Let's Go Blues

TSN article, interesting and good stuff. Reading it pushes me all the more into supporting the move of the Yotes to Canada

http://www.tsn.ca/tsn25/story/?id=285264

What happens when the Canadian dollar tanks again? If you recall the early 90's, this was one of the biggest issues with Canadian teams was the dollar. Things are fine up there now, so all of that is forgotten. Of course this doesn't affect cities like Montreal and Toronto, but secondary Canadian cities would definitely be affected. The Flames and Oilers are lucky the "big bad anti-Canadian" NHL gave them kickbacks with the CBA. Have any of the people clamoring for a team in Hamilton ever been to an AHL game there? I have. Me and about 400 other people.

I've said it before, and I have no problem with those who have differing viewpoints, but I would prefer the Coyotes stay exactly where they are. Moyes knew the situation before he robbed the city of Glendale for that arena FOUR WHOLE YEARS AGO. Granted, Glendale agreed to the terms, but they did so with an agreed upon lease. I know that you guys will cry "ownership protest", but the Blues were drawing dick for a few recent years prior to the youth movement and Checketts' arrival. Phoenix has been putting up with a minor league team in NHL uniforms for 10 years...of course no one goes. The Blackhawks were drawing 5-12,000 in a 22,000 seat arena until Toews and Kane. Should they have moved to Canada? It doesn't matter that they were original six, which is a tired argument in the first place.

I'm not anti-Canada by any stretch, nor am totally pro-nontraditional market, but when you place a team of scrubs in a nontraditional market, the game has no chance of EVER growing there. I AM proudly anti-Balsille. Does this guy not get it? You can't try to force your way into an old-man's club, it's never going to work. For that, Balsille has no one to blame but himself. I wasn't happy with the situation when Winnipeg moved, but they moved for a good reason.

Ruutu15 wrote:Have any of the people clamoring for a team in Hamilton ever been to an AHL game there? I have. Me and about 400 other people.

I can't speak for the AHL, but I can inform you that thousands make the trip to Buffalo for games. Why do you think the Sabres and Leafs will fight this to the death?

Finances in the NHL and owners (owners like Balsillie) will be shielded from currency devaluation because they are massively diversified. The NHL doesn't want him to buy the Yotes for one reason: they want to sell a NEW franchise and collect the huge fee. Balsillie moving the Yotes would means 29 owners don't get a fat cheque for a new team. Some small market teams are afraid of another Canadian franchise because it'll likely increase the cap with higher revenues. There a f**king hockey team in Nashville. Nashville. Say it out loud. Hamilton with a billionaire owner would be just fine. They'd draw as far as Toronto easily. MLSE doesn't like that.

Winnipeg should get a team. They just need more local corporate support. The Canadian Dollar will swing from benefitting vs. US Dollar, to losing against it, over the long haul. But that shouldn't determine whether or not they can support an NHL team. Hamilton or Southern Ontario or a 2nd Toronto team could flourish with no trouble. That area should get a team within the next 10 years. I think The NHL should give up on having 2 teams in South Florida, and having a team in the US desert. I don't think a team can make it in Phoenix or Las Vegas.

Ruutu15 wrote:What happens when the Canadian dollar tanks again? If you recall the early 90's, this was one of the biggest issues with Canadian teams was the dollar. Things are fine up there now, so all of that is forgotten. Of course this doesn't affect cities like Montreal and Toronto, but secondary Canadian cities would definitely be affected. The Flames and Oilers are lucky the "big bad anti-Canadian" NHL gave them kickbacks with the CBA. Have any of the people clamoring for a team in Hamilton ever been to an AHL game there? I have. Me and about 400 other people.

I've said it before, and I have no problem with those who have differing viewpoints, but I would prefer the Coyotes stay exactly where they are. Moyes knew the situation before he robbed the city of Glendale for that arena FOUR WHOLE YEARS AGO. Granted, Glendale agreed to the terms, but they did so with an agreed upon lease. I know that you guys will cry "ownership protest", but the Blues were drawing dick for a few recent years prior to the youth movement and Checketts' arrival. Phoenix has been putting up with a minor league team in NHL uniforms for 10 years...of course no one goes. The Blackhawks were drawing 5-12,000 in a 22,000 seat arena until Toews and Kane. Should they have moved to Canada? It doesn't matter that they were original six, which is a tired argument in the first place.

I'm not anti-Canada by any stretch, nor am totally pro-nontraditional market, but when you place a team of scrubs in a nontraditional market, the game has no chance of EVER growing there. I AM proudly anti-Balsille. Does this guy not get it? You can't try to force your way into an old-man's club, it's never going to work. For that, Balsille has no one to blame but himself. I wasn't happy with the situation when Winnipeg moved, but they moved for a good reason.

That was way to intelligent of a post for a Blackhawks fan.

Hamilton is the armpit of Canada...