WPG to become an NHL city again? - Page 3

LeftCoaster · #41 Posted **Jan 28, 2007, 7:32 PM**

Haha guess just becuase you throw that little wink in at the end it makes it ok for you to take a shot? What makes you think Calgary has more or better fans? there are certainly more fans in Vancouver, as it has twice the population, and there are certainly just as rabid as fans, me being one of them, so lets just leave it that Canadians love their hockey across the county, before this gets stupid.

Jay in Cowtown · #42 Posted **Jan 28, 2007, 7:32 PM**

The "Battle of W. Canada" is far more hate fueled that the Battle of Alberta... Flames/Oil vs. Casucks is the new war... if the Jets were to enter the NHL again, me's think their rivalry would be with the Wild and Coyotes.

Coldrsx · #43 Posted **Jan 28, 2007, 7:38 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by LeftCoaster

Haha guess just becuase you throw that little wink in at the end it makes it ok for you to take a shot? What makes you think Calgary has more or better fans? there are certainly more fans in Vancouver, as it has twice the population, and there are certainly just as rabid as fans, me being one of them, so lets just leave it that Canadians love their hockey across the county, before this gets stupid.

ok how about we leave it at:

"the west coast is the best coast, except when it comes to hockey fans, hey are just ok compared to AB/MAN"

pegcity · #44 Posted **Jan 28, 2007, 7:47 PM**

I like how Gary Bettman couldn't even pronounce Winnipeg properly.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CN6h62D7XQ8
3:00 Minute mark...He thinks "Winnopeg" could support a team,nice.

Has anyone seen this, it's a Gary Bettman spoof...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rHFkKJbsC3Y

GO JETS GO

SHOFEAR · #45 Posted **Jan 28, 2007, 7:51 PM**

Do we really need three active topics devoted to this pipe dream?

LeftCoaster · #46 Posted **Jan 28, 2007, 7:57 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Coldrsx

ok how about we leave it at:

"the west coast is the best coast, except when it comes to hockey fans, hey are just ok compared to AB/MAN"

Yea I guess I forgot about how upset you guys were when you lost in game 7 of the finals.. some riot you guys had...

newflyer · #47 Posted **Jan 28, 2007, 8:12 PM**

..

SHOFEAR · #48 Posted **Jan 28, 2007, 8:15 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by LeftCoaster

Yea I guess I forgot about how upset you guys were when you lost in game 7 of the finals.. some riot you guys had...

lol. remember 1994

Vancouver's support for the canucks (not including the past five years) has been marginal at best. Shall we compare support for the CFL too?

newflyer · #49 Posted **Jan 28, 2007, 8:17 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Andy6

Maybe some Winnipeggers see not having a team as a positive, because they don't really care about hockey and believe that any team that did materialize would inevitably require public funds and tax concessions.

The reality is no hockey team would pay as much tax as an NHL team which didn't have to pay taxes.

The mean differnce being that Winnipeg's level of civic pride would skyrocket. If thats not worth tax dollars than so be it, but please don't let some anti-hockey person say it would hurt the community if it didn't pay taxes.

I believe the city and province have poured millions into various attempts to make Winnipeg seem cool again, after the Jets left town. It would be much easier to market Winnipeg on many levels if there were an NHL team downtown. The city would seem much bigger with the LA Kings visiting downtown.. and the downtown would seem a much more exciting place to go , as well as invest.

This is not to say Winnipeg will or won't get the Jets back... but I strongly beleive there are many benefits to the city and province, even if they didn't pay taxes.. including retaining younger population, instilling higher confidence in downtown.. as well as the city as a whole.. and for marketng and tourism which would benefit the city's economy. Losing the team cost the city a much greater amount than I think the politicians ever believed it would, but without a new arena t was just not possible, at that time.

Today Winnipeg is in a much different situation than it was in 1996. in terms of venue as well as economy.

mr.x · #50 Posted **Jan 28, 2007, 8:17 PM**

my gawd. isn't this like the 20th topic on the NHL returning to Winnipeg??? Wake me up when it's officially official. This is worse than the boy who cried wolf.

LeftCoaster · #51 Posted **Jan 28, 2007, 8:27 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by SHOFEAR

lol. remember 1994

Vancouver's support for the canucks (not including the past five years) has been marginal at best. Shall we compare support for the CFL too?

HAHAHA go for it! Id be emberassed if my city was tops for CFL fans, CFL is a sick joke of a league. Im sorry I got goaded into responding to coldrsx, im just so sick of people hating on Vancouver fans, just becasue there is a large immigrant population in Vancouver who couldnt care less about Vancouver. Bottom line is behind all those people who dont care is a legion of avid fans as loyal as any in Canada.

SHOFEAR · #52 Posted **Jan 28, 2007, 8:38 PM**

Quote:

Im sorry I got goaded into responding to coldrsx, im just so sick of people hating on Vancouver fans, just becasue there is a large immigrant population in Vancouver who couldnt care less about Vancouver. Bottom line is behind all those people who dont care is a legion of avid fans as loyal as any in Canada.

And there is a lot of truth to that. But what I don't respect is when you get all those people jump on the bandwagon when times are good. Unfortunatly, from an outsiders perspective, very few cities have such a high porportion of bandwagon fans and it really tarnish's the image of the Vancouver sport scene.

I'll defend the CFL to the day I die.

