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Jim wrote:Is it possible for them to be called the Whalers again? Or does that name belong to the Huricanes?
KCHockey wrote:Well, Hartford has a leg up on us in KC. They have a local owner interested in purchasing a team.
All we have is an arena that will be done in 2007. Right now, it has no major tennant (except, maybe an arena football team) and there doesn't appear to be a local ownership group interested in the NHL, AHL or NBA.
Whether Hartford is depressed or not doesn't matter. If Gottesdiener buys the team and thinks he can make a better go of it in his home town, he will move the team.
ExPatriatePen wrote:If you haven't lived in NE you can't understand the intensity of the support for Hockey.
Hartford can support an NHL franchise and I'll be happy to explain why if someone wants to debate the fact with me.
ExPatriatePen wrote:Let it go... Hartford isn't Nashville, and Nashville has a succesful franchise.
Nobody wants to own an NBA or NHL team in KC because AEG will get most of the arena revenue to recoup their $50M investment. KC will never offer a sweetheart deal.
ExPatriatePen wrote:You make some excellent points and I never said you were spouting opinion over fact. I disagree with the degree of your statements, (I think you're prone to overstatement occasionally) but not the substance.
I think what disturbs me most about your position is that you're so confident that no one else can possibly make the Pens a better offer than Plan "b".
That's a dangerous way to think.
I'm old enough to remember the Cardinals leaving St. Louis for Arizona, (and in fact lived in the St. Louis area at the time), I remember the day it was reported that the Colts left Baltimore. Those cities never thought Phoenix or Indy were attractive markets.
The Rams leaving LA, the Browns leaving Cleveland, in hockey the North Stars leaving Minnesota for Dallas was a huge shock and is probably the most analogous to our situation.
All I'm saying is that Pittsburgh has plenty to offer the Pens (Fan base, large market for RSN, etc...) but I don't think we should get cocky and discount the Pens other options by any means.
KCHockey wrote:Nobody wants to own an NBA or NHL team in KC because AEG will get most of the arena revenue to recoup their $50M investment. KC will never offer a sweetheart deal.
Well, AEG must come up with a sweetheart deal.
The naming rights contract for the Sprint Center is contingent on an NHL or NBA team.
With NHL or NBA = $2,500,000 for a 25 year deal
Without NHL or NBA = $20,000/year
AEG picks up the difference with no NHL or NBA.
Regardless, it looks like NBA because it doesn't seem any NHL teams will move.
It sounds like Hunt will have a pretty cool movable roof for Arrowhead.
ExPatriatePen wrote:Drafnik, I'm not going to get into a whizzing contest with you. But before the inergration/expansion of the AHL do you realize that he AHL had 7 teams within a two hour drive of Hartford? Do you have any idea that the Hartford market inlcudes Springfield Mass (20 minutes) and all of Western Mass?
Do you realize that it's less than 45 minutes from Providence?
That the Hartford area is third in Hockey rink density in the US behind Boston and Providence? (Ahead of the Twin Cities?)
Let it go... Hartford isn't Nashville, and Nashville has a succesful franchise.
pfim wrote:Hartford has a metro population of a little over a million. By comparison, Pittsburgh has 2.2 million in the metro area. Springfield might add another 150k.
Alkaline Battery wrote:As far as the person who made the comment about "uCon" football, well you obviously have issues with UConn if you are calling them "uCon". Don't let your personal issues blind you to what has become an incredibly successful stadium. You are right about one thing - 5 years ago there was some bickering and protesting from residents because they did not want to foot the bill for the stadium, but today everyone is extremely happy it was built. Uconn games are all sellouts (and UConn isn't even a good team yet!) The stadium turned out to be a great deal - the US Men's National Soccer team is coming back in a month to play their second match in as many years at the stadium. In other words, it's been a huge success. Calling the stadium a "fiasco" is completely misguided and couldn't be farther from the truth.
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