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

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
• foxwarren

[azstong]

I reaily enjoyed all 3 parts of documentary. Thanx for posting them, and good luck in geeting a team back in your city, you deserve it.

[JHendrix70]

No Problem! Great documentary so, I felt it needed to be posted.....and Thanks for the support!

Bring'Em Back

Visit Jetsowner for more info!

[JHendrix70]

Bring'em Back!

[UltMitSinner78]

I think the salary cap was the best thing to happen in the NHL. Sometimes it just takes a couple real good players to make a NHL team into a playoff contender. It also allowed the smaller markets to compete. Also when you watch NHL games now every fan has a jersey on. In the playoffs everyones waving a towel. The games have big atmosphere now, 20 years ago they didn't.

[AlbanianMan]

Those Fox graphics from the 90's were a hoot! They made the NHL look like Dragonball on ice.

[mrceebees14]

I am one of those lucky American hockey fans who was born and raised and still resides of the east coast of the country where hockey is the most hard core in this country. When I say hardcore I mean "some people actually care about it." That is why what happened in Winnipeg is just wrong, the fact they moved to a desert is just a parting back hand slap.

Bring back the Nords and the Jets.

[vexacon]

Canadian content is going down in the NHL! More players are joining soccer, football and other sports! As we get more people from other countries, who do not follow hockey, we will even have less Canadian content!

[ACParker13]

seattle is too close to vancouver, they won't want to steal what little US market they have from the nucks

and seattle has the mariners and seahawks already

the next city to get a relocated team will either be kansas city or a southwestern ontario city, don't underestimate the chances, ontario could support another 2 teams if they'd let us

if i had to guess i would say kitchener/waterloo, there's a large enough market within the city as well as neighboring cities, but it's far enough from TO

[KangaKucha]

dont loose hope, the sharks would fit well in Seattle

[ChetCampbell72]

As an Islander fan I feel that eventhough we play in New York that we may be the very next team to be moved. The TV contract has kept the Isles here for as long as it has, but that arena is so outdated. I went to the HSBC arena and was embarrassed when I came back. I am hopeing that Nassau or Suffolk county does the right thing and allows for Wang to build the Lighthouse Project.

[JHendrix70]

This was just a one-time series done on TSN. I am not too sure if any other sports are profiled but, I guess you'd have to contact TSN for more info!

Thanks for the comments above By the way. It would be nice for Winnipeg to be able to play a good hockey city like Seattle! Good luck and don't give up the dream!

Bring'Em Back