This is a good article and it does cause one to ask the question why the hell is the NHL in markets like Phoenix, Atlanta, Tampa Bay and Miami? I mean seriously. Hockey is a niche sport that is failing miserably in these southern markets. Hello! Hockey is played on ice, I don’t think unless there is an ice age people are going to be playing shinny on the frozen pond in any of these southern locations. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out that hockey is more popular in northern markets and is a northern game.
If the National Hockey League relocated three of its weakest Southern U.S. franchises to Canada, their individual franchise values would increase by more than 50 per cent and the league's average team valuation would jump by $11 million US.
The combined revenues of the three relocated franchises would rise by $100 million per year, jacked up largely by average attendance of 6,000 more fans per game -or a total of 738,000 more per season -and regional television audiences at least 20 times larger than what they are now in the U.S. Sun Belt.
Those are the blue sky conclusions of a study comparing major financial and sport business indicators for NHL clubs in Canada and the United States. Released today by The Vancouver Sun and TheSportMarket.biz,it paints a picture of lucrative franchises north of the border and money-bleeding teams in the Southern U.S., mainly in the troubled Sun Belt markets of Phoenix, Atlanta and Miami. [read the rest of the story]
I have been reading this blog for over a year now and while the Sioux coverage is the best ever, I feel it is time that I talk about hockey in "The Valley of the Sun" First, I must say that I'm from East Grand Forks and watched more Jets games than North Stars games, thanks CBC.
ReplyDeleteBettman will not leave the FIFTH largest market in the U.S. Everyone can talk about how much money the 'Yotes have lost and it is substantial.
There are two reasons they have lost money since the new arena was built.
First is that the arena was built 45 minutes (in good traffic) from all the hockey fans. It should have been built in Scottsdale but, Scottsdale (people who make Beverly Hills look poor) didn't want "that element" in their city. They thought hockey fans were one step lower than Raider fans.
Little do they know that most hockey fans are families that live in Chandler AZ. Knowing that most people who read this site don't know AZ like I do let me explain the difference between Chandler and Scottsdale.
In Scottsdale people drive a Porche and in Chandler they drive a brand new Lexus. Why I mention Chandler is that families, and most hockey fans live there. Scottsdale is 15 minutes from Glendale but, Chandler is 45 minutes from Glendale.
The next reason, and the biggest is that The 'Yotes have not won a playoff series ever. Phoenix and Arizona in general is a full of transplants. If you want to keep people's attention you have to win.
We had the failed Wayne coaching and ownership experience. When things looked the worst Tippet came in and brought us to the playoffs.
If they were thinking about how to advance they would have lost to Nashville and not have to meet the Redwings. But no this team tried to win every game.
If the 'Yotes can build on this season you will see them make a profit in the desert and the NHL will take it's rightful place as THE winter sport of North America.
Derek I spent three weeks in the Phoenix/Tempe area with my job and I liked the area lots to do down there but is it really a hockey area?
ReplyDeleteI think in this situation Bettman is looking like a clown by not admitting he has lost or made a wrong decision? just my HMO...
There are considerably more hockey fans than you would think. Most people who live in AZ are either transplants from northern cities or their relatives are. There is a strong youth hockey league that is starting to feed D1 programs. On the men's team I play for one of our guy's son plays for Quinapiac (Langois).
ReplyDeletePhoenix is just one of those front running cities, you have to win, and the 'Yotes have been beyond pathetic.
Like I said before where they placed the arena was one of the worst places possible. But the arena is great, site lines are unbelievable as it was built specifically for hockey.