rickshaw Posted January 1, 2020 Report Share Posted January 1, 2020 HNY everyone. My question. Do any of you folks who live in Buffalo ever worry or wonder if the team will eventually relocate? Random q, I know but curious if it ever comes up in conversations. And if this happened, would you still follow them as your team? Carry on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brawndo Posted January 1, 2020 Report Share Posted January 1, 2020 If the NHL did not allow them to move during the Bankruptcy Phase of 2003, I doubt it will ever happen. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SwampD Posted January 1, 2020 Report Share Posted January 1, 2020 It will never happen. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Huckleberry Posted January 1, 2020 Report Share Posted January 1, 2020 21 minutes ago, Brawndo said: If the NHL did not allow them to move during the Bankruptcy Phase of 2003, I doubt it will ever happen. This and there are other teams that warrant a move a lot more. Carolina / florida / Arizona. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Weave Posted January 2, 2020 Report Share Posted January 2, 2020 Can't imagine it happening as long as the current arena is in habitable shape. If it ever did happen I'd be done with hockey. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sabres Fan in NS Posted January 2, 2020 Report Share Posted January 2, 2020 It will never happen. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rickshaw Posted January 2, 2020 Author Report Share Posted January 2, 2020 But could it happen if this slide to the bottom goes another 10 years? I don’t have to pay to support them, you do. You don’t think if this continue many will officially jump ship. No bums in seats means no money coming in. I’m playing devil’s advocate here. How much can the fan base handle? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MakeSabresGrr8Again Posted January 2, 2020 Report Share Posted January 2, 2020 13 minutes ago, rickshaw said: But could it happen if this slide to the bottom goes another 10 years? I don’t have to pay to support them, you do. You don’t think if this continue many will officially jump ship. No bums in seats means no money coming in. I’m playing devil’s advocate here. How much can the fan base handle? During the good years you had to pretty much inherit season tickets and thousands were on the waiting list. It's a hockey hot bed, if only the team would realize just how good and deserving the fans are. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zamboni Posted January 2, 2020 Report Share Posted January 2, 2020 Not worried in the least Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Indabuff Posted January 2, 2020 Report Share Posted January 2, 2020 If we were all smart we would stop going to the games and buying merchandise but this is Buffalo. Half of us are half in the bag most of the time and in some sort of quasi-catatonic state from a combination of wings and snow. The Sabres or Bills could send out remote controlled cardboard cutouts of Peanuts characters on the ice/field and we'd still buy tickets/merch and just grumble about it. I really don't think these teams are going anywhere anytime soon. What, where am I?! Mmmmm.... wings. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnRobertEichel Posted January 2, 2020 Report Share Posted January 2, 2020 The only two viable hockey markets that remain open in North America are Houston and Quebec City, but I think the Coyotes and Panthers will eventually move there. Toronto could also support a second team, but I doubt the NHL and the Maple Leafs will ever allow it. I can't even imagine a scenario where the Pegulas would sell or relocate the Sabres. They are very incompetent owners, but their loyalty and love toward the WNY community is genuine. They just need some sort of President of Hockey Operations to advise and oversee this mess. Buffalo is an outstanding pro hockey market. Any other U.S. hockey market would be playing games in front of 5k nightly crowds after subjecting their fanbase to what we've gone through over the past 20 years. This city will hold a parade for the Sabres the next time they make the playoffs. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Taro T Posted January 2, 2020 Report Share Posted January 2, 2020 As long as the Pegulas own the team, there is no possibility of them moving. Even if they were to sell the team, really can't see them moving. (The Bills on the other hand, would be history if the Pegulas sell them.) As others have mentioned, WNY is a true hotbed for the sport. And the NP is on the other side of the river. Just can't see them leaving barring something REALLY bad happening. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SABRES 0311 Posted January 2, 2020 Report Share Posted January 2, 2020 Here’s the thing. We are not very good. Haven’t been for a long time. Eventually the ship will right itself. It will last for a time then we will be back where we are now. It’s the circle of life. How many pro teams went through a long rough patch and didn’t relocate? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Two or less Posted January 2, 2020 Report Share Posted January 2, 2020 Used to come to my mind once in a while, even though deep down i knew it was very unlikely, but with the Pegula's owning the team, i never even think of it anymore. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nucci Posted January 2, 2020 Report Share Posted January 2, 2020 11 hours ago, rickshaw said: HNY everyone. My question. Do any of you folks who live in Buffalo ever worry or wonder if the team will eventually relocate? Random q, I know but curious if it ever comes up in conversations. And if this happened, would you still follow them as your team? Carry on. The owners are from Buffalo...they would move only if sold Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matter2003 Posted January 2, 2020 Report Share Posted January 2, 2020 (edited) 14 hours ago, rickshaw said: HNY everyone. My question. Do any of you folks who live in Buffalo ever worry or wonder if the team will eventually relocate? Random q, I know but curious if it ever comes up in conversations. And if this happened, would you still follow them as your team? Carry on. No we are the best hockey market in the US. Edited January 2, 2020 by matter2003 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
