WHA Hockey- Fights and Fashion

The World Hockey Association is celebrated as a wild, colorful, maverick league.

Category:

Sports

Tags:

• fight
• hockey
• WHA
• hull
• howe
• orr
• 1972
• world
• association
• action
• sports
• talk
• winter
• AFL
• goal
• fashion

[leroydubya]

I have a question. A vid of a Birmingham-Winnepeg brawl carried a voice over about brawling becoming something "many WHA cities have become accustomed to as the league slowly destroys itself." What really folded the WHA? It couldn't be fighting; there was just as much in the NHL. Hey, I grew up watching the Flyers back then.

[galaxycorps]

@leroydubya I think it had more to do with too little talent to go around. Two pro leagues with too many teams. The NHL added Long Island and Atlanta not to mention Kansas City and Washington to head off the WHA in those markets. The talent pool became larger as the WHA contracted. It was the on ice product and 1970's US inflation that killed this great dream. People simply chose the NHL product...and I grew up watching the Big Bad Bruins.

[wongleebruce]

guys tell me if I'm wrong or right if there was a WHA today Jim Balsillie would be owner of the Coyotes or he'd just boost up the WHA just that much more by improving the league and adding more teams in Canada and going after the NHL

[galaxycorps]

Jim Balsillie said that he wouldnt appeal the judges ruling but did believe that Canada is a step closer to having a seventh NHL team. I'm surprised he didn't

back Hull's bid for a new WHA pro league.

He definitely would have a lot of Canadian teams in that league. The NHL needs a good challanger. I would love more Canadian teams.

[spaolo1]

Nice video. The WHA was cool. I remember it was so hard to see the Bruins so we got to see a few Whaler games at  the half empty Garden. Anyone remember the Whalers being televised on channel 56 in Boston? Can't remember the announcer.

[galaxycorps]

Thanks. It was fun to make.The announcers were: John Carlson 72-75 and Bob Neumeier 75-79. On radio anyway. I found this on Wikipeida; New England sports announcer William Rasmussen founded ESPN to broadcast New England Whalers hockey games and University of Connecticut sports events. It was purchased by the Getty Oil Company before it began broadcasting in 1979. A fun fact.

[mckessa17]

Its funny but I do not remember that many teams, some must have lasted a year or less.

[andyr1313]

Seems like a lot of work went into the great logos and color schemes-the L.A. Sharks logo was the forerunner of the ferocious-style logos along with the aggressive red-black-white color scheme...

[arkham335]

@leroydubya the best idea they had was being different. mainly putting franchises in cities shunned by the nhl. but, say, the cougars couldn't compete with the blackhawks, or the toros with the leafs. teams in edmonton, winnipeg, and even jersey. they should have stuck with canadian cities/states like regina, halifax, or new hamphire. doing that, i think would have mainly promoted longevity.

[leroydubya]

@arkham335 Good point. It probably was a combination of low attendance, lack of a talent pool and markets with little interest in hockey. I now tend to think that many of those wannabe WHA owner simply didn't have enough capital to properly operate and market their teams. The WHA needed about 15 years with about 8 stable franchises to really give the NHL a run for its money, IMO. I'll bet a few owners got in with an eye toward selling their franchises at a profit.

[arkham335]

@leroydubya they say poor attendance did it. the wha was before my time, but i love the history. I wish it was still around.

[mrbamajama]

@juniorsurprise06 I liked the Bullies of 77 better ,Dave Hanson being on the team ala Slap Shot made a lot of kids interested in hockey and then we were hooked ,I think hockey is like british soccer its is a community sport.

[juniorsurprise06]

@mrbamajama Being from Winnipeg I would of loved all the Teams to have merged and I didn't realize the bulls had that much firepower. Houston Aero's and the Stingers should have also been taken on in my opinion. Ah the good old days of Hockey.

[mrbamajama]

@juniorsurprise06 The NHL screwed up in my opinion ,you say the other teams folded ,not so Birmingham the GOON team of 77 had actually went to a youth move and were drawing 9000 fans a game here is who was on the team Mark Napier.Kenny Linseman, Michel Goulet, Rod Langway and Frank Mahovlich this would have been a hell of a team in a couple of years and it would have of given Atlanta a rival if they had choosen Birmingham over Hartford Birminghams owner was paid 1 and a half millon

[juniorsurprise06]

@leroydubya The WHA actually merged with the NHL, Winnipeg Jets, Quebec Nordiques, New England Whalers (becoming Hartford at the Bruins organizations request) and the Edmonton Oilers. The other franchises were folded up due to poor financial situations. It was true that the talent pool was stretched and the Winnipeg organization pioneered bringing in undrafted and unknown European players. I think Philly in the 70's took the prize for roughness and changed the game. Great video!

[Brian4043]

Loved this video history. Did you own the tabletop hockey game? I owned Bobby Hull hockey back in the day.But don't remember any wha logos on sides. I'd love to own that though. A thought came to mind. Did WHA players lineup to shake hands after playoff series like they do in the NHL? Thanks.