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NHL Expansion

Metalleaf

Metalleaf

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http://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/nhl/report-nhl-expansion-to-vegas-a-done-deal/

NHL commissioner Gary Bettman has said publicly that expansion isn’t something the league has seriously considered, but a recent report says otherwise.

According to The Vancouver Province’s Tony Gallagher, an expansion team in Las Vegas is “a done deal.”

“Sources close to the situation have indicated Las Vegas is a done deal, the only thing to be determined being which owner will be entitled to proclaim that he brought the first major league sports franchise to Sin City.”

With a team in Las Vegas “all but assured,” Gallagher also implies that talk of a Seattle expansion isn’t without merit as many potential owners – including Vancouver billionaire Victor Coleman – have shown plenty of interest.

The biggest obstacle facing Seattle is the lack of an NHL-calibre arena, as Bettman explained on Sportsnet 590 The Fan in June is that “the building situation is very unsettled and frankly if there was no reasonable prospect of a building coming anytime soon.”

The addition of two teams in the Western Conference would pull it even with the 16-team Eastern Conference. However, Gallagher indicates the NHL could expand beyond only two teams, mentioning Quebec City and Kansas City.
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People are speculating about Toronto getting a second team as well.
 
I don't really care much about expansion anywhere else, but the reports about a Toronto expansion team better be untrue. It's bad enough that the city is already infested with Habs fans. Dealing with the little-brotherish, bandwagon fans of some other Toronto team as well would be a major pain in the ass.
 
LeafGm said:
I don't really care much about expansion anywhere else, but the reports about a Toronto expansion team better be untrue. It's bad enough that the city is already infested with Habs fans. Dealing with the little-brotherish, bandwagon fans of some other Toronto team as well would be a major pain in the ass.
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I'll always be a fan of the Leafs but if the second team has the name Toronto somethiners, I'll be a casual fan of those guys too.

If this happens, I really hope it puts additional pressure on the Leafs to get things right. The new team would likely have a few back to back top talents coming via the draft. They'd have a great core as a result and could easily surpass the Leafs in the standings and win a cup before the Leafs do. That'd be quite embarrassing. Hopefully the Leafs will react and focus on not letting that happen by winning.
 
Would be interesting to see if the NHL can work in Vegas...they'd be the first pro sports league there.
 
If the rumours of throwing 4 new teams are true, then I think that's a little too much. I'd rather see them add 2 teams, say LV and Seattle, then see how the dust settles for a couple years.
 
I think Vegas is just crazy enough to work. Tons of corporate support (It will probably be someone like Steve Wynn who does this), only pro sports game in town.
 
LeafGm said:
I don't really care much about expansion anywhere else, but the reports about a Toronto expansion team better be untrue. It's bad enough that the city is already infested with Habs fans. Dealing with the little-brotherish, bandwagon fans of some other Toronto team as well would be a major pain in the ass.
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Another team in Toronto will probably attract some of the non-Leaf fans living there so your problem with other fan bases will simply shift. Since there would be no history of hatred, the new team will attract fans.
 
Yeah, Vegas might actually work. Especially if Bruckheimer teams up with another entertainment mogul (like Wynn as Mindz mentioned). They would make it work. Long reported Bruckheimer wants a team in Vegas. He's a huge hockey guy and absolutely loves the city.
 
For me, the key point against a potential Toronto team is this:

In the past couple of years, Rogers has plunked down $660M for about a 40% stake in MLSE, and another $5.2B for the NHL broadcast rights. Is Bettman really going to thank them for that by sticking another NHL franchise right in their backyard just in time for the Leafs' 100th anniversary celebrations?
 
LeafGm said:
For me, the key point against a potential Toronto team is this:

In the past couple of years, Rogers has plunked down $660M for about a 40% stake in MLSE, and another $5.2B for the NHL broadcast rights. Is Bettman really going to thank them for that by sticking another NHL franchise right in their backyard just in time for the Leafs' 100th anniversary celebrations?
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Screw the Leaf$ and screw ROGERS cuz of them I now have to get CI. Hope they loose buckets of money on their NHL broadcast monopoly. :facepalm
 
A second toronto team would be awesome.

There should probably be three or four of them.
 
zeke said:
A second toronto team would be awesome.

There should probably be three or four of them.
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I cannot wait for the complaints about the media saying "Toronto Second Teamers are going to win the cup before the Leafs"
 
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