Bettman May Not Be Completely Stupid

...well in terms of his NHL expansion, anyways. See what I did there? Zing!

Anyways, the talk of NHL expansion has sort of died down over the past few weeks, but the people are still talking. Talking about what could be if only Bettman would pull his head out of his ass.

Recently, the talks of Canadian expansion have dwindled down to almost nothing, especially after all of the major analysts noted that it will likely be an American city if any to get a team.

While us Canadians disagree with this and are calling for Bettman's head, when looking at the American cities, they aren't necessarily all that bad. Maybe Americans like hockey too? Maybe their bids are just as good or better than ours. So, on that note, let's take a look at the front-runners for another NHL franchise in the states.

Kansas City, Missouri: Another city that has been home to an NHL franchise in the past, although it was only for two seasons. KC gained a team in the 1974 expansion, but lost them due to the poor economy (hmm...remind anyone of many American teams now?) as they were moved to Denver. Kansas was also the only city really pushing for a team when the Penguins were discussing relocation (Balisillie wanted Hamilton, but they never really made a push until that happened.) A population over 1 million, this city has proved it can support major sports teams, with the Chiefs of the NFL and Royals in MLB. Despite both these teams being awful, there has been a fan base in the city. Throw in the fact that the city just built a brand new arena in 2007 that seats over 17,500 for hockey, and Kansas just could bring another team to the midwest. Also, the NHL could really build-up the KC-St. Louis rivalry.

Hartford, Connecticut: Ahh, the former home of the Whalers. Most hockey fans still have rather good thoughts of Hartford, still not understanding why the team was moved to Raleigh of all places. It boasts a metro population of over a million, and is within an hours drive of New Haven and Springfield, two other large New England cities. The city held a team for almost 20 years, with good fanbase but a lack of corporate interest. The recent growth in New England over the past decade could prove to eliminate this problem, as Hartford is making a push for a team. They also currently support an AHL team, and still have the XL Center (formerly Civic Center) which housed the Whalers. Hartford could have a huge rivalry with most of the teams in the Atlantic Division, as well as Boston. Hartford is, another, good US candidate proving teams may survive.

Houston, Texas: Now, I am a Dallas Stars fan. I am a University of Texas Longhorns fan, and I am just overall a fan of the Lone Star State. Houston is making a push for an NHL team, again. While you may be asking what the again means, few fans know that Houston was just barely beaten by Dallas for the Stars back in 92, when the most recent expansion took place. An absolutely huge city with a population of about 5 million, Houston has proved it can host teams, with franchises in four of the other major sporting leagues (NBA, NFL, MLB & MLS). They also have the Aeros, an AHL team which has tremendous support and attendance. Dallas has proved that teams in the southern states can work, and with the state-of-the-art Toyota Center able to seat about 18,000, there's no need for an arena to be built like in the Canadian cities. Houston should be hot in pursuit of another ice hockey franchise.

Las Vegas, Nevada: Las Vegas wants a sport team, bad. And the NHL seems to be one of the few that's willing to test the market. The city has been dipping its toe into the icy waters of the league, hosting the awards ceremony and being shortlisted for a future Outdoor Classic. It has also been speculated that the city has been in talks with the commissioner and other NHL teams, and that Bettman wants to put another team in the desert. Despite the evident problems of placing a team in the gambling capital of the universe and a city whose economy is more based on tourism than anything else, there is no current rink in the area. They do have an ECHL team, but their home barn only seats 8000, far below NHL standards. While the city continues to push, they need an arena before they can be taken seriously...I think.

Oklahoma City, Oklahoma: Another southern city making a buzz is the capital of the Sooner State. The city has a population over a million, and currently houses the Thunder of the NBA as it continues to try to mark itself a sports city. It also has a new arena, the Ford Center, which seats over 18,000 for hockey, and is home to a team in the Central Hockey League (whatever that is). The city has been known to host many NHL exhibition games, which could again be an example of the league testing the market. As Oklahoma City continues to grow and become more prominent, this bid should be taken more seriously. While it is definitely the quietest of the four major cities, it is not by any means the weakest.

