Don't bother with this Club For Growth Groupie. He leaves out enough significant context that he can't be taken seriously.
I don't know if it's been mentioned in the thread or not, but ticket prices!
We've seen exponential growth in team valuations, largely on the back of ticket price hikes. The average ticket price to a Habs game this year is bordering on $200. I might even be low-balling.
$200*21000*41= 172000000 in ticket revenue alone. Twice the salary cap. Even the smaller markets, where tickets
might only be $100, you're covering your cap on ticket revenue. BUT ... it comes at the expense of the fans. The NHL seems content to roll with this model while markets without a huge commercial base eventually struggle to support it.
I'd have a far easier time believing that 2000 season ticket holders decided to walk away because of the cost instead of a short-term policy based on a public health order (as one person suggested).
Winnipeg has some commerical presence - insurance - but it's not overflowing with entities that can buy a handful of seats and write them off as a corporate expense. They need the average Joe and Jane, and the average Joe and Jane are falling further and further behind.
At least with a team that has a national appeal, you can rely on some individual ticket sales to folks making an annual pilgrimage.
All that to say, I don't believe the Jets should move. I don't think they will move. Thomson is a massive company and can likely afford to weather any storm. I just think the league, in general, needs to start asking itself some very serious questions - instead of baiting with expansion.
