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Bring Back The Whale!!!


GHartford

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It's funny, Atlanta never had to prove they were a hockey city before getting a team back, Minneapolis never had to prove themselves a hockey city to get a team back, San Fran/Oakland/San Jose never had to prove itself, LA never had to reprove itself, Winnipeg won't have to prove themselves a hockey city to get a team back, why does Hartford have to?

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  • 2 weeks later...

It's funny, Atlanta never had to prove they were a hockey city before getting a team back, Minneapolis never had to prove themselves a hockey city to get a team back, San Fran/Oakland/San Jose never had to prove itself, LA never had to reprove itself, Winnipeg won't have to prove themselves a hockey city to get a team back, why does Hartford have to?

[/quYou hit the nail on the head bro. Nashville and Phoenix are two other examples. ote]

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a bunch of people and reps are looking to forn a CT sports marketing board or some sort. they lobby to get events like NCAA conference tournaments, ncaa track championship or whatever.

the head of the booster club is involved.

these kinds of groups help get arenas and stadiums built as well.

the fact is that these events bring in big money all over the country, and CT wants to join the other 26 states who have them.

This is a step towards a regional sports authority!!

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I just picked up (ok an hour ago) 2 Whalers mugs from the Old State House gift store.

GLORIOUS!

seemingly a little steep at 12.50 a piece, but they totally rock.

giving one to my buddy since his Whalers sticker is falling of his Citysteam Mug. spreading the love!

I have two OLD Petro Pantry plastic mugs with the Whalers on them. The emblem is wearing a bit, but still rockin them on a regular basis.

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I'm in the process of cleaning my basement and came across a box I haven't opened in years. In it were two travel coffee mugs in mint condition with the Whalers logo, name, and "1996-97 Season" on the front and Dunkin' Donuts on the back. I also found a ceramic coffee mug in perfect condition. I just wish my three-year-old son didn't destroy the white Christmas ornament I had with the 80s logo on it. (I didn't think he could reach that far up the tree. When I heard a big CRUNCH coming from the living room in December, I just knew what it was!) I still have the clear one with little blue and green streamers inside and the newer logo on the front.

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There is some great stuff on there, thanks! I wonder if anybody still has the Junior Whalers player cards? I remember having them through the 80's. Also, while the Brass Bonanza was the teams anthem, the guy who sang the National Anthem everynight put out a song about the Whalers. This was early to mid 80's. I had it on tape...I can remember a white tape with "Whalers..." something-or-other on it. Anybody have any idea. I cant even remember the guys name.

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There is some great stuff on there, thanks! I wonder if anybody still has the Junior Whalers player cards? I remember having them through the 80's. Also, while the Brass Bonanza was the teams anthem, the guy who sang the National Anthem everynight put out a song about the Whalers. This was early to mid 80's. I had it on tape...I can remember a white tape with "Whalers..." something-or-other on it. Anybody have any idea. I cant even remember the guys name.

I have a few of those Junior Whalers cars somewhere in a box. The singer was Tony "Red Shoes" Harrington. I remember he sang a song at the last Whalers game. The only line I remember was, "Hartford's got the Whalers" and thinking..."not anymore we don't...why is he singing this?" But if it was from a song he wrote back in the 80s, it now makes sense. I had never heard of it before.

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  • 3 weeks later...

Winnipeg might also have to prove itself. Some think Winnipeg is too small and doesn't have enough of a corporate base to support a pro hockey team. Which is ridiculous, because Phoenix, LA and Atlanta aren't big hockey markets, never were and won't ever be, yet they got teams pretty quickly. Hartford and Winnipeg are big hockey markets and there's no real reason why they can't have new teams. There's also no real reason why Hamilton, Ontario can't have a NHL hockey team.

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it always comes down to money.

Hartford would need to show it could draw 18K on a regular basis at inflated prices. it wouod have to do this for not just the first season.

I think we are more than capable, but the league has to think we are.

also, we have to prove a worthy media market, as well as a worth corporate sponsorship market.

the jury is out on this one I think, but I am hopeful. for me, its really all about including Springfield and New haven into our market and really reying to include them in the psyche of the team.

hell, with the commuter rail, it shouldnt be too hard.

The other key... mega money ownership.

in todays world, i am not sure Bladwin is rich enough, I am not sure Lary G is rich enough.

who knows?

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Interesting... It seems a lot like the old legacy cities that lost NHL teams have plans to lure one back. I think Hartford is one of the few remaining US cities that could support one. If memory serves me right, the owner of the old Whalers had an arena deal in place but wanted more $ to cover his losses at the existing facility until the new one was built? And among other things, that's what led them to Carolina. Don't get me wrong, I like having the Hurricanes down here, but I hope Hartford can find a way to get a team back. The Coyotes (as we all know), Thrashers, Blue Jackets and Predators are all candidates. I just don't see Las Vegas working; too many issues to overcome with the gambling in my book and they'd just be Phoenix, part 2. I think Kansas City could work though. They have the facility and are a good sports town. We shall see. I think Baldwin has the right idea though...

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Sorry for the dose of reality, but until Bettman and his flunkies are out AND and an arena is greenlighted, it's not happening (but I hope I'm wrong). By the way, why isn't a HARTFORD reporter on this? That tells you something right there.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/sports/hockey/daly-cool-to-return-of-whalers/article1588983/

Daly cool to return of Whalers

NHL deputy commissioner says he can not ‘foresee a situation where there will be another Hartford Whalers in Hartford’

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Sorry for the dose of reality, but until Bettman and his flunkies are out AND and an arena is greenlighted, it's not happening (but I hope I'm wrong). By the way, why isn't a HARTFORD reporter on this? That tells you something right there.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/sports/hockey/daly-cool-to-return-of-whalers/article1588983/

Daly cool to return of Whalers

NHL deputy commissioner says he can not ‘foresee a situation where there will be another Hartford Whalers in Hartford’

Can the NHL really stop someone with the cash and a team from moving them to Hartford? After all its his business and he can move them anywhere he wants to. Al Davis proved this in court with the Raiders when the NFL tried to stop him from moving them.

