Further proof (if we ever needed any) that the NHL doesn't belong in Nashville

http://www.globesports.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20090122.wsptpredators22/GSStory/GlobeSportsHockey/home

Team is looking at buying tickets to boost attendance to qualify for revenue sharing. Jesus.

One source among the NHL governors says he and some of his peers are not happy that clubs can buy tickets to hit revenue-sharing targets. They are also not pleased that some low-revenue clubs have started offering larger discounts and more incentives such as merchandise and free trips to people buying single-game or season tickets.

It is all done with an eye to raising enough revenue to land a full share of revenue sharing, which comes out of the pockets of other clubs.

So, can one of the Bettman apologists around here explain how this is good for the NHL and why this franchise is better off in Nashville than say--just for grins-- Kitchener-Waterloo, Hamilton, Quebec City or Mars?

In the great NHL tradition, it makes not a smidge of business sense.

 

So now their cheating to get their welfare cheque,nice.

 

Bailout!!

 

Move the Thrashers to Hamilton... I'd much rather to to Nashville to watch a game...
Now quit pickin on the preds...

 

Sorry, they're symbolic with all that's screwed up with the league.

Balsillie is waiting....and it won't be Hamilton.

 

Could we please pull the plug on Preds, Yotes, Thrashers and Panthers? Fail. On. Ice.

 

I think this is a stupid loophole in the CBA.

But then again, franchises in Canada are not automatically tickets to economic success. The Oilers, only 10 years after the Gretzky trade, were on the verge of financial implosion and being moved to Houston. Attendance was horrible. Only a change in ownership saved them. Calgary was in dire financial straits for a while, and didn't the Senators file for bankruptcy?

It's such a false premise that Canadian city = instant financial success in the NHL.

Also, two quotes from the Tennessean for context.

http://www.tennessean.com/article/20090122/SPORTS02/901220368

The Predators second-half paid attendance last season was about 1,000 fans higher than their first-half attendance, so there's a good chance they won't need to buy the tickets.

But I'm always up for a good "Why sun belt cities don't deserve hockey teams" bashing, I suppose.

 

Yeah another Predators thread!

 

Why do you hate America?

 

For those who would like to conveniently cut-and-paste their previous posts on this topic, SportsJournalists.com proudly presents this lineup of dead horses:

http://www.sportsjournalists.com/forum/threads/61919/

http://www.sportsjournalists.com/forum/threads/41907/

http://www.sportsjournalists.com/forum/threads/56375/

http://www.sportsjournalists.com/forum/threads/56860/

http://www.sportsjournalists.com/forum/threads/43660/

Flog away!

 

I thought this was about the vote to make English the city's official language (which, BTW, got rejected.)

 

Mission accomplished.

As sure as the sun rises in the morning, Smasher chimes in.

Oh, and for those playing at home, attendance figures in the NHL mean squat.