Thrashers leaving????? (Atlanta, Dallas: stadiums, suburbs, MLS)

[MathmanMathman]

I don't have a problem with cities having teams that can support them. I was wondering about their long-term prospects if they rely on transplants filing the stands. In other words, does hockey in the South rely on a continuous flow of transplant northerners?

[AcidSnake]

I agree.

I wonder if maybe hockey in Atlanta might have a better chance of succeeding if the NHL and other proponents would make more of a meaningful effort to reach out beyond their traditional fanbase.

Originally Posted by MathmanMathman

I don't have a problem with cities having teams that can support them. I was wondering about their long-term prospects if they rely on transplants filing the stands. In other words, does hockey in the South rely on a continuous flow of transplant northerners?

[PeteyNice]

Originally Posted by AcidSnake

I agree.

I wonder if maybe hockey in Atlanta might have a better chance of succeeding if the NHL and other proponents would make more of a meaningful effort to reach out beyond their traditional fanbase.

I don't think that was the problem for the Thrashers at all. The problem is/was management who were not committed to putting a competitive team on the ice. When the Thrashers had even limited success they drew well. You can't expect people to keep turning out after 12 years of futility and no hope that things will turn around. There are only a handful of markets where that would happen. If the Thrasher had had the Hawks success (or to use an NHL example, the Coyotes success) they place would be packed.

Sports is not like sex and pizza (even when it's bad, it's pretty good). You have to give people a reason to turn out. Continually missing the playoffs and watching your best players skip town is not how you do it.

[Lagwagon113]

I once heard Colin Coheard (or however you spell his name) say that teams are representative of their cities. IE Baltimore is a gritty city and the Ravens are known for their defense. The Lakers are a flashy team like LA, etc. All the ATL teams just sorta half a$$ everything just like the city. Even when they seem kind of legit there is still something not right.

[AcidSnake]

Another great point.

Originally Posted by Lagwagon113

I once heard Colin Coheard (or however you spell his name) say that teams are representative of their cities. IE Baltimore is a gritty city and the Ravens are known for their defense. The Lakers are a flashy team like LA, etc. All the ATL teams just sorta half a$$ everything just like the city. Even when they seem kind of legit there is still something not right.

[beenhereandthere]

Wonder how the Thrashers turned out to be one of the biggest jokes in sports, but yet, the Gladiators, in Duluth, have stayed solid and will probably be in the Atlanta area for a long time to come....

[brent6969]

I remember a story that an old lady put a curse on Atlanta sports teams, maybe it was just the Braves, when they tore down her house to build the old Atl-Fulco stadium????

[brent6969]

Originally Posted by brent6969

I remember a story that an old lady put a curse on Atlanta sports teams, maybe it was just the Braves, when they tore down her house to build the old Atl-Fulco stadium????

At least we still have the Gwinnett Gladiators, I will definitely go to those games..............

[R1070]

Originally Posted by waronxmas

Yeah, I find the whole "Northern transplant" argument way too thin as Atlanta likely has way more Northern tranplants than Dallas.

Dallas has a good team, so they have a succesful franchise.

We have a team that has seen spurts of greatness, and long periods of suckiness mixed with an ownership more concerned with getting out while they can still make a profit with no sense of team loyalty. Part of a sports franchises success hinges on having a visible face so that in those years where the team does suck, they have an individual out front to support them.

Atlanta may have a higher percentage of its transplants from the North but not more people. Dallas gets a lot of its new residents from the west coast also. Its not just northeast and midwest folks.

Dallas is the only area to have all the major sports franchises in the southern half of the united states. It's just a sports town.

[AcidSnake]

What's even more interesting is that Dallas isn't even the capitol of Texas(Austin is), and yet it commands so much major respect as a city that many people would emigrate to it.

Originally Posted by R1070

Atlanta may have a higher percentage of its transplants from the North but not more people. Dallas gets a lot of its new residents from the west coast also. Its not just northeast and midwest folks.

Dallas is the only area to have all the major sports franchises in the southern half of the united states. It's just a sports town.