I love this topic, and yawn your yawn. 
It would be great for the downtown to have some 40 games a year with 17,000 or so people going there for games. Hey, the NHL is one of the big 4 NOrth American major leagues and that would be good for Hamilton. And hockey is our no. 1 game obviously.
Personally, I won't be going to many games as I don't think the NHL will be priced right for my wallet around these parts. I'd much prefer a nice 8,000 seater and OHL team, better value for my money. But that's just me, the NHL will be very successful in Hamilton or anywhere in southern Ontario I think.
Pretty pumped about this!! (Though, based on previous attempts, my optimism is rooted in reality.)
Gotta be getting harder for the NHL to shut us out.
It'd be awesome if the Ticats did something to get behind this -- even just some show of support. Might be a really cool PR opportunity to juice up the ol' Hammertown civic pride. Plus, could pay off down the road.
If nothing else, I just love the fact that people like Rim Jim and Bob Young -- movers and shakers -- are expressing intrest in Hamiltion. That, in itself, can go a long way to our city's revival.
I totally hear ya…I get so mad when people suggest these places. Not that some aren’t without their merits.
But, I just see Hamilton as having a few major legs up on the competition – for one, an identity. This is pretty important when it comes to building a brand. For people to embrace a team, they have to have something to grasp on to. And, I just don’t think Guelph or Vaughan have that. Not the way Hamilton does.
The rivalry with Toronto cements that.
I also just think that the biggest benefit a team can bring to a city would be Hamilton as well. I know the NHL doesn’t care, but a savvy business mogul like Rim Jimmy probably does. He could acquire a lot for a little in downtown Hamilton. And everyone benefits from having stronger downtowns.
Aiding ubran sprawl like Vaughan just has a bad vibe written all over it.
Look up "insanity" in the dictionary and you'll see Gary Bettman's picture. (the thesaurus lists "NHL")
insanity - doing the same thing over and over again but expecting a different result.
Which describes Bettman's 15+ year experiment and asinine insistence in placing NHL franchises in non-hockey (read US) markets. And the refusal to place or move a team into Canada.
Though I guess you could also say Jim Balsillie also suffers from the same malady (doing the same thing over and over again). Somehow his seems rational and sane vs Bettman's illogical and hostile stance.
The NHL statement re "The League will appear and proceed before the Bankruptcy Court in the best interests of all of the Club's constituencies, including its fans in Arizona and the League's 29 other Member Clubs." shows delusional spin and how out of touch with reality they really are. If the team is failing and losing tens of millions (like other franchises), why artificially prop it up? And these are supposedly intelligent, successful business people??? Balsillie should be embarrassed to be associated with them.
The apparent influence the Leafs have over denying another franchise locating in Southern Ontario speaks volumes. They must have compromising photos of Bettman in bed with sheep or something.
How else to explain the ridiculous, irrational position of Bettman and the NHL.
...
Bettman is just doing his job, the owners in the NHL wanted more American teams, still do, and I can appreciate that. Has this American invasion of hockey in the States been 100 percent successful? No, but then even in Jacksonville with the Jaguars in the mighty NFL, they have to tarp off some upper sections for games as we've seen.
More Canadian based NHL teams would be great for a number of reasons. Hamilton does have an identity but is it the identity the NHL really wants? That being said, does the NHL realize that the old identity of Hamilton is changing somewhat with more knowledge based industries here with a strong university? There is also a fairly large arts and music presence in this city. And it's close to Toronto to give it that Toronto urban edge of appeal some might say, but also far enough and historic enough to have a distinct identity as well. Also, Bob Young here doesn't hurt at all with the TiCats and that.
But Tannenbaum with MLSE has a lot of clout I think, that is obvious. He can make things very difficult if he wishes to.
I think JB and Bob young should get together and talk about a multi functional stadium that not only houses the Hamilton CFL team, our beloved Hamilton Tiger Cats, but also a Hamilton NHL team. That would be amazing...the timing of all this couldnt be any better.
