NHL Rumours... The NHL is returning to Winnipeg

There are new(ish) rumours that the Atlanta Thrashers will be relocating to Winnipeg. This rumour was making the rounds last year as well I believe.

Anywho, there is spekulayshun that there will be an announcement after the Olympics.

Who is your source for that rumour?

I could tell ya but then I'd have to kill ya...

Actually, I saw it on the Jets forum and the SSP forum. I'd heard it before but it appears to have grown new legs.

I'm certain it's mostly wild spekulayshun but it's always fun discussing this subject.

It's da doggies from Phoenix, and my friend Lila is going there to get them and bring them back home.

interesting. they were supposed to wait until after the new mooseplex was open and after/during the first big event before making it official.

hmm.. I wonder why they would move up the announcement? ooo wait.. maybe something to do with moving the moose closer to vancouver since that other teams farm team moved in next door?

the rummor seems to have some teeth to it though the curent owners of mts center thompson family and some other investers have been working together on this slowly since mts center opened.... witch became a bigger success then anyone had expected (one of the top 20 used areanas in the world, the old barn was in the 80 range of the top 100 hundread if i remember corectly)

last year we hosted the calder cup and set attendance records wich stands to show how much support there is plus the massive history this city (key to the future of this city is to keep being proud of its past and move forward building on what we have making new history to be proud of) has in hockey and everything els but in this case hockey especially

I would be surprised if Gary is going to allow an existing team to be relocated?

Outsider wrote:I would be surprised if Gary is going to an existing team to be relocated?

I don't follow. Gary? Bettman?

Sorry about that.
Should have said:

I would be surprised if Gary is going to allow an existing team to be relocated.

Remember the Phoenix / Hamilton fiasco.
Played out for everrrrr.
Anyway I do not think Winnipeg can pass the "City can financially support an NHL team over a LONG term smell test".

Outsider your right I would be surprised if Gary is going to allow an existing team to be relocated? At least not in the next few yrs because too much time and $$$$ already invested especially in Phoenix...and or the us to bring back to canada especially...GGF

GGF wrote:Outsider your right I would be surprised if Gary is going to allow an existing team to be relocated? At least not in the next few yrs because too much time and $$$$ already invested especially in Phoenix...and or the us to bring back to canada especially...GGF

I thought you said you were a businessman.

To let a team continually bleed? Hmmmm. Welllll, we've invested so much in this team in this marketplace. What the heck let's burn off another $100 million while we wait for Phoenicians to embrace hockey.

Or...

Let's try moving Phoenix into another untested American market and see if it'll fly.

Or...

Let's fold the team entirely. Cut the losses.

Or...

Let's move the team to a market that is certain to embrace the team and at worst case we break even...

What. To. Do.

What. To. Do.

Didn't Tampa Bay just change hands?
And the USA has a lot more people with Big money than Winnipeg.

They may fold franchises eventually.
But the only way Wpg. MAY get a team is to pay a BIGGGG franchise fee.
And I do not think there is enough money in Wpg. to sustain an NHL team long term. Especially with a 57,000,000 salary cap.
After all how has the Winnipeg economy improved in the last 10 years?

Yup...It's all wishful thinking in the peg...GGF

Call me an eternal optimist...

The rumoured partners in Winnipeg include the Thomson and Chipman families. They have a couple dollars between them.

They own one of the most successful arena's in the world. That goes a LONG way in the success of any sports franchise.

Prudent management of an NHL team and it could break even even with the current salaries.

There is a maximum teams can spend and a MINIMUM...

Anywho, it takes precious little imagination to think up reasons why it won't work. Why not put in as much effort into finding reasons why it could work.

Wpg economy, jobs, stunt growth in peg, stunt bus growth where does one start imagining bringing an NHL team so it can survive?...and...

And because bringing a team in is one thing...and...

And having that team survive in that market and or in the long term is a complete different subject matter with caps or not...and...

And because there is the added value question which is how much TV revenue can a team in the peg bring to bigger markets in the US etc?...and...

And which all NHL teams rely on...and...

And TV revenues is the exact reason(s) the NHL expanded in the US which was to reach a larger market group etc and generate more tv revenues etc...and...

