Third time’s a charm? Why the NHL believes an expansion team in Atlanta will work.

[kingsjohn]

Just wow

 

[beedee]

Fool me once, shame on you, fool me twice, shame on me, fool me three times, and you're out?

 

[SirJW]

Please no.

 

[PTDP]

If they do add a team in ATL, won't they have to add another in the Western Conference? Maybe even one more
in each division (even out the numbers) making it an addition of 4 teams?

 

[kingsjohn]

If they do add a team in ATL, won't they have to add another in the Western Conference? Maybe even one more
in each division (even out the numbers) making it an addition of 4 teams?

In a perfect world, yes
But they did play with uneven divisions and conferences before

 

[Moog]

"I think times have changed pretty dramatically and the market demographics have changed pretty dramatically since the first time we went there and then again in 1999," he said. "I think a lot of bigger businesses are in Atlanta [now]."

Yikes! These clowns don't get it. NHL teams need FANS, not markets or "bigger businesses" that will lease corporate suites.
The NHL only makes money on game days, not on broadcast revenue. The NHL is a small tier sport that relies HEAVILY on game days.

In 2017 when Atlanta United had their first soccer season in Atlanta, they sold out MB Stadium.
Atlanta United averages 47,000 fans per game.

Why do so many people come to watch soccer in Atlanta versus the few that came to watch hockey?
Answer: They like soccer and not hockey. It's not a market for hockey. (See Arizona as well).

It's really that simple. Hockey does not attract in Atlanta. People don't identify with the sport.
Atlanta does not have the current hockey demographic (old white-ish peeps).

However it's a boon demographic for soccer (young - any color of the rainbow).

NHL needs to find another state/region.

 

[Dr. Tran]

You know what would attract fans to hockey in Atlanta more than anything? People who know how to run a hockey franchise & could put a winning product on the ice. In 11 seasons the Thrashers made the playoffs once & got swept. Why would anyone go to their games? Especially if they didn’t really know the sport. I don’t know about how the Flames did in Atlanta. But I do think it’s funny they were named after the worst thing that happened to that city.

 

[jom]

They'd go back to Atlanta again but not put a team in Quebec City?. Huh?

jom

 

[salami]

You know what would attract fans to hockey in Atlanta more than anything? People who know how to run a hockey franchise & could put a winning product on the ice. In 11 seasons the Thrashers made the playoffs once & got swept. Why would anyone go to their games? Especially if they didn’t really know the sport. I don’t know about how the Flames did in Atlanta. But I do think it’s funny they were named after the worst thing that happened to that city.

Current expansion rules would give them a much better on-ice product than when they originally conceived the Thrashers franchise.