Hello out there, we're on the air, it's Hockey night tonight...perhaps in Manitoba. I am a transplanted Manitoban living in Southern Ontario, and I cannot wait for the opportunity to cheer for a team NHL Jerseys from my home town. I agree that where you're from does not make you more deserving of a team, as the city of Hamilton believes they deserve one, but don't support their Bulldogs... at all. This is a championship team, that averages less than 3000 people per game in a 16000 seat stadium. Whereas you have cities like Tampa, that love their Lightning, or San Jose and their Sharks. But, moving on from that point, the team, if it comes to Winnipeg, could be named the Jets, maybe even the Manitoba Jets, as long as they get the okay from Gary Bettman and the NHL. The Wholesale Jerseys owns the rights to the name Jets and the logo, not the Phoenix Coyotes. With this being said, the reason Cleveland did not have this issue, with the Browns, was because it was contingent on the NFL team leaving that the identity and logos, and history of the Browns would legally stay in Cleveland and owned by Cleveland if an NFL team were to return. This same plan was made for the Seattle Supersonics. However this is not the case for the Winnipeg Jets'. In fairness I would greatly support a name change to Manitoba Jets', or the Winnipeg Falcons. But I don't support the Moose as and NFL Jerseysentity. The last time a team in the NHL was promoted from a minor, the team failed and was absorbed into another (Cleveland Barons, Minnesota North Stars). As such the real question is would they choose the same colour scheme of Red, White and Blue? Or would they opt for the city colours of blue and gold? Time will tell. And if Atlanta keeps their squad, I hope their fans will appreciate the team more. Look at the Coyotes, their saga is not yet complete, maybe they might even move out of Glendale, and finally return to Phoenix. I agree with both Iain and Nathan, just b/c Canada invented the sport doesnt mean that a team belongs there more than in southern America. However as Nathan said u cant blame Winnipeg for being so happy and i highly doubt every1 of their fans are sayin hahaha sucks for Atlanta now you wont have a team, I just think theyre so caught up in the love and passion for their team that they haven't had time to feel for the NBA Jerseys. So i kinda disagree with you Chris i dnt think you should bash the jets fans as theyve been waiting 15 yrs for a team, i couldnt even imagine what that would be like living in philly. If a team was taken away from philly r fans would probly riot lol I wish there could be a way to keep both Atlanta and Winnipeg but like Nathan said its all about the money these days. The ones running the buis (like Bettman and owners of the teams) dont care 100% for those die hard fans (the ones who usually sit in the nosebleeds) and use the old excuse of the south isnt a place for hockey. Thats total bullshit if their are more than 10,000 fans in an arena their should be no reason for moving the team, Like many have said die-hards will take this seriously, im a die hard sports crazed fan and if any1 of my favorite teams Philly or non-philly were moved i'd be devastated. It's something you and your sports buddies look forward too every yr and are willing to shell out the cash to Purchase MLB Jerseysgo to their favorite teams sporting event. I digress, I have mixed feelings as well but I don't agree on the no love towards the Jets fans. (In a perfect world everyone would win, but money talks and unfortunately speaks louder than the hard working middle class or whatever class fans).
I am Canadian and I share the feeling that just because a city is in Canada it does not deserve a NHL Jerseys more than a southern US city. The factors that make a successful sports franchise (not just hockey) are many. Geography is certainly part of the equation I would think, but it is not the only factor. If that were the case then Winnipeg would still have a team. I feel terrible for the Thrashers fans who might get their team ripped away from them. I can't even imagine what that would be like considering I am a Canucks fan and the likelihood of that happening to me any time soon is negligible. But I was a Grizzlies fan when they were moved and it sucked (and my second favorite team was Seattle Supersonics). Luckily I wasn't as much of a NFL Jerseys fan as I am hockey so it didn't hurt too much. But I can understand how it feels on a lesser level. And it is not good. But you can't blame Winnipeg fans for being so excited though. They have been really thirsty for the Wholesale Jerseysfor a long time and they have supported the Moose quite well. I doubt they are celebrating Atlanta's loss. They just aren't thinking about that part of it and you have to put yourself in their shoes to understand it. So please don't bash any fans in this. It is an unfortunate part of the sport also being a business. It sucks, but it is our reality and the only way the fans can make an impact is by spending their money which for some of us (including me) is really hard to do when prices are so high. I dont understand why i keep being told that I dont 'deserve' MY hockey team. I have always supported and i have gone to plenty of games over the years. I went to 25 home games and 3 road games this past season. The problem is that alot of you folks havent followed the thrashers over the years, therefore you havent really heard of or seen the constant screwjobs, idiot business moves, lack of marketing, and just all around driving away of fans. We had plenty of fans the first 5 years or so but when ASG was in full force and started Suing eachother, yeah it got bad....REAL BAD! This was not the fans fault that this happened, and Winnipeg, i really feel for you and always have felt for you since the jets left. I have actually been right there with you for a number of years ,until my team was driven into this situation, wanting to bring back the jets because i know that you folks were heart broken, much like i am feeling right now, over losing them. We never really had a chance with this franchise. It is quite appearant if you have ever stayed here in ATL and been in Philips Arena a few times that the owners are much more invested in the Hawks than the Thrashers. I mean, how do you explain being below 26th out of 30 teams in cap all 8 years that you own it? MY answer: you don't care as an owner to sell MLB Jerseys!
