So how goes the hockey team? - Page 10

raisethehammer · #**181** Posted **Oct 30, 2008, 8:04 PM**

in other words, don't send the NHL a clip like this:

http://www.thespec.com/videogallery/458382

matt602 · #**182** Posted **Oct 30, 2008, 9:35 PM**

Both Gretzky and Don Cherry have already stood up and voiced their support for a team in Hamilton. Gretzky's voice being somewhat stronger though as he is a team owner (?)

Boomtown_Hamilton · #**183** Posted **Oct 31, 2008, 4:33 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by matt602

Both Gretzky and Don Cherry have already stood up and voiced their support for a team in Hamilton. Gretzky's voice being somewhat stronger though as he is a team owner (?)

Gretzky is also the owner of the lowest valued team in the NHL, #30 on the list of 30 teams, the Phoenix Coyotes.

He should pack up their bags and move the hockey club to the Copps Coliseum.

Boomtown_Hamilton · #**184** Posted **Oct 31, 2008, 4:49 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by flar

For one thing this package shouldn't be prepared by city staff and secondly they should not send anyone from the city or council. Do what New York or Toronto would do, hire a good PR firm to do this.

Back when Hamilton was trying to land an expansion team for the 1990 NHL season they hired a marketing consultant to help them with the bid presentation named Gerry Patterson. At onetime he almost became NHL President but lost by one vote to John Ziegler. He was a great choice. He had prior experience working for CCM and also at onetime was an NHL player agent representing guys like Bobby Orr as well as Don Cherry. Even got into the TV production end of things by producing Don Cherry's Grapevine.

When they were down there making their presentation to the NHL Board of Governors in West Palm Beach Florida the Hamilton group made the best presentation of all the groups there. About 30-minutes before the official announcement was made Peter Pocklington, then owner of the Edmonton Oilers came up to the Hamilton group to congratulate them for being awarded a brand new NHL team but then when the official announcement was finally made they awarded Tampa Bay and Ottawa with the new clubs and that's when we found out afterwards that Bufffalo Sabres and Toronto Maple Leafs both blocked Hamilton's entry into the NHL even though we had the best bid of all the groups. Both Toronto and Buffalo were very upset that Hamilton was even being considered because of territory infringement issues.

raisethehammer · #**185** Posted **Oct 31, 2008, 6:31 PM**

which I still contend is a load of 🞵🞵🞵🞵 for 2 reasons:

1. It's not the job of a Canadian business to worry about the impact their business will have on another team in another country.
2. It didn't stop the NHL from allowing teams in Philly, Jersey and Long Island, despite the Rangers already being there.
It's pure BS. Always has been and always will.

Boomtown_Hamilton · #**186** Posted **Nov 1, 2008, 4:32 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by raisethehammer

which I still contend is a load of 🞵🞵🞵🞵 for 2 reasons:

1. It's not the job of a Canadian business to worry about the impact their business will have on another team in another country.
2. It didn't stop the NHL from allowing teams in Philly, Jersey and Long Island, despite the Rangers already being there.
It's pure BS. Always has been and always will.

The bottom line with the NHL should be the bottom line and right now there's are at least eight teams in the League losing money and all eight are based in the United States.

On the other hand, six of the 30 teams in the League are based here in Canada and 33% of the NHL's total profits last season came from those six Canadian NHL clubs in Vancouver, Edmonton, Calgary, Ottawa, Toronto and Montreal.