So there are the Fab Four if you will. There are still a couple others, including good bids by Seattle and Portland (Oregon), and some weaker bids by Milwaukee and Indianapolis. The point is that while us Canadians think we are the high and mighty of the hockey world, there is a demand for the league in some American cities, so we better make real bids and show that we want a team, not just that we deserve a team, if our nation should ever get a seventh or eighth franchise.

And, Bettman, for one of the very few times, I am excited to see what you will do. You have proven it may not necessarily be the worst idea.

Behind Enemy Lines

I never would have anticipated the dangers of posting a simple link to my blog, but I would have been wrong.

After doing my post on why Quebec City would be a better choice for the NHL than Hamilton I decided to try to spread the word, posting the link on a Facebook group promoting the idea of bringing the NHL to Hamilton.

Unfortunately, the feedback didn't so much start a discussion, as I had expected, but questioned my reasons for posting on the group, and basically just bashing me. I doubt that many of them even read the story, but  a few of them did and gave actual responses on the post. The rest of them, however, just bashed myself, my intelligence and my morals.

While I'm sure you'd rather read some of the creative insults that people came up with, this actually raises a serious question. When does hyperlinking and self-promotion become immoral? Does it ever?

Clearly, I felt I was in the right for posting on this group. My post was largely on the subject of an NHL team in Hamilton, and I used (or tried to with the best of my abilities) facts and logical reason as to why Quebec is a better city. At the same time, however, I now realize why people might be a little pissed off. While it's not necessarily spamming (one of the most annoying and arguably least moral things to do according to general netiquette), it could be seen as spreading hockey blasphemy. I was going against everything that everyone in the group was promoting. It would be like going to a Conservative rally wearing red and shouting pro-Liberal comments (well, with Kansas City as the front-runner now it may be more like showing NDP support).

So, in my opinion, I say that what I did is completely justifiable. I was trying to relate a story that affected them, and that, while drawing some negative criticism, would offer a realist and different perspective than the simple cheering of the idea. I wasn't spreading spam, nor was I just trying to be an asshole by disagreeing with their ideas. I was using my sports knowledge and expertise to write a legitimate story on an issue that was in the news.

That is, or should be, completely fair and acceptable. And if it's not, I guess I'm going to being breaking a lot of rules of netiquette.

Gonzo VS Blogging

This weekend I had the pleasure of seeing Jonathan Goldstein speak. For those of you who may be unfamiliar with him (I know I was until this week), he is the host of CBC Radio’s Wiretap. Basically, he hosts a half-hour show where he discusses life stories with his friends, who act as characters. While the information the show is based on is true, the interactions and much of what is said is fictional.

  

The entire time I listened to him speak and listened to clips from his show, the way he told stories reminded me a lot of the writing of Hunter S. Thompson, the infamous Gonzo journalist. And as the classroom discussion of whether blogging counts as journalism, I wondered more and more about Thompson and how he managed to get the “journalist” title.

            

Thompson became famous for his hilarious adventures, which mixed real-life tales with his added personal thoughts and some (it had to be) fictional tales, yet defined what is known as “Gonzo journalism.” Key word there: journalism. Thompson was continually hired by newspapers and magazines, and had all the responsibilities and privileges of a professional journalist.

            

What he did was everything but traditional journalism: mixing his “coverage” with the feelings he had while hopped up on every type of drug imaginable. This goes back to the debate of who deserves to be called a journalist, and receive journalistic privilege. He seems, just as much of a blogger, to be opinionated and again to be more editorial than anything.

            

Is this what blogging is then? Gonzo journalism? In some cases, I would definitely agree. Overwhelmingly though, Hunter S. Thompson’s role in the newspaper, while unorthodox, gives him the privilege that bloggers cannot try to claim. My opinion remains, blogging is not journalism. With all of the commentary, and the lack of training to be a journalist, it is just way too dangerous to give Everyday Joe who happens to have a blog, that type of power and respect.

