[Celticsfan08]

Just curious does anyone still have hope that the NHL somehow finds in way back in Hartford again? Just got in a argument with someone on Facebook saying Hartford should get a team over Atlanta trying to get a team for the THIRD time and mind boggling how the Coyotes can play in a College Arena smaller then the XL Center.

Someone told me to accept facts that Hartford will be nothing more then a Minor League City and support what they have which is UConn sports, the Wolfpack and Yard Goats.

It's crazy how Hartford had a NHL Team and the possiblity of the Pats trying to move there in the late 90s to being reduced to a minor league sports city.

It's currently one of the largest TV Markets without a pro sports team.

[Johnho771]

Originally Posted by Celticsfan08

Just curious does anyone still have hope that the NHL somehow finds in way back in Hartford again? Just got in a argument with someone on Facebook saying Hartford should get a team over Atlanta trying to get a team for the THIRD time and mind boggling how the Coyotes can play in a College Arena smaller then the XL Center.

Someone told me to accept facts that Hartford will be nothing more then a Minor League City and support what they have which is UConn sports, the Wolfpack and Yard Goats.

It's crazy how Hartford had a NHL Team and the possiblity of the Pats trying to move there in the late 90s to being reduced to a minor league sports city.

It's currently one of the largest TV Markets without a pro sports team.

It is the largest tv market without a team. Hartford was also a shared home of the Celtics, and home to NFL team, the Hartford Blues.

[BobNJ1960]

Originally Posted by Celticsfan08

Just curious does anyone still have hope that the NHL somehow finds in way back in Hartford again?

No. It would be a disastrous NHL decision to even give Hartford 3- seconds of consideration. It failed, even when the NHL was a cheaper franchise to operate, and before the league was bright enough to insist on massive season ticket sales before even playing one game.

We have had many minor league failure stories, and currently have one minor league team doing very well. It's time to be content with that.

[BobNJ1960]

Originally Posted by Johnho771

It is the largest tv market without a team. Hartford was also a shared home of the Celtics, and home to NFL team, the Hartford Blues.

The Blues played 98 years ago. for one season.

[Cambium]

Originally Posted by BobNJ1960

No. It would be a disastrous NHL decision to even give Hartford 3- seconds of consideration. It failed, even when the NHL was a cheaper franchise to operate, and before the league was bright enough to insist on massive season ticket sales before even playing one game.

We have had many minor league failure stories, and currently have one minor league team doing very well. It's time to be content with that.

I don't know why but this area sucks for NHL hockey fans. I was once a Ranger fan but after realizing what fans should be like, I started becoming a Montreal fan. Now that's hockey passion!

MSG during a game is like a Library, or they boo you. Bell Centre is loud and into every pass

Not sure how the Whalers were but I can only imagine even quieter

[BobNJ1960]

Originally Posted by Cambium

I don't know why but this area sucks for NHL hockey fans. I was once a Ranger fan but after realizing what fans should be like, I started becoming a Montreal fan. Now that's hockey passion!

MSG during a game is like a Library, or they boo you. Bell Centre is loud and into every pass

Not sure how the Whalers were but I can only imagine even quieter

I have been to six arenas many times. Hartford was the quietest of them. Having multiple teams in NYC metro plus Boston is plenty. They are big league cities.

Lamont contacted the NHL when the Arizona franchise floundered. Had they called back, the media would have reported it.

[SteveM85]

There is another thread on this with hundreds of comments already. It's been put through the wringer.

Big Four mens pro sports are very territorial now. Owners and commissioners won't allow infrigement unless it's an in market move like the Pats would have been. It's not up to states, politicians or FB users, they have no say or authority.
Hartford could build a state of the art arena and try and coax the Celtics or Bruins, that would be the only hope and good luck with that.

Hartford is perfect for minors like the Wolfpack and Yard Dogs, or Pro Soccer and pro womens and gender neutral leagues like the WNBA.

[JONOV]

Originally Posted by BobNJ1960

No. It would be a disastrous NHL decision to even give Hartford 3- seconds of consideration. It failed, even when the NHL was a cheaper franchise to operate, and before the league was bright enough to insist on massive season ticket sales before even playing one game.

We have had many minor league failure stories, and currently have one minor league team doing very well. It's time to be content with that.

I don't think that minor league teams are apt comparisons. I think that the geographic proximity to the Boston and NY teams means that a lot of the owners in the league don't want another team so close.

[WILWRadio]

Originally Posted by JONOV

I don't think that minor league teams are apt comparisons. I think that the geographic proximity to the Boston and NY teams means that a lot of the owners in the league don't want another team so close.

This is correct. I've been saying this to people on this board for a long time now and many don't seem to get that politics is the sole reason Hartford does not have a good chance at getting another major league team of any type unless a team from NY or Boston moves in. The other reasons people give are not that much of an issue and many are just wrong. Hartford has just about as many people within a 30 mile radius as Pittsburgh and more than Cincinnati and Kansas City. Disposable income is there. The TV market size is there. The interest in pro hockey is there and people need to bear in mind that new comers moving to the state may not want to drive to Boston or NYC to see a game. More convenient to go to Hartford in that sense. Ultimately both Boston and NYC consider most of CT to be their territory and that makes it very difficult to get another team. A new competing league is probably the best bet much like when the WHA existed and the team moved from Boston to Hartford in 1974.

[BHW2436]

Originally Posted by Johnho771

It is the largest tv market without a team. Hartford was also a shared home of the Celtics, and home to NFL team, the Hartford Blues.

Hartford is one of the biggest, not the biggest.

Hartford is also incredibly close to two giant markets with massive appeal (Boston and NYC).

Hartford is also not a hugely transient population so people that live here have their sports teams. In a fairly small radius there are already 3 NHL teams, and the Bruins and Rangers are significant.

Austin TX is bigger and continues to grow. If you think that would encroach on Dallas market, well, that would be no different than Hartford with Boston/NYC.

Arguably if you consider Richmond VA area as a metro or Virginia Beach/Norfolk that’s same size as Hartford. I believe Louisville, KY is also slightly bigger than Hartford. There’s a few others as well.

I do think it’d be great for the area, but it would ultimately fail after the novelty wears off. You need corp money with suites buying season ticket packages then you need people actually going to a weeknight game consistently. Don’t compare minor league baseball success to possible NHL team.

Hardly anyone is a “Hartford Yard Goats” fan. It’s a lovely activity, cheap, kid friendly and baseball is a passive watched sport. Very few leave a Yard Goats game really caring if they won or lost. Hockey is a different animal.