Allan
I'd be thrilled if another team was relocated into Southern Ontario. Though I must point out to some here...no exact city was mentioned THIS time. I would hope it would be Hamilton but Baisillie did not specify a city.
As for bettman....(notice I didn't capitalize the first letter on his name!!!!) I can't believe that this scum's ego trip has and will most likely try and prevent this move from happening. What a putz!! I can't recall the figures but wasn't there a report out that the 6 Canadian teams actually generate about 50% of the revenue for the entire NHL???? You'd think a number of owners would then agree that another Canadian team (especially somewhere in Southern Ontario) would only help to generate more revenue.
Good Luck Mr. Baisillie. I hope you succeed in all of your endeavors.
Some U.S. sports marketing firm said that an NHL team in Hamilton would be the third most valuable team even before they took to the ice.
As JB keeps saying, this is an under served hockey market.
The Phoenix Coyotes hockey team is not in financial difficulty. They will not be relocating.
Signed
Gary Bettman
Its never going to happen folks!
IMO the owners ,mostly American would not agree on a team relocating to Hamilton..
why?..hockey is not a big draw in the states,,and who would go watch a team from 'Hamilton'
it would be great to get a team,but..its not going to happen!!..
According to today's Globe and Mail Balsillie spoke to local politicians in Hamilton about Copps Coliseum being available if he gets to move the team to Southern Ontario. The report says the local pols are supporting his request re Copps....and Balsillie has also been courting a number of NHL owners to support his plan.
This morning see that Bettman is saying the NHL won't give up on Phoenix..whatever the heck that means.
The only ace in the hole Bettman has is that the NHL can revoke the Phoenix franchise. That would mean a new one would have to be awarded and then they can shut Balsillie out again. All depends on how much hardball Bettman wants to play in order to keep Balsillie from ever getting a franchise.
Back to the CFL....which looks pretty good right now!
Regardless of how all this turns out … the prospect of the NHL coming to Hamilton, days after a good day at the CFL draft table – and rising optimism about the Cats this season…man, it’s a fun day to be a proud Hamiltonian!!
And, to be able to say that in these turbulent times is pretty damn cool!
Go Tabbies!
Go 'Yotes!
JB should hand Bettman a plain envelope filled with lots of cash and throw in a free blackberry too. Everyone has a price including Bettman. It doesn't really matter though because eventually JB will get a NHL team. There are so many weak US franchises losing $$ and a lousy economy to boot that it won't be long before they come courting him.
It would be interesting to see Gretzky in Canada coaching though so I hope JB lands the Coyotes.
An Argo-Cat fan
um...i think you've got the wrong forum. what in the sam hell are you posting hockey news on here for?football please. get outta here with that. the nhl will have a second team in the gta before it ever contemplates coming to the steel city, and no, you are not in the gta. sorry for being blunt, but take your hockey to steeltown dreams and hockey in general elsewhere.
stewy.
As long as Gary is in Charge ... this is not going happen ...
He hates Canada and Hamilton
A report on Canada AM this morning quoted Gretzky that he wouldn’t leave Arizona. Something about Arizona or bust.
Maybe that’s just courtesy speak for the few local Coyote fans and that’s Gretzky being ever the diplomat.
The plot thickens. According to this article by Bob McKenzie on tsn.ca today, Gary Bettman is currently in Phoenix with Chicago White Sox owner Jerry Reinsdorf, who owns a spring training baseball practice facility about a mile away from the Coyotes' arena and will be tabling an offer within the next few days to buy the Phoenix Coyotes and keep them in Glendale, Arizona:
http://www.tsn.ca/columnists/bob_mckenzie/?id=277696Thats whats so interestin this time around.. Bettman might not have a choice!
Because the team went into bankruptcy, bankruptcy court will say they MUST accept the highest offer... and that Chicago guy's (or anyone else) bid would never be close to 212 million!
So, they will have to match the bid OR the team goes to Balsillie.
But it gets tricky since the purchase is conditional of the team moving.
But this is why this time i have a little more optimism, since it's (partially anyways) out of bettman's hands.