Stadiums and Arenas of Canada part 2

[BretttheRiderFan]

Anecdotally, people drive for hours to come to Oiler games on weekends all the time. From Fort Mac, GP, Lloydminster, Saskatoon, Fort St. John, etc. It's not unusual at all for a fan from these markets to come to multiple games a year.

[FFX-ME]

I wouldn't say those cities would have no corporate support. One of the largest corporations in the world is headquartered in Saskatoon. Population is the major issue.

[esquire]

Originally Posted by FFX-ME

I wouldn't say those cities would have no corporate support. One of the largest corporations in the world is headquartered in Saskatoon. Population is the major issue.

Let's not forget that there are probably some Alberta companies with ex-Sask people in positions of influence. For example, Crescent Point Energy of Calgary is a longstanding sponsor of the Blue Bombers despite not having any significant operations in Manitoba that I'm aware of... but their CEO is from Winnipeg.

Even if the companies themselves don't get involved, I'm sure there would be a lot of season tickets sold to Albertans with Sask roots if a NHL team landed in Saskatoon. So to that extent, the potential season ticket base of a team there is probably a fair bit larger than the million people or so who actually live in Saskatchewan.

[SaskScraper]

FFX-ME
I wouldn't say those cities would have no corporate support. One of the largest corporations in the world is headquartered in Saskatoon. Population is the major issue.

Manitoba's population is 1.3 Million
Saskatchewan's population is 1.15 Million

Is Manitoba's population a problem? so unless i'm missing something, if Saskatchewan people can sell out Sask Rush Lacrosse 15,200 seats in Winter, I don't think it's a stretch that maybe an NHL team could do the same, all NHL would have to do is try and be as popular as Pro Lacrosse in the Province.

Interesting fact is the Riders and Rush have the majority of all the merchandise sales including all teams combined in each their respective leagues. Saskatchewan backs their Pro teams beyond all expectations from outsiders.

[esquire]

Originally Posted by SaskScraper

Manitoba's population is 1.3 Million
Saskatchewan's population is 1.15 Million

Is Manitoba's population a problem? so unless i'm missing something, if Saskatchewan people can sell out Sask Rush Lacrosse 15,200 seats in Winter, I don't think it's a stretch that maybe an NHL team could do the same, all NHL would have to do is try and be as popular as Pro Lacrosse in the Province.

Interesting fact is the Riders and Rush have the majority of all the merchandise sales including all teams combined in each their respective leagues. Saskatchewan backs their Pro teams beyond all expectations from outsiders.

I think the NHL would succeed in Saskatchewan, but there's no question that the fact you guys have your "big city" population split between two places makes things harder. The number of people who could come up from Regina for a weeknight game would be fairly limited, I'd imagine. That said, I'm certain that if given a chance, Sask would overcome that hurdle.

[esquire]

I see the Bettman roadshow was in Calgary, promising all kinds of wonderful things if only the government kicks in a bunch of cash for a new rink for the Flames. I love how he tries to needle Calgary by bringing up Rogers Place.

http://www.calgarysun.com/2017/03/15/commissioner-urges-calgary-to-work-towards-new-arena

It's critically important, but of course not so important that CSEG should actually just build and pay for the damn thing itself.

[Echoes]

Originally Posted by esquire

I think the NHL would succeed in Saskatchewan, but there's no question that the fact you guys have your "big city" population split between two places makes things harder. The number of people who could come up from Regina for a weeknight game would be fairly limited, I'd imagine. That said, I'm certain that if given a chance, Sask would overcome that hurdle.

Precisely. And beyond the "big city" split (about half the province's population), the other half contained in smaller centres and rural areas is much more widely spread than MB's. Just look at a map of the two provinces.

[ggopher]

Bettman is not helping Calgary's case for a new area. No one trusts him.

Fact is the Flames are currently very profitable. With a new arena they could be even more profitable. There is no way in the world they would move anywhere else. The current arena is adequate. Therefore they can pay for a new arena themselves.

Edmonton was a very different scenario. The arena was older, and the downtown was in need of investment.

[esquire]

Originally Posted by Echoes

Precisely. And beyond the "big city" split (about half the province's population), the other half contained in smaller centres and rural areas is much more widely spread than MB's. Just look at a map of the two provinces.

For sure. Nearly the entire population of the province is within a two hour drive of the city. The only significant population centres outside that circle are Dauphin and the three northern cities (all in the 5,000-15,000 range). Other than that it's small farm towns, Indian reserves and the wilderness. That distribution of the population certainly makes it easier to sell Jets tickets.

[king10]

public funds should not be spent on an arena for millionaires

Bettman fleeced Arizona and his sole objective is to make billionaires more money. not to be trusted

[SaskScraper]

Originally Posted by esquire

I think the NHL would succeed in Saskatchewan, but there's no question that the fact you guys have your "big city" population split between two places makes things harder. The number of people who could come up from Regina for a weeknight game would be fairly limited, I'd imagine. That said, I'm certain that if given a chance, Sask would overcome that hurdle.

