I doubt very much that it would ever happen, nor am i banging the drum for it to happen, but could either city support another franchise? And how do you think the people would accept it?
I would think Montreal hockey fans could adopt a second team since they had the Maroons and Wanderers at different times - albeit nearly 100 years ago.
As for Toronto, I don't think it would go over big. But again, logistically, do you think there are enough hockey fans and enough resources to keep two teams afloat in the hotbeds of hockey?
2007-09-29 22:26:15 · 10 answers · asked by Awesome Bill 7 in Sports ➔ Hockey
Both cities certainly have the fan base to support a second (and third) franchise.
The corporate logistics are a different story. Fortunately, both Montreal and Toronto have far more corporate sponsorship than anything Winnipeg, Saskatoon, Halifax, Quebec City, and even Hamilton could dream of.
The glitch? Toronto and Montreal are so entrenched in their cities that they have signed all these 'exclusive' deals with their sponsors preventing them from sponsoring other teams.
Let's start with Toronto.
There is no question in anybody's mind that the city/GTA could support another team. The rumoured waiting list for season tickets at the ACC is almost 10,000. So, already we have a fan base. There would also be corporate support from the likes of Rogers (Bell supports the leafs), Interbrew (Molson Coors supports the Leafs) among several other large companies. Where the issues would lie would be in local TV deals. The leafs have all the outlets taken care of.
The other obstacle is that the Leafs wouldn't want to be overshadowed, after all, any new team in the city is bound to be better managed than they are (and probably win a Cup sooner).
Montreal is a similar story. The fan base is there and the corporate money is there. The issues come down to local TV deals and the reaction of the existing team.
When the Maroons died, it was a very different era in professional sports than it is now. No TV, less corporate sponsorship, no mammoth retail sales machine guiding the train along the tracks.
New teams in Toronto and Montreal don't add to the NHL coffers because they most likely will be targeting the existing fan base (if there's a person in Montreal or Toronto who isn't a hockey fan - a new local team isn't likely going to convert them).
Canada has a smaller television base than America so less local outlets, less commercial money, etc makes it less likely that the channels that don't carry hockey now will carry it in the future (using the basis that several local channels in the past have dropped hockey in the GTA because it was 'too expensive')
So, in conclusion. If new teams in Toronto and Montreal can allay the value of local television deals by gaining revenue elsewhere (corporate sponsorship) then they would thrive. The local rivalries themselves would be huge.
Again, keep in mind fan support won't keep a team in a city. Quebec had 21 sell-outs (in 24 games) in 1994-95. But the team still lost millions (and Parizeau wouldn't build Aubut a new arena that seated more). It is all the other intangibles that make a team viable.
2007-10-01 06:25:17 · answer #1 · answered by Like I'm Telling You Who I A 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
To those who say Montreal would have a harder time, I live here and remember the old days of Habs/Nords and Montreal was well split. The Habs were the Anglo's team whereas the Nords were frenchie popular.
People in MTL love hockey, we breath it, and not only hab hockey. If we had another team I would say it would work and even more over the long term. And regardless of what team we'd support we hate TO anyway, and not just the Leafs. lol
TO could just as well support another franchise but for a slightly different reason. Which is the huge surrounding population.
2007-09-30 05:59:56 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
it would never happen. before the salary cap montreal almost folded. i'm pretty sure the league would have some sort of rule as well that would disallow this, times have changed since the early 1900's. i know many teams like rangers and islanders and devils are all within miles apart, but they still represent different cities. the islanders are actually Long Island, therefore a different city. no way would the league have two teams from the same city. the scheduling of the teams would conflict each other and quite frankly in montreal and toronto...no one would cheer for the new team.
2007-09-30 19:09:12 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I personally think it might be the other way around, the greater Toronto area could support 2 teams but Montreal would have a harder time. I say that because Ontario is a hotbed for hockey, Montreal is a hotbed for Hab hockey. Another factor is general population where Toronto/Ontario has far more people than Montreal/Quebec.
2007-09-30 03:29:04 · answer #4 · answered by Bob Loblaw 7 · 2⤊ 1⤋
Toronto-yes Montreal-no
Given that up to a third of the people at any given Buffalo game are from Ontario, Toronto would work. Habs tickets are a little bit easier to come by as Montreal is no longer the economic capital of Canada.
2007-09-30 03:26:19 · answer #5 · answered by michinoku2001 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
(hypothetically, of course) Looking at it in my perspective, it might get them off are back about having teams in fair-weather cities, because they would have two teams!
but seriously. I cant remember who said it first, but the quote was "if the NY area can support three teams, why can't the Toronto/Montreal area support two?"
I honestly think that one team in ANY city is enough.
(this may be going hypothetically overboard here, but.....)
Take a rivalry like Toronto/Montreal. Each cities hate for each other brings those cities together.
Example: You live in Montreal. If a new neighbor moves in and he immediately says he hates The Leafs, you two are gonna get along great.
Thats was about three paragraphs longer then i thought it would be, but i think i proved my point
2007-09-30 03:01:44 · answer #6 · answered by TBL 6 · 2⤊ 1⤋
It could be Viable in each of these two cities, but a little out of the city, like Hamilton for Toronto and maybe out farther for
Montreal like Quebec City.
2007-09-30 06:16:18 · answer #7 · answered by yo 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
They both have the fans to support a second team, but I don't think you could ever get Leafs or Canadien fans to switch. Those cities are far too passionate about their current teams.
2007-09-30 03:08:27 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
I wish Mad Mike wasn't married. I'd be all over him like a pack of hungry dogs on a pork chop. Well, I put out on the first date, so by the second date, there's really not a whole lot of tricks left in my bag. Well, unless you count the ball gag and the ping pong paddles.
2016-05-17 08:05:22 · answer #9 · answered by ? 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Toronto, probably, see how they still appreciate their team (Maple Leafs) even if they are a bunch of losers... I think you could make a team with monkeys and they would still love it!
2007-09-30 05:26:17 · answer #10 · answered by Salain 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