Why Would Anybody Move an NHL Team to Hamilton?
The Pittsburgh Penguins have been sold to a guy in Ontario, which revives talk of another NHL Team for Canada.
Here’s the argument: The buyer is Jim Balsillie of Research in Motion. That’s the company that makes the BlackBerry, so he can afford a hockey team. For years, various parties have been trying to lure an NHL team to Hamilton, Ontario. Research in Motion is located just a few miles from Hamilton. So with the franchise on shaky ground in Pittsburgh, the assumption is that Balsillie will renew the dream of the Hamilton Penguins.
The NHL probably doesn’t want another team in a Canadian city most Americans have never heard of. The Buffalo Sabres and Toronto Maple Leafs, both within 90 minutes drive of Hamilton, would rather keep the neighborhood to themselves.
But why would anyone want a team in Hamilton anyway? It’s a small city (less than 500,0000), flanked by Buffalo to the south and Canada’s most popular brand name to the north. Hamilton currently has an American Hockey League team, which last season sold about 5,000 tickets per game in an arena that seats 17,500.
And in case anyone missed it, the Penguins and Sabres played an exhibition game in Hamilton a couple of weeks ago. The rink was barely half full.
Comments
The question that the author infers is that if the team cannot support an AHL team, how can it support an NHL team? Well, the the Greater Toronto region have had umpteen minor league teams fail because fans in this region do not care about minor league sports. Period. The same is probably true of Hamilton because it is so close to Toronto. So it’s completely IRRELEVANT that the Bulldogs only get 5,000 fans. In fact, 5,000 is actually pretty good for an AHL team. If Hamilton had a team, it would sell out every game for the forseeable future. That’s a simple fact.
First, it’s implied, not inferred. Second, your opinion isn’t a fact, it’s an opinion, regardless of how highly you regard it. Heck, it hasn’t even happened yet and you regard it as a fact? What other fictions and fantasies do you regard as fact?
Your point is well taken, as there is more interest for hockey throughout Canada than in the States and Pittsburgh plainly isn’t interested in funding a new arena. Also, too many Canadian teams have travelled south, imo. Hockey teams belong in Canada, more so than in America, and this is a yankee talking here. However, the weak Canadian dollar is always a concern. And how deep are this owner’s pockets – does he have enough to keep the team in Hamilton, or will he have to sell after a few seasons? Lastly, what will the owners of the Buffalo and Toronto teams have to say about this, and can they even prevent it from happening? Overall, though, I would love to see a team added to the Canadian side.
Kitchener/Waterloo?
might work
St. Jose and Nashville works so why not
not a carefully thought out or compelling argument but a position nonetheless
So what that the city has 500,000. The areas around are basically the capital of hockey. Southern Ontario is a hockey hotbed. I was in Copps Coliseum during the 1987 CAnada Cup and the place was full and loud. The areas around Hamilton easily could support a NHL team.
You also talk about low turnouts for AHL games. I’ll tell you that alot of people in Hamilton see the AHL as an insult. They want a NHL team. Hamilton has been through this a few times before and were screwed each time, probably by Toronto.
Hamilton is a great city that would support an NHL team. btw, Hamilton’s metro population is 714,000 (statscan 2005) with more than 2 million people within half hour drive. Besides, who in Canada ever heard of Raleigh, NC or Columbus, OH?
Although not having to drive to Toronto to see some NHL hockey would be nice, you’re right. Hamilton could not support an NHL team. I used to live in Ottawa which is about double the size of Hamilton and even THEY almost lost their NHL team. Bottom line is…cities with a population under 3/4 of a million people will have a rough time supporting an NHL team….Hamilton has half OF THAT!!!
Hamilton get an NHL team? You’d have to be on heroin to think this would happen. Its a better idea to put teams into traditional NHL/hockey hotbeds like Nashville, Columbus and Raleigh. That’s where all the fans are. Come on, let’s be real!!!
http://archives.cbc.ca/IDCC-1-41-1639-11372/sports/nhlexodus/
If you listen to the radio interview in the link, it is about Hamilton 1990 bid for an NHL team when we got screwed and it went to Ottawa.
