSF]

Cobb County isnt going to have any potential Thrashers arena cash for a long time.
If the revenue projections were met and exceeeded, Cobb doesnt get much of a boost financially as much as Liberty/Braves.
The Galleria is pretty busy as a convention center and hosts nationally important events so I dont know that tearing it down would be met with approval, especially given the traffic already sucks in that area.
The property tax increase was mainly needed because the Braves further drained any reserve funds and to keep libraries open/pay for salary increases.

Any medium to large sized arena in Cobb for the forseeable future will be 90%+ privately funded at a minimum.

Signed, Cobb County taxpayer

 

[Dirty Old Man]

DC lost two MLB teams before Nationals, NEXT!

Both called.....the Senators!

 

[Howie Hodge]

DC lost two MLB teams before Nationals, NEXT!

This is true, however, it took them 34 years between the expansion Senators (1961-1971) and The Nationals (2005).

The original Senators left for Minnesota in 1961 - and were immediately replaced with an expansion Senators team (1961 - 1971).

 

[BKIslandersFan]

This is true, however, it took them 34 years between the expansion Senators (1961-1971) and The Nationals (2005).

The original Senators left for Minnesota in 1961 - and were immediately replaced with an expansion Senators team (1961 - 1971).

No one is saying Atlanta could get a team tomorrow, come on now.

 

[IceManCat]

It's not a sports town. The Atlanta Braves have had immense success in the 90's but as soon as they weren't good anymore the fans stop showing up.

 

[Howie Hodge]

No one is saying Atlanta could get a team tomorrow, come on now.

I don't mean to imply anyone is saying that.

The point is never say never, though it may take a lot longer than we might imagine....

 

[nhlfan79]

It's not a sports town. The Atlanta Braves have had immense success in the 90's but as soon as they weren't good anymore the fans stop showing up.

Evidence? Throughout the 2000s, after the '90s Braves had peaked (when they always drew between 2.9 and 3.4 million), they consistently drew between 2.3 million and 2.5 million, with some individual seasons drawing as much as 2.8 million. Even this attendance put them consistently in the top third of the league at the gate, rather than the top 5.

2001 Major League Baseball Attendance & Team Age | Baseball-Reference.com

Even during their gut-and-rebuild of the last three years, they never drew less than 2.0 million, putting them in the middle third of the league. Now, the first two seasons at SunTrust Park have shown a spike back up to 2.5+ million, again in the upper third of the league.

Falcons have been sold out for 15+ straight years. Same for Atlanta United in its first two years. This debunked myth of a bad sports town will never die, despite a mountain of evidence to the contrary, I guess.

 

[CHRDANHUTCH]

DC lost two MLB teams before Nationals, NEXT!

maybe the Islanders should move to Georgia, then, based off the above response and forget about the New York tv contract or Belmont's redevelopment arena, BK

 

[AtlantaWhaler]

It's not a sports town. The Atlanta Braves have had immense success in the 90's but as soon as they weren't good anymore the fans stop showing up.

Wow...took an entire page or 2 since this was last brought up and discussed

 

[AtlantaWhaler]

Cobb County isnt going to have any potential Thrashers arena cash for a long time.
If the revenue projections were met and exceeeded, Cobb doesnt get much of a boost financially as much as Liberty/Braves.
The Galleria is pretty busy as a convention center and hosts nationally important events so I dont know that tearing it down would be met with approval, especially given the traffic already sucks in that area.
The property tax increase was mainly needed because the Braves further drained any reserve funds and to keep libraries open/pay for salary increases.

Any medium to large sized arena in Cobb for the forseeable future will be 90%+ privately funded at a minimum.

Signed, Cobb County taxpayer

I live in Cobb as well. I agree that most residents feel somewhat "burned" by the last stadium deal. That said, I can see Liberty seeing the huge success of the Battery and will continue to grow from their own pockets. Most of the real estate they've built, they've sold. An additional anchor tenant, one which mostly won't conflict with the current anchor (Braves), could possibly be seen as a huge win.

Though, I think another big obstacle there would be the fact that the Battery already has the Roxy. I do think it's a much different venue, but an entertainment complex nonetheless.