The Hartford Whalers were much more than simply an NHL franchise. They were an icon and a treasure. Their classic green uniforms. The logo. The Brass Bonanza. Priceless. They deserved to be saved. Or in this case, resurrected. The vile and contemptible Peter Karmanos Jr.'s classless act of stripping Hartford of their beloved team should've been stopped. Gary Bettman is indeed The Clown Prince Of Incompetence for hardly making an effort of stepping in and circumventing the Whalers' demise. The late great John A. Ziegler Jr. wouldn't have allowed it. Unlike his successor, he understood and respected hockey tradition. He knew far well that New England is synonymous with hockey. He was aware of the region's passion for the sport. Technically, it consists of the following states: Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut & Rhode Island. But you might as well throw in the Mid-Atlantic states (Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York, Delaware & Maryland) and form a Hockey Megalopolis.
According to the Nielsen Media 2007-2008 Local Market Estimates, the Hartford - New Haven, CT area ranks 29th. Higher than Nashville, Kansas City, New Orleans, Las Vegas or Buffalo. So why no Whalers? If you are simply going by city population, then you are missing The Big Picture. Hartford's proximity to New York, New Jersey, Rhode Island, New Hampshire & Massachusetts. The residents of the neighboring states would make a short commute and attend NHL games. Similar to Philadelphia's TV market which serves the entire Delaware Valley, The Hartford Whalers could be beamed across the adjacent states of NY, NJ, MA, NH, MA & RI. The television market has vast growth potential. It can work. With a little hard work and planning, we can once again have The Kelly Green, Blue & White. But before all that can happen or even be attempted, there is one belated action which must be performed. It is an eagerly anticipated event for longsuffering NHL fans. That labor of love, off course, is the immediate and unconditional impeachment of Gary Bettman.
The Nielson Media Estimates rank Buffalo as a smaller market. It is not meant ot suggest anything except state fact. The region is a great hockey hotbed. The City Of Buffalo has a rich hockey history and the Sabres enjoy some of the most dedicated and passinate fans.
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Agree with you completely..... I am a Blues fan, but I cringed when the Whalers left Hartford. I grew up watching teams like the Whalers, Jets, Nordiques and North Stars, and the NHL is worse off without them. Maybe not financially, but in terms of the league and it's uniqueness. Instead of having franchises in Hartford, WInnipeg and Quebec, we have mundane, lack of charisma teams in North Carolina, Dallas and Phoenix.....not of them hotbeds of hockey.
TenRingsSTL
Total Comments (4177)
For all you hockey traditionalists out there, I invite you to come down to Raleigh sometime. While we aren't part of the past, no one can argue that Raleigh doesn't love its hockey team or the success of the franchise since moving south. Two Stanley Cup final appearances in the last 6 years don't just happen by accident. .Peter Karmanos decision to move South was based on sound economic trends that only a fool would ignore. Putting one's head in the sand doesn't help this sport that we all claim to love. While I'm a long way from being a Bettman fan (or apologist... one only has to look at the clumsy way he handled the Rory Fitzpatrick/all star situation two years ago to see that he doesn't handle unexpected situations well) We average around 16k a night and while we aren't sold out every night there is no doubting the city's support.
As far as my past, I grew up going to Rochester Americans (AHL) and Saber games. (season tickets in Rochester, buckets of beer and all) I have been to many many sporting events all over the world (Final Four, World Cup, riots in Milan... otherwise known as football, SEC football, etc)... and nothing matched the noise of the RBC Center during game 7, Stanley Cup finals in 2006. Just because things change doesn't mean that its all bad. I too wish the Hartford Walers were still around, they are a part of the tradition of the sport I love. But statements like "The vile & contemptible Peter Karmanos Jr.'s classless act of stripping Hartford of their beloved team should've been stopped. Gary Bettman is indeed The Clown Prince Of Incompetence" is not only silly, it shows a complete lack of grasp of reality. In this era of owners being suspended for any number of different shady acts, I'll take Karmanos integrity and honor any time.