Firstly, Ottawa had financial troubles because they had to build an arena which cost $250 million, they didn’t have the market for an nhl team, and they weren’t financially prepared
Secondly, Hamilton would sell out every game, most likely.
3)People don’t care about the AHL, so don’t use that as an excuse for us not having a team.
4) Hamilton has the money, has the fan base, has potential.
5)the only reason to not put a team in hamilton, is buffalo is close, and Toronto is close.
5) And Americans don’t like Canadian teams, well let’s face it americans don’t watch hockey, they get piss poor ratings, the market is in Canada, we should get Hamilton
Hamilton had an NHL team in the teens and 20s. It should get a team back just like Ottawa did after a lengthy absence.
That’s NHL as in the National Hockey League, as in the nation of Canada, where it all started with all Canadian teams. Then a few Canadians sold out to a few Americans (what else is new?) and Hamilton was one of the losers.
Listening to the people of Carolina being interviewed when their team was in the Stanley Cup final made it crystal clear to me that we are really two completely different sporting cultures. I grew up immersed in hockey, they said they had never been to a game in their lives, had never skated on ice… If asked I’m sure they wouldn’t know who Frank Mahovlich was, or Bobby Baun, George Armstrong, Jean Beliveau, Maurice Richard. When I was a kid they were gods.
Let’s move all those small-market U.S. teams up here, to Quebec, Winnipeg and Hamilton.
Amen to that! Now that our dollar is strong (with the potential of surpassing the US even) and with Buffalo doing well, people are absolutely starving for NHL hockey. Toronto’s fans are so hardcore that they sell out the ACC even if they are the worst team in the league.
A team in Hamilton would pull fans in from the Niagara region (300k pop), KW/Guelph (400k pop), London/Brantford (400,000 pop) in addition to eastern GTA (1m) and Hamilton itself (700k pop).
The fact is, if you do some research, Hamilton has a greater population (500,000) than most NHL teams. Twice as many as Pittsburgh.
firstly the guy who said ottawa should not have got the team is wrong. they diserved the team way more than hamilton. In my opinion its not Toronto holding back the team its Buffalo. Toronto is the biggest hockey market they will sell out anyway but Buffalo can’t afford to loose any fans. Also ewarlier this year Hamilton sold tickets to the public to see who would buy tickets and they sold the season out in days.
Ps. Did that guy just call nashville a hockey hotbed hahahahaha
I have a question for you: Why don’t you kill yourself?
Well, wasn’t it amazing how this turned out? Which city has a team, and who tried to buy two teams to move them to Hamilton, only to have it blow up in his face?
The author of this article (James Fitzpatrick) got totally owned by a bunch of Hamiltonians who know exactly what they are talking about. You could put 2 NHL teams in Toronto, and 1 in Hamilton and they’d all still be financially competitive. And the team in Hamilton would probably be more competitive than the ones in Toronto
All you people who doubt Hamilton serious get facts before you talk! Hamilton is more hockey then people know. Almost 8.5 mill in the golden horse shoe and is the Capital hockey bed! im from Barrie and put a deposit down for the team!
Hamilton native! But I admire him a die-hard hockey fan attitude and never give up who actually cares for hockey like everyone here, imagine a Toronto-Hamilton rivalry? Maybe its just a dream but its one worth fighting for. Jims our knight he a great business man he knows are pontential!
I grew up in Hamilton I know how sick it made people when the NHL use us, AHL was an insult! we still care and support it but it was a slap in the face big time we did everything: owner,arena,season tickets!17k) and I read articles like this and laugh? Im glad Hamilton made him eat his words 13k in under a week that more then nashville! a sell out every game for sure.
Corporate would be a wait list! Does Buffalo have a say? I hear its a debate and for the court to decide. A team in Hamilton would barely scartch Toronto. It is said a team in hamilton could pontentially become 3/4 most porfitable team. Which due to the sharing system in the NHL is good for the whole league.
