[BobNJ1960]

Originally Posted by SteveM85

It's not naysaying, it's just business. It's the reality of the situation. It's not rocket science WILW.

CT is still a fine state, one of the finest in the nation if you ask me, with a rock solid economy. Big 4 representaion has no impact on that.
We still have the Sun, Goats, Huskies, Styx and Foreigner, Pro Soccer should be on the table, and the best damn downtowns on the planet.

Add in, even with the XL as a less than desirable Big 4 venue, the NHL must do all possible to not alter this team's time zone more than one hour, or travel will become a nightmare for teams playing them often.

Salt Lake City would need to mess up in a huge way to not be given the chance to get this franchise.

[BHW2436]

Anyone who thinks you can renovate a small crumbling stadium and get a team doesn’t really understand the dynamic of pro sports now.

The Washington Capitals are LOVED by Washington DC area. Games are high energy and electric. The stadium was built in 1997 and the owner asked DC for $600M recently to renovate it up to current standards - suites, technology, the whole kitchen sink. DC said no, now they are likely moving across the river to Alexandria, VA. Capital One is is perfectly positioned in DC off multiple metro lines, restaurants and parking.

But sure, throw a much smaller amount of money at XL Center , built in the 70’s and has less than 15,000 seats currently, and win a franchise back?

Never going to happen.

XL right now can barely even function as a concert theatre because of the condition and lack of technology. To make it a multi purpose stadium, you need to bulldoze.

[RogerAnthony]

Originally Posted by WILWRadio

The Whalers were on NESN in the 80's and probably the 90's. I didn't have CATV by the time the 90's rolled around. I seem to recall Rick Peckham and Gerry Cheevers were the broadcast team on NESN for the Whalers. I do know they also did some over the air TV games as well.

The Whalers were never on NESN. Their cable deal was with SportsChannel and their over-the-air games were on WHCT.

[RogerAnthony]

Originally Posted by SteveM85

Pro Soccer should be on the table

Hartford has had pro soccer for years with Hartford Athletic. Bridgeport is getting a pro soccer team a step down from that, and Danbury is getting a pro indoor soccer team.

[robr2]

Originally Posted by BHW2436

Anyone who thinks you can renovate a small crumbling stadium and get a team doesn’t really understand the dynamic of pro sports now.

The Washington Capitals are LOVED by Washington DC area. Games are high energy and electric. The stadium was built in 1997 and the owner asked DC for $600M recently to renovate it up to current standards - suites, technology, the whole kitchen sink. DC said no, now they are likely moving across the river to Alexandria, VA. Capital One is is perfectly positioned in DC off multiple metro lines, restaurants and parking.

But sure, throw a much smaller amount of money at XL Center , built in the 70’s and has less than 15,000 seats currently, and win a franchise back?

Never going to happen.

XL right now can barely even function as a concert theatre because of the condition and lack of technology. To make it a multi purpose stadium, you need to bulldoze.

This. And the team owner doesn’t want just an arena. They want the ability to develop the area around the arena so they generate income year round from hotels, apartments, and restaurants. Owning a team is fun but it’s not a way to get or stay rich.

[BHW2436]

Originally Posted by RogerAnthony

Hartford has had pro soccer for years with Hartford Athletic. Bridgeport is getting a pro soccer team a step down from that, and Danbury is getting a pro indoor soccer team.

And there lies the problem. Hartford has soccer and hardly anybody knows or cares about it.

Part of the reason is the team is terrible.

5 seasons. Only one winning season (2020 Covid shortened). Record past two years 10-18-6 then 4-24-6. 4 wins in 34 games. Woof!

You have to have a team people are passionate about or a team that is at least good enough to care watching.

The Yardgoats have a hit. It’s awesome. It’s also the perfect balance of awesome stadium, passive sport to watch, 6,000 capacity is enough to always have demand because the supply is low.

New Britain Rock Cats were pulling in 8,000 fans a night for a while. But had to move because, you guessed it, crap stadium

[wanderer34]

The only way the Whalers are coming back is that out of the blue, the Carolina Hurricanes go belly up and somehow move back to Hartford. Even then, it's very hard to move a hockey team back into CT. The arena is almost 50 years old and very outdated, and places like Houston, Kansas City, and even Quebec have built modern hockey arenas in the last decade, Hartford doesn't have such a facility!!!

[BobNJ1960]

Originally Posted by BHW2436

Anyone who thinks you can renovate a small crumbling stadium and get a team doesn’t really understand the dynamic of pro sports now.

The Washington Capitals are LOVED by Washington DC area. Games are high energy and electric. The stadium was built in 1997 and the owner asked DC for $600M recently to renovate it up to current standards - suites, technology, the whole kitchen sink. DC said no, now they are likely moving across the river to Alexandria, VA. Capital One is is perfectly positioned in DC off multiple metro lines, restaurants and parking.

But sure, throw a much smaller amount of money at XL Center , built in the 70’s and has less than 15,000 seats currently, and win a franchise back?

Never going to happen.

XL right now can barely even function as a concert theatre because of the condition and lack of technology. To make it a multi purpose stadium, you need to bulldoze.

Bingo. A few decades old arena is the Horse & Buggy in the 21st century, no matter how fondly some may be recalling games they went to.

There will be movies playing at the Poli in Bridgeport before we get an NHL team again. We are not offering a venue ready for the century we exist in now.

[WILWRadio]

Originally Posted by RogerAnthony

The Whalers were never on NESN. Their cable deal was with SportsChannel and their over-the-air games were on WHCT.

That may be correct. I know that they were on one of the two networks and I did watch some games though I was working a lot of hours and on second shift also during the 80's which gave me little time to catch more than a few games a year.

[SteveM85]

Originally Posted by wanderer34

The only way the Whalers are coming back is that out of the blue, the Carolina Hurricanes go belly up and somehow move back to Hartford. Even then, it's very hard to move a hockey team back into CT. The arena is almost 50 years old and very outdated, and places like Houston, Kansas City, and even Quebec have built modern hockey arenas in the last decade, Hartford doesn't have such a facility!!!

No it’s not the only way. The league owners and commish would not allow the Canes to move back even if the wanted to.