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Grizzlies and Predators

qwertycc

By qwertycc
in Tennessee

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Lexy Town

Lexy

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Posted

To fully appreciate the game of hockey, one has to fully understand it. That is where many, many Tennesseans fail the test. Right there. And they have local ties there as well. Just take a look, only one guy on the radio is a Canadian (what difference does that make anyways??). That would be Terry Crisp who is a Hockey Hall of Famer and two time Stanley Cup Champion. Last time I checked, Mike Keith isn't a native Tennessean.

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mandrws1 Hamlet

mandrws1

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No my dear, I doubt there were 16k at the hockey game but I also doubt that I have seen 16k at any of the NBA games I went to - albeit they were against teams like Minnesota. Lets just say I saw as much interest in hockey as I have for basketball. Do I think the NHL would do well here? No. Do i think the NBA has done well here? No - but I am glad we have them.

The Grizz averaged 15k per game last season, down 1,000 from the season before that. I don't know what games you went to, but all 15 I went to last season had about 12k on weeknights and well over 15k on weekend games. I think the Grizz are doing great in Memphis, and so do a lot of other people because the value of the team has risen every year since they've been in Memphis. Its exciting to have a pro sports franchise in the city!

Actually Preds tickets can be had for $14 day of game. They rank as one of the lowest in ticket sale prices in the league, and that is ALL leagues. Not just NHL.

The Grizzlies offer $5 tickets the day of the game. They're at the top, but in all honesty there's not a bad seat in the house at the Forum.

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jrox Unincorporated Area

jrox

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The Grizz averaged 15k per game last season, down 1,000 from the season before that. I don't know what games you went to, but all 15 I went to last season had about 12k on weeknights and well over 15k on weekend games. I think the Grizz are doing great in Memphis, and so do a lot of other people because the value of the team has risen every year since they've been in Memphis. Its exciting to have a pro sports franchise in the city!

The Grizzlies offer $5 tickets the day of the game. They're at the top, but in all honesty there's not a bad seat in the house at the Forum.

Thanks because I have no idea what Memphian was talking about. The Griz are doing very good and most of our games last year were on weeknights and the NBA changed that because it was a huge error on their part. Weekends crowds are almost always sold out. I at times sit on the front row but mostly in the suites, sometimes behind the Griz bench and it is great in that arena. Before the NHL lockout they had they highest ticket prices of all leagues across the board/all teams. Do some research and you will find it.

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Clobber Burg

Clobber

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I'm only a teen now, and so I would have been really young then....so can somebody give a semi-unbiased account of what seems to have happened to Memphis with the Titans/NFL?

Here's a littlel more info, and take it with a grain of salt I'm a little biased. I've tried to make this as dispassionate as I can.

Memphis pursued the NFL for, as previously mentioned 30 years. Many of the stops and starts are the fault of Memphis.

During the 80s, Rozelle, former NFL commish, promises that Memphis would receive the next expansion team if they sell out some exhibition games. Memphis does, selling out two, I believe, maybe three.

Rozelle no longer commish, Tags in.

NFL expansion, Memphis enters, but Tags doesn't honor Rozelle deal.

Memphis was a finalist for NFL expansion in the early 90s. Rumor has it that Adams indicates support for Memphis after the cities made their presentations. I can't find confirmation of this, but I'll keep looking, and if it's wrong, I'll retract it.

Charlotte received the first. Down to four cities.

Memphis sought state assistance for improvements (just improvements) to the Liberty Bowl. If I remember correctly, they were turned down by the legislature.

Jacksonville received the other franchise. My bias would insert a comment on the comparisons of ownership groups, which I will reserve unless requested. Adams does not support Memphis.

Later, the Oilers were dissatisfied with Houston. Nashville pursued them, and they entered into an exclusive negotiation agreement (which obviously inherently excluded Houston from being a consideration). No prob from the standpoint of Memphis here, can't speak for HOuston.

In order to land the Oilers, Nashville sought state assistance for a new stadium. The legislature approves it. Have to bite my tongue here.

Nashville isn't ready to host the OIlers, only stadium is Vandy's.

Oilers seek temporary home in Memphis. INitially they demand the city of Memphis pay for transportation costs between Nashville and Memphis. Inherent in this demand is the declaration that they will not be calling Memphis "home" for that season, they spend the week in Nashville, and travel to Memphis. Memphis rejects any attempt to have the city pay the tab for transportation costs. I believe this is another issue crawling under the skin of many Memphians.

A corollary to this is that the Oilers never performed any outreach in Memphis. No significant community get to know the players sessions to ingratiate themselves to the consumers they want to attend the games. This is another issue -- how the franchise treated the city and county governments and the citizens/fans during their tenure here.

And after making, I think in the opinions of many Memphians, myself included (here's some more personal bias), little to no effort to earn the support of the city, and in fact doing a number of things to alienate the populace, such as keeping their presence in the community to an apparent minimum and expecting costs to be footed by the taxpayers, the franchise made numerous comments that the city was unappreciative and essentially ungrateful based on the lack of support. Inherent in this perspective is the argument that they earned the support they claim was lacking. This is another issue of dispute. Bias: trying to paint Memphis fans this way, as a bad fanbase, is despicably irresponsible. No city would bend over like that. Not Cleveland, not Green Bay. Charlotte didn't accept such treatment from the Hornets. You earn a fanbase, you're not entitled to it. Bottom line, the OIlers did not earn the fans they felt they were entitled to, and drove some fans to root for the visiting teams (i.e. Pittsburgh). Sorry for the insertion of bias.

