Saskatchewan Rush

North_Regina_Boy · #1 Posted **Jun 5, 2016, 3:48 AM**

Congratulations to the Saskatchewan Rush on a great season and on winning the NLL cup for the second straight year.

Amazing fan base built in Saskatchewan already and highly expect it to be getting bigger. Going to be harder to get a ticket next year in ToonTown!

Go RUSH Go!

Who wants to see a pre-season game in Regina???

micheal · #2 Posted **Jun 5, 2016, 1:57 PM**

I'm definitely in for that!

1ajs · #3 Posted **Jun 5, 2016, 9:25 PM**

???

dennis · #4 Posted **Jun 6, 2016, 3:05 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by 1ajs

???

National Lacrosse League. I would love for Winnipeg to have a team.

dennis · #5 Posted **Jun 6, 2016, 3:07 AM**

Anyway, congrats to the Rush.

North_Regina_Boy · #6 Posted **Jun 6, 2016, 3:17 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by dennis

National Lacrosse League. I would love for Winnipeg to have a team.

I Would as well.

Winnipeg Warriors maybe. And maybe a team in Ottawa the Ripsaws possibly?

Pinus · #7 Posted **Jun 6, 2016, 8:22 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by dennis

National Lacrosse League. I would love for Winnipeg to have a team.

Kinda BS that there would be a team in Saskatchewan over Winnipeg for obvious reasons. Hopefully that changes soon.

But yeah, congrats.

Nathan · #8 Posted **Jun 6, 2016, 8:51 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pinus

Kinda BS that there would be a team in Saskatchewan over Winnipeg for obvious reasons. Hopefully that changes soon.

But yeah, congrats.

Not really. They likely moved to Saskatoon because it's an underserved market (especially in Winter). In the summer/fall, the eyes are on the Riders, but Winter there is only the Blades. They were also smart about it and called the team the "Saskatchewan Rush" and although the epicentre is Stoon, there has been a fair bit of interest in Regina too... Just like with the Riders, the epicentre is Regina, but it spiders out.

With Winnipeg, there is the Jets that takes a huge amount of any possible corporate support and general media attention. That's likely why Winnipeg probably won't get a team for the foreseeable future (similar reason why they were moved out of Edmonton, i.e. the Oilers overshadow during the season), but who knows, maybe it'll happen. I mean... if Edmonton wasn't quite there to have a CFL team, an NHL team, and an NLL team... Kinda makes sense that the owner of an NLL team would try to do the same thing in Winnipeg with half the population and a lower disposable income...

(Not slagging Winnipeg... Alberta cities generally have the highest disposable income in the country).

drew · #9 Posted **Jun 6, 2016, 2:02 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nathan

Not really. They likely moved to Saskatoon because it's an underserved market (especially in Winter). In the summer/fall, the eyes are on the Riders, but Winter there is only the Blades. They were also smart about it and called the team the "Saskatchewan Rush" and although the epicentre is Stoon, there has been a fair bit of interest in Regina too... Just like with the Riders, the epicentre is Regina, but it spiders out.

With Winnipeg, there is the Jets that takes a huge amount of any possible corporate support and general media attention. That's likely why Winnipeg probably won't get a team for the foreseeable future (similar reason why they were moved out of Edmonton, i.e. the Oilers overshadow during the season), but who knows, maybe it'll happen. I mean... if Edmonton wasn't quite there to have a CFL team, an NHL team, and an NLL team... Kinda makes sense that the owner of an NLL team would try to do the same thing in Winnipeg with half the population and a lower disposable income...

(Not slagging Winnipeg... Alberta cities generally have the highest disposable income in the country).

I agree. I don't think there is room in the Winnipeg market to adequately support another sports team. Not to mention trying to split time at the MTS Centre between Jets, Moose and NLL.

Congrats to the Rush!

esquire · #10 Posted **Jun 6, 2016, 2:07 PM**

^ Winnipeg's sports plate is pretty full. As entertaining as a NLL franchise would be, you'd be hard pressed to find another city of under a million people with more going on in terms of pro sports... something would have to give.

That said, I echo the congratulations being extended to the Rush. What an amazing first season in Saskatoon.

dennis · #11 Posted **Jun 6, 2016, 2:23 PM**

I read up on the nll ( Wikipedia) and discovered that each team plays only 18 games a season. I'm assuming it's 9 home games which wouldn't be too much. The MTS centre already has a busy schedule. 9 games may fit. Edmonton had similar issues which forced the rush to relocate. But it seems Calgary is doing ok with the roughnecks and the hit men competing with each other.

Crisis · #12 Posted **Jun 6, 2016, 2:31 PM**

Just amazing season for the Rush. When the move to Saskatoon was first announced last year, once I got past the "who knew that there was professional lacrosse?" stage, I figured that this would be another failed pro sports experiment in Saskatoon much like our basketball teams, The Storm & The Slam in previous decades.

Most of the people that I knew (almost all of whom are active sports supporters) figured that they'd be lucky to draw more than 7,000 - 8,000 fans at $40 - $60 ticket prices. As I recall, they drew about 9,000 for the first game in January. Word of mouth spread quickly about the atmosphere at the games and attendance continued to rise, until it became the toughest ticket in the province to secure.