Am I A Journalist

As I continue blogging, I continually ask myself if what I’m doing is journalism. While I do write for a newspaper, and I consider that aspect journalism, the simple commentary that I add on this blog is different. What is it exactly that I am doing?

What I like to classify it as is acting as a columnist or an opinion writer. While I am writing original material, I am more critiquing what is going on in the world as opposed to actually reporting it. I am clearly laying out my opinion on the topics, and am not necessarily giving both sides of the story; therefore I am not really acting as a journalist.

Journalists are given special privileges, they act as the fourth estate, and they have certain responsibilities because of this. Journalism gives off the impression that you are delivering facts, that you have many sources, and that you are to a certain degree an expert on the topic. While I like to think I have the “expert” title, I am certainly not delivering facts and I definitely don’t have any key sources in the NHL. The stories that I’m commenting on, those were written by journalists, my writing however is not. What I write should be taken with the notion that I am spinning my words to try to attempt you to agree with me.

One professor once said that, “Journalists don’t tell you what to think. Journalists tell you what to think about.” There are few journalistic statements I agree with more, and blogs are for the majority, about telling you what to think.

This is why I am not a journalist.

Sorry Hamilton

Just when NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman thought he was finally getting out of the crosshairs of southern Ontarians verbal weapons, he finds himself right back in perhaps an even deeper pile of shit.

It has been made public over the past week or so that Bettman has been in discussion with Quebec City mayor Regis Lebaume about the possibility of moving the NHL back into La Vielle Capitale. It has also been reported that the talks involved former Nordiques president Marcel Aubut, and that Bettman has suggested that the Nordiques could possibly be reincarnated should a new arena be built.

The move comes shockingly close to the NHL’s refusal to allow Research in Motion billionaire Jim Balsillie purchase the Phoenix Coyotes and move them to Hamilton. As a result of this, I have decided to look at the differences both cities offer to housing a professional hockey team.

Quebec had a long-standing and good relationship with the NHL, playing in the league for sixteen years before being moved to Denver. NHL Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly also hinted at the importance of history. “We do have an interest in returning teams to Canadian cities that have supported NHL teams historically,” Daly told the Toronto Star last weekend. Hate the idea or love it, Quebec has done it all before, they know how the NHL works. And by bringing their former president on board, they won’t make mistakes similar to Balsillie, such as suggesting to move the team mid-season.

While Hamilton does have the Bulldogs, support was limited even during their 2006-07 season, which saw them win the Calder Cup. Attendance has dwindled since then, as has news coverage. In fact, when looking at the numbers of the current teams in these cities, Quebec’s Remperts of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League bring in an average of about 11,000 fans per game. The Bulldogs, classified as a pro team, averaged just over 4000.

Nordiques fans can still be found all over eastern Quebec. While some have since the move began cheering for the Colorado Avalanche or the Montreal Canadiens, an NHL return to QC would definitely draw back almost all of their fans. With a population similar to Hamilton, the Nordiques would have a market of over 700,000 just in the city alone. And don’t forget also that the Nordiques are the closest pro team to the Maritime provinces, so the market could easily be estimated to grow into the millions.

Then again, there’s Hamilton. A city that finds itself in southern Ontario, surrounded by Maple Leafs fans who have been so likely since birth. A city that is expected to lure in fans from Hamilton itself, as well as the many surrounding cities such as Niagara Fals, London and even Kitchener-Waterloo. How many of these fans will jump ship to support a new team? I doubt very many would.

While I by no means doubt that nearly every game would be a sell-out, that would be more a result of fans wanting to see NHL-caliber hockey, not the “home team”. Ticket sales would be through the roof, but this would in turn cause low merchandise sales, limited TV contracts (especially so close to the Leafs and Sabres markets) and large sponsorships, all of which would continue to go to the Leafs.

