CBC Newsworld 6 Feb 2008 Winnipeg Hockey

[MasterJoBob]

average Winnipeg attendance in last season: 11,316

Lower than Phoenix

you will never have an NHL team again and your memories of constant glory days and sold out arenas are delusional

[fiXxed98]

@MasterJoBob Ummm... Really? I guess you're wrong -- seeing as we have a team back, and the building is sold out for the next 3+ years. Try again...

[FRSFreeStateES]

Canada could have they're own Major Hockey League if they wanted one. They could bring in the 6 canadian NHL Clubs. And expand in Quebec, Hamilton, Winnipeg and maybe Regina. They have the players and Fan Support.

[MasterJoBob]

@FRSFreeStateES

you dont have the money

[fiXxed98]

@MasterJoBob Really?

[bobster231]

Its all Keith Tkachuk's fault the Jets left, he demanded 6 million dollars that last year in 1995/96 i remember he held out at the beginning of the season because of that. And the Jets caved in and gave him his contract which ultimately lead to the Selanne trade because they couldnt afford him

[FanWpgJets]

Enough of this start fresh crap. It has to be the Jets because they never should of left. The majority of the ticket buyers will be the fans that where around and loved the Jets. It wont matter to the younger crowd what they are called they will come just because it's the NHL but to get the most out of Winnipeg you need to stitch up the scar left when the Jets left. That is and always will be there return with a thunderous cheer of white.

[shaden33333]

its funny how even in the last year here in winnipeg they turned a profit, but they haven`t turned a single dollar in phoenix since... this year, they`d have to make 20 million dollars... JUST TO BE BROKE!

[blairzel]

Hockey belongs in Winnipeg and Hartford and Quebec...

[1974260Z]

Yup, with Bettman gone I could see something positive happening with a team returning. AS I was saying above, at this point in time I wouldn't support anything today however, tomorrow and with a different commish and a desperate league I would be very interested in a team returning. I'd certainly be in the season ticket line up but as long as Bettman's in control you will NEVER see a team here and he's just proved that fact with how he's handled Balsilie in the latest court proceedings.

[cabes242]

We would never ever... I mean EVER call them the Coyotes if we got them back... EVER!!!

[Mortskcab]

greatings from minnesota... I hope "peg" gets a team your the only cucnuck town i blieve deserves to have a team again ..... if you guys get the cyotes could you please keep that team name..... its WAY better than jets... Cyotes are an amazing animal.... besides you guys have lots of cyotes in manitoba dont ya?... I also hear some other cuncuk town called hamilton wants a team.... but where the fucking hell is hamilton? fuck that city! besides we in america love bettman so he'll stay

[shaden33333]

we dont have any coyotes here, I dont think they could survive, its WAY to cold... the closest thing we have to a coyote is maybe a fox... but I did hear more recently that potential buyers didnt want to call them the jets again, they wanted to start fresh with a brand new name

[mrconfusion87]

Yup bring em back... Read my lips, they'll NEVER loose as much as the Yotes, even if they had a 0-82 season....

[ArgaKontot]

BRING EM BACK!

[ManitobaMike]

Mark Chipman is not stupid. The Jets had a payroll of $18 million dollars and lost $25 million dollars in 1995. How the hell could they afford a NHL basement payroll of $41 million in 2009? In order to qualify for revenue sharing, the Jets would have to be losing money and have a $50 miliion dollar payroll.

[DCMAC12]

our arena and area served as a downfall, check out the Jetsowner site and see that there are ways to bring our Jets back without losing money.

[1974260Z]

Exactly.

[gothicsuperstar]

Right now, Quebec City is more like Green Bay...they would be one of the smallest markets in the NHL, plus the Habs just ate them alive when it came to the media. The same is true for Hartford, they have the Rangers, Bruins and even Islanders to contend with.

How Winnipeg doesn't have a team is beyond me. They are far enough away from Edmonton, Calgary and Vancouver to not compete, and they are a big enough city.

