Offseason Grade

[irishwhip03]

What difference does it make? The Devils don't draw well no matter what kind of team they have. Last year they were 24th in the league in home attendance. They were just ahead of Winnipeg and just behind Carolina. 2012 - 2013 they were 20th, but that was an aberration because the previous year they were 24th. The funny thing is they made the playoffs in 2012 - 2013 and 2011 - 2012. If the fans aren't going to support a winning team, then maybe they need to move somewhere where they will be appreciated.

If there were places out there that deserved a franchise they would have one already. Quebec is the only city that has a legit complaint.

Would make sense though. Stick around long enough for a generation of potential fans to grow up and then move the team. Good thinking.

And just a FYI

Mario Lemieux was much closer to moving the Penguins than he'd like you to think. - PensBurgh

 

[nj_cup]

Did a pens fan really come in and bash attendance? He probably thinks the pens just got a hockey team in 2006

 

[MadCaptain]

He tried to bash the attendance, but kinda proved that the Devils should stay in NJ in the process. It hurts your agenda when you reference the top relocation spot 2 years ago as being worse than the Devils.

 

[DevilishWon]

I wouldn't waste my time on a piece of shit new poster with nothing to do but bust balls guys.

 

[linebackeru]

What difference does it make? The Devils don't draw well no matter what kind of team they have. Last year they were 24th in the league in home attendance. They were just ahead of Winnipeg and just behind Carolina. 2012 - 2013 they were 20th, but that was an aberration because the previous year they were 24th. The funny thing is they made the playoffs in 2012 - 2013 and 2011 - 2012. If the fans aren't going to support a winning team, then maybe they need to move somewhere where they will be appreciated.

Maybe they can just be fair weather like Pens fans. I live in Pittsburgh and remember when they couldn't draw 100 people to a rally to save the team just before they "won" the lottery for Crosby to save them from moving to KC. I went to 20 games a year during the Dick Tarnstrom/Ramses Abid era and always had room to stretch out my feet on seat in front of me and lay my coat on seat next to me. In fact, in 2003, all these die hard, life long Pens fans combined for next to last in league and an average of 12k....then miraculously 300k of them crawled out from under rocks for a parade. I suppose they should've moved to a better market

 

[Burghfan]

I wouldn't waste my time on a piece of shit new poster with nothing to do but bust balls guys.

I was a long time poster on Fan Nation until SI did something stupid with it. So you're stuck with me now, but I guess you're right, I should start out slow until I get to know you guys and you get to know me.

Another point, I've been a Pittsburgh hockey fan since Pittsburgh hockey meant the Hornets in the AHL. Yes, the Penguins do have a lot of fair weather fans, but my point was even when things are going well for the Devils they still don't draw a lot of fans.

Irishwhip. I know what you are saying is true. Mario was moving the team and the only thing that stopped him was the deal he got from the Governor to build him a new arena. So instead of repairing roads or funding schools we built an arena for the Penguins, that was so wrong. After it was over Mario said he never wanted to move the team, but I still don't believe him and it still bothers me what he put us Penguin fans through.

 

[MadCaptain]

I was a long time poster on Fan Nation until SI did something stupid with it. So you're stuck with me now, but I guess you're right, I should start out slow until I get to know you guys and you get to know me.

Another point, I've been a Pittsburgh hockey fan since Pittsburgh hockey meant the Hornets in the AHL. Yes, the Penguins do have a lot of fair weather fans, but my point was even when things are going well for the Devils they still don't draw a lot of fans.

Irishwhip. I know what you are saying is true. Mario was moving the team and the only thing that stopped him was the deal he got from the Governor to build him a new arena. So instead of repairing roads or funding schools we built an arena for the Penguins, that was so wrong. After it was over Mario said he never wanted to move the team, but I still don't believe him and it still bothers me what he put us Penguin fans through.

What is your suggestion for locations to move to though? You can't magically create another Toronto, LA, Philly, Chicago, etc. market out of nothing. There are a limited amount of large metro areas in North America. Atlanta moved two years ago to the top available location, Winnipeg. The same market you mentioned earlier as having less "fan appreciation" as the Devils. The grass isn't greener on the other side and there aren't any better places to go to from NJ.

Maybe if there were 30 Philadelphias in the region you would have a strong argument, but that also likely means teams such as Pittsburgh, Nashville, Columbus, and Colorado would never exist.

 

[DevilishWon]

Dick Tarnstrom/Ramses Abid era

Easy buddy I was a huge Tarnstrom fan......

 

[linebackeru]

Easy buddy I was a huge Tarnstrom fan......

