The Kansas City Penguins?

Post by **batdad** » Tue Mar 06, 2007 7:14 pm

Yes Seattle has a bit of an interest, as an NHL team to share a new building with the NBA's Sonics. However, would trading Pitt arena problem to Washington State and having the arena problem there be any good? Just asking, cause Seattle and Wa. State are known for putting up a big fuss about public $ into an arena/stadium. Several governors came out after SafeCo was built and said...NEVER EVER AGAIN. They are still in office. So who knows?

crosby87 · Post by **crosby87** » Tue Mar 06, 2007 7:43 pm

I wouldn't complain about moving to Wisconsin or Canada, but KC? I guess I'll be on the market for a new team...

holydogg · Post by **holydogg** » Tue Mar 06, 2007 7:57 pm

batdad wrote:Yes Seattle has a bit of an interest, as an NHL team to share a new building with the NBA's Sonics. However, would trading Pitt arena problem to Washington State and having the arena problem there be any good? Just asking, cause Seattle and Wa. State are known for putting up a big fuss about public $ into an arena/stadium. Several governors came out after SafeCo was built and said...NEVER EVER AGAIN. They are still in office. So who knows?

Seattle isn't too close of Vancouver? Vancouver can veto this. BC and WA isn't large markets like NY or California where everyone can have their share under the sun.

Post by **batdad** » Tue Mar 06, 2007 8:10 pm

Did anyone else smell the rant after reading holydogg's post. Holydogg here is some learning for ya.

Heh. Are you kidding me old Eastern boy?

Vancouver veto another team in their area? HAHAHAHAHAAHAH. Canucks dream of having a team that is less than an hour flight away from them, and in their own time zone. Right now dude, they have to fly 3 hours to play in their time zone, or an hour to Calgary and Edmonton in a different time zone. There is no across the street team like every EASTERN BASED TEAM HAS at Least 1, and maybe 4 or 5 of.

This is the typical type of rubbish that makes me believe that Eastern fans do not get. Eastern teams sleep in their own beds, in their own homes on 55-70 of 82 game nites...DO NOT GET! They leave their own time zone with this schedule once in the entire season for a Western Road trip. OK maybe twice.

Vancouver spends between 40 and 45 nites of game days at home in their own bed. Either that or they arrive in Vancouver at midnite, get home at 1AM and are back at the rink at 8 or 9.

Mon, TOr, NYR, NYI, and every other eastern team, with the possible exception of Detroit DO NOT GET IT.

To sum...Vancouver would love Seattle to get a team, and Portland, and anyone else in the Pacific Time Zone who wants a team.

Taloncarde · Post by **Taloncarde** » Tue Mar 06, 2007 8:15 pm

I think the new schedules definatly hurt western teams more, since playing a lot of games in your conference= a lot of long road trips. When they had 2 games (1 home and 1 away) with the Eastern conference they got to schedule some of those trips, like NY and then NY and then NJ, etc, but now they don't really get that option.

on top of that, i really don't want to see the same teams so many times!

However, the east does have some travel (Carolina, Tampa, Florida) but I will agree it's not as bad since it's all in the EST time zone.

And not to nit pick batdad, Detroit is in the western conference. Which leads me to a question. If pitt moves to the western conference, who moves east? Detroit? Nashville? Columbus? Maybe even Dallas/Minnesota?

Post by **Minstrel** » Tue Mar 06, 2007 8:17 pm

Seattle has been mentioned as have Las Vegas and Houston. I believe the latter two have actually made formal offers as well though KC leads do their building being certified ready to play for next season.

I just don't think Mario and Co. can wait around for any longer haggling with Pittsburgh for another tentative plan that at best would put their actually getting into a new stadium five seasons or so down the road.

EDIT: Let's remember this is talking about Pitt possibly moving not about travel and schedules... also Hollydog did you use "Seattle" and "sun" in the same sentence?

Post by **B. Stinson** » Tue Mar 06, 2007 8:43 pm

Actually, it would be Missouri. Which makes all the difference.