And yeah...I wish I could start imagining how it would be possible for Wpg to have an NHL team but unfortunately I truly don't know where to start on that one other than Wpg is Wpg...and...

And the NHL is a business and or NHL teams are businesses with business mentalities...and...

And businesses love to make money and not just survive or even for all it is worth...go broke...GGF

I'll be the first to admit that I'm not convinced about this rumor. However, I am convinced that the NHL can and will work in Winnipeg, it's just a matter of when we get a team, not if.

Could be but a few things will have to come to play before it does however and the big one is the TV market revenues in the US that Wpg would have to somehow overcome because the point with the NHL is simple...and...

And which is the NHL has already captured the Canadian tv market place "revenues mainly" with the teams they already have in Canada...and...

And the NHL simply wants to do what any other business does and that is expand its market place and tv revenues and that unfortunately can only mean in the US...and...

And that is what they have been doing including driving the point home with "Phoenix" just recently...The NHL isn't interested in moving another team back to Canada at this point in time...The NHL wants to grow and that's in the US only unfortunately for now...and for them it is simply a numbers $$$ game...and...

And also numbers in population in both WPG and MB at a mil total combined which is the size of many small American cities in "potential new markets" and which many cities are much bigger than a mil etc...and...

And it takes time to build in a new market and the NHL hasn't or won't give up on the US market that easily one way or the other because there simply are too many $$$ involved...and...

And in the meantime that unfortunately leaves WPG out in the cold right now...GGF

1 million or 10 million does not really matter a bit if no one is watching the game in person and no one is buying the merchandise. The NHL realizes quite well that it can NOT grow any more. They can only go into untapped markets that have the potential for actual revenue.

I disagree with the NHL not being able to grow anymore unless that statement is made in relation to "Canadian TV market revenues only"...and...

And because there is still a huge "Untapped Market in the US" and that is where the NHL is focused to do it's growth in...and...

And that will take time to tap in the US market and reach it's "Full Market Potential"...and...

And numbers do matter and merchandise/seats are only two factored numbers and small factors in the equation...and...

And the BIG ONE (number/factor) is the TV revenues teams generate and or can "Potentially Generate" and that is where Wpg looses the battle against the US market...and...

And the NHL has long ago factored Wpg's numbers versus other potential US markets and the numbers are what they are...and...

And they are not big enough for the NHL Dreamers who want to expand in the US market...and...

And who are trying to reach the "Full Market Potential" in the US...GGF

I've been hearing rumors about the thrashers being relocated to Winnipeg for close to 4 years.

I wonder if I will be living when they sign Bobby Hull at Portage and Main Street again? I was there when Benny Hatskin signed Hull to start the WHA.
He had the ten teams contribute $100,000 each to kick start the League! One million at that time was front page news, and it certainly paid off for Hull!
I don't know why Chicago hadn't signed him. Must have been the offer from the WHA?

So what can we tell Gary B. about what has changed in the last 10 years which would PROVE to him we can support an NHL franchise now when we could not 10 years ago?
Examples:
Does the Federal government transfer less money to Manitoba now then they did 10 years ago?
Do we have some new big businesses who will buy the corporate boxes and employ 100's of people?
Has there been a discovery of some natural resource which will employ 100's of people when mining starts? (like potash)
Sure we are building a brand new spanking museum. But the Feds are supporting construction AND on-going costs big time.

Sorry, but I think there is a better chance of an NHL franchise being sold to Saskatoon before Winnipeg.
Of course I have been wrong before.

@ outsider

How about you tell us why it WON'T work in Winnipeg.

I was always under the assumption, as it was reported I believe, that the MTS Center was constructed as small as it is, so that it would be too small for an NHL team.

The MTS Center is what...15,000 cap? Edmonton is about 1,000 seats bigger only and they have a team.....sooooo....that argument cannot be used eh.

JTF wrote:I was always under the assumption, as it was reported I believe, that the MTS Center was constructed as small as it is, so that it would be too small for an NHL team.

The MTS Center is what...15,000 cap? Edmonton is about 1,000 seats bigger only and they have a team.....sooooo....that argument cannot be used eh.

Its not the size of the arena thats the problem.

The problem is: Who is going to buy the tickets for 40 games at an average price of $75 per game?

And I think we would have to practically sell out every game to stay afloat.