NHL Hockey - I want to split into Canadian and American Conferences

[Romeo Delight]

The 6 Canadian hockey teams in the NHL produce 33% of the league's revenues.

The CBC has just signed a six year extension with the NHL paying the league $100 miliion per season for the rights to broadcast.

And how are we repaid? To cater to the American audience, game times are changed so that Saturday games happen in the afternoon????
intead of the traditional 8pm EST timeslot.

This is a Canadian tradition that is sacred.

NBC is not paying dime one for their TV rights. Bettman must go, or we will.

I propose the Canadian teams split from the NHL. We add teams to Hamilton, Winnipeg, the Maritimes, and Quebec City.

That gives us two 5 team divisions. I say most of the top players still come to Canada because we have the revenue to support the salaries.

[Va Beach VH Fan]

Originally posted by DavidFlamma
The 6 Canadian hockey teams in the NHL produce 33% of the league's revenues.

Not saying I don't believe you bro, but where are you coming up with that stat ??

I concur that the Canadian teams routinely sellout their arenas for their home dates, but I find it hard to believe that 6 teams generate 33% of the revenues for a 30 team league....

It's not like the other 24 teams play to crowds of 5,000....

By the way, I agree with you on the TV stuff, I know how traditional HNIC is....

[Romeo Delight]

That stat is correct, I can assure you.

It's talked about here every day.

I will try and find something. Are they taking into account the 100 million/year for TV? Must be.

[NATEDOG001976]

The Wild has sold out everygame they have everplayed at home since 2000.

[SA ME WHO]

Regardless of whether that stat is correct or night, the Hockey Night in Canada broadcast has been a staple of Canadian life long before I started watching hockey.

This is a move that should embarrass hockey officials (Bettman) enough to make an official apology and rescind whatever stupid agreement that caused this in the first place.

Hockey in the United States of America (by and large, not in the few "strong" hockey cities) is not gaining momentum. To try to gain fan favor/access, they're taking a tradition away from hockey's greatest fans? Thats BS, pure and simple!

[Romeo Delight]

Let me put it to you this way...

Every media guy in Canada is quoting the 33% of total revenue coming from the six Canadian teams.

No way that goes undetected in this country if it is wrong, but anyways...

It makes no sense to break with decades of tradition for Hockey Night In freakin Canada!!!

Your only paying TV network loses revenue because no one here would dream that a game wouldn't be on at the regular time on a Saturday night...especially in the playoffs!!!

Bettman is basically saying..."The Canadians will be here no matter what" and is asking us to bend over.

Some factors affecting the revenue share that Canadian teams generate (why it is higher than you would think it might):

1) Ticket prices - Toronto is the highest, followed by the Rangers, overall prices are much higher in Canada. How much is is a ticket in Carolina, Tampa, Columbus, Florida? Through the roof in every Canadian city.

2) What is a sellout? If attendance is 10k, what is paying attendance? Probably closer to 7 or 6k. Giveaways, etc to make it look better than it really is. Compare that to the revenue from a sellout in Montreal, TO, Vancouver, Calgary, and even Edmonton and Ottawa where ticket prices are through the roof. Huge differences there.

3) Merchandise sales - outside of Pittsburgh, who is selling merchandise in the US? That's what I thought... Every Canadian city sells a ridiculous amnount of NHL gear.

4) TV Revenue - 100 million for Canada, basically zero for the US. I don't know how the regional dollars work. New York is obviously big, but TO just sold their rights to Rogers for some ridiculous figure.

[Nickdfresh]

Originally posted by DavidFlamma
That stat is correct, I can assure you.

It's talked about here every day.

I will try and find something. Are they taking into account the 100 million/year for TV? Must be.

Then why to the Canadians keep changing hands?

[Va Beach VH Fan]

Originally posted by DavidFlamma
Let me put it to you this way...

Every media guy in Canada is quoting the 33% of total revenue coming from the six Canadian teams.

No way that goes undetected in this country if it is wrong, but anyways...

It makes no sense to break with decades of tradition for Hockey Night In freakin Canada!!!

Your only paying TV network loses revenue because no one here would dream that a game wouldn't be on at the regular time on a Saturday night...especially in the playoffs!!!

Bettman is basically saying..."The Canadians will be here no matter what" and is asking us to bend over.

Some factors affecting the revenue share that Canadian teams generate (why it is higher than you would think it might):

1) Ticket prices - Toronto is the highest, followed by the Rangers, overall prices are much higher in Canada. How much is is a ticket in Carolina, Tampa, Columbus, Florida? Through the roof in every Canadian city.

