Stadiums & Arenas of Canada, Part 3

[Djeffery]

This just seems like an idea that would have happened already if there was a demand for it. Part of the problem would be most of these arenas are controlled by a hockey tenant already. Canada Life Place doesn't have another hockey tenant in it unless the London Knights say so, and they won't, and I suspect most of these other arenas are the same. With the exception of course of a place like Quebec City, where the Q team couldn't prevent an NHL team from coming in.

Aside from that though, I question how hockey mad Canada really is. We like NHL hockey, and some places really like their affordable CHL hockey. Laval draws really well in the AHL, the next highest team is Toronto, 4000 less per game on average. Abby, Calgary and Manitoba are give or take around 4000 per game and of course Belleville has a small arena at just less than 3000 a game. It could be said the AHL is the highest level of hockey outside the NHL, but even if we look at the KHL or other European leagues, I don't know how these second tier Canadian cities compete for players at similar type of attendance figures as the AHL gets considering the AHL doesn't pay their players. And I'm not convinced a league like this would draw like the AHL.