EHM The Blue Line

http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/news_story/?ID=190841&hubname=nhl

The KC group has made their official pitch to Mario and company to bring the team to the new Sprint Center where they would play rent free also making Mario's group equal managing partners in the Sprint Center. The building will be completed in October so this would fast forward plans to get the team into a more financially viable and up to date building. If the team stays in Pittsburgh even with a stadium deal which they don't have yet it would be in the range of 3-5 years to get something built.

So, this is kind of like a trade where a team trades the hot prospect for the proven commodity; they know what they are getting in the proven player (in this case the building that will be ready for next season) but there's always the allure of what "might be" if the hot prospect (in this case some kind of Plan B to keep the team in Pittsburgh) is given time to develop.

Personally I'd say the Pens have waited and tied enough of their tenuous future existence in waiting for the prospect (of a new stadium in Pittsburgh) to develop and should go with the sure thing. That's not obviously the sentimental choice, but this isn't a sentimental decision it's a business one and Pitt has been taking it in the shorts from playing in an outmodded 46 year old building for long enough I think. The city chose Football over Hockey building the Steelers a new stadium so I don't blame the Penguins as much as I blame the City and business owners for not coming through for the Pens.

Do they really even have a choice to stay in Pittsburgh anymore?

I can't see it working out for them if they stay there much longer with the Igloo and all.

You'd get more people to watch them in an OHL arena.

Well... we all know nothing says "Hockey" like the state of Kansas.

B. Stinson wrote:Well... we all know nothing says "Hockey" like the state of Kansas.

Yee Haw

They should be the Kansas City Tornados.

The should go with The KC Masterpieces to tie in with the whole BBQ thing... their logo could be a big bottle of KC Masterpiece; it's an easy marketing tie in too and we know how much Gary loves that so that will override his fears of not requiring the team to stay in Pittsburgh. And it will keep him in BBQ sauce for life and who wouldn't want that?

Obviously having a real alternative now gives the Pitt group a set or target to meet/beat... so this could just be used to get a better deal in Pittsburgh, but the question has to be how much better does the deal have to be than this one to wait around for years losing money in the oldest stadium in the league? I still think they've had enough of waiting and will go with the sure thing here and accept the KC deal.

I don't know if Kansas City is the best place for them to go but I definitely think it's time the Penguins turn their back on the city of Pittsburgh. They've tried to work with them long enough. The Penguins have some bright young stars and it's a shame that they can't afford to build a team around them to take advantage of it. It's time they moved to greener pastures.

DOn't go....Don't go Mario!!
No team that has a championship, in any league, should EVER have to move in this day and age. Pittsburg Pa, better get it together and FAST!

I can see the Scouts uni already...

I'd like to see the Pens stay in Pittsburg, but its clear that, for financial reasons, they have to go Else, they'll soon be unable to re-sign their young stars (Crosby, Malkin, Fleury, and others) and will be back to the bottom of the league, instaed of growing as an elite team build around their young stars.

It's really sad, but they have to go

Sadly, the penguins WILL move, its chalked up, unless they can rent an arena in Pittsburgh(there isn't any arena big enough mind you) there is NO chance of them staying.

I would rather see them move to Portland the winter hawks haver pretty good attendances and no one cares about the Trail Blazers

Whoa the horse hasn't bolted yet people!

Talks are ongoing with the PA state governer, and I still think we can get a deal sorted out.

Pittsburgh is a great hockey town, considering we play in a rink thats more or less falling down we fill it to 95% capacity, and have the highest tv ratings for hockey of any American market.

Kansas City... I mean I've seen pictures of the new building there and it does look great, but hockey is failing for a second time in Atlanta and it'll do just the same in KC.

Pens to stay!!

I'd like Pens stay in Pitt, and i hope they will be able to do so...

Main reason? Historical one. The arena is at the Mario Lemieux's place if i remember well... Far more symbolic for the young Pens stars than playing in a no-hockey land at the Cold-FX Arena sponsored by Cold-FX (i know, Cold-FX doesn't have anything to deal with the Pens hate them anyway )

Moving to Kansas, or anywhere else, would just kill the identity of the franchise. But in the same way, the Pens strongly need a decent arena.

