As a side note the nostalgia in Minnesota for the North Stars might be stronger than the nostalgia for the Oilers in Houston. When Norm Green moved them to Dallas was a statewide tragedy and he’s as hated here as Bud Adams is in Houston.
All that can be true. I want a team here. If Tampa and Nashville can host one, there’s no reason Houston can’t.
This is true of most cities. Most cities don’t sell out for losers. There are some exceptions to that. This isn’t just a sunbelt issue either. Of the bottom 12 markets for % sold of capacity, 3 are Canadian teams (there are only 7 Canadian teams by the way) and the rest of the list includes Detroit, Chicago, NJ, Buffalo, and Columbus. Of the top 12 markets for % sold of capacity, 4 are sunbelt teams (and no I didn’t include Arizona since they only have 5,000 tickets to sell). Also that doesn’t include Dallas which sold over 99% of their capacity this season. https://www.hockey-reference.com/friv/attendance.cgi
The US is basically responsible for all professional sports leagues’ models success (EPL included). The true success of sports leagues has always come about with expansion or leagues merging, and the incorporation of media distribution. Baseball expanded out west (as did the rest of the nation). The NFL merged with the AFL and the brainchild of a mega-TV-event between the two leagues was born (Super Bowl). The NBA has cornered cities that didn’t have any other pro teams. And the NHL expanded to the sunbelt. Sure, nostalgia will always be there. You don’t see a lot of kids in Houston playing back-alley stick ball like they used to do in NYC, but that doesn’t mean baseball can’t work in other places. If anything, the NHL has relished the hockey influence in places like Florida, Colorado, California that now have very active little league and minor league hockey programs. Houston would have had a team by now if it wasn’t for dumb lease agreements on outdated buildings and a general lack of foresight on growth potential. I also don’t think Toyota Center is a long term option for any team (Rockets included) without some massively needed renovations…. So there would likely have to be a hockey specific arena on the agenda.
The Aeros had good support for both times they were in existence. Their is a market for the sport but its not going to have interest when people don't have a team to follow on a day to day basis. The WHA Aeros averaged more than 9000 per game in the 70's and at the time they had better attendance than the Rockets. The WHA was considering a 2nd tier league to the NHL at the time. The IHL/AHL Aeros averaged more than 6000 their last year in Houston for minor league hockey. It seems that according to the ESPN article that the league wants a team here and with the arena situation Tillman needs to be on board for a team to move here so convincing him to buy the team is probably issue #1 in getting the Coyotes to Houston. The other shoe that might have to fall is getting an arena built if Tillman doesn't want to own a team . I saw some talk on twitter of a privately financed arena being a possibility. It needs to happen its crazy there is no team here and if Dallas can support a team why can't Houston.
My Suggestion Box: Houston Ice Coyotes Houston Big Rig Houston Black Mud Houston Ice Box Houston Solar Wind Houston Ice Age Houston Oil Riggers Houston Blue Brisket Houston Mad Horns Houston One Eyed Armadillos Houston Blackjack
If an arena needs to be built consider putting it on the NW side of town to attract hockey fans from SA and Austin for day trips to games. Also name the team ‘Texas (name)’ instead of ‘Houston’ (name) for the same reason. Bill it as Texas’s team and advertise in both of those markets (as well as Houston, obviously) Would suck for me as I live SE but it might be a good business move.
Does that ever work? Nobody considers the Texas Rangers as “Texas’ team”. California angels, Florida marlins all abandoned it. I think it makes a semblance of sense when you put a team way outside the city limits (sorta like Arlington), but it’s usually not going to convince any random Texan that this team belongs to them.
No, thanks. Houston is distinct from Texas. Brand it around Houston, which has become a brand in and of itself. You’re not going to build ticket demand for a team in an arena sport by hoping people will drive from 2 hours away to see it. There aren’t enough day games to justify that, imo. If you want to build it somewhere closer to a true population center of Houston (CityCentre), I get that…but don’t do it to be just a little bit closer to drive from 2-3 hours away. Too much of the schedule is weeknights at 7 pm. Beyond that, this is an arena sport, and those sports find their demand at a higher percentage from cities with a large corporate base that can buy suites and batches of season tickets. Houston Aeros is just a ridiculous slam dunk branding decision. Apollos is the only other name I think should even be considered, given there’s at least some history in that regard here with a team here. Connecting the city with some sense of a legacy — even if it’s more perceived than actual — is a distinguishing factor for branding here. I’ve thought about this **** way too much for the last 30 years or so lol
Yeah, this is such a desperate move for a franchise to do. The name "Texans" applies to that too The name would unquestionably be the Aeros
Put me in the "I don't get into hockey because we don't have a team" camp. That would change 30 seconds after the announcement was made that we were getting a team. I've lived in Houston for over half a century. Why would I care about any pro team that doesn't play their home games in Houston? There's no hockey culture in Houston because there's no hockey team in Houston. And yes.....the name should definitely be the Aeros. Why would it be anything else? Dammit. I've been purposefully avoiding this thread because I didn't want to get my hopes up. MISSION FAILED.
Desperate is the word I’ve been looking for all day since I read this. Thank you! I’m pissed we have a football team named the Texans because I wanted it to be more HOUSTON, but I’ve given up on that. That’s why when they start introducing old English font and HTown stuff I’m like, “I’m ok with that.” At least it’s not pretending to be Arlington. Arlington and Frisco and Allen and Plano and that place called Dallas would NEVER do that script. Had a guy from Dallas literally look at the BE SOMEONE framed picture in my office say, “um, isn’t that just illegal graffiti?” And that’s all you need to know about those people. It’s the Aeros. You’re a prince. And you’re going with me and @ima_drummer2k to an Aeros game one day
This is a point worth diving in on. Toyota Center needs help even we want to continue for it to be a great NBA arena. An NHL team is a great excuse for Tilman to lean into a bit of public help to take that over the top. Lean into all the hotel taxes they’ve collected since all the buildings have been built….that was a long time ago. Should be enough there to get that done for a better experience for the Rockets and the Aeros. If the county is willing to do that, Tilman would be a fool not to be a ready and willing buyer…the value of that franchise is rock bottom right now…moved to this market it would appreciate quickly. This is as close as I’ve been to this since around 1998 or 1999 when we ABSOLUTELY WOULD have gotten an expansion franchise aside from Les Alexander ****ing it all up. I went to a Red Wings / Blues exhibition game at the Summit when I was (I think) a freshman in high school. I was there when the Aeros won the Turner Cup in front of an absolutely packed Summit. Hockey is a blast. This is a massive city. If Ottawa can have (not financially support) a team, Houston is a no ****ing brainer. Technicalities have been in our way for a really long time. It’s time to make it happen. I just turned 49. I have about 40 or so years left given my parents lives so far…I really need the HOUSTON AEROS soon.
