Where will Mr. Balsillie move the Nashville Predators?

Question

Canadian Press

5/24/2007 7:14:00 PM

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (CP-AP) - The years of mounting losses and indifference from the local corporate community convinced owner Craig Leipold that he could never make his Predators profitable in Nashville.

Maybe Canadian entrepreneur Jim Balsillie - who has entered into a letter of agreement to buy the NHL team for US$220 million, Leipold confirmed Thursday - will have better luck. Or maybe it's the first step in the team's departure from the Music City.

My Opinion: Winnipeg or Hamilton

Answer 1

The Ontario market is saturated --- Wrong!
The Leafs sell out every game, there are scalpers who make their living off Leaf tickets. There are hundreds of thousands of hockey fans in Southern Ontario who would love the chance to see live NHL hockey without travelling to Buffalo.

Three teams in Ontario would be silly --- Wrong!
Ontario is a very big place with a big population that loves hockey, not to metion the businesses that would love to advertise with an NHL franchise. Another team in Southern Ontario would be a cash cow!

The Leafs are sharing their fans wih Senators --- Wrong!
Ottawa is five a hour drive from Toronto and has its own fanbase.

TSN has said the league won't allow another team in Ontario --- Not quite true

I saw the same piece on TSN and what I got from it is the league would rather not have another team in Southern Ontario. I would say there a going to be a lot more forces at work on this possible move other than what the league would like (or what the Leafs and Sabres would like). The two big things I see as positives for this deal are ...

1)
This would get the team out of Nashville and stop the equalization payments that the rich clubs have had to give them.

2)
The 220 million dollar price tag for a team that is losing money is a very good thing for all owners. Don't underestimate the importance of raising franchise value to all other owners.

If the league comes in and screws this deal up they may have to answer to some angry owners.

Answer 2

It really could be Hamilton.

Ontario could support 3 teams. New York State and California have 3 teams. And right now besides the Leafs and the Senators, a lot of Ontarioans from Windsor and Niagara support the Red Wings and the Sabers. I don't think that Hamilton would hurt Buffalo's fan support from Niagara and more than the US Department of Homeland Security already has.

Filling Copps Coliseum or a new arena at Highways 5 & 6 in Clappison's Corners would not be a problem. Hamilton showed that when back when the NHL screwed them over and awarded a franchise to Tampa. While Hamilton is a little slim on the corporate side, there are a zillion firms in Burlington, Oakville, Mississauga, and Kitchener-Waterloo to consider as well, plus even corporations from Toronto who know they'll never get a box in the ACC unless they take out all the seats and just go with boxes.

Answer 3

First off, Winnipeg is nice in that it has a decent arena and no territorial issues. However, Balsilie has mentioned moving closer to home. Someone above mentioned Hamilton...

Hamilton is a decent city with an ageing arena, but more importantly it falls under the territories of both the Sabres and Leafs.

London or Kitchener/Waterloo, Ontario are the more likely scenarios I see. Similar to Ottawa before the Senators returned in the '90s, these cities have not seen NHL teams in the modern era (besides maybe neutral site games they used to play occasionally). With the current economic state of the game and the hope that the business side of the league sees that the league is better off worrying about gate-driven revenues than American television...a team could fly here.

We could see the return of the Kitchener Dutchmen even...

Answer 4

I don't know where the team WOULD go, but I think Hamilton would be unlikely. Sure there are 3 teams in NY and CA, but to have 3 teams within 100 miles of each other doesn't sound like a good idea. And the Rangers-Islanders-Devils: hello, there are millions of people that live in that area. As far as Toronto selling out constantly? Most of the fans are there with corporate tickets, and those that are buying those hugly overpriced scalpers tickets? They just LOVE THE LEAFS. It doesn't mean they are gonna love a Hamilton team too!

If anything, I think that the NHL should retract at least 2 teams. Get rid of Phoenix and the Panthers. Move Nashville to Winnipeg, and we are all set.

