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The Proposal that "Could" bring a Second Team to Toronto |
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It is the question that has baffled many for years.
"Why isn't there a second NHL team in Toronto?"
To the people who populate the ever growing city and suburbs of the great city of Toronto the answer is in plain Blue and White. The Leafs and MLSE wouldn't allow it. That they have a thriving monopoly and why allow Burger King to open up next door to the biggest McDonalds in the Universe? From a business standpoint it makes sense that the Leafs want to be alone in their overgrown forest. Or does it?
The NHL has spent a great deal of time and money now to expand into new marketplaces where they can find and convert people over to this great sport, and it makes sense. No matter how much a team may struggle in the South, every day the NHL is creating more new hockey fans than any new team in Toronto ever could.
I have fought for teams and their rights to exist in new hockey markets very hard. I have put my own money into their battles to remain in new cities because I have seen first hand how exciting it is to convert a human man, woman or child into a hockey fanatic. It is fantastic to watch a family of four wearing Preds jerseys speaking in a deep southern accent standing up against the glass and watching warmups. Nothing compares to the southern hospitality I witnessed at tailgates in Carolina during their Cup run.
It made me proud to be an old school hockey fan sharing a sport that bonded my family for so many years and watching another family, or even just a son and a father or daughter, finding that all important common ground.
So there is that.
But here is the thing. When you send out the missionaries don't let the Church go to hell.
Hockey's single biggest marketing flaw for years was trying to appeal to the masses while ignoring the base. It is as clear as a glowing puck that you need both to be strong and what has happened as a result in the hockey world is what I hope the comment thread that follow this story WON'T become. An old school vs. new school/ Canada vs. the US South name calling fest.
We are all on the same side here, but animosity started with the Golden Seals and Kings and came to a head with tickets being sold to the Hamilton Predators, is no good for the sport at all. It is counter-productive and damaging. How big of a hockey fan you are has zero to do with how many other big hockey fans live near you. In fact if you ever traveled for a long time abroad like I had, in a pre-internet world to a country where hockey never gets any play, you will find your love of hockey never feels stronger.
So all of that being said it is time to focus the attention on the base. It is time to realize the plight of a Toronto area family that can afford to buy a season ticket but will never have the opportunity. I am sure there are people reading this who are on that ridiculous waiting list for Leaf tickets.
It is frustrating. It is futile. Moving from 7,543 on the list to 6, 213 in ten years. You know that you will never be a Leafs season ticket holder, and unless you move to another city you will never be a season ticket holder for any NHL team. Sure, you probably take in plenty of Marlies games and OHL games, but the NHL is where your love is.
I didn't agree with almost anything Jim Balsillie did with the Preds the first time around. He essentially ignored all around him by selling those tickets and making a TV deal with MLSE and by doing that he really screwed things up. The Board of Governors does not take kindly to being openly mocked like that. Jim may need a few years to pass to heal those wounds before he can get another shot at even being allowed to buy into a team.
However I am not pissed at Jim Balsillie for what he did. I am pissed because Jim Balsillie, if he just played the game even a little, would be getting his own team soon. And WE NEED JIM BALSILLIE. He would be one of the best pro sports owners we have ever seen. What he has done with RIM is legendary. His love of hockey is phenomenal. He is a great and vibrant young guy who relates directly to the demographic that is making the sport grow. I just so wish he had been given better advice in his handling of the Pens and Preds.
Anyway, here is the rumour that I have been chasing for a long time. It was told to me first "off the record" back at the draft. It has gained steam the entire time, but it was kept under the radar by several people who were afraid of it getting too public. It was however a big reason you heard all of the talk regarding the NHL putting a second team in Toronto a month ago, and when Paul Kelly went on XM and said that he believed that Toronto could support 3 teams it felt like perhaps Kelly had heard it as well...
I was told I had to wait until the second week in December to put this out. It is quite common practice that you are told a date or a time when it comes to information from a source. I was hoping to be able to put out more info, but I was told I had to keep the names off still.
So I am throwing this out for your conversation more than anything else. No promises that it will happen and frankly economically I don't even know if it could happen. I do know that there is a group that is considering putting it forth to MLSE.
Here it is...A group looking to be granted a new NHL franchise (or move a current one) that is led by a very prominent Canadian wants to offer the Leafs a new 35-40 thousand seat state-of-the-art Hockey arena to open in 2015 that they would share with the Leafs. The Arena would not only double the seating capacity of almost all arenas in the NHL but have 75% more suites, a hotel and the works. The teams would share the building and the new team would televise some of their games on Leafs TV and the new team would sell the building by offering up around 30% of the tickets at a very reasonable price of around $10 apiece.
So what are your thought?
I will be back with your rumours this afternoon.
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