NHL heading to Winnipeg!!!

[Kraze]

yea your right it does. It's just hard to take seriously. manatees kind of seem useless if you know what I mean lol. maybe we could hype it up and call them the Manitoba Mighty Manatees

[Overground]

There is only one sensible and intelligent name for the team and that's Winnipeg Jets. Why on Earth the owners would want to change that or f**k with it is beyond me.

[Ayreonaut]

Originally Posted by Overground

There is only one sensible and intelligent name for the team and that's Winnipeg Jets. Why on Earth the owners would want to change that or f**k with it is beyond me.

Because it's possible that that name is not available, since that franchise is still in existence.

[Calgarian]

WEll don Winnipeg! you guys did yourselves proud by showing Bettman that you deserve a team. Now how long before I despise them... lol

[Xelebes]

Winnipeg Manitou
Manitoba Nanook
Winnipeg Windigos
Manitoba Rebels

Possible, legitimate ideas.

[Calgarian]

I think they should be either the Jets or the Falcons. Or something that has to do with Manitoba or Canada would be good too.

[GORDBO]

Originally Posted by hexrae

Geez, I haven't heard of anyone else yet who got tickets. Guess I lucked out.

I was able to 2 seats for a 1/2 season split. I'm very pleased to be able to go to 11 games this winter.

[freeweed]

Great national news story about crow feeding.

This quote is awesome:

Revenue is the only financial issue that matters in running an NHL franchise and at an average ticket price of $82 the Winnipeg club will generate just north of $54-million in ticket revenue this coming season. That’s before they sell a beer or a board sign or TV ad.

It’s also in the top half of ticket revenue among NHL teams. The smallest building in the smallest market in the league will make more money off ticket sales than half the teams in the NHL. Ugly Winnipeg with its cold and its mosquitoes can’t thrive in the NHL. Whatever.

[lubicon]

Originally Posted by Calgarian

I think they should be either the Jets or the Falcons. Or something that has to do with Manitoba or Canada would be good too.

Either one would be acceptable to me, but I still like the Threshers myself.

[Biff]

Originally Posted by Ayreonaut

Because it's possible that that name is not available, since that franchise is still in existence.

The NHL owns the name "Jets". When Bettman was in Winnipeg for the announcement he reiterated that if True North wanted the name they could have it.

[Ayreonaut]

Originally Posted by Biff

The NHL owns the name "Jets". When Bettman was in Winnipeg for the announcement he reiterated that if True North wanted the name they could have it.

OK, then that's what I'd like to see too. I thought the names were maybe owned by franchises.

[Overground]

Originally Posted by Ayreonaut

Because it's possible that that name is not available, since that franchise is still in existence.

Gary Bettman said that the NHL own the 'Winnipeg Jets' trademark and they would give it to TNSE for free.

IMO in regards to the Jets name, it's really a no-brainer. It already has a built in fan base, it has history and brings continuity from the past, and most people - if recent polls suggest - want it. I don't see why you screw with what's not broken, unless you're a Mickey Mouse outfit with scant of a clue on basic branding.

[freeweed]

Another great article today on Winnipeg.

While we know because of the bankruptcy process that the Phoenix Coyotes made only $13.33-million in ticket revenues the year before they went into bankruptcy, the yet to be named Winnipeg franchise would bring in $1.23-million per home game at their $82 average ticket price.

With the dollar basically at par, that means they would make roughly $50-million on regular-season ticket sales alone, $37-million more than Phoenix made in the year before court proceedings made their attendance situation far worse.

[MolsonExport]

Originally Posted by lubicon

Either one would be acceptable to me, but I still like the Threshers myself.

Threshers...rather like separating the wheat (Winnipeg) from the chaff (Atlanta).

[Calgarian]

Originally Posted by MolsonExport

Threshers...rather like separating the wheat (Winnipeg) from the chaff (Atlanta).

lol, that would be a great name!

[Calgarian]

Any idea when they'll announce the name?

[freeweed]

Originally Posted by Calgarian

Any idea when they'll announce the name?

According to TNSE, some time between "soon" and the BoG meeting on June 21st. So pretty much anytime in the next 2 weeks.

[MrGrinch]

Anything can happen on the name I suppose. But when I spoke with one of the true north senior VP's / MTS centre GM a couple of months ago he was pretty clear that true north had little interest in the Jets name. He stated that from their perspective the Jets were a loser franchise that often failed to make the playoffs and when they did they rarely made it past the first round. So they have no interest in retaining this name. He also said that they were interested in a provincial name (ie - Manitoba versus Winnipeg) to foster a greater sense of allegiance for those fans outside of Winnipeg. This VP was from Regina and is a huge rider fan and was drawing this based on his experiences with the Sask Roughriders and how they belong to the province and not just the city. Anyhow, I guess anything can still change until the name is announced...

[Andy6]

I think "Manitoba" would be a bad idea. The whole province needs its major city to be more prominent. This is a great chance to achieve that. This has to be seen as a promotional opportunity for the city worldwide, not as a chance to play local political games by extending a meaningless token of recognition to a few people from outside the city (who are probably perfectly happy to have the team called "Winnipeg" anyway).

[jigglysquishy]

The Riders are in a completely different circumstance than the Jets.

When the Riders took the Saskatchewan name in 1946 Regina had roughly 10% of the province's population. Winnipeg today has like 75% of the province's population. Completely different scenarios.