As Kansas City teeters on the brink of having a (relatively) new arena without an NHL team, an NBA team, and, potentially, no Big XII for whom to host a tournament, there is an interesting article in the Toronto Globe and Mail that says an announcement is coming within the next couple of weeks about a return of the Quebec Nordiques.
Quebec NHL dream nears reality
“Once we have the arena, it will automatically attract a franchise. That’s a fundamental element,” Sam Hamad, the Minister responsible for the Quebec City region, said Friday. “If we clearly express our intention that we want a franchise, the team can play in the old Coliseum until the new arena is built.”
Anyone heard that before?
The difference between Quebec City saying it and Kansas City saying it is that Quebec has an owner in place, ready to go. When I read that Quebecor was behind it I didn’t think it was so farfetched. Comcast, a similar US company, already owns a franchise in the league. Quebecor owns newspapers, publishing companies, cable companies and, here’s the clincher, is in the process of starting a “all-sports television network.”
Ahhh, there it is. Bettman wants to partner with Quebecor and the way to do that is to bring them into the league with their own franchise. He’s done it before. Anyone remember that Disney was the original owners of The Mighty Ducks of Anaheim?
An article in the Vancouver Sun says the team must be successful on the ice to be successful in Quebec City.
Winning teams the key to success if NHL returns to Quebec City, Winnipeg, experts say
Probably not at first. I would think a Canadian team would have a much longer honeymoon period that a team in a new US city.
With a stronger Canadian dollar, a salary cap on player salaries, a new economic model that makes franchises viable in smaller markets as well as a new arena in Winnipeg and one in the works in Quebec City, sports columnist Howard Bloom believes the winning conditions are coming together.
“I have no doubt whatsoever, that within the next three to five years, or the next five to 10 years you’ll see the NHL back in Quebec City and Winnipeg,” said Bloom, publisher of sportsbusinessnews.com, an industry website.
Could it happen in the next week or so?