I could see the season ticket base realistically being in the 10,000 range for next year. Given that they averaged about 7,000 fans in Edmonton, the Owner, Bruce urban now looks like a genius for moving the team to Toontown.

Congrats to the entire Rush Organization. Let's go for the Threepeat next year.

scotty c · #13 Posted **Jun 6, 2016, 3:26 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by dennis

I read up on the nll ( Wikipedia) and discovered that each team plays only 18 games a season. I'm assuming it's 9 home games which wouldn't be too much. The MTS centre already has a busy schedule. 9 games may fit. Edmonton had similar issues which forced the rush to relocate. But it seems Calgary is doing ok with the roughnecks and the hit men competing with each other.

It seems the key is having the owner of the NLL team also be the owner of the arena that they play in where there's competition between NHL and NLL.

The Flames own the Roughnecks so they can make it work easily enough. The Rush moved to Saskatoon due to lease issues with the new arena in Edmonton. Rumor is Edmonton will get a new NLL team that will be owned by the Oilers. So Winnipeg could probably make a go of it if True North bought a team. This is all because they can use the NLL team as a complimentary piece, and get gate revenue for 9 more events a year.

NLL is now top dog in Saskatoon so that will work for them as there isn't any pro hockey to cannibalize the market.

esquire · #14 Posted **Jun 6, 2016, 3:37 PM**

^ As was I'm sure the case in Saskatoon 18 months ago, Winnipeggers are barely aware of the NLL's existence right now. But with the noise coming out of Saskatoon and if Edmonton gets a team again, it could become a big deal regionally and then it's possible that TNSE would get in on it.

That said, TNSE is pretty busy with two pro hockey teams + the usual entertainment lineup at MTS Centre. The Moose were a relatively easy sell here given the Jets tie-in and the fact that it's a familiar product, whereas the NLL would take some real marketing oomph.

I think it could work in Winnipeg but with all the things TNSE has on the go right now I'm just not sure how much of a priority it is for them.

Anyway, I wonder if Saskatoon will end up becoming the NLL's number one hotbed?

CoryB · #15 Posted **Jun 6, 2016, 5:39 PM**

MTS Centre was reportedly designed with hosting two home teams. Back before the Jets returned there was a fair bit of chatter that the NLL would be the second time.

After the Jets returns there was chatter about adding in another hockey team. The talk was around the possibility of a WHL team. There is (was?) even a proposed plan for an approximately 5,000 seat arena near the IcePlex which could have worked well for a WHL team.

Now that the AHL and NHL are both in the city the schedule at MTS Centre is pretty full and the push for a 5,000 seat arena has slid to the backburner. The talk of the WHL is all but dead for now. With the possibilities of sharing essentially dead there seems to be little hope for the NLL right now.

That said fortunes could turn. It still feels like the AHL is going to move out of here as other markets are going to be more lucrative long term, especially something like putting the Moose in Saskatoon.

PS Doubt the NLL would use the Winnipeg Warriors name even if they came due to its history as the city's WHL team.

Crisis · #16 Posted **Jun 6, 2016, 5:42 PM**

[QUOTE]=esquire
Anyway, I wonder if Saskatoon will end up becoming the NLL's number one hotbed?[/QUOTE}

One could make the argument that it already is.

I'd read (unconfirmed) last week that the Rush sold more merchandise this year than the rest of the NLL teams combined. High sales are to be expected for a new franchise, but typically not to that level. Participation in local lacrosse leagues also jumped 30% from last year. Given the lack of pro competition in the market, demand for tickets & merchandise, I can easily see the Rush becoming the Roughriders of the NLL

HomeInMyShoes · #17 Posted **Jun 6, 2016, 5:57 PM**

Good job Saskatoon and congratulations on a very successsful season. I'm hopeful it keeps up.

esquire · #18 Posted **Jun 6, 2016, 6:13 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by CoryB

That said fortunes could turn. It still feels like the AHL is going to move out of here as other markets are going to be more lucrative long term, especially something like putting the Moose in Saskatoon.

If TNSE is going to have a secondary tenant at the MTS Centre, then it couldn't do better than the Moose. Great hockey, reasonably priced, relevant to Jets fans.

Even though a NLL team might bring in a few more fans per game, I'd think that 38 Moose home games would make TNSE a lot more money... the fact that the farm team is in the same building doesn't hurt either.

That said, the concert schedule doesn't seem as busy as it once was with the low C$. Maybe a third sports team at MTS Centre isn't that far-fetched?

Cyro · #19 Posted **Jun 6, 2016, 6:36 PM**

What? your not going to the Meat Loaf concert on the 9th...

lol..

Moose is my choice as well, honestly, If the thread hadn't poped up, I would have not known..

esquire · #20 Posted **Jun 6, 2016, 6:39 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cyro

Moose is my choice as well, honestly, If the thread hadn't poped up, I would have not known..

This may be one for the "Sports in Canadian Culture" thread, but the relative popularity of the Rush in Saskatoon, the Moose in Winnipeg, etc., does speak to the fact that as much as Canada seems like a bit of a sports monoculture with the NHL at the top, there are certain regional quirks and exceptions.

(And no, no Meatloaf for me... isn't that guy pushing 70 by now?! I'm amazed he's still touring!)