Boomtown_Hamilton · #**187** Posted **Nov 3, 2008, 9:08 AM**

The Hamilton Bulldogs defeated the Toronto Marlies last night down at the Ricoh Coliseum....I could tell you the score but there's another statistic I think is far more important than the scoreboard and that is the attendance figures for last night's game in Toronto:

2,320 in attendance

raisethehammer · #**188** Posted **Nov 3, 2008, 1:32 PM**

toronto has never been a sports town or hockey town.
it's leafs and only leafs.

matt602 · #**189** Posted **Nov 4, 2008, 12:17 AM**

I wouldn't make such a generalization. More fair to say that Toronto has never been a minor league town. The big teams are supported heavily, almost regardless of their performance (Jays, Raptors, Leafs). Why? Not really because of the sport, but the thrill of cramming into a subway car, going down to Union and cramming into the ACC/Skydome with tens of thousands of other people. All the noise and the smell of street meat along Front St. on the way. It's an experience in itself that minor league doesn't offer in the same way.

raisethehammer · #**190** Posted **Nov 4, 2008, 12:46 AM**

the Jays are attended almost completely based on performance. Certain teams draw more, but usually its the 20-25,000 range. This past season they showed some signs of promise of being a good team, but once that fell apart, so did attendance.

The raptors will be lucky to draw fans if they don't get a winning team, and soon.
Argos- better in the past couple years, but not very good in the past couple decades.

Check the Jays attendance from 905ers too...it's unreal.

Leafs 🞵🞵🞵🞵 hard and still fill the place most nights. Nobody else can do that there.

Boomtown_Hamilton · #**191** Posted **Nov 4, 2008, 1:16 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by raisethehammer

toronto has never been a sports town or hockey town.
it's leafs and only leafs.

The next most noteworthy statistic that I am anticipating are the attendance numbers for next Saturdays game at Copps Coliseum when the Bulldogs play hosts to the Toronto Marlies. If we draw more than 2,320 fans at Copps for next Saturdays game then the Toronto Maple Leafs have to move their hockey club to the Hammer because Toronto does not deserve to have an NHL team.

raisethehammer · #**192** Posted **Nov 7, 2008, 4:03 PM**

I don't mind points 2 and 3, but point 1 comes across as so bush league.
Let's hope the Globe doesn't read these forums online and find out how, in fact, minor league and bush-league council really is. They could fill an entire paper with stories about these inept losers that would embarrass us from coast to coast.

http://www.myhamilton.ca/NR/rdonlyres/9A03B00E-5AB0-45ED-823F-5BBCC85E6C29/0/Nov1272Motion.pdf

holymoly · #**193** Posted **Nov 7, 2008, 6:21 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Boomtown_Hamilton

The Hamilton Bulldogs defeated the Toronto Marlies last night down at the Ricoh Coliseum....I could tell you the score but there's another statistic I think is far more important than the scoreboard and that is the attendance figures for last night's game in Toronto:

2,320 in attendance

I was at that game -- it was a lot of fun. I'm looking forward to see the Bulldogs play in Hamilton. The only time I've been in Copps has been for the finish and expo of Around the Bay.

Boomtown_Hamilton · #**194** Posted **Nov 7, 2008, 8:04 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by holymoly

I was at that game -- it was a lot of fun. I'm looking forward to see the Bulldogs play in Hamilton. The only time I've been in Copps has been for the finish and expo of Around the Bay.

Great! What's the seating capacity like down at the Ricoh suave Coliseum?

go_leafs_go02 · #**195** Posted **Nov 7, 2008, 9:07 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Boomtown_Hamilton

Great! What's the seating capacity like down at the Ricoh suave Coliseum?

8-9,000.

FairHamilton · #**196** Posted **Nov 8, 2008, 3:48 AM**

http://slam.canoe.ca/Slam/Hockey/NHL/Montreal/2008/11/07/7339881-sun.html

Quote:

Canadiens deny team is for sale

Montreal newspaper La Presse is standing by its story that Blackberry owner Jim Balsillie told the paper the Montreal Canadiens are for sale.

Both Habs owner George Gillett and National Hockey League commissioner Gary Bettman were quick to dismiss the story. Balsillie has since denied telling La Presse business reporter Sophie Cousineau that the team was on the block, as well.

Despite Gillett's protests, it's been widely reported that the Colorado businessman may have to sell his large stake in Liverpool of the England's Premier League after the Bank of Scotland asked him and co-owner Tom Hicks to restructure a $350 million loan.

Gillett's troubles have forced Liverpool to postpone plans for a new stadium.