|
Post by puckshmuck on Oct 6, 2013 18:04:10 GMT -6
Thunder Bay? Really? Sounds like a bad move waiting to happen. I doubt they can support a team. The city is in continual decline in all facets of life. I doubt they would be able to support a team. Leave the team in a thriving city like St. John's where it will be supported.
|
|
|
Post by Hannu Smail on Oct 6, 2013 22:26:18 GMT -6
Thunder Bay? Really? Sounds like a bad move waiting to happen. I doubt they can support a team. The city is in continual decline in all facets of life. I doubt they would be able to support a team. Leave the team in a thriving city like St. John's where it will be supported. Pretty narrow minded comment. In fact, it sounds a lot like the comments aimed at Winnipeg in the years before Jets 2.0 became a reality.
|
|
|
Post by puckshmuck on Oct 6, 2013 22:56:26 GMT -6
Thunder Bay? Really? Sounds like a bad move waiting to happen. I doubt they can support a team. The city is in continual decline in all facets of life. I doubt they would be able to support a team. Leave the team in a thriving city like St. John's where it will be supported. Pretty narrow minded comment. In fact, it sounds a lot like the comments aimed at Winnipeg in the years before Jets 2.0 became a reality. Not narrow-minded at all. Look at Thunder Bay's population and economy over the last several decades, both of which have been in big decline. The same cannot be said for Winnipeg. Facts are facts.
|
|
|
Post by Lions67 on Oct 6, 2013 23:59:39 GMT -6
I've been telling you guys this for years. That has been True Norths plan all along since day one. Argue all you want, shoot Thunder Bay down just like many shot down Winnipeg's ability to support the NHL Living in Thunder Bay all I can say is I can't wait for the day! It's still aways off, they haven't even decided how the new arena is being funded. I have a contact who is very tied to the NHL world and he told me this tidbit when Winnipeg got the Jets. He said St Johns was a temporary situation IF Thunder Bay built a new arena. I rarely see this guy and just happened to see him last night and he said that's still the plan. Our mayor was working at Tim's last year for some promotion and I asked him, he said yes that's the plan. My contact also told me about True Norths plan to buy a WHL team, they actually had a tentative deal done which fell through and yet again nobody believed me until months later the story came out in the papers. wanna bet a jersey?
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Oct 7, 2013 4:08:01 GMT -6
LT, you think the greater Thunder Bay area can support an AHL team? What is the highest level of hockey ever played in hockey? OHL? Thunder Bay had a USHL team during the 80s and 90s. That's about it. No OHL team ever played there.
|
|
|
Post by jetsorbust on Oct 7, 2013 8:38:47 GMT -6
I think Thunder Bay could probably support a team if it was done right, because I think any Canadian city can support a hockey team if it's done right.
And 3 years ago I would have preferred to have a team in Thunder Bay just since it's more local. But now that St. John's has been established and been supported so successfuly, it's hard to want to see the team moved. I can't really bring myself to hope for a well supported Canadian hockey team to get ripped out of a city... I would find it kind of surprising if True North did this.
I do believe LT has a trustworthy source, and I remember him talking about this since day 1. But the only thing that makes sense to me would be if St. John's kept the Ice Caps but lost the Jets affiliation. I just couldn't see True North actually moving the team.
|
|
|
Post by The Unknown Poster on Oct 7, 2013 8:57:18 GMT -6
One complicating scenario is it's not as simple as Winnipeg swapping affiliations. They actually own the farm team. I'd suspect TN is making pretty good money on the Rock and see no reason for them to move.
|
|
|
Post by Tim on Oct 7, 2013 9:00:02 GMT -6
One complicating scenario is it's not as simple as Winnipeg swapping affiliations. They actually own the farm team. I'd suspect TN is making pretty good money on the Rock and see no reason for them to move. Not unheard of to have two farm teams, then your not loaning out players!
|
|
|
Post by grumpy on Oct 7, 2013 9:01:04 GMT -6
Im not sure if that's the case anymore UP. I believe the locals bought the team. This needs confirmation.
