Another Team in the Area

[OTTOnME]

While we await some player movement involving the Buffalo Sabres, here is a question to ponder in the meantime.

 

From a Sabres perspective, what would be the pros and cons of the arrival of an NHL team in southwest Ontario - somewhere between Woodstock and Kitchener (and two hours driving distance from Buffalo)?

 

With all the talk of moving the teams now floundering in the southern U.S. to Canadian locations, there would seem to be some prospect of a new team winding up in southwest Ontario. If I had the million dollars the Bare Naked Ladies sang about, I would spend it promoting the viability of that area as a home for an NHL team.

 

A team that far from Buffalo would not - in my opinion - hurt the Sabres at the box office. In fact, a team in southwest Ontario - playing in the same division as Buffalo - might provide a boost to the Sabres' bottomline. Look how well attended the games with Toronto are in Buffalo.

[static70]

Not a good Idea. Not good from an actual merchandise sales standpoint for Buffalo.

Toronto is large enough to handle a second team, thats where I would put forth any addition at this point and time, and even then, it won't happen with cities such as Quebec (a true hockey city), Houston (more than large enough population to handle an additional sport, of course, success depends on interest from the population into hockey) or Seattle (great rivalry between Vancouver? And has plenty of population to handle the marketing aspects).

[Buffalo Fan]

I think it is getting more and more difficult to cross the border. The extra drive time may be offset by the hassle at the border.