apuszczalowski Posted January 2, 2020 Report Share Posted January 2, 2020 I don't see them moving, hockey and the NHL are still an 'affordable' sport for franchise ownership in smaller markets. They don't need billionaires for owners like the NFL does or the NBA, and they can play to 15-20k fans per game. If the NHL for some reason takes off and becomes more popular across the entire US, then maybe Buffalo would eventually be priced out of the sport, but I don't see it happening. As for what would I do if they moved. I would probably still follow them to wherever they moved to. I have no attachment to the City of Buffalo. I live less then 30 minutes away from the arena over the big invisible line that's supposed to make me a Leafs fan. I am a fan of the Bills and Sabres but don't care about the City they are located in. I could see if they ever were to relocate, the NHL would want them to be moved to somewhere nearby such as Hamilton, or make them the second GTA/Toronto franchise so they could try and retain some of the fanbase and rivalry with Toronto without saturating the Southern Ontario market which could hurt Buffalo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beer Posted January 2, 2020 Report Share Posted January 2, 2020 2 hours ago, matter2003 said: No we are the best hockey market in the US. This... No way this franchise moves. T&KPegs wouldn’t let it happen. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eleven Posted January 2, 2020 Report Share Posted January 2, 2020 An offseason thread in January. How far we have fallen. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nfreeman Posted January 2, 2020 Report Share Posted January 2, 2020 I agree with the others who have stated upthread that it won't happen as long as TP owns the team, and that it is unlikely that he ever sells. BUT if TP were to sell unexpectedly, or get hit by a bus, or other unforeseen event that results in the team being sold, I think it's close to 50/50 that the new owner would move the team. The NHL would try to find a new owner that would keep the team in Buffalo, but there is no guarantee that they would succeed. The NHL tried this when the Rigases had to sell, and no one wanted to buy the team and keep it in Buffalo until OSP was offered a hugely discounted sweetheart deal. If there is an ownership group that is ready to pay top dollar to buy the team and move it to a bigger US market with a new arena that throws off $$, many of the other owners will vote in favor of allowing it to happen. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Taro T Posted January 2, 2020 Report Share Posted January 2, 2020 6 minutes ago, nfreeman said: I agree with the others who have stated upthread that it won't happen as long as TP owns the team, and that it is unlikely that he ever sells. BUT if TP were to sell unexpectedly, or get hit by a bus, or other unforeseen event that results in the team being sold, I think it's close to 50/50 that the new owner would move the team. The NHL would try to find a new owner that would keep the team in Buffalo, but there is no guarantee that they would succeed. The NHL tried this when the Rigases had to sell, and no one wanted to buy the team and keep it in Buffalo until OSP was offered a hugely discounted sweetheart deal. If there is an ownership group that is ready to pay top dollar to buy the team and move it to a bigger US market with a new arena that throws off $$, many of the other owners will vote in favor of allowing it to happen. Not quite true. Hammister WANTED to keep the team in Buffalo, but was SEVERELY undercapitalized. Had he won the bid he likely would've been forced to pull an Art Moddell move to keep his house of cards from collapsing. (His pulling up stakes on the Destroyers would've been a harbinger of things to come.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thwomp! Posted January 2, 2020 Report Share Posted January 2, 2020 1 hour ago, Beer said: This... No way this franchise moves. T&KPegs wouldn’t let it happen. So thankful we're stuck with the owners who have brought the most glorious of glory days to this franchise. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Taro T Posted January 2, 2020 Report Share Posted January 2, 2020 Just now, Thwomp! said: So thankful we're stuck with the owners who have brought the most glorious of glory days to this franchise. Botterill may not be the right guy, but getting rid of Brandon has to be helping the cause. Am more hopeful that they'll get the next hire right if Botterill flames out than if Russ still had his fingers in the pie. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nfreeman Posted January 2, 2020 Report Share Posted January 2, 2020 18 minutes ago, Taro T said: Not quite true. Hammister WANTED to keep the team in Buffalo, but was SEVERELY undercapitalized. Had he won the bid he likely would've been forced to pull an Art Moddell move to keep his house of cards from collapsing. (His pulling up stakes on the Destroyers would've been a harbinger of things to come.) True. I should've said "no one real wanted to buy the team and keep it in Buffalo." Kind of a distinction w/o a difference though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Taro T Posted January 2, 2020 Report Share Posted January 2, 2020 Just now, nfreeman said: True. I should've said "no one real wanted to buy the team and keep it in Buffalo." Kindof a distinction w/o a difference though. Were his bid not getting pushed as hard by Bettman & the Mayor as it was, would agree. But he legitimately nearly ended up the successor to Rigas and the flameout would've IMHO been fatal to Buffalo keeping the Sabres. Suppose the Is-lan-ders cycle of surviving crooks and morons and yet remaining on Long Island says the Sabres weren't absolutely toast; but it would've been dicey and hitting right when the league lost a full season. IMHO, we collectively dodged a huge bullet. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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