While I know that I may be tying my own knot writing this story in this market, I may actually have to agree with Bettman on this one. When you really look at the two markets, Quebec City is the better choice for an NHL franchise. Don’t be too upset though Hamiltonians, we all know that should this team ever sprout up in La Belle Province, they will travel down the same long, painful road that you did.

Which Blog Is Best

Now, in case you were unaware, there are many different forms of "news sites" across the internet, each one of which has its own features and elements to it.

The biggest and most noticeable are mainstream news sites, sites such as tsn.ca or nytimes.com. These sites deliver the news in an unbiased and ultimately strictly journalistic style.

Another type is meta-and-comment sites, which is a very predominant type of news site among journalism students. In short these sites reflect the way that the mainstream news is actually producing and presenting the news, and criticizes any stories or reporters who may be adding an element of spin or bias to stories.

Then there are share and discussion sites, which is what I am trying to create with this blog. Essentially, what it means is I will go out and try to find articles or news on a certain topic, and then provide summaries of what is going on in that issue, as well as providing my own personal commentary.

Now, I think this is the best type of blog because of the personal commentary it enables the author to use. While it is still important to not be just entirely one-sided in your writing, so as to exclude key elements of the news, it allows the author to put his input on why he thinks this is happening and the impact it may have, something that mainstream news sites may be unable to do as they must keep their personal objectivity out of it, and are usually restricted to just reporting on the news, not analyzing it in-depth.

These discussion sites allow the interested audience to come to their own conclusions on the news, and to try to gain different angles as to why exactly it may be news. I picked this type of site for following possible NHL relocation, so as to give my opinions as a (self-proclaimed) sports enthusiast, and someone who pays enough attention to sports to possibly see the story in the story. The whole issue of expansion and relocation in the NHL has been very mysterious, with many strange decisions from executives, and has caused mass confusion and, in some instances, unrest among hockey fans.

For that reason I am trying to give you my opinion and provide a little more analysis into what is happening, so as to help you come up with your own conclusions on the issue on potential NHL relocation.

Whether or not it is best, is up to you, the reader.

Quebec Making More Progress For Their Bid

With the rumours of a possible return to Quebec City by the NHL, mayor Regis Lebaume has now announced plans to build a $400-million arena, capable of seating up to 18,000 for hockey games. When asked about the league's interest, Lebaume said that while no assurances were made, there is no doubt about the league's interest.

Again, this news is all very startling following how the Jim Balsillie incident was handled this off-season. Should Quebec City get a team, which it appears they just might, the millions of people in southern Ontario will be raising hell and asking questions. Was it Balsillie? Was it Hamilton? Was it the fact it was the Coyotes? No-one seems to know, as Bettman continues to be very close-mouthed about the whole ordeal.

Undoubtedly, this was also raise the idea of more expansion into Canada by fans in our nation. With the possibility of Quebec once again housing a franchise, many Canadians have already begun calling for expansion to Winnipeg, Halifax, and of course, Hamilton.

http://www.montrealgazette.com/sports/Quebec+City+build+size+arena/2114144/story.html

Coyote Mess Not Over Yet?

Well, more news coming out of the NHL as Gary Bettman has now supposedly expressed interest in moving a team to Quebec City. While there was in fact a list of up to ten teams that could possibly be up for sale, Phoenix again was one of them and is at the top of the list in fan's eyes.

The news comes following proof that Quebec mayor Regis Lebeaume traveled to NHL headquarters in NYC and took former Nordiques president Marcel Aubut with him for a meeting with Bettman. Apparently Lebeaume came out of the meeting happy and saying it couldn't have gone better. He is now expected to pledge $100 million in municipal funds towards a $400 million arena. There have already been plans to build an 18,000-seat concert and event centre, so putting hockey in the picture should be no problem.


While Bettman's plans seem uncertain, Quebec City has since fought more for the idea of putting an arena in place. They have also expressed positivism that Quebecor has expressed interest in owning the team, after they tried to buy the Habs in the summer.


