NHL OR NBA, let the message board decide!!

[KCMax]

Went to a Missouri Mavericks game last week. About 6k there and I guess they average about that per game. The crowd was clearly almost entirely eastern jackson county residents, sponsors were all from out there. I didn't see a single Kansas car in the parking lot. I don't think they draw from the northland (maybe a few from Liberty?) or central KC.

My point is that if a minor league team that only draws from a relatively small part of the metro can average 6k a game, you would think that all of metro KC could support a centrally located NHL team. Now I understand the economic differences between CHL and NHL. It cost more to park at Caps games at Verizon Center than it cost for two lower level seats at the events center. You can't get into the stadium for under $50 most nites and the lower level of Caps are 100 plus. But a competitive team in sprint center would draw well in KC. I think KC would go nuts over a winter pro sports team. Just nobody interested in owning a team in KC.

Yea, I don't think its so much we can't do it, its that there are other cities that you could also say this for, and they seem to have their act together for putting together a serious bid for a team, where we just seem to whine that we can't do it.

[pash]

.

[aknowledgeableperson]

Looks like there might be a second proposal for an arena in Las Vegas.

[KCMax]

Milwaukee Bucks buyer won't be like Mark Cuban, Paul Allen

The only suitors on the radar screen are those who want to move a team to Seattle or Louisville, and Kohl says he will accept only investors who will keep the Bucks in Milwaukee. Former Buck and successful Wendy’s franchisee Junior Bridgeman is known to have an interest in buying an NBA team, Heitner told me.

The NBA has told the Bucks they cannot play in the Bradley Center past 2017, either they build a new arena or move the team.

Kansas City does not appear to be on the radar screen, in favor of Louisville, Kentucky.

[KCMax]

Ottawa Citizen: Which cities best fit Gary Bettman's criteria for NHL expansion?

With all that in mind and considering the money that would pour in from expansion fees, it's worth considering which cities could be in line if and when the NHL commits to expansion. Seattle and Quebec City are the front-runners, but other places like Toronto, Hamilton, Kansas City and Portland, Ore., are in the discussion....

Kansas City has an arena in Sprint Center that opened in 2007 and has since hosted two NHL exhibition games. Fan interest is a major concern after the league failed there and left almost 40 years ago, and returning to U.S. markets has had mixed results with the Colorado Avalanche working and Atlanta Thrashers failing.

Ultimately what doomed the Thrashers to the league's last resort of relocation was unstable ownership. Kansas City mayor Sly Jones has said there's no natural group that has expressed interest in owning an NHL club there, and that would have to change before it's a serious option.

[KCMax]

I missed this, but I guess last May, Nate Silver assessed the level of possible NHL fandom for potential expansion cities, and we came up dead last.

http://fivethirtyeight.blogs.nytimes.co ... -cup/?_r=1

[droopy]

haha, Saskatoon has twice as many NHL fans as KC according to his numbers

[kcjak]

An interesting article, although I do have to question some of his population numbers (MSP 4.6 million, Denver 3.9 million), not to mention the fact that he bases NHL fans numbers on Google searches statistics.

[bobbyhawks]

An interesting article, although I do have to question some of his population numbers (MSP 4.6 million, Denver 3.9 million), not to mention the fact that he bases NHL fans numbers on Google searches statistics.

I would bet that the NBA searches in Oklahoma City weren't that flattering prior to the Thunder's arrival.

[beautyfromashes]

An interesting article, although I do have to question some of his population numbers (MSP 4.6 million, Denver 3.9 million), not to mention the fact that he bases NHL fans numbers on Google searches statistics.

I would bet that the NBA searches in Oklahoma City weren't that flattering prior to the Thunder's arrival.

Or soccer in many cities pre-MLS.

[aknowledgeableperson]

An interesting article, although I do have to question some of his population numbers (MSP 4.6 million, Denver 3.9 million), not to mention the fact that he bases NHL fans numbers on Google searches statistics.