Answer 5

I feel like Winnipeg could work. It would be tough, but I have a hard time believing they can't sell out their small arena on a consistent basis.

Ontario would be silly--the Senators are sharing a lot of their fans with the Leafs as it is, so the Ontario market is pretty much saturated.

They should move West, just because the NHL has enough teams in the Eastern time zone.

Winnipeg could work. The only downside is that I am agreeing with Gary Bettman on this, meaning I am probably wrong. But other than that, i see no reason why Winnipeg can't work. It's not going to be as big as the Habs, but it's better than Nashville...

Answer 6

The league has to have pretty serious reasons to reject the purchase not just they don't like him. The team will move, again they can't force a team to stay in a money losing situation. The team will end up in Canada, he's Canadian. Although Southern Ontario makes financial sense revenue wise, the cost of territorial rights fees would be huge. I see Winnipeg because it's ready to go.

I'm calling Winnipeg to win the Cup in 2 years.

Answer 7

It relatively might desire to be Hamilton. Ontario might desire to help 3 communities. long island State and California have 3 communities. And suited now as properly the Leafs and the Senators, particularly some Ontarioans from Windsor and Niagara help the purple Wings and the Sabers. i do now no longer think of of that Hamilton ought to harm Buffalo's fan help from Niagara and greater advantageous than the U. S. branch of place of transport threat-unfastened practices already has. Filling Copps Coliseum or a sparkling section at Highways 5 & 6 in Clappison's Corners would not be a undertaking. Hamilton shown that as quickly as decrease back mutually as the NHL screwed them over and offered a franchise to Tampa. jointly as Hamilton is a splash narrow on the corporate element, there are a zillion companies in Burlington, Oakville, Mississauga, and Kitchener-Waterloo to evaluate as properly, plus even companies from Toronto who understand they're going to in no way get a field indoors the ACC different than they take out each and all the seats and in user-friendly terms bypass with packing packing containers.

Answer 8

It seems pretty clear after the attempt to buy the Penguins to move he has every intention to move the team to Canada. Obviously Hamilton being close to home for him would be his first choice but he has a hard sell with other owners to get that approved (Toronto and Buffalo may be selling their votes to the league for a finacial buffer agreement in case they lose money to a team in Hamilton). Next has to be Winnepeg or Manitoba with Winnepeg having the advantage. You can be sure of one thing....no way he bought the Preds with any intention of keeping them in Nashville. If the other owners force him to move outside Canada then the best bets have to be K.C. (they already have a state of the art facility and a willingness to give a team incredibly favorable lease terms) or the NHL gives in to the notion of a team in Las Vegas. With some other franchises already in trouble with a lack of fan base and interest (Florida, Carolina, Phoenix) the other owners may be a bit more open minded to a team in Hamilton than anyone thinks they may be. There may be questions about whether the area can hold another team and make money but one thing the other owners know for sure....there isnt money to sustain a franchise in Nashville and when one team loses money the league suffers....when several teams (as is currently the case) arent financially viable it hurts the league even more. Another factor in returning franchises to Canada...the value of the Canadien dollar is holding up very close to the value of the American dollar (currently something like 96 cents on the American dollar, in recent years it has been as bad as 65 cents on the American dollar). That will play a major role in teams considering previous and new Canadien markets. I am with you, I believe Hamilton will get a long hard look and if the teams can agree to some form of financial deal for Toronto and Buffalo to compensate for any fan base losses then they will be the 1st and only choice. Winnipeg with the new arena already in place would be the logical 2nd choice.

Answer 9

The Buffalo Sabres will block any attempt to move a team to Hamilton. They have territorial rights.

I'm not convinced the Predators are going anywhere, but Houston, Las Vegas or Oklahoma City seem like possible locations (whether not withstanding).

Answer 10

I say Winnipeg or Quebec, but those two cities had teams and didn't support them. I would move them to Hamilton and try to bring a new hockey team to Canada, instead of putting them in a city that already proved they didn't care about hockey. Anything really is better then Nashville.