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Post by DowntownBooster on Dec 19, 2017 22:06:29 GMT -6
Haven't seen anything on HFBoards relating to Ottawa relocating to Quebec. I wonder what the chances of them actually moving would be considering some of the recent comments made by Senators owner Eugene Melnyk regarding the situation in Ottawa.
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Post by Ric O. on Dec 19, 2017 23:02:14 GMT -6
People can think what they want about Don Cherry being a blowhard and all, but he said the other night that the Senators were moving and he doesn't usually just blurt out something like that, if memory serves he's usually right about these things.
For sure there are worse existing hockey markets than Ottawa (obviously) and we all know which markets those are, but Canada is held to a different standard by the NHL, it's not right but it's the way it is and the way it will be as long as Bettman is in charge. You know, "Winnipeg, if you don't get 13000 season tickets, this isn't going to work out very well." I know the CT arena is poorly located and all but with what the Sens did last year and to have empty seats throughout the playoffs, it has to make you wonder what they could do to make the team more marketable. If fans won't even go out of their way to fill 3rd round hockey, is it even smart to go all in on building a new downtown arena to serve this market? Ottawa is great city but it's never screamed passionate sports town to me.
I'm sure it could still work out in Ottawa and I'm not personally convinced that NHL even wants to be in Quebec City, but with the CDN$ being where it is these days, what the NHL is seeking for expansion fee...if Melnyk still owns the team and is willing to move it, what better scenario could there be for QC to ever get a team?
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Post by pokeybandit on Dec 19, 2017 23:43:07 GMT -6
Considering 7 Canadian teams bring in more than 33% of league revenue it doesn’t make sense to me... yes status quo is good, but 1 more Canadian team and 1 less Sunbelt team would be better for the league
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Post by phillymike on Dec 20, 2017 4:17:37 GMT -6
Considering 7 Canadian teams bring in more than 33% of league revenue it doesn’t make sense to me... yes status quo is good, but 1 more Canadian team and 1 less Sunbelt team would be better for the league Don’t forget this is the NHL also known as Bizarreo World.
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Post by phillymike on Dec 20, 2017 4:21:52 GMT -6
I really think that Quebec will be next. Some of you may remember why I have a Quebec bias, but I really do think that Bettman has made statements that are very much akin to the hints he gave to us, and that the people (government and business) in Quebec can and will make it happen for them. lol
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Post by wolfmannick on Dec 20, 2017 7:40:23 GMT -6
The flames are not relocating, the senators are not relocating. These rumours are just there for pressure towards the teams getting new arenas
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Post by bcmike on Dec 21, 2017 15:47:50 GMT -6
If I'm Quebecor, I'd start talking to the KHL. Honestly Quebec has been shafted time and again, and will continue to be shafted.
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Post by Tim on Dec 27, 2017 12:30:53 GMT -6
If I'm Quebecor, I'd start talking to the KHL. Honestly Quebec has been shafted time and again, and will continue to be shafted. Quebecor knows it's relocation or bust, that's why they haven't said Crap about what's going on! The change in the Canadian dollar in 2015 caused the expansion ship to sail!
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Post by USApegger on Dec 27, 2017 13:55:31 GMT -6
If I'm Quebecor, I'd start talking to the KHL. Honestly Quebec has been shafted time and again, and will continue to be shafted. Why would they want the KHL? I would have zero interest in watching that league
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wolf357
Alternate Captain "A"
Posts: 557
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Post by wolf357 on Dec 27, 2017 20:31:55 GMT -6
If I'm Quebecor, I'd start talking to the KHL. Honestly Quebec has been shafted time and again, and will continue to be shafted. Why would they want the KHL? I would have zero interest in watching that league Pretty sure he wasn’t being serious about Quebec City playing in The KHL
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Post by mikecubs on Dec 28, 2017 2:30:29 GMT -6
I don't buy the Canadian dollar excuse. Sure it don't help but if Quebecor couldn't afford the price it would have leaked. Also we would have never heard about the symmetry excuse. The league would be thrilled to announce Quebecor balked/was unable to afford it.
Keep this in mind. Quebec was given a 100% FREE arena. Vegas paid for all of their's Seattle is paying for all to most of the Key arena renovation taking on $660M of debt (or $590M if they get a historic tax credit). So while because of the crap Canadian dollar Quebecor would be paying more for an expansion team it's made up by no arena debt. The reason Quebec is being skipped is because of the geographic(north vs. south) war in hockey that started in the 90's. This is REVENGE from the south/league office. Unless hockey undergoes an ENLIGHTENMENT(both north/south fans and league office) you will ALWAYS see crap like this in hockey. We are almost in 2018 and most fans/league office are in a caveman year 500ishBC mindset. It's just baffling how hockey can't advance beyond putting a line at St. Louis and trying to spite the other side of the line. Hockey has enough trouble as it is with a dying white worldwide birth rate and CTE.
