haapanen@watdcsu.UUCP (Tom Haapanen [DCS]) (11/18/85)
In article <136@watmath.UUCP> absary@watmath.UUCP (Al Sary) writes: >In article <474@bdmrrr.UUCP> gates@bdmrrr.UUCP (Al Gates) writes: >>If this truly is Canada's league, how come the Blues weren't allowed to >>go to Saskatoon? Is the U.S. running a Canadian league? How did this >>evolve? >I think you have to go a bit further here than nationality. The Blues weren't >allowed to go to Saskatoon because Saskatoon couldn't support a hockey team, >and there are enough troubled franchises in the NHL already; other teams and >the NHL (and Edmonton) have to support (at least partly) teams that lose money. >The problem with Canadian cities is that even though hockey is more >popular here than in most US cities, they are a lot smaller than most US >cities. Yes, but: - Toronto is sold out every game - Montreal is almost sold out every game - Quebec is almost sold out every game - Edmonton is sold out every game - Calgary is old out every game I don't know about Winnipeg or Vancouver, so I won't comment. However, Quebec City has only a few hundred thousand people living there, and yet they are drawing full crowds. Pittsburgh has millions, and the stadium is empty. So are many other U.S. cities. Hockey *is* the Canadian national sport, and has extremely strong support here. Believe me, people would drive from Regina and all the countryside to see an NHL game in Saskatoon. Saskatoon is perfectly viable as a location, at least spectatorvise. Hamilton, which is about the same size, is looking for a team as well; they just completed a new arena. Hamilton is, though, in Southwestern Ontario which is the most densely populated area in Canada. What the NHL governors don't want to admit is that hockey just isn't popular in the South. Atlanta, Birmingham, St. Louis, Denver, Kansas City (OK, that's actually West) all had teams. Only St. Louis still does. The governors should try and sell the game where people want to buy it. These means Canada and Northern U.S. \tom haapanen watmath!watdcsu!haapanen I'm all lost in the Supermarket I can no longer shop happily I came in here for that special offer Guaranteed personality (c) The Clash, 1979
jhr2@houem.UUCP (J.ROSENBLUTH) (11/19/85)
> What the NHL governors don't want to admit is that hockey just isn't > popular in the South. Atlanta, Birmingham, St. Louis, Denver, Kansas > City (OK, that's actually West) all had teams. Only St. Louis still does. > The governors should try and sell the game where people want to buy > it. These means Canada and Northern U.S. The Blues were always sold out in their first few years when they had good teams. After the novelty and talent faded, the seats were empty and the team almost left town, only to be saved by Ralston-Purina in the mid 70's. In 1980-81, they were second overall in points and the fans came back. Every game from late December on was a sellout. A couple of years later, the Blues were again a bad team with plenty of empty seats, this time Harry Ornest coming to the rescue. Hockey can be a success in St. Louis, but it takes a winner. If a franchise must draw even with a bad team (e.g. Toronto), then the Blues ought to be in Saskatoon. Josh Rosenbluth (...!ihpn4!houxm!houem!jhr2)