What's perhaps underrated with the location out on McGillivray west or whatever appropriate name should adorn said geographical place, is the proximity and access to places such as Headingley, Starbuck, Carman, LaSalle, etc. where there are hockey fans in abundance who may not be able or willing to get to downtown Winnipeg conveniently be it price, distance, comfort level or more. I think the location is brilliant. It will target the collection of individuals that they wish to appeal to, and while they obviously don't want to turn away any fans, I do believe it is fairly strategically placed. The lack of transit while disappointing to some, is probably not a much of a factor to their target audience. Like another poster said, a shuttle bus service of some sort would be a potential makeshift solution. This is a team for the burbs and young families in the region. Hockey enthusiasts will show up as they will, of course.

That's what had been discussed in another thread earlier on. It will do a good job catering to the locals in the area, as opposed to Winnipeg as a whole.

Gut feel is Winnipeg Ice is going to go after the "Manitoba Liquor and Lotteries Flight Deck" market now that the Jets have moved away from that. I get MLLC has shifted their focus but the reality is the True North Youth Foundation could have taken over that role if they wanted. Reality is you don't need a corporate sponsoring buying a whole section of tickets for Jets games when you have a wait list for season ticket members.

The Ice could run a "team bus" concept where the shuttle bus comes to the local community centre to pick up a youth sports teams, and their family and friends to attend the game. After the game it brings them back there. The plan, in my vision, is the Ice give essentially free tickets to youth hockey players and monetize the "family and friends" that go with them. In classic "free" fundraising events at bars groups that do well at monetizing their invite will be invited back for another game.

With approximately 4,000 seats in the arena once it gets built that is a lot of space to basically give free admission as a loss leader to sell pop, hotdogs, beer and popcorn.

My gut feel is admission revenue isn't where there plan is at it will be all those add ons with the longer term vision to build a strong loyalty with the youth hockey market.

I would agree with all your points. They'd still have a season ticket base, so would receive a decent amount of revenue from that area. Like you mentioned, the rest would be bringing in people for concessions purchases, merch, etc.

Another fairly unique angle to this is the RHA. They will have the opportunity to develop kids from the most basic levels of hockey all the way through a WHL career. That's unique to Winnipeg and most places in Canada. And should bring a long term, consistent following for the organization.

This is a pretty good take. You used to see a lot of this sort of thing at Jets 1.0 games, there were lots of group outings. It doesn't happen with Jets 2.0 for a couple of reasons boiling down to availability and price, but oddly, you still don't see many teams and other groups at Moose games.

Thinking back to my younger years, I'd wager that the WHL would be like catnip to hockey-obsessed 12 year old Peewee players. 50 Below (what a silly name BTW) could probably do 10 teams a game, easy.

I don't think you can necessarily build the team on those group sales (they'll still be relying on fans from SW Winnipeg and the bedroom communities south of town), but it certainly won't hurt.

I am definitely not up to speed on WHL team economics but I would guess the bulk of the expenses are non-player staff (coaches, trainers, etc), the arena, team travel and perhaps team equipment.

With the Rink Hockey Academy (RHA) they could use those players to staff concessions or similar to "offset" some of the costs of their own programs. Bring in volunteer ushers and others for concessions like beer sales where an honourium gets paid to the youth team in lieu of a paycheque and neds up coming it below minimum wage.

As Bomberjet mentions they will have some paid tickets, ie season ticket holders, but won't be their core market.

The other piece that is worthy mentioning is the 24-7 In Touch folks could be willing to let the WHL generate perpetual operating losses and use those at tax time as write offs v operating profits from their other business operations. In other words instead of paying taxes they use those same funds to run a WHL team.

The real smart money on a long term play would be to also build a hotel on-site/near by to capture the revenue from visiting teams. It would ultimately be a bit of a break even operation as teams spend 50% of the time on the road themselves staying in hotels elsewhere but if you can make those hotel costs approach zero that again shrinks your operating cost.

^Yeah they're clearly following the model of the Jets/Moose and San Jose Sharks (which TN modelled their business after) by building up numerous surrounding businesses to keep money flowing in from non-hockey related revenues. In the NHL, lots of teams are starting to do this as they don't have to share NHRR with players. It's smart.

I think a shuttle to/from Polo Park would be smart. Work out a deal with the mall. Central for people in the city, don't have to pay downtown prices, and comfortable for out-of-towners. Most WHL games are on weekends, and Polo closes at 6 on Sat/Sun, so I'm sure they could strike a deal.

^ I doubt there will be a shuttle bus. 50 Below won't come out and say it, but if you don't have a car you are not their target market... there are more than enough prospective ticket buyers with their own vehicles. This is a suburban team through and through.

We (or I) was talking about the shuttle in regards to concerts and other big events. If shows that are currently using the smallest version of BellMTS, or easily selling out/selling 2 shows at The Burt start going to this arena (which is highly likely), it will suck trying to get there.

Everyone know the sound at The Burt is horrendous. A lot of acts will sure decide to go to this new arena instead. It will be interesting to see how the entertainment side plays out, as there's really only two players in this market for booking tours – True North/Live Nation (BellMTS, Burt) and MRG which does indie bands and small hip-hop shows at The Garrick.

Who is booking acts at Club Regent? The Event Centre probably gets 80 - 100 shows per year. As for the Burt, I didn't realize the sound was that bad. I guess when True North and the city/province eventually negotiate an agreement for renovations to the Burt, it will include features that improve the sound for concerts.

The Burt is horrible for sound every act I’ve see there is drowned out by the music.

The government books the Club Regent shows. Hence why it's always washed up 80s bands and the one hip hop show they've had was Nelly last year.

There's almost nothing you could do to improve the sound in the Burt without completely covering over almost all the historic elements and walls with sound deadening materials and fabrics. The theatre was designed to resonate natural sound, before amplification was invented.

And yet Neil Young with Crazy Hourse are specifically wanting to play one show at the Burt on Feb 3 before he does a second one Feb 4 at the Concert Hall.

Either he thinks the sound will be OK there at the Burt or he does not care what that concert will sound like.

James Barker Band played Club Regent in January, 2018.

Because the Burt is historic and he has history there. The sound is known to be (and is) horrific.

No idea who that is.

^^^He used to be the host of The Price Is Right. Now he tours in a thrash metal band.

Love how a thread goes from hockey and Winnipeg ice to the Price is Right and Nelly!:haha:

By the next page there will be a raging debate over whether everything is Filmon's or Doer's fault.

Why is it always in the south?

He never hosted the Price is Right