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From: mike@ucf-cs.UUCP (Ruthless)
Newsgroups: net.sport.hockey
Subject: Re: NHL Expansion, if any
Message-ID: <2037@ucf-cs.UUCP>
Date: Wed, 29-May-85 12:34:31 EDT
Article-I.D.: ucf-cs.2037
Posted: Wed May 29 12:34:31 1985
Date-Received: Thu, 30-May-85 20:45:35 EDT
References: <1820@watcgl.UUCP> <5566@ucla-cs.ARPA> <511@alberta.UUCP> <512@alberta.UUCP>, <7503@ucbvax.ARPA>
Organization: Univ. of Central Florida, Orlando
Lines: 41

I agree that Portland and Saskatoon would be two of the better places
to try to expand.  Hamilton too.  Hamilton is about the same size as
Calgary or Edmonton, and has a successful CFL franchise.  It has always
been a mystery to me why Alberta got into the NHL before Hamilton.

About expanding in Seattle:  Is it really in
Vancouver's territory?  Wouldn't the political boundary hinder
Washington state people from supporting a Canadian based team, both
psychologically and physically (Customs and immigration officials can
be a real pain)?  I was once in Chicago for Blackhawks-Flames matchup.
The fans felt that the game was more of a struggle to "Beat Canada",
rather than an inter-divisional contest.  Not that I'm saying that
Chicago fans are the norm of the U.S. NHL franchises.  But I do think
that fans are more inclined to support teams based in their own
country, rather than a team just across the border.

The same should be even more true in the case of expansion into the
Windsor area.  Yes Detroit is next door, but there is a border.  I also
find it hard to believe that Canadian auto workers are great supporters
of the Red Wings with all the bad blood raised over the Canadian branch
of the UAW splitting from the international union.  Finally, if
Saskatoon or Quebec has the population to support an NHL team, 
than so should Windsor.

I recall that a WHA team in Ottawa quickly folded.  I was
in Ottawa for a couple days last year, and found that Ottawa was a fair
sized metropolis in its own right, certainly comparable to Calgary.
So I cannot understand why major league hockey wouldn't succeed in
Ottawa-Hull.  Remember that Calgary once folded a WHA team, yet when
the Flames moved in, the team was able to survive -- despite several
seasons in a small rink.  Perhaps the NHL label was necessary (and
maybe envy over Edmonton :-) ).

On paper, Ohio should be able to handle one or two franchises, yet
WHA and NHL teams there have always died.  Does anyone have any
theories why?
-- 
						Mike Eisler
uucp: {ihnp4!decvax,peora}!ucf-cs!mike		Dept. of Computer Science
arpa: mike.ucf-cs@csnet-relay			University of Central Florida
csnet:mike@ucf					Orlando, FL  32816