Greco Roman · #53 Posted **Jan 28, 2007, 8:50 PM**

From my point of view, most (not all, but yes most) of Canada couldn't give a rat's ass about Winnipeg or if the city gets an NHL team back. That is the reality of the situation. So be it.

Who cares what the rest of the country (or Continent for that matter) thinks about this topic? Lets find those that DO feel it is feasible and WILL support bringing a team to the city. Let's find what CAN work. It's worth a shot.

Xelebes · #54 Posted **Jan 28, 2007, 8:52 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jay in Cowtown

The "Battle of W. Canada" is far more hate fueled that the Battle of Alberta... Flames/Oil vs. Casucks is the new war... if the Jets were to enter the NHL again, me's think their rivalry would be with the Wild and Coyotes.

I too would prefer a battle of Churchill vs. Mississippi as opposed to a four-team foray in Western Canada.

Pavlov · #55 Posted **Jan 28, 2007, 8:54 PM**

/\ Agreed. That's the best way for Winnipegers to approach this issue. But you can't expect the rest of us to get too excited about it.

Greco Roman · #56 Posted **Jan 28, 2007, 9:04 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Reesonov

/\ Agreed. That's the best way for Winnipegers to approach this issue. But you can't expect the rest of us to get too excited about it.

It would be nice to get the support, but I honestly don't expect it from the rest of Canada. That is just the way it is with Winnipeg from the rest of the country's point of view; we are on our own.

LeftCoaster · #57 Posted **Jan 28, 2007, 9:05 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Albertaboy

From my point of view, most (not all, but yes most) of Canada couldn't give a rat's ass about Winnipeg or if the city gets an NHL team back. That is the reality of the situation. So be it.

Who cares what the rest of the country (or Continent for that matter) thinks about this topic? Lets find those that DO feel it is feasible and WILL support bringing a team to the city. Let's find what CAN work. It's worth a shot.

Id personally love it if Winnipeg got a team back, I really miss those Vancouver Winnipeg playoff rivalries in the early 90s... the jets were always a good opponent.

smasher000 · #58 Posted **Jan 28, 2007, 10:16 PM**

Manitoba Moose Baby!

Only The Lonely.. · #59 Posted **Jan 28, 2007, 10:19 PM**

Another important factor that deserves consideration is that Mark Chipman (owner of the Moose, and possible partner in an NHL ownership bid) also owns the arena he operates out of.

This means any hockey team playing at MTS can also draw upon the outside revenue that the arena generates when it hosts a concert or other non-hockey event.

Only The Lonely.. · #60 Posted **Jan 28, 2007, 10:25 PM**

Relocation might not be 'Peg's only hope

By KEN WIEBE -- Winnipeg Sun

WILKES-BARRE, Pa. -- So now that it appears the Pittsburgh Penguins will not be vacating Pennsylvania after all, where does the NHL-to-Winnipeg pipe dream stand?

Despite the posturing by Mario Lemieux and Co., who suggested the time is drawing near for the Penguins to decide whether to stay or relocate to a place like Kansas City or Houston, reports here this week have Pennsylvania Gov. Ed Rendell on record expressing confidence that a deal can be reached to keep the franchise in Pittsburgh.

This should come as no surprise. Despite all the knuckle-dragging, a new arena in Pittsburgh looks to be a done deal. The goal all along was to remain in the Steel City and that's what will almost certainly happen.

In all honesty, it has little to no impact on whether or not the NHL could return to Winnipeg anyway.

It was nothing more than a shot in the dark to think Lemieux and co-owner Ron Burkle could decide to move the Penguins to the MTS Centre as early as next season. In fact, there's absolutely no indication anyone from Winnipeg has even spoken to Lemieux or his partners.

However, what could spark some interest and discussion in the coming months was an interview that media mogul David Asper gave to a Toronto radio station on Tuesday.

Asper, who was in Dallas for the NHL all-star festivities, kept his cards close to the vest but did confess he would be interested in backing Moose governor Mark Chipman's efforts to bring a team to Winnipeg -- if such efforts exist.

Even if the Penguins don't move, relocation of an existing franchise remains a possibility. It wouldn't be a stretch to suggest a team like the Florida Panthers might be able to be more profitable in a hockey market like Winnipeg rather than in South Florida.

And that might not be the only possibility.

Whispers around the NHL suggest the league is considering future expansion, and no doubt Winnipeg will be a name thrown into the mix by many speculators.

The idea of increasing by two teams and moving to a balanced two conferences with two divisions and 16 teams in each has been floated in recent weeks.

Still, while all six Canadian markets seem to be thriving, there has been no real movement from the NHL governors position regarding the notion of bringing additional franchises to Canada -- they would be reluctant, to say the least.

The current aim continues to be to try to grow the sport in the United States, though it's clear that some of the struggling markets simply don't care enough to support their franchise.

So where does that leave Winnipeg?

Well, right now it stands as a solid American Hockey League market. It's best chance to land back in the NHL would be to entice a current owner to pull up stakes and make the MTS Centre home.

And the most likely model -- even with Mr. Asper stepping forward -- would be to have an owner relocate on the premise that he would remain involved in some capacity, probably as majority owner.

At this point, Winnipeg must still be considered a long shot, but the whispers just don't seem to want to go away. And those recent whispers could bring good news to those holding out hope.

Or it might simply bring heartbreak again.