[leftcoast67]

Winnipeg needs a BIG rink to support a team.

Think Bell Centre in Montreal.

[FischerFan]

"Winnipeg needs a BIG rink to support a team.

Think Bell Centre in Montreal."

Winnipeg was/is large enough for, at least, a 16,000-seat arena. The MTS Centre would require a 10-20 per cent increase from its present capacity to support an NHL team; to generate adequate revenue, and smooth the average ticket price.

...and then sell out regularly, so as to pull its weight with the other Canadian franchises.

[jsclinton]

Lots of folks in Northern Minnesota and North Dakota used to attend Jets games and would do so again...

[cmckay09]

of course it would be expensive... without a doubt, but it wouldnt be just the city of winnipeg who would be going to the games, it'd be the whole province. im sure people from all parts of Manitoba would come down to see an NHL game, considering the fact that they love the game and to see today's hockey superstars they only get to see on tv. please support this. MANITOBA CAN SUSTAIN AN NHL FRANCHISE.. MANITOBA DESERVES AN NHL FRANCHISE!!

[EliteVideo]

cooL! i shot this!

[caligo641]

How could you name the team anything BUT the Jets? If any question he asked was a no-brainer that should have been it.

[1974260Z]

Furthermore, I loved the Jets and to this day I love the game of hockey. However, hockey today is a far cry from what we ex-NHL local supporters would recognize.

In closing. Wpg'ers didn't support the Jets (like people think) when you could get tixs for 7 or 11 bucks at 7/11 - what makes you think people will pay $30 plus to see a new NHL team from the upper bowl?

NHL hockey is in no way an entertainment option for a working middle class family....totally un-affordable on a regular basis.

[1974260Z]

Bettman decided to sell hockey in markets where no one cares about the game...and now that the plan is failing miserably Winnipeg should have to pay 200 mil to get back in! How does that make sense...if anything we're OWED a team and frankly an apology. Moving teams out of Quebec and Winnipeg would be like Nascar moving Daytona to Regina....dumb and far as this Winnipegger is concerned the NHL has done this to themselves and we all should be a little smarter about how we play our next move.

[1974260Z]

Wow how people forget so soon.

There is no way in hell I would support the NHL returning to Wpg at this point in time. Down the road, with a better deal for Winnipeg on the table and a reasonably sane commissioner....maybe. Once bitten twice shy thank you very much. Bettman and the NHL screwed Winnipeg out of a team and proceeded to ruin most every solid business deal they had going (loss of ESPN etc) not to mention what Gary's done to the game itself.

And we should pay 200M !?

Continued...

[ZoroRfugee]

How can you change the name from Jets? What the hell?

[Seanahue]

care to expand on that leksa?

[leksa0990]

nhl will never come back to winnipeg

[doughmayne]

oh, ok. 

debate is over guys.

[cheswick]

Your argument is quite convincing. I mean I'm sure you have a better understanding then Mark Chipman on the possibility. I'll try to get in touch with him and correct his notion that there's a possibility. I'll tell him leksa0990 says its never happening so just give up trying.

[FischerFan]

"Your argument is quite convincing. I mean I'm sure you have a better understanding then Mark Chipman on the possibility. I'll try to get in touch with him and correct his notion that there's a possibility. I'll tell him leksa0990 says its never happening so just give up trying."

Don't worry Cheswick. Leksa is from Finland who knows everything at the ripe old age of 16.

It doesn't matter that the NHL's executive committee invited Mark Chipman to its expansion meeting.

[GibsoLesPaulStandard]

one thing is certain...the nhl will continue to take all your good players for our entertainment...teemu played with us DUN DUN DUN

[JHendrix70]

This is looking great! Inspiring Indeed! Can't wait for the Return of the NHL To Winnipeg! Long Overdue.........

Bring'Em Back

[sneller1985]

Great video - inspiring!