Whitlock: NHL makes more sense than NBA - Page 2

**Bearcat** · 08-01-2005, 10:39 AM

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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.

Discuss Thrower · 01-31-2017, 03:25 PM

The Whalers will reappear before KC gets an NHL team.

**ptlyon** · 01-31-2017, 03:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rooster

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

And I was one of them

**DaneMcCloud** · 01-31-2017, 03:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ChiefsCountry

Kansas City isn't a public transportation type city.

But it should become a public transportation city.

Pitt Gorilla · 01-31-2017, 03:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bricks

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.

Parody of what?

C3HIEF3S · 01-31-2017, 03:41 PM

It's a pipe dream, but if the city can sell out every game for poor-quality soccer, then I think it'd warm up to an NHL team quickly.

St. Patty's Fire · 01-31-2017, 04:29 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?

Don't see the Isles moving out of Ny, personally.

A team that could potentially be on the move is Carolina, but I would say both Quebec and Seattle would be way ahead of KC on a relocation candidate list.

bricks · 01-31-2017, 04:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pitt Gorilla

Parody of what?

Oops my bad. I misspelled the term. I mean "parity" as in more equality with respect to winning a Stanley Cup.

Dante84 · 01-31-2017, 05:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by C3HIEF3S

It's a pipe dream, but if the city can sell out every game for poor-quality soccer, then I think it'd warm up to an NHL team quickly.

True, although - there's only ~17 home games for MLS, and the stadium is out near JoCo where it's very easy to get to and park.

40+ home games downtown could be tough in KC, where no one really lives nearby and the parking is kind of shitty.

Combine that with fans being interested in college basketball & football, NFL, MLS, and MLB, and there's a lot of competition for ticket purchases.

Who knows, though. I'd love another team to root for and watch on TV.

**alpha_omega** · 01-31-2017, 05:26 PM

Mavericks is a good time (although it obviously isn't NHL)

Best22 · 01-31-2017, 05:31 PM

If people want to go to the game, they'll go to the game. Doesn't matter where it is

Dayze · 01-31-2017, 05:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by alpha_omega

Mavericks is a good time (although it obviously isn't NHL)

I had a blast at the one and only game we went to. I think tickets were something super cheap, like $13 or $23...something like that. I went to gt a beer, and a big ol cup of beer was like $4 if I recall. Maybe $5.

I really enjoyed it, and this coming from someone who knows **** all about hockey, rules, strategy etc.

and afterwards, they had 3 or 4 guys from the team outsdie the locker room signing autographs for a pretty long line of people.
We bought my nephew, who was like 6 or 7 at the time a miniature hockey stick just so we'd have something 'signed' for him. Great experience.

St. Patty's Fire · 01-31-2017, 06:04 PM

As someone who is a BIG hockey fan (I know WAY more about the NhL than NFL) I think hockey in Kc would be pretty cool. Would definitely keep tabs on them as a second team.

-King- · 01-31-2017, 06:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bricks

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

The article is from 2005 lol.

NBA absolutely demolishes the NHL in basically every metric. Attendance, TV viewership and ratings, star power, stability, marketing etc. NBA would be the better league for the city but I wouldn't complain either way
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GloryDayz · 01-31-2017, 06:09 PM

Sign me up... I'll be a STH from day-1... And it's not like we don't already have a connection - and it involves a Hunt too

. But that would prolly work against us.

BWillie · 01-31-2017, 08:23 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?

I don't understand what is inconvenient about downtown. Whenever i go to an event there i get in just as fast or faster compared to parking in that cluster**** Kaufman or Arrowhead parking lot. As long as you accept you have to park 4 blocks away and walk its reasonable fast. I don't think KC is set up geographically to support a light rail system at a reasonable price tag

08-01-2005, 10:39 AM
Bearcat Would an idiot do that? Join Date: Nov 2000 Location: Arizona Casino cash: $-895069	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, 03:25 PM	#16
Discuss Thrower "You like to drink?" Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: "I like to drink." Casino cash: $-210000	The Whalers will reappear before KC gets an NHL team. __________________ Chiefs 2016 Opponents: Home: JAX, TEN, NO, TB, NYJ. Away: HOU, IND, ATL, CAR, PIT Chiefs 2017 Opponents: Home: BUF, MIA, PHI, WSH, AFC North. Away: NE, NYJ, NYG, DAL, AFC South
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01-31-2017, 03:41 PM	#20
C3HIEF3S Let's Get Weird Join Date: Apr 2013 Location: Austin Casino cash: $9910098	It's a pipe dream, but if the city can sell out every game for poor-quality soccer, then I think it'd warm up to an NHL team quickly.
Posts: 15,232

01-31-2017, 05:26 PM	#24
alpha_omega Supporter Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Liberty Casino cash: $-1610000	Mavericks is a good time (although it obviously isn't NHL)
Posts: 17,324

01-31-2017, 05:31 PM	#25
Best22 MVP Join Date: May 2016 Location: World Boxing Champs Casino cash: $1930400	If people want to go to the game, they'll go to the game. Doesn't matter where it is
Posts: 6,110

01-31-2017, 06:04 PM	#27
St. Patty's Fire Same as the old boss Join Date: Sep 2013 Location: North NJ Casino cash: $1204900	As someone who is a BIG hockey fan (I know WAY more about the NhL than NFL) I think hockey in Kc would be pretty cool. Would definitely keep tabs on them as a second team.
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01-31-2017, 06:09 PM	#29
GloryDayz (Sir/Yes Sir/Aye Aye Sir) Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Diving Casino cash: $895380	Sign me up... I'll be a STH from day-1... And it's not like we don't already have a connection - and it involves a Hunt too . But that would prolly work against us.
Posts: 123,206