WPG to become an NHL city again?

[westvan1]

Wasn't the capacity of the arena basically constrained by the small footprint that it was built on - a fairly narrow city block?

[freeweed]

Originally Posted by Distill3d

so hey, for a second lets put money, profits, marketing, all that aside and get back to what actually important about hockey, the game and its fans.

every day i walk down the street and see at least 100 people wearing a Jets T-Shirt, Jersey or Hat. and thats in calgary. I went to Winnipeg for the Grey Cup and i saw Jets swag all over the place. Winnipeggers are passionate about their hockey. in 2004-05, the Moose averaged 8,626 fans during the regular season, and 9,568 during the playoffs.

so, in my opinion, if they can pull that off for a farm team for the *shudders* Vancouver Canucks why couldn't they do that for the NHL?

I agree - I've never been to a Flames game, and I hit 20 or so a year, without seeing the Jets logo on someone.

The problem is, you don't run a multi-million dollar business on hopes and wishes. I don't think anyone questions Winnipeg's desire to have, and support of, an NHL team. If that were all it took, they'd have a team already.

Sadly, all of the money issues that you'd like to brush aside - these are what matter in the end. No one argues with your premise though.

[feepa]

Originally Posted by Distill3d

so hey, for a second lets put money, profits, marketing, all that aside and get back to what actually important about hockey, the game and its fans.

every day i walk down the street and see at least 100 people wearing a Jets T-Shirt, Jersey or Hat. and thats in calgary. I went to Winnipeg for the Grey Cup and i saw Jets swag all over the place. Winnipeggers are passionate about their hockey. in 2004-05, the Moose averaged 8,626 fans during the regular season, and 9,568 during the playoffs.

so, in my opinion, if they can pull that off for a farm team for the *shudders* Vancouver Canucks why couldn't they do that for the NHL?

who gives a damn if Las Vegas, Houston, Mexico City, Kansas City or even Honolulu has more people then Winnipeg? who cares if there isn't that many corporate head offices? who even cares if MTS has 15,000 seats and that maybe too small for NHL standards, Winnipeg Arena was way out of date anyways, and wasn't that part of the reason they left town? who cares if the team won't rake in revenue dollars like the Rangers, Habs, or Leafs?

Rake in money? how about breaking even? Who Gives a damn? how about the person putting up $xxx Million to bring a team back to Winnipeg? Who cares if the arena is too small to generate enough revenue to put a decent team on the ice? I'm sure the fans would. I'm sure the business owner would too

I'll agree, Winnipeg is passionate about Hockey. That still doesn't bring an NHL team back.

Unless the city itself or a non-profit group wants to bring a team to town, what business man will want to take a LOSS on bringing a team to town?

it all boils down to the all mighty $

[Distill3d]

Originally Posted by feepa

Rake in money? how about breaking even? Who Gives a damn? how about the person putting up $xxx Million to bring a team back to Winnipeg? Who cares if the arena is too small to generate enough revenue to put a decent team on the ice? I'm sure the fans would. I'm sure the business owner would too

when the Flames made the cup run 2 years back, our team salary budget was something in the 39 - 41 million range, as was Tampa Bay's.

OR we could take Carolina's model for a successful team. i'm sure there's a pack of WHL and AHL players that would kill for a shot in the big leagues.
so lets team them with a few under rated low cost vet's nearing the end of their careers (the likes of a Scott Melanby or a Trevor Linden) and a budding young star player (like a Paul Statsny) and see what you get. i'm sure if you found the right mix, you would put some fans in the seats.

so then, once those fans are in the seats, lets make the concessions cheeper then anywhere else in the league (cause really who wants to afford to pay $6 for warm flat beer, and $10 for a under cooked cheeseburger). call the teams the Jets, and make your logo and colors the same as before, in fact, wear the vintage Jets jerseys. then, if your attendance slips, you can always have night where you re-retire Bobby Hull's number, and when Temmu Sellane retires, we can retire his number as well. or as a marketing gimic, you could have exhibition nights and have the Manitoba Moose play the Winnipeg Jets (that oughta bring a few people in). and of course, i'm sure the building will be full to capacity everytime the Coyotes come to town. and, since its winnipeg, lets make the tickets range from $15 (for the cheep nosebleed seats) to $100 (lower level behind the bench).

gaurentee you that Winnipeg could fill the building and justify the $xxx millions in cost it takes to keep a team running in this league...

[flatlander]

Originally Posted by westvan1

Wasn't the capacity of the arena basically constrained by the small footprint that it was built on - a fairly narrow city block?

That was always my understanding.

[flatlander]

Originally Posted by SHOFEAR

I'd also like to know. The AHL might not be that profitable as a whole, but I have a very stong feeling Winnipeg would be one of the tops in the league.

MTS center was built with all private money right? If Chipman footed that bill (which is pretty unheard of in NA sports) knowing his tenants were going to be AHL and concerts i'd feel pretty comfortable saying he's making a good profit.

There's public money in it, but a relatively small percentage compared to many projects. Don't know the exact breakdown.

[wags_in_the_peg]

interesting you guys saying the MTS Centre is not big enough and we can sell more than 15k tickets. go to the newwinnipeg forum and many of them say we'd never fill a 15k arena for NHL.

Bottom line is that many many people want the NHL back and many many people don't.

If you haven't already, visit www.jetsowner.com, its a great place! Buy one of the "bring'em back" shirts, they are beauties!!!

cheers...