I agree with Shadd, the pens must stay in pensylvania.

On the worst case, I prefer them to move in Winnipeg or Hamilton (I dream for Quebec but it will be a miracle).
Another canadian franchise will be better than a marginal market in the states

I do think that Houston or Vegas would be very strong cities for a franchise.

I am however dead set against expansion and I tend to agree that the only thing that should take the Pens to Kansas would be a tornado (and maybe then they could solve their problems via following the yellow brick road! There's no place like home... there's no place like home... ) but that's just all sentiment on my part and this isn't going to be a decision based on tradition or sentiment it's going to be based on how soon they can get into a financially viable building and I think they'll decide they've waited long enough for Pittsburgh to come through with something as the town decided on the Steelers over the Pens so they'll be out of there.

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. IMO Kansas is the best option available because where else are you going to get a free stadium. I think maybe another option if they had more time would be another Canadian team. Toronto def has the people to support two teams there.

In KC they'd be rent free, but they wouldn't get income from other arena events like they would under Pittsburgh's plan B - financially they won't get a better deal anywhere than the one on offer in Pitt.

If they still choose to leave then screw em, I'll have to find another team...

crosby87 wrote:In KC they'd be rent free, but they wouldn't get income from other arena events like they would under Pittsburgh's plan B - financially they won't get a better deal anywhere than the one on offer in Pitt.

If they still choose to leave then screw em, I'll have to find another team...

In Kansas they would be partners in the stadium so they would generate revenue streams. Atlanta is not failing in hockey their attendance is better than Washington.

Vegas is an entertainment town, one of the fastest growing cities in the country as well as town where everyone is in the "I ain't from here, I just live here" category so all the various transplants would have opportunities to see their former hometown teams come into town. It's also a city where people flood in daily from all over the world so the chance for exposure and growing the game in infinite. There's a reason that the big PPV entities like the UFC and WWE frequent Vegas, great drawing ability and support.

Also if the NHL was to build a stadium in Las Vegas it could be done in like 2 months given that the construction resources and money in that town are insane. Things go from being a whole in the ground to a casino overnight seemingly. I think it would be a great opportunity.

Does Vegas have a stadium they could play in? Would they play in the Wranglers stadium?

I haven't seen any particulars on a possible Vegas move, but like I said they have huge fleets of construction people there that work literally 24-7 on jobs while every other city pretty much in the world can't so they are in an interesting bargaining position in that regard. Also, any of the casinos that wanted to add a large music venue to their casinos could use that as most of the reason for building a mutli-purpose building that could also house an NHL team... and they'd make a killing on concerts the rest of the year.

http://tsn.ca/nhl/news_story/?ID=198872&hubname=nhl
Looks like Mario and the boys have finally had enough of the from government officials in Pittsburgh. Will they remain the Penguins if they move? Is Kansas City really the front runner? Or are there other cities involved? Any chance of a Canadian relocation? How about Mr. Blackberry getting back into the mix and moving the team to K/W? Many question marks for the Pens right now...

I suppose this could be hardball by Mario's group to try to force the arena deal through, but it doesn't look good for the Pens staying in Pitt.

Thanks for reminding me to post in this thread Minty.

B. Stinson wrote:Well... we all know nothing says "Hockey" like the state of Kansas.

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

CatchUp wrote:Any chance of a Canadian relocation?

What city would it be? Are Winnipeg or Quebec City now able to carry an NHL franchise? Would there be room for another in the Toronto metropolitan area or the vicinity?

Kekkonen wrote:

B. Stinson wrote:Well... we all know nothing says "Hockey" like the state of Kansas.

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

So maybe they'll change their name to the Missouri Misery?

Wasn't there also interest in an NHL team from Seattle? That's a pretty big market. I'm not sure how much they're into hockey though. I would think Wisconsin would be a good place for an NHL team. They've got a great hockey program.