|
|
|
Post by TheDeuce on Oct 7, 2013 9:06:17 GMT -6
Im not sure if that's the case anymore UP. I believe the locals bought the team. This needs confirmation. IIRC the 'ownership' arrangement in St. John's was akin to a lease of the team. That said, a move out of St. John's would not come as a surprise to me at all. m.
|
|
|
Post by The Unknown Poster on Oct 7, 2013 13:42:04 GMT -6
Yes I dont believe Danny Williams paid for the team. He's running it for True North and they call the shots I believe (hence why Zinger is the GM). I think there was a plan to eventually have Williams buy them out.
|
|
|
Post by donwood on Oct 7, 2013 13:55:45 GMT -6
Yes I dont believe Danny Williams paid for the team. He's running it for True North and they call the shots I believe (hence why Zinger is the GM). I think there was a plan to eventually have Williams buy them out. Thats exactly what I recall from the what was released when the iceCaps were announced.
|
|
LT
1st Line Centre
Posts: 499
|
Post by LT on Oct 7, 2013 20:46:58 GMT -6
LT, you think the greater Thunder Bay area can support an AHL team? What is the highest level of hockey ever played in hockey? OHL? Grump I don't know what the highest level of hockey Thunder Bay has had. At one time I questioned if TBay could support a team but when I see the housing growth of new expensive houses it makes me think there's more money then what many think. This contact of mine was asked from NHL players what's with TBay because their investors were telling them to invest in building supply companies in TBay because of the expected mining boom. Just from a personal greed stand point if love for this to happen. As far as St John's keeping the team and TN finding another affiliate I highly highly doubt that. That is the Manitoba Moose, Mark Chipman's and Zinger's baby. If they decide to move from St John I suspect they won't have a problem attracting another team at some point. From a logistic standpoint it makes sense for TN to have the team much closer. A 1 hour flight from TBay and more central if they need to fly in support out west. I would think it also doesn't hurt to solidify the NW Ontario fan base although it's not like it's easy to get tickets to a Jets game.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Oct 7, 2013 22:04:48 GMT -6
LT, you think the greater Thunder Bay area can support an AHL team? What is the highest level of hockey ever played in hockey? OHL? Grump I don't know what the highest level of hockey Thunder Bay has had. At one time I questioned if TBay could support a team but when I see the housing growth of new expensive houses it makes me think there's more money then what many think. This contact of mine was asked from NHL players what's with TBay because their investors were telling them to invest in building supply companies in TBay because of the expected mining boom. Just from a personal greed stand point if love for this to happen. I'm not sure if Thunder Bay has the population to support an AHL team. There are approx. 125,000 people living in the CMA. Additionally, Thunder Bay has never really had any type of professional hockey club, or amateur club, unless you include the USHL Thunder Bay Flyers, which is slightly above a beer league. T-Bay doesn't have the best history of supporting sports teams (remember the Whiskey Jacks of the Northern Baseball League?). They would need an arena, solid ownership, and committed fans willing to pay AHL prices to have it work. Saskatoon and Regina don't really do that great in attendance, and they have twice the population, a hockey history, better arenas, and more affordable games (WHL). Look at the AHL Abbotsford Heat. The Abbotsford CMA is larger than Thunder Bay, has more disposable income, a very large population base, immediately outside the city, and a better arena, yet they can't even average 4,000 fans per game. The AHL in T-Bay would never work.
|
|
LT
1st Line Centre
Posts: 499
|
Post by LT on Oct 7, 2013 22:32:20 GMT -6
All I can say is Staal, Staal, Staal & Staal. Never mind the rest of the names. Thunder Bay is a grass roots hockey community and given the chance to be the Jets farm team I think it works. I can't tell you how many Jets hats, shirts & jerseys I see around town...it's pretty cool. My sons practice jersey is a Jets jersey and man does he look good in Jets colours!
|
|