Whitlock: NHL makes more sense than NBA

**Bearcat** · 08-01-2005, 10:39 AM

If you don't care, you can always click here (don't click here though!)

NHL fits us better than the NBA

JASON WHITLOCK

Saturday morning when I walked through the door at the Ice Sports Arena of Kansas City, Paul McGannon stood 15 feet away, head cocked, looking up at a TV screen as the NHL began its resurrection.
The NHL entry draft, the league’s first official act since inking a new collective-bargaining agreement, had been under way for maybe 30 minutes. Sidney Crosby, the teenager who commissioner Gary Bettman hopes makes the NHL relevant again, had already been plucked by the Pittsburgh Penguins.

The Ice Sports Arena was hosting a “watch party.” There were hot dogs, potato chips, ice cream, free ice time and a three-piece rockabilly band to entice potential partygoers. Ninety minutes into the draft, there were between 40 and 50 people milling around. Most cared little about the draft. They were there to watch their kids skate.
McGannon, of course, was there because his life is devoted to getting an NHL team in Kansas City.

“It’s a pure startup with nothing but blue skies ahead,” said McGannon, comparing the new NHL to an Internet venture.

You know what? I agree with McGannon.

When looking for a full-time tenant at the Sprint Center, we should focus our attention on the NHL over the NBA. Professional hockey in Kansas City makes far more sense than professional basketball.
I can do better than that. The new NHL makes more sense in Kansas City than does major-league baseball.

Everyone is beating up on the NHL right now. The sport was devastated by its seasonlong work stoppage. It doesn’t have a TV contract. It’s implemented a bunch of new rules designed to make the game more exciting. Jeremy Roenick, one of the league’s best players, told hockey fans to kiss his rear. I went to the league’s official Web site, NHL.com, and it looked second-class, like something a second-rate sports-talk radio station would put together.

You could argue that MLS is in better shape than the NHL.
You’d be wrong, but you could make the argument.

Hockey is going to rebound. It’s a great game, and now the NHL has the best economic system in professional sports. The NHL has a firm salary cap ($39 million), revenue sharing that will support nontraditional, small-market hockey cities and an economic structure that will spread the game’s best players around the league.

You won’t need a free-spending, billionaire owner to compete in the NHL. A penny-pincher like David Glass would have a chance to win in the NHL.

OK, that might be an exaggeration. Glass would put his son in charge of the operation, and KC’s hockey franchise would flip-flop between a youth movement and veteran club every two to three months.

I digress. The new NHL for the foreseeable future, particularly while the NHL tries to win back fans, will be very fan and family friendly. You won’t need a high-six-figures income to take your family to NHL games on a regular basis. Fans won’t get shaken down at the ticket booth just so owners can pay their superstars $15 million a year.

“Most teams have season-ticket packages around $400 or $500,” said McGannon, whose group, NHL 21, brings an NHL exhibition game to town once a year. “The Florida Panthers have seats as cheap as $7.”
Hey, look, I love the NBA. It would be easy for me to argue that Kansas City should do everything within its power to land an NBA franchise. I’m a member of the media and get a free seat down close. But I’m not sure if the average Kansas City sports fan will shell out $50 or $60 to see the KC Magic play 41 home basketball games. Now, $20 or $25 to see the KC Penguins and Sidney Crosby is very doable.

The Penguins are a prime candidate for relocation. Mario Lemieux’s franchise is in need of a new arena. The city of Pittsburgh has yet to step up. The Penguins’ lease runs out in 2007.

The other thing I like is that we could get in on the ground floor of the new NHL.

The sport is basically starting over. The new rules will significantly change the style of play. We could learn the game and its new stars together.

“They’re going to open up the ice and make it more fast-paced,” said Bob O’Leary, a diehard hockey fan who attended Saturday’s draft party. “It’ll be a lot better. And there’ll definitely be more highlights on ESPN.”
Take it from a lifelong basketball junkie, we’ll learn to love hockey.

**ptlyon** · 08-01-2005, 10:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JASON WHITLOCK

I went to the league’s official Web site, NHL.com, and it looked second-class, like something a second-rate sports-talk radio station would put together.

Now there's something that he should know an awful lot about.

Prison Bitch · 01-31-2017, 12:47 PM

Brooklyn booting the Islanders from Barclays arena where they're drawing only 12k. Coming to a sprint center near you?