Mutual divorce.

Flash forward today. Who were the other two expansion cities that did not receive franchises initially? St. Louis and Baltimore. Not the fault of the OIlers, but leaves a bitter taste against the NFL.

Insert personal bias: The Oilers can't argue that they were in the community the way the Hornets are in OKC. There's no comparison to the treatment of the temporary home by the two franchises. And if you know the history of the Hornets, that doesn't say a whole lot positive about the OIlers organization. Won't get into the McNair/George things.

The question deals with Memphis and the Oilers, so I'll reserve comment on the resentment against the NFL and the state legislature. Sorry if this is too biased. I felt the prior explanation was incomplete.

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Lexy Town

Lexy

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^Excellent recap Clobber. I comend you for taking the time to explain it like you did. Don't fool yourself though, the Titans do very little in this community too. It's just the "I'm better than everyone else" attitude that the majority of NFL players have I assume. Sure, they give to a few "local" charities and such, but come on. How many times do you see them visiting hospitals, making public appearances, etc.??? Hardly ever, if any. If they left tomorrow, I wouldn't shed a tear for them.

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rocky top buzz Hamlet

rocky top buzz

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I think most middle tennesseans are glad we have the NFL and it didn't go to Memphis. That said....

I think Lexy's statement reflects the current group of Titans, but not the prior teams. Dyson, George, Wycheck, and especially Kevin Carter were involved in the community. Adam Jones was out hosting a football camp for kids awhile back, but do we REALLY want him representing our community spirit?

I'll take this across all pro sports though. These people are millionaires, live in Mansions. They typically don't care about anything that their butler can't handle. It's especially unfortunate considering that most of them come from poor backgrounds.

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Lexy Town

Lexy

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It's the backgrounds that fuel the way they are now though. LOL!!! Most of these football players are just overstated premadonna's looking for attention and someone to "one-up". Can you tell I dispise football? LOL!!

Nothing personal or anything for those who like the game.

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mandrws1 Hamlet

mandrws1

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^Excellent recap Clobber. I comend you for taking the time to explain it like you did. Don't fool yourself though, the Titans do very little in this community too. It's just the "I'm better than everyone else" attitude that the majority of NFL players have I assume. Sure, they give to a few "local" charities and such, but come on. How many times do you see them visiting hospitals, making public appearances, etc.??? Hardly ever, if any. If they left tomorrow, I wouldn't shed a tear for them.

I'm proud to say that the Grizzlies are very involved in the Memphis community :D The Grizzlies Academy is doing wonders for some local children, and the Grizzlies House at St. Jude (the Grizzlies' $5 million donation paid for it) is beautiful and you never know when Pau or someone else on the team is going to show up!

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Clobber Burg

Clobber

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I'm proud to say that the Grizzlies are very involved in the Memphis community :D The Grizzlies Academy is doing wonders for some local children, and the Grizzlies House at St. Jude (the Grizzlies' $5 million donation paid for it) is beautiful and you never know when Pau or someone else on the team is going to show up!

Yeah, other franchises have learned from what the Titans didn't do here, and have treated the Memphis community with the respect it deserves. Starting with the remarkable, world-class Redbirds organization which set a high standard, and then extending to the Grizz, who I believe are among the leaders in the NBA when it comes to charity. The Grizz could improve on marketing, however.

But, irregardless, the contrast is stark, like night and day the way the Redbirds and Grizz are out in the community versus how the Titans tried to exploit the city and Adams tried to crap all over it on the way out.

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BnaBreaker City

BnaBreaker

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This statement doesn't have much specifically to do with sports, but I just want to say that as a former Tennessean now looking in from the outside, I have to say that all of the stereotyping and ridiculous pettie bickering that goes on between the residents of Nashville and Memphis, two great cities in the same great state, is truly pathetic.

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nashvillwill Burg

nashvillwill

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The main reason Memphis didn't land the Oilers over Nashville is because of stadiums. Memphis was only willing to renovate the Liberty Bowl, while Nashville offered a new stadium. I'm not saying that it was a good economical decision, or fair to tax payers(although we voted yes!), but NO city will EVER land a NFL franchise with a renovated old stadium.

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Clobber Burg

Clobber

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The main reason Memphis didn't land the Oilers over Nashville is because of stadiums. Memphis was only willing to renovate the Liberty Bowl, while Nashville offered a new stadium. I'm not saying that it was a good economical decision, or fair to tax payers(although we voted yes!), but NO city will EVER land a NFL franchise with a renovated old stadium.

Nashville didn't offer the stadium, though, Tennessee through the state legislature did. The state legislature didn't provide Memphis with the same deal.

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franktown Hamlet

franktown

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Opening night is Thursday for the Nashville Predators. Should be an electric evening in Nashville for sure as this is a team many have picked to win the Cup this year!!

I'll be there with my jersey cheering at the top of my voice; doing my homework in intermissions :D Section 114 all the way! GO PREDS!!!!!

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Lexy Town

Lexy

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Oh good lord...two in a row, I had such high hopes for this year. I really hope we pull it together soon, but I really think we'll start meshing soon...hopefully.

PS We've gotta work on fewer penalties and keep our defense from sucking

Typical of a visit to Minnesota. That is one team I cannot stand to play on the road.

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