[freeweed]

Originally Posted by Distill3d

i'm sure there's a pack of WHL and AHL players that would kill for a shot in the big leagues.so lets team them with a few under rated low cost vet's nearing the end of their careers (the likes of a Scott Melanby or a Trevor Linden) and a budding young star player (like a Paul Statsny) and see what you get. i'm sure if you found the right mix, you would put some fans in the seats.

so then, once those fans are in the seats, lets make the concessions cheeper then anywhere else in the league (cause really who wants to afford to pay $6 for warm flat beer, and $10 for a under cooked cheeseburger). call the teams the Jets, and make your logo and colors the same as before, in fact, wear the vintage Jets jerseys. then, if your attendance slips, you can always have night where you re-retire Bobby Hull's number, and when Temmu Sellane retires, we can retire his number as well. or as a marketing gimic, you could have exhibition nights and have the Manitoba Moose play the Winnipeg Jets (that oughta bring a few people in). and of course, i'm sure the building will be full to capacity everytime the Coyotes come to town. and, since its winnipeg, lets make the tickets range from $15 (for the cheep nosebleed seats) to $100 (lower level behind the bench).

On the first paragraph, we already tried this experiment (bunch of young unproven players combined with aging veterans long past their prime). It was called the Jets. They didn't succeed very well (competitively) in the NHL.

On the second paragraph, I'd also like a pony.

Seriously. You find the guy(s) willing to lose a few tens of millions a season, and we'll talk. You do realize that teams often lose money WITH the $6 beer and $10 hamburgers, right?

[Andy6]

Originally Posted by flatlander

That was always my understanding.

The reason the arena isn't bigger (and therefore could fit in that site) is that bigger arenas cost much more than the people paying for it could afford to pay. The business case for the MTS Centre, even with considerable taxpayer subsidization, allowed for 15,000 seats at the absolute limit, although fewer seats would have made more economic sense. I would just be happy with the arena as it is.

[feepa]

Originally Posted by freeweed

On the first paragraph, we already tried this experiment (bunch of young unproven players combined with aging veterans long past their prime). It was called the Jets. They didn't succeed very well (competitively) in the NHL.

On the second paragraph, I'd also like a pony.

Seriously. You find the guy(s) willing to lose a few tens of millions a season, and we'll talk. You do realize that teams often lose money WITH the $6 beer and $10 hamburgers, right?

I don't think this person realizes that. I don't think this person has a very good grasp on exactly where revenue comes from, and goes to in a professional sports franchise such as a NHL team. (Not that I claim to be an expert in this subject either...)

[SHOFEAR]

lol. Sure, all you need is fans who are going to put up with an anual loser, a owner who doesn't mind losing millions every year, players who want to sign on a team that has no intention of ever competing, coaches and staff who want to deal with it....

[Stephen Ave]

Originally Posted by SHOFEAR

I'd also like to know. The AHL might not be that profitable as a whole, but I have a very stong feeling Winnipeg would be one of the tops in the league.

MTS center was built with all private money right? If Chipman footed that bill (which is pretty unheard of in NA sports) knowing his tenants were going to be AHL and concerts i'd feel pretty comfortable saying he's making a good profit.

It wouldn't surprise me if Chipman's margins were much better running a small arena with an AHL frandchise. Other than doing something for the city of Winnipeg, I'm not sure why he'd even want an NHL frandchise.

[SHOFEAR]

/\ Some people like having a toy to play with. Thats the wild card in this debate. If Chipman's interest isn't money, rather philanthropy and having a toy then it's possible. However, I think thats pretty unlikley.

[Greco Roman]

Originally Posted by SHOFEAR

lol. Sure, all you need is fans who are going to put up with an anual loser

If a team does come to the city, how can you predict automatically that the team would be a losing one? Based on salaries? Maybe, but that may not always be the case.............................

[ibz]

/\ IF you build a team on Linden, Mellanby and Statsny, there is an excellent chance if isnt going to win much.

[SHOFEAR]

Originally Posted by Albertaboy

If a team does come to the city, how can you predict automatically that the team would be a losing one? Based on salaries? Maybe, but that may not always be the case.............................

Do you have a problem with context? shit. Try reading the half dozen or so posts above that, made by Freepa, Distilled, Freeweed and myself.

Your paranoid when it comes to anything about Winnipeg.....

[Greco Roman]

Originally Posted by SHOFEAR

Do you have a problem with context? shit. Try reading the half dozen or so posts above that, made by Freepa, Distilled, Freeweed and myself.

Your paranoid when it comes to anything about Winnipeg.....

Well, the way I interpreted you post with "annual loser", I took that as a team going nowhere, and then attempted to rationalize how you got to that conclusion, and then went on to state that your point may be valid, but maybe not.

That was my interpretation, and I apologize if it was wrong. So just relax, k?

[Distill3d]

Originally Posted by feepa

I don't think this person realizes that. I don't think this person has a very good grasp on exactly where revenue comes from, and goes to in a professional sports franchise such as a NHL team. (Not that I claim to be an expert in this subject either...)

i'm going to have to agree with you there. i work internet tech support, and know dick all about the business world.

it would be a wonderful dream to have the jets return, and to have them return as a team that Joe Winnipeg can afford to see play, and not be worried about luxury suites and over priced seats that only the uppercrust can afford.

[trueviking]

Originally Posted by Stephen Ave

It wouldn't surprise me if Chipman's margins were much better running a small arena with an AHL frandchise. Other than doing something for the city of Winnipeg, I'm not sure why he'd even want an NHL frandchise.

ego.

why would anyone buy a BMW when a hyundai will save them more money on maintenance and gas?

[IntotheWest]

Originally Posted by trueviking

ego.

why would anyone buy a BMW when a hyundai will save them more money on maintenance and gas?

A BMW is a LOT more fun to drive??