Its really frustrating that the people running the NHL refuse to acknowledge that hockey is a cold weather sport and thus a regional sport. It can't support the salaries it is now paying and Bettman's plan of placing teams in warm weather cities has failed miserably. According to ESPN radio last week, at least half of all NHL teams are struggling and are for sale or will be in the next two years. It just can't continue like this.

It seems the NHL is in far worse shape than it was before Bettman was running things. Regardless, Hartford needs a new arena or it will keep losing events to the meadows and the casinos.

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Can the NHL really stop someone with the cash and a team from moving them to Hartford? After all its his business and he can move them anywhere he wants to. Al Davis proved this in court with the Raiders when the NFL tried to stop him from moving them.

Its really frustrating that the people running the NHL refuse to acknowledge that hockey is a cold weather sport and thus a regional sport. It can't support the salaries it is now paying and Bettman's plan of placing teams in warm weather cities has failed miserably. According to ESPN radio last week, at least half of all NHL teams are struggling and are for sale or will be in the next two years. It just can't continue like this.

It seems the NHL is in far worse shape than it was before Bettman was running things. Regardless, Hartford needs a new arena or it will keep losing events to the meadows and the casinos.

It's amazing how much Bettman screwed up the league, but yet he still continues to be commish. When you have that many teams in trouble, you know you have a problem. He needs to be replaced!!!

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One of his main issues is his inability to admit to mistakes. The closest he has come is his recent comment about "fixing the mistakes we made in the 90's". That comment was in reference to Quebec City and Winnipeg losing teams, but Hartford was amazingly left out. He's got his head so far up his ass, it's unbelievable...

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Can the NHL really stop someone with the cash and a team from moving them to Hartford? After all its his business and he can move them anywhere he wants to. Al Davis proved this in court with the Raiders when the NFL tried to stop him from moving them.

Its really frustrating that the people running the NHL refuse to acknowledge that hockey is a cold weather sport and thus a regional sport. It can't support the salaries it is now paying and Bettman's plan of placing teams in warm weather cities has failed miserably. According to ESPN radio last week, at least half of all NHL teams are struggling and are for sale or will be in the next two years. It just can't continue like this.

It seems the NHL is in far worse shape than it was before Bettman was running things. Regardless, Hartford needs a new arena or it will keep losing events to the meadows and the casinos.

I think you meant to say that the XL center is losing events to the meadows and casinos. Hartford gains (somewhat) from events at the meaadows. Probably not as much as if they were downtown. But it is Mohegan which has hit XL the hardest. And it isn't just the casino to blame but the promoters. They continue to pull business into the casino rather than XL. I know I know...if XL were a modern arena then they would probably give it more business. But I think it is the smallness of Mohegans arena that is the draw. They can sell out easier in a smaller place.

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  • 2 weeks later...

It's amazing how much Bettman screwed up the league, but yet he still continues to be commish. When you have that many teams in trouble, you know you have a problem. He needs to be replaced!!!

But Bettman should not be allowed to deny a team owner the right to move his own team. He certainly didn't seem to have a problem when the Whalers left for Raleigh in 13 years ago. But now he wants teams like the Coyotes and Predators to stay put. And he's trying to block Jim Balsillie of Research In Motion from buying a bankrupt NHL team and moving them to Hamilton, Ontario. Seriously, what is Bettman's problem? Whatever it is, he doesn't know what he's doing. Bettman's got to go.

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there has definately been some shady dealings regarding team movement in the NHL.

I think part of the craziest thing is that the offer that was eventually accepted for the Coyotes was well.... WELL below what Balsillie offered.

I am not 100% certain Hamilton needs a team, it is certainly a bit of an incursion into Sabers and leafs territory (mainly sabers) but at the same time the league needs people like him as owners. people with gobs of money and a real love for the game.

the argument is that Arizona might stop watching hockey of the team left, and hamilton ontario would certainly not give up watching hockey if they dont get a team. its a market that is currently served by buffalo and Toronto.

but I still much prefer cold weather teams.

I think any Hartford bid chould be marketed as hartford-Springfield

way more cred given when its 2.2 million people

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there has definately been some shady dealings regarding team movement in the NHL.

I think part of the craziest thing is that the offer that was eventually accepted for the Coyotes was well.... WELL below what Balsillie offered.

I am not 100% certain Hamilton needs a team, it is certainly a bit of an incursion into Sabers and leafs territory (mainly sabers) but at the same time the league needs people like him as owners. people with gobs of money and a real love for the game.

the argument is that Arizona might stop watching hockey of the team left, and hamilton ontario would certainly not give up watching hockey if they dont get a team. its a market that is currently served by buffalo and Toronto.

but I still much prefer cold weather teams.

I think any Hartford bid chould be marketed as hartford-Springfield

way more cred given when its 2.2 million people

Make that Hartford-New Haven-Springfield and it's more or less 3 million. It needs to be marketed first and foremost as CT's bid that will draw from Western Mass as well. Sports is about media outlets and from that standpoint Hartford-New Haven is already a designated market of approx. 2.5 Million. In reality this is not really a small market but sure has a small market mentality.

Hartford-New Haven Market Profile

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