Can Winnipeg Support an NHL Franchise?

If Canadian investors, urban and provincial governments--with few exceptions--have been unwilling to step up to help maintain (in the case of Winnipeg and Quebec) and/or increase the NHL presence in this country...is it fair to accuse Bettman of being anti-Canada?

Or are Canada's 'powers-that-be' the ones at fault?

davetherave wrote:If Canadian investors, urban and provincial governments--with few exceptions--have been unwilling to step up to help maintain (in the case of Winnipeg and Quebec) and/or increase the NHL presence in this country...is it fair to accuse Bettman of being anti-Canada?

Or are Canada's 'powers-that-be' the ones at fault?

That's a good question. I remember when the sens were facing bankruptcy, some stakeholders in the government wanted to step in but I think that the population (not Ottawa mind you) was overwhelmingly against it.

TheAvatar wrote:

davetherave wrote:If Canadian investors, urban and provincial governments--with few exceptions--have been unwilling to step up to help maintain (in the case of Winnipeg and Quebec) and/or increase the NHL presence in this country...is it fair to accuse Bettman of being anti-Canada?

Or are Canada's 'powers-that-be' the ones at fault?

That's a good question. I remember when the sens were facing bankruptcy, some stakeholders in the government wanted to step in but I think that the population (not Ottawa mind you) was overwhelmingly against it.

Welcome to government.

It's a tough one, you'd like to see the govt doing all they can to help these clubs get up and off the ground but so many people would rather see their tax dollars spent elsewhere and for other things.

shabbs wrote:

TheAvatar wrote:

davetherave wrote:If Canadian investors, urban and provincial governments--with few exceptions--have been unwilling to step up to help maintain (in the case of Winnipeg and Quebec) and/or increase the NHL presence in this country...is it fair to accuse Bettman of being anti-Canada?

Or are Canada's 'powers-that-be' the ones at fault?

That's a good question. I remember when the sens were facing bankruptcy, some stakeholders in the government wanted to step in but I think that the population (not Ottawa mind you) was overwhelmingly against it.

Welcome to government.

It's a tough one, you'd like to see the govt doing all they can to help these clubs get up and off the ground but so many people would rather see their tax dollars spent elsewhere and for other things.

What's more important than Hockey to Canadians?

I think any major city on Canada could do just as good as a Phoenix, Nashville, Long Island, or the Florida's.

I suspect that part of the problem is short-sightedness.

People see money going to the hockey team, but don't recognize the spin-off effects.

They don't see the jobs created to build the arena, then to staff it. They don't see the businesses created around the arena, or to service it. And they certainly don't see the tax dollars that come in as an indirect result of it.

Instead, they'd rather fund social programs, so that someone who doesn't want to try to get a job can continue to sit and collect a welfare cheque that is only marginally less than minimum wage, while they live in taxpayer-subsidized housing, and smoke illegal cigarettes.

(BTW - I have no problems with socialism when applied as it was intended and not abused)

Acrobat wrote:I suspect that part of the problem is short-sightedness.

People see money going to the hockey team, but don't recognize the spin-off effects.

They don't see the jobs created to build the arena, then to staff it. They don't see the businesses created around the arena, or to service it. And they certainly don't see the tax dollars that come in as an indirect result of it.

Instead, they'd rather fund social programs, so that someone who doesn't want to try to get a job can continue to sit and collect a welfare cheque that is only marginally less than minimum wage, while they live in taxpayer-subsidized housing, and smoke illegal cigarettes.

(BTW - I have no problems with socialism when applied as it was intended and not abused)

Socialism is like pacifism, all it takes is one bunghole to ruin it for everybody. :^^^^:

Spoken like one who understands what socialism is meant to represent (and not a fan of its current implementations.)

:___:

Acrobat wrote:Spoken like one who understands what socialism is meant to represent (and not a fan of its current implementations.)

:___:

I am a socialist.


Don't tell the gov.

Fixed...

Dash wrote:I think any major city on Canada could do just as good as better than a Phoenix, Nashville, Long Island, or the Florida's.

Fair enough, while I strongly believe a (major) Canadian city would be more successful than one of those teams, maybe even others, I was just trying to show that moving a destitute team from one of those disinterested, non-traditional cities would be no worse.

Dash wrote:Fair enough, while I strongly believe a (major) Canadian city would be more successful than one of those teams, maybe even others, I was just trying to show that moving a destitute team from one of those disinterested, non-traditional cities would be no worse.

But another Canadian NHL team doesn't help you get that BIG JUICY FAT LUCRATIVE NATIONAL AMERICAN BROADCASTER TV CONTRACT now does it?

Nope.

Oh... but he's doing this for the good of the game.

Yeah.

Just imagine if two Canadian teams were playing in the finals just about the time that the NHL had to renegotiate the TV contract...

Think they're upset that it's looking like Detroit vs. Pittsburgh again?

Acrobat wrote:Just imagine if two Canadian teams were playing in the finals just about the time that the NHL had to renegotiate the TV contract...

Think they're upset that it's looking like Detroit vs. Pittsburgh again?

Speaking of which, when is the last time that happened in back to back years?

Edit: Last time was 82/83 and 83/84 when the Oilers and Isles faced each other two years in a row each taking a Cup.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Stanley_Cup_champions

Cap'n Clutch wrote:

Acrobat wrote:Just imagine if two Canadian teams were playing in the finals just about the time that the NHL had to renegotiate the TV contract...

Think they're upset that it's looking like Detroit vs. Pittsburgh again?

Speaking of which, when is the last time that happened in back to back years?

Edit: Last time was 82/83 and 83/84 when the Oilers and Isles faced each other two years in a row each taking a Cup.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Stanley_Cup_champions

I was just wondering that, thanks for the info.

If Balsillie fails in his attempt to bring the Coyotes to Hamilton, does he do a sideways deke and try his hand at backing a return of the Jets to Winnipeg?

I suspect that if he fails, it isn't in getting the team into Hamilton, it's a failure to get it out of Phoenix. He's got to have the rest of the process mapped out - he's too calculated to be doing this by the seat of his pants.

Acro> I spoke with some people with a closer view of Balsillie...as business associates who've dealt with JB.

Number one, Hamilton's Copps Coliseum is apparently nowhere near being ready and would basically have to be torn down to become an NHL facility.

Number two, Balsillie's ego is apparently such that his people can't say 'no' to him.

RimJim may be not as 'calculating' as you think.

Taking the Coyotes back to Winnipeg would be an 'out' that would save face for Balsillie and the NHL.