2) What is a sellout? If attendance is 10k, what is paying attendance? Probably closer to 7 or 6k. Giveaways, etc to make it look better than it really is. Compare that to the revenue from a sellout in Montreal, TO, Vancouver, Calgary, and even Edmonton and Ottawa where ticket prices are through the roof. Huge differences there.

3) Merchandise sales - outside of Pittsburgh, who is selling merchandise in the US? That's what I thought... Every Canadian city sells a ridiculous amnount of NHL gear.

4) TV Revenue - 100 million for Canada, basically zero for the US. I don't know how the regional dollars work. New York is obviously big, but TO just sold their rights to Rogers for some ridiculous figure.

Aaaah, I understand now, because the Canadian media says it, it must be true !!!!

Just fukkin' wit ya bro....

I just want to answer some of your issues based on my hockey experiences in the lowly U.S, of A...

Ticket Prices - I usually go to about 3 games a year, two in Carolina and one in Pittsburgh during the holidays, and sometimes up to D.C.. This year, all three games I went to cost me $85 clams a ticket for lower level seats.... Last year, for the Leafs/Pens game in Pittsburgh, I paid $130 each.... And while I agree that sellouts are rare in places like Phoenix, Florida, and New Jersey, it's quite the norm now in places like Detroit, New York, Buffalo, and yes, Pittsburgh....

"Sellouts" - Once again, you're overestimating the amount of ticket giveaways, you just love to do that.... No way that it would account for 3 or 4 thousand tickets.... I would say that most US teams give some tickets away for youth groups, etc., but to make that broad pronouncement about 4,000 tickets a night is just not correct....

Merchandise - Actually, Buffalo sells more merchandise on a team scale than the Pens do.... Crosby's jersey is #1 indvidually though.... Moreover, the top five NHL teams in merchandise sales this year are all American teams;

1. Buffalo Sabres
2. Detroit Red Wings
3. Pittsburgh Penguins
4. New York Rangers
5. New Jersey Devils

TV Revenue - I have no idea about the Regional network deals with the NHL, to be honest.... I can tell you that Pittsburgh and Detroit have the highest NHL ratings in the US....

So I hear ya on the HNIC thing, I really enjoy watching it myself on the Center Ice feed......

But I sure would like to see some details on how they're coming up with those numbers.....

[Matt White]

Sad state of affairs.......


Bettman must go......

He was on a local DETROIT sports talk show...saying DETROIT fans wouldn't want the WINGS to move to the EAST..."they wouldn't want to lose their Rivalries"........like NASHVILLE, COLUMBUS & ATLANTA.....

One of the host...TERRY FOSTER...called him out...

"Yeah...you're right...I'm SURE DETROIT fans wouldn't want to see the WINGS play THE CANADIANS, LEAFS, BRUINS & RANGERS....."


BETTMAN IS A FOOL...and has damaged the league to the point of being criminal..........

[Va Beach VH Fan]

You mean the Wings don't like those 25 wins a year from the Hawks, Blues, and Blue Jackets ??

[Romeo Delight]

Originally posted by Va Beach VH Fan

"Sellouts" - Once again, you're overestimating the amount of ticket giveaways, you just love to do that.... No way that it would account for 3 or 4 thousand tickets.... I would say that most US teams give some tickets away for youth groups, etc., but to make that broad pronouncement about 4,000 tickets a night is just not correct....

On this point I am sure I am right.

I guarantee the bottom 5 teams give away 3-4k in seats.

[Romeo Delight]

Originally posted by Va Beach VH Fan
You mean the Wings don't like those 25 wins a year from the Hawks, Blues, and Blue Jackets ??

Well, those old farts need an edge somehow

They need a schedule that, at the end of the year, everyone knows who is the best team.

Right now, the regular season is meaningless...

[Romeo Delight]

Originally posted by Nickdfresh
Then why to the Canadians keep changing hands?

English Nickd?

What do you mean?

[ALinChainz]

The bottom teams have to, though I'm not sure on the number either.

Quebec lost their team and wasn't it not long ago Ottawa was on the verge of bankruptcy?

Its Canada's sport, I get that. However, Detroit, an original six team that is rich in hockey history had a pretty good record versus the East and Canadian teams, both home and away, and more than pull their own in TV and live attendence (home and they help put them in the seats on the road), merchandise, all of it.

[ALinChainz]

I do think divisions between the two countires would be interesting, but it may have an adverse effect in the playoffs.

Wouldn't that end the possibility of an all Canandian Cup final?