Basille is Hamiltons best chance he wont quit and its his dream lets not forget his wife
The only thing is that this guy didn’t buy the Penguins. They never reached a deal so this whole article is a mute point
Excuse me but to be exact Hamilton has more than 500,000 and check your math buffalo has LESS than 300000 so hamilton has more population to support it. Plus why not have a Canadian team? Canada enjoys the sport more and always had. Besdes we invented it. We have already lost Winnipeg (Population is 635,00) and Quebec (population 500,00) All the U.S has lost is hartford. They already own 24 of the 30 nhl teams so I think Canada deserves another team. Plus a lot of the U.S teams are struggling to attract money.(Like I said before it is a Canadian game.) So that is my opinion anyway so don’t disagree with me I am just strongly Canadian and would like another Canadian to come into the Nhl.
Actually, the U.S. did lose one other team; Minnesota. Still, both teams were pretty far north, only to be moved down south. I’m from Burlington, and would love to see another Canadian NHL franchise, but I just don’t know how feasible it is. If we’re talking about population, the golden horseshoe is one of the most densely populated areas in Canada. But I mean, how is this area supported? Mostly through industry, and particularly through the auto industry. Even in Hamilton, the Stelco refinery shut down (which it didn’t even do during the great depression), putting many out of a job and making many more nervous. When people are nervous about their job security or the economy in general, they probably aren’t going to spend money on seasons tickets.
Maybe the city would be able to support a fanbase, but the southwestern Ontario market is already pretty saturated. I mean, within a 10 hour drive or less of Hamilton you’ve got the Sabres, the Leafs, the Red Wings, the Senators, the Habs, the Rangers,the Islanders, the Devils, the Blue Jackets, the Flyers, and the Penguins.
But who knows, I could be wrong (and I hope I am).
you frikn snobs!! Hamilton is a great town, we don’t live in steel mills retards!
HAMILTON…
We need an EVENT… some MEDIA attention…
WE CAN STAGE A HUGE, HUGE STREET RALLY WITH EVERYONE WAVING OR WEARING…
“Hamilton Huskies” – NHL Team
We need front page in Hamilton and Toronto and Phoenix…. we need to show them we WANT IT!!!
GO HUSKIES GO!!!
From Coyotes to Huskies!!!
Who does Graphic design? Does anyone have contacts for flags? posters? t-shirts?
Just a wacky lil idea… I really think the fans are in Hamilton!!!
Hamilton is a hockey town if you dont think so your on drugs this city and the surrounding areas would fill the rink without a doubt and the comments about ahl why would we support them there lucky to get the fans they got bring the marlies here and watch how many seats get filled lots of leaf fans here so why are the bulldogs in hamilton ? there not our farm team i dont like the habs or the oilers iam a leaf fan and i would say 80% of hamilton are leaf fans we would fill the seat if we had our own nhl team or even toronto farm team so people from the usa that dont know anything about hamilton and there hockey fans should clam it GO Jim Balsillie GO
hamilton has been robbed of hockey for to long most us teams are hurting and shouldnt even have nhl teams
This guy knows hockey? Jamie! Hamilton 500k population, what about the surrounding cities Ancaster, Dundas, Stoney Creek, Waterdown Burlington etc, which is all closer to Copps Coliseum take into effect the growth in Milton. Saying Hamilton can’t support a team is just an ignorant opinion. Oh I’m not too sure but I think Hamilton might be the 5th or 6th most populated city as of 2009.
From Toronto to the Hamilton area which is only 45 miles, there is 6 million people along the shore of Lake Ontario alone. When you include other places within 50 miles of Hamilton it gets closer to 8 million and the area is growing 150,000 per year!. Outside of NYC, L.A and Chicago there isn’t a bigger area in Canada/US,
Stanley Cup Recipe:
Add a sprinkle of American (optional)
Throw in a pinch of European
Dump in a bucket of well-paid Canadian
Mix, bake and let on like you stole our trophy.
Enjoy!