I know people that drive the 2 hours between the cities on a regular basis, Rider season tickets from Saskatoonians isn't uncommon, but majority of season's tickets would definitely be in Saskatoon for potential NHL team. Group season tickets amongst a number of people in places like Regina wouldn't be uncommon either. I think Saskatchewan would welcome the NHL with open arms like they did the virtually unheard of NLL in the province before they came to town

My sense is that no intrapreneur has appetite for bringing in province's own NHL team since back in the day when NHL organization vetoed sale of the St Louis Blues to Bill Hunter of Saskatoon in the eleventh hour back in the 1980's.

[esquire]

Originally Posted by ggopher

Bettman is not helping Calgary's case for a new area. No one trusts him.

Fact is the Flames are currently very profitable. With a new arena they could be even more profitable. There is no way in the world they would move anywhere else. The current arena is adequate. Therefore they can pay for a new arena themselves.

Edmonton was a very different scenario. The arena was older, and the downtown was in need of investment.

I think this is the roadblock that CSEG is up against. It's hard for Bettman to play the "you'll lose your team" card, because as soon as the Flames leave Calgary, another team would swoop right in. Calgary is a very strong hockey market, and as you mentioned profitable even with the current arena, and everyone knows it.

And unlike what we see in the US with the super-fragmented municipalities getting played off one another by sports team owners, I don't think Airdrie, Cochrane or Okotoks are going to try to steal away the Flames by building a rink of their own. Even if they wanted to I'm not sure that they could pony up north of half a billion dollars to do that.

So that just leaves CSEG and the City of Calgary.

[cjones2451]

Originally Posted by esquire

I think the NHL would succeed in Saskatchewan, but there's no question that the fact you guys have your "big city" population split between two places makes things harder. The number of people who could come up from Regina for a weeknight game would be fairly limited, I'd imagine. That said, I'm certain that if given a chance, Sask would overcome that hurdle.

Its about corporate dollars and overall income. It would be difficult especially when income is in Canadian Dollars and expenses in USD

[Acajack]

Originally Posted by FFX-ME

My point was that large cities like Phoenix may not have a lot of avid fans but they do have a large population they CAN call upon. A lot of those people may be interested in an occasional game if it's convenient but those people wouldn't exist in Saskatoon. .

That's the theory anyway. Or maybe it's a dream?

Winnipeg vs. Phoenix (and a number of other cities in fact) disproves that.

[Oilkountry]

Originally Posted by SkydivePilot

That's incredible!

is it? how credible is this article when this stadium makes the list but BC place and IGF don't? (also 20 other NFL stadiums)

[Oilkountry]

Originally Posted by GernB

IIRC the Oilers had planned to relocate their AHL affiliate from Edmonton to Saskatoon after the lockout but were stymied as such a move needed the approval of the Blades which was unlikely to be forthcoming. As well, I seem to recall hearing that the Oilers guaranteed an AHL team to Fort McMurray if a suitable arena was built. I've never heard of the Flames having any interest in putting the farm team anywhere on the prairies but Saskatoon would seem a good fit if the Blades relocated. An AHL division consisting of Abbotsford (Vancouver affiliate), Saskatoon (Calgary), Fort McMurray (Edmonton), and Thunder Bay (Winnipeg) might be very attractive.

I hate to say it but fort mac is more of an WHL city than an AHL city.

[Oilkountry]

Please drop the sask/NHL pipe dream

No, Sask could not support an NHL team. keep in mind their is less people in both major cities combined then Winnipeg. This isnt the CFL where you have to draw 30,000 people 9 times a year. This is 15,000-20,000 people 41 times a year. I don't beleive the respective cities have enough corporate support to carry the load they would need to nor they they have the population/building/nor perspective owners to make this happen. Not to mention players nor NHL would ever want to be there. Plus Canada has 3 markets that are more deserving and far more attractive on a financial level.

[SaskScraper]

^^
If the same number of people that go see a Riders game in Regina, were to see two NHL games in Saskatoon that would make up the difference in CFL & NHL teams attendance, not particularly hard to believe.

I think again the biggest hurdle comes outside the province itself in attitudes like Oiler fans like OilCountry who fear a Sask team rather than from people within Saskatchewan itself.

Again, I don't think there is any appetite for an NHL team by people in the province, they are over with thoughts of paying $billions to greedy sports leagues.

[Jaws]

Originally Posted by Oilkountry

Please drop the sask/NHL pipe dream

No, Sask could not support an NHL team. keep in mind their is less people in both major cities combined then Winnipeg. This isnt the CFL where you have to draw 30,000 people 9 times a year. This is 15,000-20,000 people 41 times a year. I don't beleive the respective cities have enough corporate support to carry the load they would need to nor they they have the population/building/nor perspective owners to make this happen. Not to mention players nor NHL would ever want to be there. Plus Canada has 3 markets that are more deserving and far more attractive on a financial level.

+1 Saskatchewan will NEVER get an NHL team. I kept telling my delusional family in Sask that this is the case. Winnipeg is the threshold as the smallest contiguous city that can support a team.

[esquire]

I don't see off hand why Sask couldn't do it. Yeah, outbidding someone from a potentially more lucrative market for a team would be tough and for that reason I think it's a real longshot, but if Sask ever got its hands on a franchise I think they could sustain it. Much of what is being said about Sask was said about Winnipeg before.