It could still be Kansas City, Kansas. But either way, both are still sh**y choices considering they're both in the same area. Plus, we all know how well St. Louis is flourishing this year.

holydogg · Post by **holydogg** » Tue Mar 06, 2007 9:00 pm

batdad wrote:Did anyone else smell the rant after reading holydogg's post. Holydogg here is some learning for ya.
Vancouver veto another team in their area? HAHAHAHAHAAHAH. Canucks dream of having a team that is less than an

Didn't see the question mark huh mountain boy?

vh2k6 · Post by **vh2k6** » Wed Mar 07, 2007 8:10 am

Stillblind wrote:Vegas would be terrible for a franchise in my opinion. Look at other sports teams in the area (Minors) they don't do to good.

I don't think that's true at all. The Wranglers are 8th in average attendance and are just over 1000 fans above average in the ECHL. I don't count the 51's as much because A) there is zero marketing. seriously. it's worse than the NHL. B) they have been consistently bad. and C) the facilities are terrible.

Someone else said something to the effect of "would they play where the Wranglers play" and the answer is no, or not with a huge stadium overhaul. The place only holds 7773 fans. I would imagine, though not guarantee, that they would play in the MGM grand gardens arena until an actual arena would be built (and Oscar Goodman has been pushing a major sports complex for a long time, a shot with the Penguins would light a fire and get things moving).

Could we support a team? I think so. Build a good facility and market it well, and people will flock to it. There are a surprising number of hockey fans in this town that would try to fill that place up every night. The Penguins are a perfect team to market too. Young, talented, improving, etc. It would be similar to the Nordiques moving to Colorado; the Pens are likely to be a staple in the playoffs for quite a few years before their players become too expensive.

Post by **Minstrel** » Wed Mar 07, 2007 9:50 am

As I've said I think Vegas is a great choice to give the league better visibility, it's a town of transplants from all over so there would be demand for pretty much any competitor teams... it's an entertainment destination with tons of money to throw about to build a really amazing standout of a stadium I'd think and with the 24/7 buidling schedule there it could be done in a year where other places would take 4 or 5. There's reasons that PPV mainstays like the WWE and UFC go to Vegas when they want a big high profile event...

Post by **batdad** » Wed Mar 07, 2007 4:13 pm

For publicity sake--Vegas good. Promotion would be 2nd to none. Just what the league needs.

On the other hand--Vegas could be a great big headache. The cost of living there is insane, the gambling aspect could cause real issue. Vegas players would be under extreme scrutiny frome everywhere...and the last thing a league like the NHL needs is another gambling problem.

I think there are other markets: KC, Seattle, Portland Or, and the usual Canadian suspects that would be better choices.

All that being said...Vegas could be the best thing to happen to the NHL, should it be done properly. No pun intended, but would be a big gamble, that could pay off huge. Or alternatively, bankrupt the league.

it could be a risk worth taking. From a Canadian pt. of view..hockey cannot be killed, so what the heck...GO FOR IT

vh2k6 · Post by **vh2k6** » Wed Mar 07, 2007 9:08 pm

they can all gamble online at this point anyways. The gambling issue is overblown, imo.

The Penguins would be a great start for Vegas, though I'm probably biased because I just really, really want a major professional team here.

Post by **batdad** » Wed Mar 07, 2007 9:49 pm

Not straight gambling I am speaking of. Concern re how easy it is to get into trouble in Vegas...leading to 80s Canadian Soccer style max fixing.

However, as I said ,.... could be a risk worth taking.

vh2k6 · Post by **vh2k6** » Wed Mar 07, 2007 10:43 pm

well, I know they had this a few years ago (though it got lifted), you could ban betting on Las Vegas games in Las Vegas.

Unless you're talking about other games, in which case that can already be done anyways.

Post by **batdad** » Thu Mar 08, 2007 12:28 am

Dude--of course it can! That is not the point. Betting on line, or away from where the "real" gamblers live and work is different than betting in Vegas. The point I am making is....WAY EASIER FOR A CROOK TO GET HIS HOOKS IN A PRO ATHLETE IN VEGAS, than NOT in Vegas. Drive to the house instead of fly to the house.

And anyway, if you read my original post it says it is a gamble that could be worth taking for the NHL....not a post that says don't do it VEGAS IS EVIL.

