Winnipeg Jets: For The Love Of The Game Documentary Part 1/3

This TSN Documentary examines the passion for the game of Hockey in Canada & the notion that perhaps the NHL is deliberately keeping Canadian teams out of its exclusive club.

This 3 part series looks as all aspects of keeping a franchise in Winnipeg thru interviews with all of the main players. Everyone from the Mayor Of Winnipeg, Premier of Manitoba, Owner of the Winnipeg Jets, NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman & Most importantly; The Fans.

Something to think about while watching this documentary, If Bettman himself states that if there are not enough fans going to the games to make it successful; Why in 2008 are we stuck still watching failing franchises in the Southern States?

Winnipeg had the fan base however; our Arena was not suitable for the NHL to provide revenue for Players Salaries, etc however; other cities such as Pittsburgh were in the exact same position but Bettman did much more to keep that team there then he EVER did for our city of Winnipeg.

Also; although our Mayor at the time "Susan Thompson" comes off as a true supporter of keeping the Jets in Winnipeg, Just remember that SHE could have......

"In 1996, Winnipeg's mayor Susan Thompson spent $130 million of taxpayer money to prepare for the 1999 Pan American Games instead of building an arena for the Jets. The Pan-Am funds were used to improve roads and clean up Winnipeg for the 16-day event. Years later, the $130 million Winnipeg spent has amortized into nothing. Susan Thompson was thinking short-term instead of long-term. The benefits of an arena and a NHL team can be had for decades, while the benefits of new paint and fixed roads were felt for less then a single decade. Had Winnipeg not had such an incompetent mayor at the time, an arena would have been built long ago, and the Jets would still in Winnipeg"

Category:

People & Blogs

Tags:

• winnipeg
• jets
• 1995
• 1996
• arena
• manitoba
• moose
• gary
• bettman
• nhl
• canada
• hockey
• teemu
• selanne
• tsn

[KangaKucha]

bring back the jets!

where was this doc made?

[JHendrix70]

The documentary was made by TSN as part of a Dave Hodge series of videos looking at Hockey in Canada.

Bring'em Back!

[Roochfan20]

Here's the problem with the documentary that I can analyze and it's this: how many major cities does Canada have compared to the US? The thing that I notice is that Canada can only support as many hockey teams so long as the city and it's population is there to support it. I'm not trying to take sides here and I hated Bettman for moving Winnipeg and QC down south but even if QC and Winnipeg still had hockey markets, the US still outnumbers Canada by a wide margin in terms of urbanization.

[JHendrix70]

Ofcourse that is true however; Winnipeg and Quebec are Major Canadian cities and have & can again easily support the NHL. Gary Bettman may see a population of 2 Million Plus in Phoenix or Miami being a better market that Winnipeg at 750,000 however; he's wrong. Phoenix and Miami, etc. might be "hockey Markets" according to his way of thinking but, Winnipeg and Quebec are Hockey Towns! Bettman put teams in great NBA Markets, NOT NHL markets. ( He Should have stayed with NBA )

Bring'Em Back!

[crushblade]

This is purely my opinion,

Based on the description by the person who posted the video it seems like it's not just Gary Bettman's fault that the Jets went south. Yet we all put the blame on Bettman for the Jest going down? There was the mayor of winnipeg and I think the video poster is right maybe the Jets left cause of the mayor, not Gary Bettman.

[JHendrix70]

It really was a combination of many factors however; had Bettman worked as hard to Keep the Jets in Winnipeg as he has by keeping the Pens in Pittsburgh, the Preds in Nashville, The Coyotes in the Desert, the Hurricanes in Carolina, The Panthers in Miami, The Lightning in Tampa,etc.......the Winnipeg Jets would STILL be in Winnipeg.

So, although 100% of blame doesn't go to Bettman, while we were trying to save our team, he was finding suitors to buy it!

Bring'Em Back!

[hacienda1]

Gary Bettman doesn't need anyone to make jokes about him, he is a perfect caricature of himself. I laugh everytime I hear him speak.

[MrPatrickbryan]

greed? lol, its a f'ing business

[JustTravisAndKyle]

HOCKEY COMING BACK TO WINNIPEG!!! they might be the falcons, jets, manitoba moose, or the whiteout. i wonder what their name will be

[Pookatube]

GARY BETTMAN IS A CARPETBAGGER THROUGH AND THROUGH!!!!"

[FrightNight7387]

I'm a hockey fan from the US and I hope and pray that NHL hockey returns to Winnipeg and Quebec City as well as starts up in Hamilton but as of 2010, 53.9% of NHL players(the majority) were Canadian and there has always been more US team then Canadian teams in the league even going back to the original 6 so what's the problem? And, I am also one of those who feel Gary Bettman should be tossed out on his butt as commissioner.

[martman104]

I like the Jets, but if they move the Coyotes out of Phoenix..where will I go to watch hockey on the cheap on vacation? lol

[bull829]

Fuck Bettman. How well is his Southern Strategy working in Phoenix, Atlanta, Florida, Carolina, and Columbus? I'm American and I wish I could just give you people back your franchises in Winnipeg and Quebec. It's embarrassing.

[bearwarlock]

Amazing special effects at 1:57

[disclaimer175]

"If there aren't enough fans in a market to support a team, then that market isn't gonna have a team."

This exposes Betty for the lying scum that he is... if that quote was in the LEAST bit true, then at least 5 american teams would be in Canada right now, and the Nords, Jets and Whalers would still be around.

[KingOfTheIce71]

ITS OUR GAME I MEAN CROSBY,STAMKOS,PRICE,LUONGO,FL­EURY.

[ECWnWWF]

Winnipeg, Quebec, and Hartford (and even Minneapolis..their first team, the North Stars) should've never have lost their teams....all you have to do is look at the old video.......you see a full building, with passionate fans...not just for their teams, but for the sport. You don't have that in these "might be" markets - Phoenix, Raleigh, Atlanta, Columbus, Denver, Nashville...