I would bet that the NBA searches in Oklahoma City weren't that flattering prior to the Thunder's arrival.

You forget about the Hornets.

[brewcrew1000]

An interesting article, although I do have to question some of his population numbers (MSP 4.6 million, Denver 3.9 million), not to mention the fact that he bases NHL fans numbers on Google searches statistics.

I would bet that the NBA searches in Oklahoma City weren't that flattering prior to the Thunder's arrival.

You forget about the Hornets.

It's weird if Katrina never happens, nobody would have ever mentioned or even considered OKC as a NBA franchise city.

[beautyfromashes]

It's weird if Katrina never happens, nobody would have ever mentioned or even considered OKC as a NBA franchise city.

I was told by Sprint Center executives that if Katrina hadn't happened and OKC wasn't seen as 'owed' a franchise, Kansas City would have gotten one.

[bobbyhawks]

An interesting article, although I do have to question some of his population numbers (MSP 4.6 million, Denver 3.9 million), not to mention the fact that he bases NHL fans numbers on Google searches statistics.

I would bet that the NBA searches in Oklahoma City weren't that flattering prior to the Thunder's arrival.

You forget about the Hornets.

I should have referenced the Hornets, but the Thunder are actually the same franchise as the original Hornets. "Prior to the arrival of NBA basketball" would have been more appropriate.

[KCMax]

I should have referenced the Hornets, but the Thunder are actually the same franchise as the original Hornets. "Prior to the arrival of NBA basketball" would have been more appropriate.

?

Maybe I'm misunderstanding you, but the Thunder used to be the Seattle Supersonics. The New Orleans Hornets (now called "Pelicans") played in OKC for a year after Hurricane Katrina, but moved back to NOLA once their arena was repaired.

[brewcrew1000]

OKC saw a great enthusiasm for NBA basketball, NBA officials like Stern were shocked that rinky dink OKC were selling out Hornets games, fans were even buying hornets gear and they knew the team would only be around for a year. If OKC was never given that chance to host an NBA franchise Bennett would have never considered buying the Sonics and moving to OKC Everyone knows that OK is football country.

[KCMax]

OKC saw a great enthusiasm for NBA basketball, NBA officials like Stern were shocked that rinky dink OKC were selling out Hornets games, fans were even buying hornets gear and they knew the team would only be around for a year. If OKC was never given that chance to host an NBA franchise Bennett would have never considered buying the Sonics and moving to OKC Everyone knows that OK is football country.

Clay Bennett was the driving force behind getting the Hornets to play in OKC because he wanted to demonstrate the NBA could work there so he could bring a team there permanently.

This is what KC lacks - some local owner dead set on making the NBA or NHL work. It doesn't matter what your fan base thinks of the sport before there is a team if you have a good owner. KC wasn't a "soccer town" before Illig and Patterson bought SKC.

[bobbyhawks]

I should have referenced the Hornets, but the Thunder are actually the same franchise as the original Hornets. "Prior to the arrival of NBA basketball" would have been more appropriate.

?

Maybe I'm misunderstanding you, but the Thunder used to be the Seattle Supersonics. The New Orleans Hornets (now called "Pelicans") played in OKC for a year after Hurricane Katrina, but moved back to NOLA once their arena was repaired.

Nope, I was just wrong. The basic point is still that I don't think the Google search metrics would have been super kind to Oklahoma City prior to the arrival of or realistic prospect of NBA basketball in the city. That would have been the Hornets temp relocation and co-location there, leading up to the Sonics move, which I completely spaced out about for some reason.

[KCRoyal]

Another preseason game at Sprint Center is scheduled for September 27 between the Anaheim Ducks and St. Louis Blues. It was virtually a sell out the last time the Blues were here if my memory is correct.

[kcjak]

Another preseason game at Sprint Center is scheduled for September 27 between the Anaheim Ducks and St. Louis Blues. It was virtually a sell out the last time the Blues were here if my memory is correct.

I believe the Blues are actually playing the Dallas Stars, no?