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Houston could be next NHL expansion city
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NoDak Offline
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Houston could be next NHL expansion city
The new Houston Rockets and Toyota Center owner has expressed interest in an NHL franchise.

http://www.chron.com/sports/rockets/arti...267657.php

A Houston franchise would fit perfectly in the Central division, which is short a team.

Seattle and Quebec City would have to wait.
10-11-2017 01:33 PM
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Tom in Lazybrook Offline
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RE: Houston could be next NHL expansion city
(10-11-2017 01:33 PM)NoDak Wrote:  The new Houston Rockets and Toyota Center owner has expressed interest in an NHL franchise.

http://www.chron.com/sports/rockets/arti...267657.php

A Houston franchise would fit perfectly in the Central division, which is short a team.

Seattle and Quebec City would have to wait.

No, no, no, a thousand times no. We couldn't support the Aeros.
10-11-2017 01:51 PM
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C2__ Offline
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RE: Houston could be next NHL expansion city
We couldn't support the Aeros because it was a minor league franchise. And the Aeros did well for decades in a non-hockey city.

Ironically, that's likely what a new NHL team would be called. If only Gordy Howe were alive to see it.
10-11-2017 08:44 PM
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PirateTreasureNC Offline
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RE: Houston could be next NHL expansion city
how well do the Dallas Stars draw?
10-11-2017 09:47 PM
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Pony94 Offline
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Houston could be next NHL expansion city
(10-11-2017 09:47 PM)PirateTreasureNC Wrote:  how well do the Dallas Stars draw?


Averaging about 18,000 the last few years. Gone down to around 15,000 during lean years.
10-11-2017 10:18 PM
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Love and Honor Offline
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RE: Houston could be next NHL expansion city
I think a new team in Houston would face similar problems as the Atlanta Thrashers. The Houston market is less fickle than Atlanta, but with the other big three leagues already there on top of college and high school football I don't think there's much of a viable market for hockey. Maybe in the nineties when the league was expansion-crazy but not now imo, the Stars aren't the Coyotes but it's not like anyone will confuse their fan base with the Canadian teams and they've been there over twenty years now.

That being said, a city like Austin would be an interesting gambit. Fastest growing metro area in the nation, a young wealthy demography as well. No pro sports teams to compete with, basically just UT football and only for the first half of the season. More likely than not they'd be the sole big four sports team to be there with the Spurs blocking NBA, Cowboys/Texans blocking NFL, and Rangers/Astros blocking MLB (maybe MLS comes there at some point though). Kansas City would be a solid choice as well.
10-11-2017 10:25 PM
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C2__ Offline
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RE: Houston could be next NHL expansion city
They will have to win. That said, there are plenty of snowbirds and transplants here from up north. It could work but as noted, they have to win.
10-11-2017 11:37 PM
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PirateTreasureNC Offline
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RE: Houston could be next NHL expansion city
(10-11-2017 11:37 PM)_C2_ Wrote:  They will have to win. That said, there are plenty of snowbirds and transplants here from up north. It could work but as noted, they have to win.

I was thinking, apparently Dallas was attractive enough from their old home town of Minnesota to have those North Stars move south.

I would think if Dallas can draw well against the Cowboys and Mavs then I would think a team could draw well with the Texans and the Rockets.
10-11-2017 11:48 PM
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Pony94 Offline
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Houston could be next NHL expansion city
(10-11-2017 11:48 PM)PirateTreasureNC Wrote:  
(10-11-2017 11:37 PM)_C2_ Wrote:  They will have to win. That said, there are plenty of snowbirds and transplants here from up north. It could work but as noted, they have to win.

I was thinking, apparently Dallas was attractive enough from their old home town of Minnesota to have those North Stars move south.

I would think if Dallas can draw well against the Cowboys and Mavs then I would think a team could draw well with the Texans and the Rockets.


It was brutal the first decade. I used to get 250 free tickets to hand out to SMU students.
10-12-2017 07:58 AM
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C2__ Offline
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RE: Houston could be next NHL expansion city
The new Aeros would do okay. Just don't expect a Canadian level of support.
10-12-2017 12:00 PM
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NoDak Offline
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RE: Houston could be next NHL expansion city
Atlanta didn't work because there wasn't deep commitment from the Thrasher owners.

