Maybe the press conference was just a subtle hint that they've already settled on the name "Winnepeg Season Ticket Holders"

I want to be part of Season Ticket Holder Nation!!

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Hold my beer and watch this...

Do it like every other team ever has done it.

At the end of your presser, announce a season ticket drive. Tell people where they can buy tix, and when they can start buying them. Mention the website.

Don't have the commissioner of the league and premier of the province discuss such things. That's absurd.

It's pretty damn obvious that they got told the BoG wouldn't approve the sale if TNSE didn't sell 13k season tickets.

Are they waiting on realignment because of the Coyotes? It's so goofy that they'll be part of the SE division next year.

Did they announce what the team name is going to be? I don't think it should be the Jets since that franchise moved to Phoenix. A new franchise, a new team name.

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"Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path and leave a trail." - Ralph Waldo Emerson

Hockey Night in Buffalo

i wonder if the yotes hold the rights to the jets name and history.. like the OKC thunder own the seattle supersonics name and history.

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It always annoys me how the Ottawa Senators act like they are part of the old Senators' history and have all their banners and crap hanging from their rafters.

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"Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path and leave a trail." - Ralph Waldo Emerson

Hockey Night in Buffalo

http://3rdmanin.wordpress.com/2011/05/31/atlanta-thrashers/

http://blogs.ajc.com/jeff-schultz-blog/2011/05/31/thrashers-atlanta-were-never-given-a-chance/

http://unitedstatesofhockey.com/2011/05/19/raw-numbers-the-nhls-impact-on-the-south/

Acquaintance of mine wrote the first link. AJC reporter Jeff Schulz wrote the second. USA Hockey blogger Chris Peters wrote the third. All three make excellent points.

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mechaphil

This is a joke.

Season ticket cost comparison

Upper deck,end sections, last row.

Winnipeg : $1,755.00 , $39 / game , 45 games , 3 year commitment
Buffalo : $940, $23 / game, 42 games

Upper deck, end sections, first row.

Winnipeg : $2,430, $54 / game, 45 games, 3 year commitment
Buffalo : $1670, $41 / game, 42 games

Upper deck, center ice.

Winnipeg :$2,880, $64 / game, 45 games, 4 year commitment
Buffalo : First two rows : $1670, $41 / game, 42 games Balance of section : $1220, $30 / game, 42 games

Lower bowl, center ice.

Winnipeg : $5,805, $129 / game, 45 games, 5 year commitment, plus $500 club membership fee
Buffalo : $2810, $69 /game, 42 games


This prices are......interesting.

I hated that first link. He claims they don't have an NHL arena, but recently built a new arena after the Jets left. Although it will only hold about 15,500 people, that's perfect for the economics of Winnipeg when Atlanta's 17,624 person arena only held 72.6 capacity (courtesy of ESPN.com's numbers). It's annoying to listen to these Thrashers fans apologists when barely 13,000 of their 5.7 million populated area failed to make it out to their games. Who knows how many people watched TV games for the Thrashers. The way I see it, just because there's a few Thrashers fans here and there, your fanbase is looked at by the big picture, and there was barely a painting that could represent Thrasher fans.

I could in no way say that Atlanta deserved to lose their franchise, but it's not like they showed us they really wanted it there.

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Girgensons for captain. Team Keep Nick DesLauriers forever.

@TJLuckman550

Assuming all figures are in USD, that's goddamn awful. This already has mess written all over it.

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mechaphil

The Winnipeg figures are in CAD, but that doesn't change much. $1 USD = $0.969 CAD, so they're pretty damn close.

What's more annoying, Thrashers apologists now or whining Manitobans for 16 years?

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mechaphil

Thrasher apologists, still. Your team leaves, and the hundreds of them cry? Thousands in Winnipeg have been whining for years.

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Girgensons for captain. Team Keep Nick DesLauriers forever.

@TJLuckman550

It's a step backwards for the NHL

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mechaphil

That doesn't mean it's perfect for the economics of the NHL. 15,015 a night still keeps them in the bottom 6 of attendance. If all those teams are losing money hand over fist, what's another 1500 tickets or so going to do?

The only saving grace is a very deep pocketed owner, but how long does that last if they're losing $20M a year?

Hmm, true. But that brings us back to that ridiculous ticket prices. That probably makes up for it right there.

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Girgensons for captain. Team Keep Nick DesLauriers forever.

@TJLuckman550

pure and simple, hockey failed in atlanta. they tried it twice. and both times ended in relocation. didnt give atlanta a chance? bullshit. it may be a step back for the NHL, but its a positive step back. the NHL is a regional sport. they tried southern expansion right at the height of its popularity (announced the expansion teams in 1997, when the NHL was all the rage) and it didnt work. kudos to bettman for trying to nationalize the game, but it didnt work. everyone clamors for the glory days of the NHL, and were a step closer. hockey in winnipeg is a long term solution. MTS will be upgraded and they will fit 16,000-17,000 in there in a few years. this is a positive move, and atlanta apologists have nothing. its not a sports town, despite all their franchises.

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It's a football, basketball, and maybe even baseball city.

If anything, it's a fair-weather city.

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Girgensons for captain. Team Keep Nick DesLauriers forever.

@TJLuckman550

I would say Phoenix after next season is the most likely of those three.

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"...they came down into the stands and asked if I knew how to do play by play. I said...No. But. I'll take a shot at it if you want".- Rick Jeanneret

the hawks and the braves have trouble selling out playoff games. i recall a braves playoff game a few years back that was maybe 75% full.... and those are playoff teams! the thrashers arnt playoff teams, and most people dont give a shit about the thrashers. hockey in atlanta was a bad experiment, and its time to end it. they did. to a city thats much smaller, but the passion far eclipses atlantas. and isnt that what we all want?

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Agreed totally...Winnipeg will have the smallest market in the league, so I'm sure that'll have the NHL bigwigs worried. Plus they still will be in the SE division for a year which will be weird.

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"...they came down into the stands and asked if I knew how to do play by play. I said...No. But. I'll take a shot at it if you want".- Rick Jeanneret