Considering that article is dated I don't see a problem for the NHL in terms of attendance. What the NHL needs is a better TV contract.
I covered NHL for about 3 seasons & what I saw astounded me. Players wrapping up Fractured feet and ankles & going back out to play. Making slapshots with broken wrists in the playoffs. sacrificing their bodies by diving head first in front of a brick-hard puck flying at 100mph (and thats not the goalie). They are much tougher than any other athletes who don't want to play because their toe is bruised or their pinkie is jammed like in basketball or baseball. Plus, the NHL season is a month longer than the NBA.
There is no question about it hockey is a man Sport. I really wished les would've jumped on the penguins situation and bought that franchise. Can you imagine sid the kid in Houston.
They need more viewers so they can get a better contract. Their outdoor games have really been their big successes, and the playoffs are still popular, but their regular season games don't generate enough ratings.
i don't think les has any interest in owning an NHL franchise, and i'm not sure he ever really did. which sucks because he's really the only one who could own one in this town given his control over Toyota Center. all the petitions in the world won't change that.
ok wow. a shift is basically nothing but sprinting (constant start/stopping changing direction)... hell of a lot more than say a play in football where you go for 5 seconds then take a 30 second break to pick a damn play.
Don't look now but Glendale, AZ city council is voting on if to possibly fund team losses or else the NHL might be forced to financially keep the team afloat financially. If the vote fails and NHL has to fund the team again, expect the Coyotes to move. Winnipeg is the favorite along with KC, and Houston somewhere in the equation. (Paging Les Alexander)
BTW - info is per CBC's interview with Gary Bettman at tonight's Hawks vs. Nuks Game 6 at GM Place. The vote in Glendale is happening RIGHT NOW.
Damn. http://coyotes.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=528903&navid=DL|PHX|home GLENDALE TAKES STEP TO KEEP COYOTES IN TOWN Tuesday, 05.11.2010 / 11:45 PM / Features Associated Press Share share email GLENDALE -- The Glendale city council has guaranteed the NHL up to $25 million to keep the Coyotes in Jobing.com Arena for the 2010-2011 season. But city manager Ed Beasley and NHL Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly on Tuesday night both told the council that the sale of the Coyotes is still expected to close by the end of June and the payments may never be needed. Beasley also told the council that both Ice Edge Holdings and a group headed by Chicago sports mogul Jerry Reinsdorf are talking about buying the Coyotes. Reports have had Reinsdorf's group dropping out in recent days. The NHL purchased the team out of bankruptcy last September with the stated intention of selling it to a buyer who would keep the franchise in Arizona.
That is insane. I'm a sports fan, but there doesn't seem to be much local support for the Coyotes, and I can't see civic leaders spending $25 million to fight what seems to be a losing battle.
I'm not really into hockey, but I respect it as a true sport. I wouldn't be able to skate on ice with all those pads and hockey stick while trying to hit something so small! The only problem I have with hockey is that they allow the players to punch each other's faces in. If it's not allowed in any other sport, they shouldn't allow it. It just makes the whole double standard thing much worse. Other than that, It would be cool to have a hockey team here. Houston would be a sports powerhouse!
Hockey is like soccer... I've been to many dynamo games, and when you go its crazy, it gets pretty crunk.. and that makes it fun.. i guess the enthusiasm is contagious.. but when i watch the dynamo on channel 55 or whatever there is absolutely no excitement.. I think if the city gets fired up this can be huge.. but theres no hockey tradition or passion in houston.. how are the stars games?? (attendance and fan base wise.)
i wouldn't say no tradition. the aeros were a big deal in the 70s i think when gordie howe played here.
there is tradition...it's just been a while. the Stars sold 92.9% of their capacity this season. they average 17,215 tickets sold/game. http://espn.go.com/nhl/attendance/_/sort/homePct i think you can look to that. they need to win to be successful, but that's true virtually everywhere in the NHL in the US, except maybe Detroit -- which I really can't be sure of because Detroit always wins!!!
disagree. it's a corporate game. houston has an assload of businesses that buy luxury suites and the like. the NHL isn't relying on walk up, regular joe attendance as their bread and butter. i see zero reason why hockey can't do as well in houston as it's done in dallas.
After looking more into it and reading ya'lls posts, I think a Houston NHL team will only work if it starts off as a GOOD TEAM...i think everyone here is too concerned with building all of our other teams that Houstonians (especially the fair weather fans) will not wanna be passionate for yet another "young/ we'll be good in 4 years team" Im totally for it HOUSTON APOLLO'S
I like Apollo's too, its always been thrown around but my first choice would be the Aeros and we can keep our WHL records and banners along with Gordie Howes number 9. Having two banners and Howes retired number would be great for a start and if we could get a good team to relocate instead of expansion so we could be good right off the bat. If we can't get Aeros then I'm all for Apollo's. Try to keep in mind a MLL (Lacross) franchise too, the new Dynamo/TSU stadium would be perfect for them and the city