2008 Redwings:
10 Canada
7 Sweden
3 USA
2 Czech
1 Finland
1 Russia
1 Slovakia
2007 Ducks:
18 Canada
4 USA
1 Finland
1 Russia
1 Sweden
2006 Hurricanes:
12 Canada
7 USA
2 Czech
2 Ukraine
1 Sweden
1 Switzerland
2004 Lightning:
14 Canada
3 USA
2 Russia
1 Slovakia
1 Ukraine
1 Sweden
1 Czech
…and so on, and so on…
Columbus Regah or what ever its called has more hockey fans than hamilton would… That’s a load of crap! Hockey is our national game, we would have fans from Niargra Falls to Windsor up to Owen sound and probably as far as Barrie and back to Hamilton. And thats just the fans that would go see the games regularly, not too mention the thousands of Canadians that would buy Jersy’s and other mechandise. And one more thing to make a hockey team work in hamilton GET A STANLEY CUP CONTENDING TEAM! If New york can do it The golden horse shoe can deffanitly support 2 nhl teams maybe even 3 (Barrie)
Anyone who thinks Hamilton can support an NHL team is out of their minds.
1) Sorry Hamilton, but you are not big enough to support a hockey team. Winnipeg couldn’t do it and they are twice the size of you. Why not move it to Saskatoon or Charlottetown or Halifax? All those cities have similar populations and support their CHL teams with similar crouds to that of Hamilton’s AHL team.
2) Everyone from around Hamilton is already a Leafs fan anyways. If someone opened a new CFL franchise right here in Saskatoon, I wouldn’t care. I’d still be a Rider fan. The same is true in Southern Ontario for NHL hockey. You cannot just magically convert longtime fans of any team. Even if it is the Leafs.
I wish you luck if you do get the franchise, Hamilton, but in the end, it’s just gonna be another Winnipeg Jets or Quebec Nordiques. There is absolutely no grounds for moving a team to Hamiltion. The support just isn’t there.
If we cared what Americans thought, Canadians wouldn’t have any NHL teams. Lets face it, most probably don’t know where Calgary or Edmonton are. Canadian geography isn’t top of their priority list.
As for comparing this to the minor leagues, that isn’t fair. The only NHL team that can be compared to the AHL is the Toronto Maple Leafs, and that isn’t profit related, it is based on skill.
And speaking of the Leafs, and bringing the Sabers into the mix, it really doesn’t matter what they want. Neither team has exclusivity rights to the region. They could build the RIM RINK right next to the ACC and there isn’t a thing the Leafs could do about it. Don’t believe me? See Rangers, Devils, Islanders.
The Southern states of the US are not hockey fanatics – they have football and baseball and most are good with that. That is why Phoenix is having problems, along with Tampa Bay, and arguably many of the other teams in warmer climates. Southern Ontario has a huge population base, and many of them love professional hockey. To say that Hamilton couldn’t support a team based on population is ridiculous. This argument is from someone who needed to support a flawed argument and Wikipedia’d Hamilton. Look up the population of 200km around Hamilton and see what you find.
Regarding the fans of the Leafs – does anyone really think loyalty runs THAT deep? I don’t need to state the years Toronto has gone without a cup. Maybe – just maybe – people are loyal because of lack of options. I see the people in this city daily, and let me say that the opinion of the Leafs has changed greatly over the last three years. No number of Brian Burkes can change that for the better, but a new team could sure benefit.
Why does Hamilton continue to try to be “big league” when all it will ever be is a “hick” town—not only do they not support the AHL team but all the junior teams (Red Wings/Fincups/Royals) all packed up and left—even their “beloved” Tigercats (probably the worst supported team in the CFL) play in a delapidated stadium that the city refuses to upgrade/modernize—now their saying that when Toronto gets the PanAM games (2015) they may upgrade it.
I challenge anyone in beloved “Hamilton” to go to a game at Madison Square Garden in New York or the Staples Centre in LA and ask anybody at random where Hamilton is–I bet no one would know!!! That’s just what the NHL needs—and don’t give me this bull that they will sell out each game–once the novelty of getting a team wears off (I’d give it a couple of years) just watch the attendence dwindle down to a few thousand a game!!!