Amen Chris, amen. I am born n raised in Calgary, 26 years, and I've always lovedMLB Jerseys. Not becasue of my nationality, or that it snows here. But because I love the game. It's fast, exciting and physical. I have played soccer for 21 years now, having been 1st generation Canadian to very Scottish parents....but even then, it never changed my love of either sport. I've had people say to me that the sunbelt doesn't deserve hockey for a laundry list of specious reason. No fans, climate and heritage are usually the leading reasons. Yet at the same time, those same people chastise me for having played soccer my whole life in a "no traditional market" for the game. So this elitist attitude towards the game here seems to wear blinders to block it's peripherals when dealing with other sports. I always try to remind people thatNBA Jerseys, basketball and lacrosse were all bred and fine tuned here north of the 49th. But of course, climate usually plays a role in people's opinions as to why those sports "suck" to them. It's ridiculous to be honest. I always laugh when I see a player interviewed after they are traded from say the Panthers to the Oilers. "I'm excited to come to a hockey market where the entire city embraces the team", blah blah blah. But lets be honest, I've been to Edmonton, and no offense to its denizens.....but who in there right mind would choose Edmonton over Miami? Having also been to markets such as Phoenix, Nashville, Los Angeles and columbus, I must say that the passion and love for the game amongst the fans there is equal to, or superior to some markets here. Let's face it, Canadians seem to take the game for granted. Saying hockey belongs here over the states when we're host to 6 NFL Jerseys franchises, 4 in the AHL and 52 major junior teams in the CHL. The game is taken greatly for granted here. Very few are able to see past their own love for the game and recognize it in others from around the world. You look at the World Championships this year and you see Canada finishing 5th, with Europe sweeping all the medals, and Norway and Germany shocking all by placing 6th and 7th respectively. But here in Canada, where the game is "ours" and "belongs" here, there was barely anybody watching it. You'd be hard pressed to find anyone who knows who won the gold once Canada was bumped for those who did watch. Problem though, the court of public opinion up here will never change on this matter. So long as there are teams in the sunbelt in the Wholesale Jerseys, Gary Bettman will continue to be the Great Satan of hockey. Which is to bad for the thousands of fans that exist in all those markets. With Winnipeg back in the league, little will change. There presence in Canada will not affect tickets sales in the other 6 cities. Save for Ottawa, the other 5 rinks have been sold out since the lock out.....regardless of the visiting team. So realistically, Winnipeg visiting these cities will not alter attendance anymore than say the Rangers, Thrashers, Blues or Predators would. So why does anyone up here besides those in Winnipeg really care so much? As you said, it's that innate entitlement that drives them. It makes them think they're more deserving of being a fan of the game over any fan in Atlanta. Which is a shitty reason to like NHL Jerseys.
I've been reading in non-hockey circles that Atlanta's NHL Jerseys has floundered in the last decade or so. My union rep tells me that there isn't a single tower crane in operation, compared to 167 in Toronto, which is currently experiencing a miniature economic boom. The tower crane figure is a decent indicator of the amount of economic activity for a city, due to the work being done underneath them, generally. By all accounts, Atlanta's economy is in the dumps. Never mind the small number of serious fans; the city's economics make it hard for a major professional sports team to get the funding base they need to survive through sponsorship and seat licensing. Also, you can buy NFL Jerseys with passion. The intensity of the devotion of the small number of Thrasher fans is clearly not bankable enough to pay Andrew Ladd and Dustin Byufglien their salaries. I'm a hockey evangelist, I think it's the most exciting, entertaining, and fast-paced game in the world, but not every new hockey market is capable of sustaining an Wholesale Jerseys, and Atlanta's had their shot, twice now. As far as I'm concerned, it's not about how much an individual loves the sport or their team. It's about the general consensus. And if they move the Thrashers to Winnipeg, believe me, the entire Canadian city will live and breathe their team. Unlike in Atlanta where there aren't enough of those passionate fans to fill up half the arena throughout the seasons. The proof is there and it can't be denied. It has nothing to do with anything geographical, but everything to do with how passionate Winnipeg citizens will be. And again, I'm not talking about specific fans of the team like in Atlanta, but an entire city who will be all over this. And I'll make the same exact claim for Quebec. And even more for them. I don't know if you guys are aware, but Nordiques fans organize rallies and get-togethers where thousands upon thousands show up to display their want for a hockey team. Thousands get on buses and travel to other cities where they pack up another team's arena to show the NBA Jerseys that they mean business (ask the NY Islanders about how there were more Nordiques fans in the stands than either team who was playing that night at Nasau Coliseum, including the home team). I would feel bad for Thrashers fans if they actually packed the house and the city was hockey all-year round. But I don't feel sorry for them because the folks in Hotlanta didn't show enough interest in the local team. So too bad! And I'll say the same exact thing about any team whose arenas are only full when their team is in the playoffs, but are barely half full during the year. The league has a good bunch of teams full of bandwagon fans. I would say the same exact thing if the team was Canadian. But that is far from the case for sell MLB Jerseys. To quote the American Kurt Angle "It's true. It's damn true!"