While it would seem that this would be a great move for the NHL to pursue, they must also approach it carefully. Many fans have stated a belief that the NHL mishandled the Phoenix situation, and therefore should they screw this up, they could lose many of their fans.


While reporters are not trying to say too much on the topic until more news is prevalent, it is obvious this will be a huge story in the following week. Bloggers will go crazy over this issue as they insert their input about what city would be best and the best way to go about working it out.


Source


http://www.theglobeandmail.com/sports/hockey/mayor-meets-with-bettman/article1320582/
http://www.thestar.com/sports/hockey/nhl/article/708668--nordiques-ready-for-a-rebirth-in-quebec

Coyotes Slash Ticket Prices

Seeing as the eyes of the hockey world will (for perhaps the first time ever) be fixated on Glendale Arena when the Phoenix Coyotes take to the ice this year, the organization has made the decision to slash ticket prices for opening night. This is in definite reaction to this new amount of interest in the club since the attempted purchase of the team by Canadian businessman Jim Balsillie, who wanted to move the team to Hamilton.

The NHL has done all it can to keep the team in Phoenix, despite the poor attendance and success of the franchise. A move to a Canadian city seemed the best choice for the struggling team, but so far it has not happened.

Now I hate to speculate, but I believe that this ticket price reduction was strongly encouraged by NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman. How bad would he look if the franchise he is fighting so hard to save had an attendance of only ten or twelve thousand on opening night itself.

Now when I say the tickets have been dropped, what I really mean is it’s a pure fire sale. Lower bowl tickets cost just $25 (which would have you on the street listening to the game on the radio in Toronto) while upper bowl seats are going for $15. What is an obvious attempt to fill the stands and make hockey fans feel that Bettman made the right decision may not do enough though, as hockey in Arizona is in a terrible state.

Gretzky's Gone, What Now?

Thursday saw what could be Wayne Gretzky's last flirt with professional hockey come to an end. While this is sad news, one must look to the silver lining: could this also finally mean an end to the Phoenix Coyotes?

It has been stated over the bidding process that should the team be sold to Jim Balsillie and his group, the Great One would be cut loose. He didn't show up to training camp when it began, and now he has resigned. Without speculating too much and getting the hopes of hockey fans of Southern Ontario too high, some experts have said that this is a foreshadowing that Balsillie may actually get his deal.

On the other hand, should Balisillie still be shut-out, things could now get much, much messier in the desert. Gretzky is, quite obviously, the face of hockey. He played a major portion of his career in Los Angeles, thereby allowing the NHL to move into markets in the southwest, such as Phoenix. Having him behind the bench not only acted to draw the real hockey fans out to the arena, but also helped to try to persuade the non-hockey fans to come and give it a try by having such a large name on the bill.

Now with Gretzky out and the Coyotes putting forward a very young team, many fans will be left scratching their heads asking: "Who's on this team?". With no big draw, I expect the dwindling attendance figures to continue dropping, and really put pressure on commissioner Gary Bettman to try to make it look like there is still hope for this franchise. While new coach Dave Tippett does have a lot of experience and has led his former team, the Dallas Stars, deep in the playoffs in the past, I just don't think there's enough true hockey fans in Phoenix to respect what he's done.

The move may not have even been a bad one for Phoenix either, as if the team was based in Hamilton many would be happy to see him leave as he makes the most money out of any coach ($8 million a year), and as noted skipped out on training camp. The problem again comes to the lack of hockey intelligence and awareness in Phoenix, as it will just be seen as a tragic loss to the club.

With the Balsillie bid still going on, this should just continue to add to the argument to bring the team to Canada. We will have to wait and see what the fans think by seeing how many of them actually make it to the opening night game.

Articles Used:

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/sports/hockey/nhl-bungles-its-handling-of-gretzky-affair/article1302586/

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/hockey/2009938566_nhl25.html

http://www.thestar.com/sports/hockey/article/700780