Reply to Re: avril lavigne
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Not that I take any particular side in this argument, I can see how Tampa Bay Hockey Team could be considered an oxymoron...
In the NHL, the 6 original teams were Montreal, Boston, Chicago, New York, Detroit, and (Kat's home team?) Toronto. Hockey was primarily seen as a cold region game. Canada is absolutely in love with the sport, and kids start playing it as early as 2 and 3 years old. Over time, the NHL expanded into other parts of Canada and the US, but for the most part was popular in the nortern regions. Expansions into LA, Atlanta (Where the Calgary Flames actually originated), and St. Louis saw the game creep southward. Than the real expansions took place as new teams popped up or relocated to areas such as Arizona (Winnipeg Jets), Denver (Nordiques), Dallas (North Stars), Miami, Tampa, Nashville and a new team in Atlanta.
Being a hockey fan, I can see how a hockey team in Tampa or Nashville could be an oxymoron, given the history of the sport, and the low attendance figures in most areas south of St. Louis. In fact, die hard hockey fans would even find it funny.
Sad thing is, all this expansion has really hurt the NHL to the point where attendance $ cannot keep up with escalating saleries. Thus, the owners will lockout the players before the start of the next season in an attempt to create a player Salery Cap that would allow owners to actually make a profit, rather than lose $ year after year.
I love Hockey, but the expansions have greatly thinned out the talant, and have never created a greater interest in the sport. Expansion was also supposed to give the NHL a chance to capitalize on a hugh national TV contract that never materialized. Sad, but the NHL got to big to function, and teams that have always had a hugh following have lost fans because of the lack of talent to go around. As good as the Lightning were this year, they souldn't be in the league, and neither sould the Oilers, Sen's, Blue Jackets, Thrashers, Predators, Panthers or Coyote's.
In the NHL, the 6 original teams were Montreal, Boston, Chicago, New York, Detroit, and (Kat's home team?) Toronto. Hockey was primarily seen as a cold region game. Canada is absolutely in love with the sport, and kids start playing it as early as 2 and 3 years old. Over time, the NHL expanded into other parts of Canada and the US, but for the most part was popular in the nortern regions. Expansions into LA, Atlanta (Where the Calgary Flames actually originated), and St. Louis saw the game creep southward. Than the real expansions took place as new teams popped up or relocated to areas such as Arizona (Winnipeg Jets), Denver (Nordiques), Dallas (North Stars), Miami, Tampa, Nashville and a new team in Atlanta.
Being a hockey fan, I can see how a hockey team in Tampa or Nashville could be an oxymoron, given the history of the sport, and the low attendance figures in most areas south of St. Louis. In fact, die hard hockey fans would even find it funny.
Sad thing is, all this expansion has really hurt the NHL to the point where attendance $ cannot keep up with escalating saleries. Thus, the owners will lockout the players before the start of the next season in an attempt to create a player Salery Cap that would allow owners to actually make a profit, rather than lose $ year after year.
I love Hockey, but the expansions have greatly thinned out the talant, and have never created a greater interest in the sport. Expansion was also supposed to give the NHL a chance to capitalize on a hugh national TV contract that never materialized. Sad, but the NHL got to big to function, and teams that have always had a hugh following have lost fans because of the lack of talent to go around. As good as the Lightning were this year, they souldn't be in the league, and neither sould the Oilers, Sen's, Blue Jackets, Thrashers, Predators, Panthers or Coyote's.