I realize you are a Vegas guy, but I am not saying VEGAS SUCKS!!!11 so no need to feel so defensive. Pointing out how easy it is for a bookie to get hooks into someone who lives across the street, compared to getting to me in my house in VAncouver. Sheesh. It is obviously easier.

gakrek · Post by **gakrek** » Sat Mar 10, 2007 6:42 am

Well, coming from a Pens fan...

PLEASE do not let da Pens go!! I have been an avid hockey fan since the late 80's here in the 'Berg. The way I here it is that the talks went very well Thursday with more to come next Wednesday. I wish the talking was over & the construction well under way...I love this team!!! Sure Pittsburgh is a big Steelers town, we somehow manage to keep the Pirates afloat, but in the heart of Pittsburgh is the Pens...they have been selling out like mad lately...and if you look, many of the remaining home games are standing room only / single seats.

This team is going to be good for many years to come...I just hope I don't have to watch them on the Center Ice package as opposed to in person or on the local network FSN!!!

The Hutch · Post by **The Hutch** » Sat Mar 10, 2007 7:46 am

I just wonder when this game of roulette, considering the Penguins on average face a financial crisis once per decade, is finally going to draw the bullet and take them out of Pittsburgh once and for all.

I'm not saying I want a move, and I'm personally glad for their current success, but I think the move is bound to happen.

crosby87 · Post by **crosby87** » Sat Mar 10, 2007 1:01 pm

I don't think so, the root of most of the Pens financial trouble has been the arena, if the deal gets done which I hope it does, we'll be fine.

crosby87 · Post by **crosby87** » Tue Mar 13, 2007 1:17 pm

Rumours a deal has been reached for the team to stay in Pittsburgh

http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsbu ... 97444.html

oxenhoper · Post by **oxenhoper** » Tue Mar 13, 2007 2:06 pm

Great news............... Penguins belong in Pittsburgh.

bruins72 · Post by **bruins72** » Tue Mar 13, 2007 2:58 pm

I was kind of at the point where I wanted them to move. Maybe not to Kansas City but somewhere. They've been dealing with these problems in Pittsburgh long enough. It took them to get to the point where they almost moved for the government to finally do something.

Post by **batdad** » Tue Mar 13, 2007 4:33 pm

The Penguins have a cycle...rubbish team..no fans at all... no money, no revenues, bad arena, no impetus to build one...1st overall pick, 1st overall pick....Good team..>Stanley Cup, Stanley Cup....big paychecks going out, big revenues, impetus to build arena, but owner wants to sell team instead of worry about that, cause knows this is coming...Star injury....rubbish team...no fans, no money, no revenues, no reason to build, no $ to build...1st overall pick ... 1st overall pick...good team....

Well you get the point. Until the Pens break the cycle and jsut stay consistent they will have intermittent problems in Pittsburgh. Fans like winners. No win, no fan.
If Mario sticks this out, gets the new building and goes forward with the Pens,,they stand a hope. If he does what all previous Pens owners have done, got out...then could be back to trouble even with a new building. For a storied franchise, the Penguins have some serious stability issues because of past ownership not working hard enough to build the franchise a stable base.

Now Mario may finally be the one to do that. Hopefully, he and his crew stick around. But I bet they sell out once the arena is done, when the Pens are at the top, and worth the most they can be worth.

Still...I hope they stick in Pitt...The thought of a team with a Cup moving, although it has happened before...SUCKS.

Post by **inSTAALed** » Tue Mar 13, 2007 10:01 pm

Good on them!

It's about time they worked it out.

Post by **Shadd666** » Tue Mar 13, 2007 10:01 pm

None of the spokemen confirmed anything about the (eventual) deal... There's one who said he didn't heard anything about that... So one word comes to me: prudence! We'd better wait something official. Medias are sometimes very creative to say wrong/stupid things

Post by **batdad** » Tue Mar 13, 2007 10:40 pm

Shadd that is last nite and early this morning news. The following has been up on TSN for some time.

Governor of Pa speaks to confirm...and this just in 3 hours ago...So does Mario

The Pens are staying put in Pit

The Kansas City Penguins?

Still ongoing...