Some background: the NHL is back in Winnipeg.
I don't think people that don't support an NHL team in this city have really thought out their reasons very clearly. There are some people, like Chris, who are kind of gay (sorry if you ever read this, Chris), who just don't care about sports. They'd rather post a million fucking pictures of their kids on twitter and talk about gardening. That's fine. You're excused.
But the people who are sports fans, and who look at the situation, and say, "Hm, no, don't think Winnipeg can support a team," I don't think those people are right.
At first, I wasn't crazy about getting an NHL team back in town. We had the Moose, whom I loved (still do, always will; they're going to be our farm team in St. John's). I was worried that ticket prices for crappy seats would be $70+. I worried the city couldn't afford it.
Now that I've spent some time thinking about it, I realise that I was wrong. Graeme made a good point when he said that it would be exciting to see current NHLers playing in our very own Phone Booth. I saw Sidney Crosby play for Team Canada in the World Juniors. It was great. Now I've got an opportunity to see players like Luongo, Foote, Iginla, Toews, Brodeur, Gretzky, Lemieux, Thomas... You get the idea. The Moose are great, but world class hockey they are not.
When the Jets left, there was no salary cap. The cost of keeping a team in a "small" market city was too unmanageable. Our dollar was weak, our team was losing money and losing money. A critic's argument that the same thing is bound to happen is bunk. Yes, the Thrashers are moving from a city of over 5 million to a city of 750, 000, but you'd be mad to say that ATL wants hockey more than Winnipeg. And where there's a will and all that. Plus, we've got a very strong dollar on our side, a province that has seemed impervious to the recession, and a salary cap that makes affording an NHL team a realistic endeavor for a city Winnipeg's size.
The only conclusion I can come to is that you heard Winnipeg was getting an NHL team, remembered that we lost the Jets 15 years ago, and responded with a knee-jerk reaction of "Oh, it'll happen again," and therefore just count out the team before they've even had a chance to win you over.
If you're any kind of sports fan, and you're saying this because you have 'good intentions' or whatever for Winnipeg, I call bullshit.
I say go to a game, any game, within the first five years of the NHL being back in Winnipeg. Sit in a seething, cheering crowd of people in the midst of a white-out, and then get back to me.
Tell me then that we can't support a team.
You make one good point in your rant Daniel. You mention the salary cap. Other than that, I doubt that the Canadian dollar will keep it's incredible value in perpetuity, nor does "excitement" necessarily make a long lasting team.
ReplyDeleteAm I excited that an NHL team is back in our fair city, yes, am I realistically able to afford to go to many games? No. I also believe (no proof for this at all) that many people who bought tickets aren't going to be able to afford them over the long term, Canada has record household debt, and currently we have the lowest possible interest rates, when those rates begin to go up, then people's currently "disposable income" is going to go down drastically and things like sporting tickets are (or should IMO) be the first cuts to be made.
Good luck Jets. I wish you well. I hope you stay a good long time, I am, however, remain slightly cynical.
Having said all that, the new owners seem to believe in this, and they have a better grasp on economics than I do (or else I'd be a millionaire)