Can Baltimore support a 3rd Professional Team ?

[BaltimoreBaby1989]

Originally Posted by Baltimorean

I think it would be a lot easier for Baltimore to support a 3rd major pro team if we had more corporate HQ here. They spend a lot of money on ads and luxury boxes.

I definitely agree, however, we all know with Baltimore and Maryland business climate, it's not going to happen for a while. Taxes around the board are just too high.

[yamota]

Originally Posted by micrip

....really? Were all the empty seats in Verizon Center disguised as people last season? Things were rough before Ovechkin arrived, though.

Well, let's just say the NHL's fan base is not as diverse as the NFL or NBA, and let's face it, a diverse fan base means survivability. Hell the NHL almost went out of business a few years ago. And you don't see nationally televised NHL games everyday on a gazillion networks like the NFL and NBA and even MLB. Tell you one thing though, if and when the NHL goes under, not a tear would be shed by me

[en1044]

Originally Posted by yamota

Well, let's just say the NHL's fan base is not as diverse as the NFL or NBA, and let's face it, a diverse fan base means survivability. Hell the NHL almost went out of business a few years ago. And you don't see nationally televised NHL games everyday on a gazillion networks like the NFL and NBA and even MLB. Tell you one thing though, if and when the NHL goes under, not a tear would be shed by me

The NHL has improved greatly in recent years, and they aren't really close to going under.

Give it time. I guarantee you that the NHL will be back on ESPN very soon.

[yamota]

I hope not

[rockin'.baltimorean]

say what?....lol

[StormShadow]

From my understandings, the NHL brought anger and discomfort when relocations and expansions into areas which had poorer hockey fan base. The lack of loyalty and interest for harder core hockey cities or fans for an assumed easy profit.

[BaltimoreBaby1989]

Does anyone know when we should be expecting the feasibility study? They said early September, well here it is, and I've heard nothing.

[yamota]

I don't even know why there are two NHL teams in southern california. I mean come one really? Two ice hockey teams in a place where it never snows? It doesn't matter how much NHL execs try, they'll never be Pete Rozelle.

[StormShadow]

The 2 sunny Californian teams (L.A. and Anaheim) are successful, no ?

The teams-city/states brought to question to my knowledge were Atlanta, Carolina, Florida, Nashville, Phoenix.

[rockin'.baltimorean]

Originally Posted by BaltimoreBaby1989

Does anyone know when we should be expecting the feasibility study? They said early September, well here it is, and I've heard nothing.

they normally take about a week or two past their actual time, so i'm sure they're about to come up with something...

[yamota]

Originally Posted by StormShadow

The 2 sunny Californian teams (L.A. and Anaheim) are successful, no ?

How should I know, I don't follow hockey

[Mirage52]

I think Baltimore could support the NBA and NHL, but that is just me. I do know Baltimore does have a pretty good Capitals following, but it could be that the Caps have been a very good team lately. Baltimore's demographics are NBA friendly and the city has a hotbed of talent coming out of it every year, so I do think that NBA would work better, but I would prefer the NHL since I am not a big fan of NBA basketball. It's all college-bball for me.

However, all of this talk is moot until the city builds a major league capable arena, and that doesn't look to be happening any time soon.

[micrip]

That's just it, though. A lot of the Cap's support does come from the Baltimore area. Hockey, as a sport, does not have the following, outside of the northern part of the country, that the other 3 major league sports has. In my opinion, the whole Balt/Wash area has enough fans to support one NHL team, but not two. Back in the '60's, Baltimore was the center of hockey interest in the region with the AHL Clippers (then the top minor league, in an era when there were only 6 NHL teams), and they were very well supported. If the arena hadn't been obselete the day that it opened, that NHL team (the Caps) would be in Baltimore and called the Clippers. But it's too late now.

[yamota]

hockey is a game played by neanderthals for the enjoyment of other neanderthals. Football is a violent sport yes, but at least it features tactical thinking and sophicticated play design, hockey is just a bunch of white guys with sticks skating around and hitting each other

[micrip]

There have been many black players to reach the NHL. There is nothing racist about hockey at all. Whites are predominant in hockey for almost the same reasons that blacks are predominant in basketball. And the amount of strategy in hockey would surprise you. I take it you just don't like hockey for whatever reason.

[yamota]

Whatever gave you that idea?

[micrip]

...your last post!!

It's like many have said...only hockey fans watch hockey. And there are not enough of them in Balt/Wash to support 2 NHL teams. I agree that, for whatever reason, it doesn't enjoy the popularity of the other "big 3" major sports.

[fanofterps]

a minor league hockey team in a new arena and the hope one of the local college teams get's better and plays some games at the new downtown arena. You would think it would be Towson U with its expansion to 25,000 students/12,000 living on campus.

The town is too small at 2.5 million and nearby DC/College Park to support more pro basketball.

[en1044]

Originally Posted by yamota

hockey is a game played by neanderthals for the enjoyment of other neanderthals. Football is a violent sport yes, but at least it features tactical thinking and sophicticated play design, hockey is just a bunch of white guys with sticks skating around and hitting each other

Originally Posted by yamota

How should I know, I don't follow hockey

Looks like you should be more consistent.

[micrip]

Originally Posted by fanofterps

a minor league hockey team in a new arena and the hope one of the local college teams get's better and plays some games at the new downtown arena. You would think it would be Towson U with its expansion to 25,000 students/12,000 living on campus.

The town is too small at 2.5 million and nearby DC/College Park to support more pro basketball.

It's probably a given that we would see a couple college games a year if a new arena is built. But, more importantly, we might also get the ACC tournament form time to time, and the NCAA regionals or even quarterfinals.

I don't think minor league hockey would be in the cards. The arrival of the Caps pretty much killed that in Baltimore. The arena that's already there is actually pretty much perfect for minor league hockey, which draws around 5,000-7,000 (if the team is competetive). Crowds that size would get lost in an 18,000 seat arena.

The Blast, if they are still around, might benefit. Sometimes we forget that they are here.