And another thing I have also wondered—Copps Coliseium was built (with tax payer money) to attract an NHL franchise-and since that hasn’t happened then we have been defrauded and should get out money back—let the people of Hamilton-Wentworth pay the bill for this fiasco-and don’t expect me to pay for the upgrade to this place (as Basille thinks the government should)
If Hamilton were to be put in the Western Conference, they would host the teams that Tornto normally would not. (ie. Detroit, St. Louis, Chicago, Col. S.Jose!)
Most S. Ontarians, would rather pay $80, to watch one of thse teams, IN HAMILTON, rather than pay $20 parking, and then $150+ each to a scalper!!!
Come to think of it, move 5 teams for 2010/11
1) Phoenix Coyotes to become the Winnepeg Jets
2) Florida Panthers to Las Vegas
3) NY Islanders to Kansas City Scouts
4) Nashville Predators to HAMILTON TIGERS
5) Tampa Bay Lightning to Quebec Nordiques
If Toronto, Buffalo, and Hamilton are in different divisions, (Rangers and D_vils too)than they will play different teams, and frovide a greater variety for the fans.
An exhibition of the Penguins vs. the Sabres? Stop the presses! If the NHL had told Hamiltonians “Go to this game and get an NHL team” I’m sure it would have been a sold out arena. As it stands I don’t give a damn about either team, and or an exhibition game.
The other subject totally glossed over is the fact that Hockey is a Canadian sport and just because the population is low does not mean there is no market for it. Hamilton is one of the largest cities in Canada so I don’t see why population density is a problem.
Also every reason (8) danny malt gives.
This was either written by a self righteous American or a self hating Canadian.
One of the two.
I realize this is an old post but I just couldn’t help but comment.
“The NHL probably doesn’t want another team in a Canadian city most Americans have never heard of.”
The sheer level of arrogance in that statement is staggering.
Good grief!! The Americans haven’t heard of Hamilton!! Whatever will the world of hockey do?!
“Attention countries of the World.
We regret to inform you that if “most Americans” haven’t heard of your city then you’re no longer allowed to watch hockey.
Which pretty much leaves Toronto and Russia (that’s a city right??).”
What makes you think the majority of the planet cares whether or not “most Americans” have heard of Hamilton?
“Most Americans” know little of anything outside their own borders.
“But why would anyone want a team in Hamilton anyway? It’s a small city (less than 500,0000), flanked by Buffalo to the south…”
First of all, Buffalo isn’t that much bigger than Hamilton.
Second, the percentage of the Canadian population that watches hockey is significantly higher than that of the U.S.
I’d be willing to bet there are far more people in Hamilton who watch hockey than there are in Buffalo.
“Hamilton currently has an American Hockey League team, which last season sold about 5,000 tickets per game in an arena that seats 17,500.”
This comment highlights your general lack of knowledge.
Although it does have it’s devoted followers, a relatively small percentage of Canadians regularly follow the AHL when compared to the NHL.
Projecting an NHL team’s attendance based on the attendance at the current AHL team’s games is akin to predicting the attendance of a Broadway show based on the number of people who attended your 8 year old’s school play.
“And in case anyone missed it, the Penguins and Sabres played an exhibition game in Hamilton a couple of weeks ago. The rink was barely half full.”
That’s probably because most people in Canada don’t give a damn about American hockey teams.
And let’s face it, neither do most Americans.
Last I checked gymnastics had a higher viewer rating in the U.S. overall.
Jamie Fitzpatrick is a retard. He has to be an American. Central Ontario should at least have three more teams. the teams would easly join the maple leafs as most profitable teams in the nhl. So what that Americans have never heard of Hamilton! I doubt the Americans will be watching their own teams let alone a Canadian one. also us Candians dont care about the AHL at all really. After the NHL the next biggest hockey market in Canada is the OHL which has a much bigger market in central ontario then the AHL.
the NHL would have great markets in these cities:
Hamilton- population 500,000+
London – Population 450,000+
Kitchener- population 450,000+
In conclusion Canada should stop trying to SELL hockey to stuck up Americans that dont even appreciate it.