As a passionate die-hard Calgary fan, I've always been partial to the MLB Jerseys, right from the very start. I'd cheer for them for no real justified reason and then tell my friends that when Atlanta becomes a contender, I won't be the bandwagoneer. I figured since they've been re-building --rather building---- a team for more than a decade now, the elite version of the team must be on its way. Atlanta seems like a perfect place to live and play hockey as an Wholesale Jerseys, the media doesn't dissect your every move, your kids can go to school and be normal, a trip to the grocery store doesn't result in mass autograph mobs.... and it's warm there! So why can't Thrashers management pay enough money to bring or keep free agents? Why is it that a metro city of well over 5 million people can't even find 18000 people to watch a game? Why is it that it cheaper for me to buy a plane ticket to Atlanta, rent a hotel room and a car for a weekend and sit in the lower bowl for a Thrashers game than to go watch a game in a Calgary, Toronto, Vancouver, or Montreal? Why is it that not a single prospective buyer has come forward to purchase the team and keep it in Atlanta? Atlanta got two chances to prove it was a hockey town, as did Minnesota, and the Bay Area (Oakland Seals anyone?). The difference with the latter two is that fans now regularly show up to games in respectable numbers, even San Jose, which has certainly had its fair share of perpetual underachievement. I heard they were going to have a rally in Atlanta to show support for the Thrashers........I didn't hear how many people showed up. Enough to fill an arena? Enough to fill all of downtown? Enough to fill a major street downtown? Maybe a few downtown pubs? Did the police have to show up for crowd control? Where there any rallies elsewhere in Georgia? Did it even make the news in Atlanta? Or was it those few passionate ones that filled a curb side with a few NBA Jerseys and a few signs? As another poster said, cheering for perennial mediocrity is very tough. No doubt about it. I know what it's like In fact, unless you only cheer for the Detroit Red Wings, the New York Yankees, the NFL Jerseys, or the New England Patriots, EVERYONE knows what that's like. I also have no doubt that there are passionate hockey fans puts on NHL Jerseys in Atlanta. But it's clear that something has to change, because only a handful of passionate fans won't cut it. The hockey business is a service industry, if a service (aka a means to provide entertainment, stress relief therapy, social gatherings, etc) isn't provided, then it won't be successful. Plain and simple. If I run a barber shop, and I give crappy haircuts, I'm eventually going to go out of business! If I re-open my barber shop in the same place and continue to give crappy haircuts? You guessed it, I will go out of business. If Atlanta, Minneapolis, and San Jose can all get a second chance to prove themselves, why can't Winnipeg?
Did Phoenix fans shed tears for Winnipeg? Did Colorado weep for Quebec City? Did Carolina cry for Hartford? Nope. It's unrealistic to expect Winnipeggers/Canadians to feel bad about a market we don't care about. We're just happy to have a team back. A few more: Van Damme's Sudden Death featured the Pens. Lethal Weapon 3 had a game between the Leafs and Kings (for the most part, they switched to generic logoMLB Jerseys when the cops crashed onto the ice). Mystery, Alaska featured the Rangers. The real Mighty Ducks made a cameo in one of their namesake films. Joey Lauren Adams wore nothing but a NFL Jerseys in Chasing Amy (can't remember which team). Mark - it's called empathy. Basic human emotion. Seems to me as though you could use a bit of it. What exactly do you think happens in those post playoff series handshake lines? The loser congratulates the victor, and the winner tells their conquest that they fought hard and gave it their all. Common respect between people. Today sucks for us Thrasher fans, but it is nice to see the joy in the faces of those in Winnipeg who had their team taken from beneath them unfairly 15 years ago. Just find it interesting to note that the Jets final season's attendance averaged about 11k per game. Atlanta's worst season was 13k. (Mind you, league average jumped up 2k since the mid 90s). Anyway, I'm firmly against relocation, I'd rather see Canada NHL Jerseys get teams via expansion. I'm a fan of the Sens and Oilers, both of whom faced difficulties and could've been sent packing to the US. I don't think the league has a bias against Canada. I also think Winnipeg isn't a greater market than Atlanta. I'd argue they're about the same: Winnipeg might have a larger percentage of NBA Jerseys fans, but Atlanta's got a much larger population to draw from..