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Post by DowntownBooster on Dec 29, 2017 20:26:31 GMT -6
I don't buy the Canadian dollar excuse. Sure it don't help but if Quebecor couldn't afford the price it would have leaked. Also we would have never heard about the symmetry excuse. The league would be thrilled to announce Quebecor balked/was unable to afford it. $500 million U.S. is an awful lot of money for any group. We got lucky that True North only had to pay $170 million for the Thrashers when the Canadian dollar was at par. I highly doubt they would ever pay what the going rate is now for a team. The interest alone on that sum of money would be a huge burden for any franchise.
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Post by mikecubs on Dec 30, 2017 4:10:47 GMT -6
I don't buy the Canadian dollar excuse. Sure it don't help but if Quebecor couldn't afford the price it would have leaked. Also we would have never heard about the symmetry excuse. The league would be thrilled to announce Quebecor balked/was unable to afford it. $500 million U.S. is an awful lot of money for any group. We got lucky that True North only had to pay $170 million for the Thrashers when the Canadian dollar was at par. I highly doubt they would ever pay what the going rate is now for a team. The interest alone on that sum of money would be a huge burden for any franchise. You can't compare the going rate then to now because there have been too many changes in the sport. 1. The new Canadian TV deal 2. The new CBA where players get 50% of revenue compare to before(I think the last CBA was 57% if I'm not mistaken) 3. Local TV deals have exploded. In 2011 the Texas Rangers in baseball got the 1st local mega deal. After that they exploded in MLB, NBA and even NHL Remember HF boards is a pro-league/pro-southern board. Be careful taking it too seriously Let's do some Quebec vs. Seattle debt math The Canadian dollar is currently at 80 cents Quebec- Expansion is $650M meaning they would be paying $780M in American $ Total Cost-$780M in debt Seattle- Seattle pays $650M for expansion. The arena is $660M to $590M depending on the historic tax credit. Trump is trying to get rid of historic tax credits. Lieweke said OVG is selling 1/3rd of the arena to the NHL, 1/3rd to the NBA, they keep 1/3rd. So 1/3rd equals $196.66M to $220M The guys on HF boards NEVER mention this because they have a pro south/new market/anti Canada agenda. Just because they pretend this don't exist doesn't make this magically disappear!!!! DEBT is DEBT!!!!!! Total Cost-$846.66M to $870M
Now keep the following in mind 1. A Seattle owner will only get 1/3rd of total arena revenue on stuff like concerts. 2. Other than Denver and Minneapolis and maybe Phoenix(depending on how you count) Seattle will be the 3rd or 4th smallest 4 team market(the NBA will come back!) 3. Seattle's arena is a compromise. SODO was the right choice but was lead by an idiot(Chris Hansen) who believed he "didn't need a ground game" to get his arena approved. Key has no public transportation. Queen Anne is a TRAFFIC NIGHTMARE. Mass transit isn't coming until 2035 at best. Videotron Center vs. Key is no contest. 4. Future renovations will be hard. With the roof/roof line land-marked you can't change it. You probably can't do a Cleveland/Utah type add on. They are digging down deep as they can go so the only room for future expansion is out and that probably can't be done. 5. Since the debt in Quebec's favor do you really believe Seattle is that much better of a hockey market given not much hockey history and likely 3 other teams? Quebec would have better odds to sell out long term. They have the hockey history Seattle don't. I do think Seattle will start off well but what happens a few years in when the NBA returns and fans realize Key is a clucker(p)uck traffic wise. How do they draw a few years in? 6. Why should anyone believe the NHL over Quebecor? Look at the history of NHL disasters like Sunrise/Glendale/Atlanta, letting John Spanos own the Islanders etc.... If Quebecor wants the shot they should get it.
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Post by DowntownBooster on Dec 31, 2017 15:14:22 GMT -6
^^^I don't doubt the fan support for a team in Quebec City as it was always pretty good before when they did have the Nordiques. However, it seems as though many supporters of Quebec's return are under the impression that a team there would be a cash cow. They make it seem like Quebec would be equal to Montreal which had an operating income of $ 92 million on revenues of $ 236 million. The Winnipeg Jets on the other hand had an operating income of $ 10 million on revenues of $ 119 million. The Jets also are the benefactors of city property tax rebates, etc. which helps with the bottom line. I still have my doubts that True North would ever bother at attempting to bring the NHL to Winnipeg at the price that Quebec will have to pay. If Quebec does get a team I don't believe the financial picture will be quite as rosy as their supporters expect it to be.
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Post by mikecubs on Jan 1, 2018 17:13:47 GMT -6
^^^^ I agree with part of this. There's no way in hell Quebec will be in the top 10 revenue/operating income wise. No way in hell they catch NYR, Toronto, Montreal, Chicago, Boston, Philly, LA, Pittsburgh(with Crosby), Edmonton, Calgary(with a new building). Quebec will probably be middle in the pack. Which is a LOT better than Seattle will be long term with 3 other teams and a compromise arena.
If Quebec had to pay for the normal amount for a new building(usually it's around half) ya it wouldn't work. But they were given a 100% free building. That's VERY rare in the 4 major sports.
Winnipeg had $119M and $10M profit but factor in an outdated TV deal, True North Square NOT online yet and a bear bones arena since they weren't sure if the NHL was coming. Quebec has the advantage of a post Texas Rangers TV deal(if they got a team), a better arena(though I wish they would have went with 1000ish less seats)
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