Dante84 · 01-31-2017, 12:52 PM

I wonder if we could do much better than averaging 12k/game

41 games of people driving to downtown for Hockey?

**DaneMcCloud** · 01-31-2017, 12:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dante84

I wonder if we could do much better than averaging 12k/game

41 games of people driving to downtown for Hockey?

Light Rail from the suburbs to downtown would change everything.

**alpha_omega** · 01-31-2017, 12:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DaneMcCloud

Light Rail from the suburbs to downtown would change everything.

That is an excellent point.

CaliforniaChief · 01-31-2017, 01:01 PM

It seems like such a pipe dream, but I would love to see KC get a hockey team. The NHL is fantastic, IMO.

I'm currently a Kings fan, but I'd switch in a heartbeat if they got a team.

Dante84 · 01-31-2017, 01:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DaneMcCloud

Light Rail from the suburbs to downtown would change everything.

Is that happening?

I'm not up to speed on the local stuff anymore.

Titty Meat · 01-31-2017, 01:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Prison Bitch

Brooklyn booting the Islanders from Barclays arena where they're drawing only 12k. Coming to a sprint center near you?

KC will never get a NHL or NBA team

Titty Meat · 01-31-2017, 02:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dante84

Is that happening?

I'm not up to speed on the local stuff anymore.

No. They are trying to expand the train from downtown to brookside though.

ChiefsCountry · 01-31-2017, 02:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DaneMcCloud

Light Rail from the suburbs to downtown would change everything.

Kansas City isn't a public transportation type city.

Pasta Little Brioni · 01-31-2017, 02:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Prison Bitch

Brooklyn booting the Islanders from Barclays arena where they're drawing only 12k. Coming to a sprint center near you?

Lulz

bricks · 01-31-2017, 03:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CaliforniaChief

It seems like such a pipe dream, but I would love to see KC get a hockey team. The NHL is fantastic, IMO.

I'm currently a Kings fan, but I'd switch in a heartbeat if they got a team.

One of the best leagues there is right now.

I'm not only saying this because I'm Canadian, but from an economic standpoint, like the article was saying it

Rooster · 01-31-2017, 03:16 PM

I'm impressed that Prison Bitch brought back a thread from 2005 with only two posts in it.

As far as hockey in KC is concerned, I'll believe it when I see it. I'll be a fan of whoever should move to Sprint but I'm not holding my breath.

bricks · 01-31-2017, 03:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CaliforniaChief

It seems like such a pipe dream, but I would love to see KC get a hockey team. The NHL is fantastic, IMO.

I'm currently a Kings fan, but I'd switch in a heartbeat if they got a team.

One of the best leagues there is right now.

I'm not only saying this because I'm Canadian, but from an economic standpoint, like the article was saying it enables the best players in the league to be spread out.

It's unlike the NBA where the best basketball players in the world gather together and sell themselves out to the best teams, thus making that team a "super team" which most likely translates into that "super team" winning championships and not giving the rest of the teams in the league a chance to compete for a championship. NBA Is so unfair and lacks parody. I stopped watching it for that reason.

If you don't have top players in the world in the NBA, your chances of winning a championship are significantly less. Whereas, in hockey you could have the top players in the world and still not win a Stanley Cup. That's why I like hockey more. There is more balance, distribution and parody.

*I think hockey would be great in Kansas City. I would even come down to watch a game if you guys happen to play my Leafs. Go Leafs go though

But seriously, you guys are one of the most passionate fan bases across North America. I sincerely mean that and it would make things more exciting.