Sense there would be fromantic the new Rockets owner. Houston has immense corporate resources that would enable near sell outs and suite rental. It would work if given enough backing.
10-12-2017 12:27 PM
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RE: Houston could be next NHL expansion city
(10-12-2017 12:27 PM)NoDak Wrote:  Atlanta didn't work because there wasn't deep commitment from the Thrasher owners.

Sense there would be fromantic the new Rockets owner. Houston has immense corporate resources that would enable near sell outs and suite rental. It would work if given enough backing.

Agreed on Atlanta, and that's why I want it to get another shot at the NHL. The owners of Hawks & Thrashers (Atlanta Spirit) did not like the NHL at all, and did everything they could to get rid of the Thrashers. Kind of like Jeffery Loria with the Expos or Alex Spanos and the Chargers only imagine LA actually wanting the team.
10-16-2017 12:36 AM
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Lush Offline
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RE: Houston could be next NHL expansion city
i've been saying it for days, madison. maybe slc. a smaller market with a community feel. galvanized a rabid fanbase. it's an interesting gambit
10-16-2017 10:07 AM
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RE: Houston could be next NHL expansion city
(10-16-2017 12:36 AM)DawgNBama Wrote:  
(10-12-2017 12:27 PM)NoDak Wrote:  Atlanta didn't work because there wasn't deep commitment from the Thrasher owners.

Sense there would be fromantic the new Rockets owner. Houston has immense corporate resources that would enable near sell outs and suite rental. It would work if given enough backing.

Agreed on Atlanta, and that's why I want it to get another shot at the NHL. The owners of Hawks & Thrashers (Atlanta Spirit) did not like the NHL at all, and did everything they could to get rid of the Thrashers. Kind of like Jeffery Loria with the Expos or Alex Spanos and the Chargers only imagine LA actually wanting the team.

Atlanta is a twice failed NHL market in a non-traditional area. I don't care what excuses you make, if hockey meant anything around there, it would have survived. Save hockey for major markets, the Frost Belt and Canada.
10-16-2017 12:25 PM
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Love and Honor Offline
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RE: Houston could be next NHL expansion city
(10-16-2017 12:25 PM)_C2_ Wrote:  
(10-16-2017 12:36 AM)DawgNBama Wrote:  
(10-12-2017 12:27 PM)NoDak Wrote:  Atlanta didn't work because there wasn't deep commitment from the Thrasher owners.

Sense there would be fromantic the new Rockets owner. Houston has immense corporate resources that would enable near sell outs and suite rental. It would work if given enough backing.

Agreed on Atlanta, and that's why I want it to get another shot at the NHL. The owners of Hawks & Thrashers (Atlanta Spirit) did not like the NHL at all, and did everything they could to get rid of the Thrashers. Kind of like Jeffery Loria with the Expos or Alex Spanos and the Chargers only imagine LA actually wanting the team.

Atlanta is a twice failed NHL market in a non-traditional area. I don't care what excuses you make, if hockey meant anything around there, it would have survived. Save hockey for major markets, the Frost Belt and Canada.

The NHL's southern expansion has worked best in cities with no NBA teams, local and involved ownership, and arenas in convenient locations - see Nashville and Tampa Bay as Exhibits A and B. I don't know where Carolina's arena is but they're a franchise that I think can rebound if they start playing well again given how they're the only big four sports team in that metro, though they do have NCAA hoops to compete with. Anaheim has been a solid team for a while now and were lucky the Clippers didn't move there to try and carve a basketball market in the OC. Dallas will never be a smash hit based on how much competition there is in that market, but there's enough people there and they've been there long enough that they've got a bit of an established fan base built up.

