Today, the Canadian media is going nuts about the possibility that the Phoenix Coyotes may be sold and moved to Hamilton. The team was placed into Chapter 11 bankruptcy and the league stripped owner Jerry Moyes of control of the team. Canadian billionaire Jim Balsillie, CEO of Research in Motion, which makes Blackberry phones, has put up $215 million dollars to buy the team and move it to Southern Ontario.
This story was previously reported here on my blog in December of last year. Please Read! I also made my feelings very clear about the possibility of a third franchise in the region.
Western New York and the Niagara Falls Region is suffering from a mass exodus of residents and a major economic downturn over the last 20 years made even worse because of the recession.
Hockey fans from Canada go to Buffalo to see the Sabres play. This pumps badly needed money into the economy of both areas. Toronto also stands to lose revenue and fans, as well.
Now, for those of you wondering why the New York/New Jersey Metropolitan area can have three teams, think of this. In a 90 mile radius, there are nearly 14 million people that live in the area. That area includes Connecticut, which could barely hold 4 teams when Hartford was in the league. Toronto/Hamilton/Buffalo, only 3 million and the area is not as populated.
The logical choice would be to move the Coyotes back to Winnipeg or send them to Regina, Saskatchewan. Instead of thinking about getting excited by the “one-upsmanship” trying to get a team back to Canada, think of the consequences! We could be looking at an economic disaster for not one, but three teams!
Bottom line? Southern Ontario Cannot Support “Three” Hockey Teams!
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Honestly, Buffalo is fucked as a city anyway, and it has nothing to do with potentially losing Canadian fans. It really has little to do with anything you put forth… the rich Canadian dude proved that a team was viable in Hamilton years ago (although, admittedly, the economic situation now is drastically different). There are a small handful of arguments against putting another team in the GTA; yours is not one of them.
Dude from Canada! Get your nationality out of the way! This is all about economics! Copps Coliseum is also 20 years old! May have been good for hockey then, but not now! Can Hamilton afford to build a new stadium in this economic climate? Your region is not viable! Give is 5 years, minimum!
I’m with the first poster. First and foremost, there are 7 (read: seven, not three) million people in Southern Ontario, not including Buffalo at all, with 5 million in the GTA alone. On top of that, areas in the north end of the GTA are loaded with upper-middle class who have far too much expendable cash amongst them, and are all too willing to splurge on overpriced platinum-level Leafs’ season tickets. Already in the past two weeks, there have been two proposals put forth for teams in Southern Ontario (Balsillie’s and the de Zen group), the latter of which included a financing plan for a new arena. It’s a long way from impossible, and as it stands right now, is far more financially viable than a market in Arizona.Like the first commenter said, there are some potential reasons why this wouldn’t work, but the ones you’ve stated here are not among them.
No matter what the number you come up with, it’s still not as large as the NY/NJ/CT area. The area doesn’t have as big of a transit area as the NY/NJ/CT area. Yeah, the GO Train takes you to Hamilton from Toronto, but what about the Niagara Region? West of Hamilton? Roads are not as developed as the NY/NJ/CT area. Think, Canadians! Think!
Here’s a plan: play in the Copps Coliseum for a few years while you build a new arena somewhere around Cambridge just off of the 401. It would be easy for people from the GTA, Hamilton, Kitchener, Waterloo, Cambridge, Guelph, and London to get there on a nightly basis. Most kids in Ontario grow up playing hockey; what do kids in NYC play? (I’m guessing hockey isn’t #1) The NY/NJ/CT area might have superior numbers in terms of population, but I really wouldn’t be surprised if there were more actual hockey fans in southern Ontario. The Maple Leafs are the most valuable franchise in the league despite not having a team that can truly compete for the Stanley Cup for well over a decade. If the Coyotes move to Ontario I wouldn’t be surprised if they were one of the top 10 most valuable franchises within 10 years. Have you ever been to Winnipeg or Regina? Nice cities, but they offer no where near the level of corporate sponsorship and volume of fans that would be present in Southern Ontario.
Once agin, another Canadian pipe dream. Look, I know you Canucks are really pissed off about the US having more opportunities with hockey and all. But you have to be realistic in all of this! Grown ups still have to pay for tickets, not kids! The last I heard, Toronto has a waiting list for tickets. What are they, $150 dollars Canadian a pop? The cities I've mentioned have a market for hockey. The problem is the recession and the ability to have a high-quality arena available. That's what doomed Winnipeg & Quebec City in the first place! BTW, Hockey may be the sixth most popular sport in New York, but they still sell out MSG & "The Rock"! The Nassau Coliseum still sells, they just need a team that can win games!
OK now I can see that you are either being sarcastic or you have no idea what you are talking about. How is having a waiting list for season’s tickets for the Leafs a bad thing for hockey in Ontario? It shows how much demand there is for another team there. Also Ontario’s economy isn’t worse than any other place in North America; in fact between Kitchener-Waterloo and Toronto there is a pretty strong IT sector.
Ian, Look, you’re just not looking at the big picture like I am! You can explain to me how strong you think the Kitchener-Waterloo region can handle a hockey franchise. I’ve been there. I have family that live there. And I’m sorry! But without a strong transportation sector (commuter rail, light rail) to ease the traffic burden, a stronger economy and a high-quality arena to compete with the newer cities, the problems will only be worse. It’s the old saying, “…be careful what you wish for!”
I’ve lived in Waterloo nearly my whole life. Traffic really won’t be any more of an issue than it is in any other city. Like I said, build a new arena just off of the 401, a highway that transports nearly half a million people every day and wouldn’t have any problem transporting an extra 20000 on game days. You would have people from London coming from the west and GTA/Hamilton coming from the east. Also, the area is doing fine economically, with a strong technology sector as I mentioned. Here’s some proof. I’m not sure why you are so against southern Ontario, but I suggest that you face the reality that it is one of the best locations to move an NHL franchise to.
Whatever! Don’t get your hopes up too high! You’ll only get disappointed at the end!
Hi. The greater Toronto area has 7 (Seven) million people not including Buffalo (8 million with Buffalo). Also the vast majority are Canadians, meaning that there is no/little competition from Basketball, Baseball or Football. Hockey is in fact, all they have. They could not only support 3 teams in that area – a 4th could also easily be supported.
Whoops.. didn't read the above post that made my point for me… sorry.