If the there is a reasonable economic case for the phoenix to rise from the ground.. then the Walers will skate again. Otherwise they will remain a part of the celebrated past. As a seaon ticket holder in Raleigh, I praise the past and the future of our franchise. I proudly wear the Walers colors several times a year... but please leave the histronics out of your discussion.
PS I'm serious about the invite to come on down, while watching people tailgate in shorts during April takes a bit to get used to, trust me its better than shoveling snow in some freak snow storm in April
AHLfan
Raleigh , NC
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AHL fan,
I concur heartily .
Shamrock,
You talk about proximity to NY, NJ and Mass as a base of fans, but NY's got 3 NHL clubs, NJ has 1 and so does Boston, MA . You don't think maybe that's a bit saturated ?
Lord Stanley's Mug
Durham , NC
Total Comments (17)
No. The portion of the states which neighbor Connecticut are more remote. For instance. The Springfield-Worchester-Amherst, Massachusetts region would benefit without taking away from the Boston Bruins' market. The Albany region in New York is hardly saturated, unless of course you are referring to AHL team presence. Rhode Island, home of Brian Boucher & Bryan Berard have a love for the sport but no team to speak of. I'm surprised the two of you are dismissing the fact that Hartford - New Haven, CT is 29th. Higher than Las Vegas, Nashville, New Orleans or Buffalo! Hartford never had trouble selling out Whaler games. All they need is a new state of the art arena & they'll thrive.
The Shamrock
Jenkintown , PA
Total Comments (364)
AHLFan......point taken, and thanks for the well thought out post. I am a traditionalist, and it is easy for me to say that the original franchises are the ones I wish would have stayed in place, but I don't mean to ignore the fans in place like Carolina when I say that. I guess for me, teams like the Whalers and Jets are the ones I grew up with and were part of the NHL I loved, so the nostalgia in me tends to reject the new. I have no doubt, though, that many many fans in Carolina, Dallas, Phoenix, etc, are very passionate about their hockey teams as well.
TenRingsSTL
Total Comments (4177)
Your prayers have been answered.
The Whalers are coming back!
See the NFL section of
http://www.fannation.com/blogs/post/211417
YODA
Total Comments (16729)
Sort of.
The Shamrock
Jenkintown , PA
Total Comments (364)
"I'm surprised the two of you are dismissing the fact that Hartford - New Haven, CT is 29th. Higher than Las Vegas, Nashville, New Orleans or Buffalo! "
- Shamrock
I just looked at the "Nielsen Media 2007-2008 Local Market Estimates" (google it - it's fascinating) . Raleigh-Durham (Fayetville) ranks 28th - higher than Las Vegas, Nashville, New Orleans, Buffalo or HARTFORD & NEW HAVEN !!!
Just for fun: Tampa-St. Pete is 13th; Atlanta is 8th; and, Dallas-Ft. Worth is 5th . Charlotte, NC is 25th, and Greenvll-Spart-Ashvll-And ranks 36th - all close enough to the Carolina Hurricanes to participate in generation of revenue and support the team . By the way, these rankings represent Nielsen's estimate of the number of "TV Homes" in a "market" area .
Lord Stanley's Mug
Durham , NC
Total Comments (17)
The Raleigh-Durham market is greater than Hartford-New Haven, I conceited that part. I was simply showing that the Hartford area is an underutilized market. All it needs is a state of the art arena. The Whalers would do well. Please understand. I simply meant that the Whalers should have been left alone. The Raleigh-Durham market is large enough to have an expansion team like the Lightning & Sharks. You can be a traditionalist and embrace new concepts all at the same time.
The Shamrock
Jenkintown , PA
Total Comments (364)
As a matter a fact. You win! The Carolina Hurricanes should stay. Just move the Predators, Coyotes & Thrashers : )
The Shamrock
Jenkintown , PA
Total Comments (364)
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