Things really start going awry when you put an arena out in the suburbs, look at the Coyotes and Panthers to see how well that's going for them. Vegas is a disaster waiting to happen imo, it's a casual market at best right now but with the Raiders coming into town it'll be tough going for them. Like I mentioned earlier, I think Austin might be a decent fit all things considered, Kansas City is a good sports town too and doesn't have the NBA either.
10-16-2017 05:22 PM
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PirateTreasureNC Offline
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RE: Houston could be next NHL expansion city
(10-16-2017 05:22 PM)Love and Honor Wrote:  The NHL's southern expansion has worked best in cities with no NBA teams, local and involved ownership, and arenas in convenient locations - see Nashville and Tampa Bay as Exhibits A and B. I don't know where Carolina's arena is but they're a franchise that I think can rebound if they start playing well again given how they're the only big four sports team in that metro, though they do have NCAA hoops to compete with. Anaheim has been a solid team for a while now and were lucky the Clippers didn't move there to try and carve a basketball market in the OC. Dallas will never be a smash hit based on how much competition there is in that market, but there's enough people there and they've been there long enough that they've got a bit of an established fan base built up.

Things really start going awry when you put an arena out in the suburbs, look at the Coyotes and Panthers to see how well that's going for them. Vegas is a disaster waiting to happen imo, it's a casual market at best right now but with the Raiders coming into town it'll be tough going for them. Like I mentioned earlier, I think Austin might be a decent fit all things considered, Kansas City is a good sports town too and doesn't have the NBA either.


The Hurricanes are in Raleigh, NC. The Hornets and Panthers are in Charlotte, which is about 2.5 hours from Raleigh. The Hurricanes home ice is a great arena and when the team is back on the winning trail and in the playoffs it is a super loud building to be in. And that is what it will take, the Hurricanes getting back to winning and being a playoff team at any seed. That is what they are building now, a team to get them back to the post season... The fan base needs that playoff hope and series to return and the arena will be rocking again.
10-16-2017 05:35 PM
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RE: Houston could be next NHL expansion city
Move the Coyotes to Houston.
10-16-2017 06:12 PM
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Lush Offline
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RE: Houston could be next NHL expansion city
move st louis to slc
10-16-2017 06:58 PM
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Love and Honor Offline
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RE: Houston could be next NHL expansion city
Lol, wut?

(10-16-2017 05:35 PM)PirateTreasureNC Wrote:  The Hurricanes are in Raleigh, NC. The Hornets and Panthers are in Charlotte, which is about 2.5 hours from Raleigh. The Hurricanes home ice is a great arena and when the team is back on the winning trail and in the playoffs it is a super loud building to be in. And that is what it will take, the Hurricanes getting back to winning and being a playoff team at any seed. That is what they are building now, a team to get them back to the post season... The fan base needs that playoff hope and series to return and the arena will be rocking again.

Nah lol, I was referring to where in Raleigh. I know they share with NCSU, are they downtown or in the burbs? Regardless you're right about the atmosphere, that Game 7 versus the Oilers was nothing but electric. I always like non-traditional hockey markets doing well, I've taken some good ole boy types from North Florida and South Carolina to Lightning games for work and they get a real kick out of it.
10-16-2017 08:00 PM
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PirateTreasureNC Offline
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RE: Houston could be next NHL expansion city
(10-16-2017 08:00 PM)Love and Honor Wrote:  Nah lol, I was referring to where in Raleigh. I know they share with NCSU, are they downtown or in the burbs? Regardless you're right about the atmosphere, that Game 7 versus the Oilers was nothing but electric. I always like non-traditional hockey markets doing well, I've taken some good ole boy types from North Florida and South Carolina to Lightning games for work and they get a real kick out of it.

Ummm

Not downtown--downtown Raleigh proper. But, the arena is right off a major highway into and out of the area. I mean, access to the arena is pretty easy to get to IMO. They are on the same grounds as the NCSU football field, and well, the same arena is used for NCSU basketball. The State Fairgrounds are also in the same area.

There have been a few editorial pieces out there that suggest that if Raleigh would get a MLS expansion team they could move the Hurricanes and that team back into downtown Raleigh proper in a lot that would also allow for easy access of a highway.

In my trips to PNC Arena I have found it super easy to get to, a easy way to park for free, and based on my walk up to the arena easy access to pre/post game amenities of a gas station and a Wendy's literally right there on site. There is also a pretty nice real restaurant there too. Traffic is also pretty easy to navigate. And the on-site tailgating scene is pretty good from my observations.
10-16-2017 11:05 PM
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