He was their leading scorer at least one season....those teams were baaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaad

 

[Burghfan]

What is your suggestion for locations to move to though? You can't magically create another Toronto, LA, Philly, Chicago, etc. market out of nothing. There are a limited amount of large metro areas in North America. Atlanta moved two years ago to the top available location, Winnipeg. The same market you mentioned earlier as having less "fan appreciation" as the Devils. The grass isn't greener on the other side and there aren't any better places to go to from NJ.

Maybe if there were 30 Philadelphias in the region you would have a strong argument, but that also likely means teams such as Pittsburgh, Nashville, Columbus, and Colorado would never exist.

I don't know that I'd move the Devils out of New Jersey, but there is no earthly reason to keep a team in Phoenix or Ft. Lauderdale. You don't necessarily need a major city for a team, you just need a city that is interested in hockey. Under those conditions Pittsburgh shouldn't have gotten a team either. The last year the Hornets were in the AHL they won the Calder Cup. At the last home game in the finals there were something like 3,000 people there. It was embarrassing.

Quebec is an obvious candidate for a team, but they didn't support the one they had last time. Seattle is another possibility.

 

[MadCaptain]

I don't know that I'd move the Devils out of New Jersey, but there is no earthly reason to keep a team in Phoenix or Ft. Lauderdale. You don't necessarily need a major city for a team, you just need a city that is interested in hockey. Under those conditions Pittsburgh shouldn't have gotten a team either. The last year the Hornets were in the AHL they won the Calder Cup. At the last home game in the finals there were something like 3,000 people there. It was embarrassing.

Quebec is an obvious candidate for a team, but they didn't support the one they had last time. Seattle is another possibility.

Both of those are small market teams and Quebec can run into huge issues again if the Canadian Dollar falls. They will never be able to compete with the power teams in TV viewership and arena numbers. Houston, Atlanta (again..), and Phoenix are good choices but I don't think the NHL really gives a crap about stability as long as they get money. None of those areas will, were, or are able to support a team run by fools. In the end, its best to just keep the teams where they are. Some team has to finish 30th in attendance.

 

[Burghfan]

Both of those are small market teams and Quebec can run into huge issues again if the Canadian Dollar falls. They will never be able to compete with the power teams in TV viewership and arena numbers. Houston, Atlanta (again..), and Phoenix are good choices but I don't think the NHL really gives a crap about stability as long as they get money. None of those areas will, were, or are able to support a team run by fools. In the end, its best to just keep the teams where they are. Some team has to finish 30th in attendance.

With Quebec I also understand that the arena was built pretty far out of town, with poor parking and little or no public transportation.

You have a point about attendance. Looking at the stats, the worst percentage of home seats filled was Dallas at 79.1%. (Arizona had 80.4%) If the teams worst in attendance can fill about 80% of the seats on any given night, I guess that's not too bad.

 

[Nasty_Magician]

A thread about how we think our team did in the offseason has now become a thread about which team is the best candidate for relocation and what market should they move to. Well done new Pittsburgh fan.

 

[DevilishWon]

I don't know that I'd move the Devils out of New Jersey, but there is no earthly reason to keep a team in Phoenix or Ft. Lauderdale. You don't necessarily need a major city for a team, you just need a city that is interested in hockey. Under those conditions Pittsburgh shouldn't have gotten a team either. The last year the Hornets were in the AHL they won the Calder Cup. At the last home game in the finals there were something like 3,000 people there. It was embarrassing.

Quebec is an obvious candidate for a team, but they didn't support the one they had last time. Seattle is another possibility.

If not for the money the league makes (and hopes for much more) from US NATIONAL rights from NBC/NBCSports you might be right. But keeping a local national presence is part of what makes the league appealing to advertisers (and hence the network). In other words its worth money to keep teams across the nation.

Plus on a personal note I don't want the Panthers moved because their arena is a short drive from my in-laws when we visit

 

[DevilishWon]

A thread about how we think our team did in the offseason has now become a thread about which team is the best candidate for relocation and what market should they move to. Well done new Pittsburgh fan.

Well if you want you can go crap all over their board.....I'm supportive of that!

 

[Burghfan]

A thread about how we think our team did in the offseason has now become a thread about which team is the best candidate for relocation and what market should they move to. Well done new Pittsburgh fan.

Sorry about that.

Well if you want you can go crap all over their board.....I'm supportive of that!

It would be more interesting that what they have going on there now.

 

[DevilishWon]

It would be more interesting that what they have going on there now.

Summer doldrums

 

[Bolt Fore]

Hi Devilish Won, Look out for the Bolts !

 

[DevilishWon]

Hi Devilish Won, Look out for the Bolts !

Hey buddy how ya doin? Hows sunny Florida?

 

[Bolt Fore]

Hi Devil, Florida is great in summer its hot but I love it. Only there's no hockey and can't wait for this season to start. I have tickets for opening game ( Panthers ). Tickets have gone way up in price so I'll be watching a lot more TV.