08-01-2005, 10:39 AM
Bearcat Would an idiot do that? Join Date: Nov 2000 Location: Arizona Casino cash: $-865069	Whitlock: NHL makes more sense than NBA If you don't care, you can always click here (don't click here though!) NHL fits us better than the NBA JASON WHITLOCK Saturday morning when I walked through the door at the Ice Sports Arena of Kansas City, Paul McGannon stood 15 feet away, head cocked, looking up at a TV screen as the NHL began its resurrection. The NHL entry draft, the league’s first official act since inking a new collective-bargaining agreement, had been under way for maybe 30 minutes. Sidney Crosby, the teenager who commissioner Gary Bettman hopes makes the NHL relevant again, had already been plucked by the Pittsburgh Penguins. The Ice Sports Arena was hosting a “watch party.” There were hot dogs, potato chips, ice cream, free ice time and a three-piece rockabilly band to entice potential partygoers. Ninety minutes into the draft, there were between 40 and 50 people milling around. Most cared little about the draft. They were there to watch their kids skate. McGannon, of course, was there because his life is devoted to getting an NHL team in Kansas City. “It’s a pure startup with nothing but blue skies ahead,” said McGannon, comparing the new NHL to an Internet venture. You know what? I agree with McGannon. When looking for a full-time tenant at the Sprint Center, we should focus our attention on the NHL over the NBA. Professional hockey in Kansas City makes far more sense than professional basketball. I can do better than that. The new NHL makes more sense in Kansas City than does major-league baseball. Everyone is beating up on the NHL right now. The sport was devastated by its seasonlong work stoppage. It doesn’t have a TV contract. It’s implemented a bunch of new rules designed to make the game more exciting. Jeremy Roenick, one of the league’s best players, told hockey fans to kiss his rear. I went to the league’s official Web site, NHL.com, and it looked second-class, like something a second-rate sports-talk radio station would put together. You could argue that MLS is in better shape than the NHL. You’d be wrong, but you could make the argument. Hockey is going to rebound. It’s a great game, and now the NHL has the best economic system in professional sports. The NHL has a firm salary cap ($39 million), revenue sharing that will support nontraditional, small-market hockey cities and an economic structure that will spread the game’s best players around the league. You won’t need a free-spending, billionaire owner to compete in the NHL. A penny-pincher like David Glass would have a chance to win in the NHL. OK, that might be an exaggeration. Glass would put his son in charge of the operation, and KC’s hockey franchise would flip-flop between a youth movement and veteran club every two to three months. I digress. The new NHL for the foreseeable future, particularly while the NHL tries to win back fans, will be very fan and family friendly. You won’t need a high-six-figures income to take your family to NHL games on a regular basis. Fans won’t get shaken down at the ticket booth just so owners can pay their superstars $15 million a year. “Most teams have season-ticket packages around $400 or $500,” said McGannon, whose group, NHL 21, brings an NHL exhibition game to town once a year. “The Florida Panthers have seats as cheap as $7.” Hey, look, I love the NBA. It would be easy for me to argue that Kansas City should do everything within its power to land an NBA franchise. I’m a member of the media and get a free seat down close. But I’m not sure if the average Kansas City sports fan will shell out $50 or $60 to see the KC Magic play 41 home basketball games. Now, $20 or $25 to see the KC Penguins and Sidney Crosby is very doable. The Penguins are a prime candidate for relocation. Mario Lemieux’s franchise is in need of a new arena. The city of Pittsburgh has yet to step up. The Penguins’ lease runs out in 2007. The other thing I like is that we could get in on the ground floor of the new NHL. The sport is basically starting over. The new rules will significantly change the style of play. We could learn the game and its new stars together. “They’re going to open up the ice and make it more fast-paced,” said Bob O’Leary, a diehard hockey fan who attended Saturday’s draft party. “It’ll be a lot better. And there’ll definitely be more highlights on ESPN.” Take it from a lifelong basketball junkie, we’ll learn to love hockey.
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01-31-2017, 12:47 PM	#3
Prison Bitch Rabbi Goldmann Join Date: Nov 2012 Casino cash: $5450159	Brooklyn booting the Islanders from Barclays arena where they're drawing only 12k. Coming to a sprint center near you?
Posts: 87,025

01-31-2017, 12:52 PM	#4
Dante84 Tossed Salad & Scrambled Eggs Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: ATX & OPKS Casino cash: $-1858004 VARSITY	I wonder if we could do much better than averaging 12k/game 41 games of people driving to downtown for Hockey? __________________ ..
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01-31-2017, 01:01 PM	#7
CaliforniaChief #RIPAce Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: So Cal Casino cash: $10685899	It seems like such a pipe dream, but I would love to see KC get a hockey team. The NHL is fantastic, IMO. I'm currently a Kings fan, but I'd switch in a heartbeat if they got a team.
Posts: 17,444

01-31-2017, 03:16 PM	#14
Rooster Draft a QB Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: JoCo Casino cash: $9961689	I'm impressed that Prison Bitch brought back a thread from 2005 with only two posts in it. As far as hockey in KC is concerned, I'll believe it when I see it. I'll be a fan of whoever should move to Sprint but I'm not holding my breath. __________________ When Reno Hightower was a prick he was the best damn quarterback in the history of Kern County.
Posts: 5,753