Quoting: Devil1122
I wanna see a team in Milwaukee
Quoting: joeyloeffler
There are 24 states without a professional team. Of them, the one that plays in an area where hockey is popular, has an almost OK sized market:
Fargo, ND
Fargo-Moorhead/Wahpeton area will have a population of over 300K
They would draw from the Greater Grand Forks area with well over 100K
This doesn't count for all of the smaller towns nearby and even the further away Bismarck/Minot areas with over 200K
Montana and South Dakota do not have pro teams either, the closest professional (US) team from Fargo is 3.5 hours but is hours further for much of the surrounding area. there are 8 connected states without a pro team (though some of them are closer to other teams).
Midcontinent Communications alone serves about 500K people from ND, SD, Western MN, and even Kansas. I think Fargo is on the very bottom edge of market sizes that the NHL has but this would drastically increase their geographical footprint.
Amazon and Microsoft in town along with other professional corps such as Noridian insurance and health providers and Scheels sports
South Dakota with Sanford Health plus all of its dark money as an international tax shelter . . . they can do it financially.
Grand Forks sells out 12K for college hockey so there is no doubt for me that they could pull in around 20 in Fargo for the only pro team in the area.
This is very poorly put together argument because I'm working and trying to leave 2 minutes ago.
Quoting: Gofnut999
That, i was not aware of. Thanks for the info. 👍🏻
Quoting: Gofnut999
I’m well aware of that.
While they may be hated for awhile, it won’t have a negative impact on their bottom line. Adding a team in the region i assume can.
Quoting: EsoYeezus69
Milwaukee has the better fan base, but Houston has almost 4 times it's population, and they can start a rivalry with Dallas, plus Arizona is a western conference team so if they get relocated it won't change much.
I feel like you can grow a fanbase in Houston.
Quoting: bagelbob
milwaukee is such an obvious choice. houston would be the other one because of how big it is, but there’s a big hockey base in wisconsin already, feels like a no-brainer for a team
Quoting: islandersfan14
Austin Texas maybe
Quoting: Taz
Quebec City should be in ''need a miracle''
Quoting: gary_bettman
I lived in Milwaukee for 3 years and it is already a hockey city it's the near perfect city for an NHL team.
Quoting: palhal
IMO, despite the love of hockey in Quebec, it doesn't have the population/businesses to fill the arena at NHL prices, all season, long term. Think that is more of the issue for Quebec as opposed to the other NHL owners not wanting to go Canada . After all, Calgary got US based Atlanta, Winnipeg got it's team back when they got good ownership, Ottawa was an expansion in 2001 I believe.
Quoting: palhal
There are lots of NHL teams right now who are life lines from the richer NHL owners. IMO there is are no cities in Canada or the USA that would/could a NHL team financially. The only city that might is Houston, but relocation is going to be best option for them.
Quoting: CMcAvoy73
Milwaukee makes sooo much sense. Natural rivals and a state of the art facility.
Seems like the NHL has flatly said that Quebec City will not happen.
Quoting: CD282
Honestly I don't want to see any more expansion franchises for a few years. I'd like to see all the current ones healthy and profitable first, which probably requires Arizona moving to Houston. Maybe Florida needs to relocate too, although I'd like to see if they can draw fans with a decent team first. Not sure there will be NHL hockey in Columbus in 15 years either...
Quoting: Gofnut999
Milwaukee is a better choice than all of these. Wisconsin is a hockey hotbed. Can’t say the same for Houston and KC.
Houston has the market size but fan interest is iffy, KC has an arena but again…fan interest iffy. Quebec has sentiment and fan base but small market and lack of area corporations.
Black Hawks will block at all costs. Same with Habs and Quebec.
Quoting: capsfan2121
San Diego, maybe Oklahoma City, Cleveland
Quoting: CD282
Your RW tier would be better able to support franchises than your center tier... the Leafs would veto Toronto and Hamilton franchises though.
Quoting: Devil1122
I wanna see a team in Milwaukee
Sorry I can't respond to all of you individually, so ill be quoting all of you, but thanks for all the feedback.
Seeing all the valid points about Milwaukee I would still put it in probably, only because the NHL is trying to move into less established markets, but it makes a ton of sense.
As for Quebec, the NHL has some valid concerns about putting a team there, but 10-15 years from now, when I expect the NHL to possibly expand again, I think they just won't be able to ignore Quebec. Though who knows, they've ignored them pretty will for the last 20 years. I think its more likely a team relocates there but again there are some valid concerns.
Again, thanks for all the feedback!