One team is on the move. Could this be the team that comes to Houston? Les, here's your chance. http://espn.go.com/nhl/news/2003/0606/1564097.html
Ice hockey in Houston sounds cool. Of course when the Woman's Collegiate Softball Championship out rates Stanley Cup Hockey all I can say is bring on hockey, but use someone else's $$$. I love hockey, played hockey, but could not imagine the purchase of an NHL team in this current environment.
Neither can Les Alexander, which is why his people have repeatedly insisted they'd check things out after the new CBA. If the new CBA is owner-friendly, it may well be a good investment for Alexander since he pays the same for the building with or without an NHL team. Having those dates filled and being able to tie together the Rockets and the NHL team's sponsorships, etc. could make it a good deal for him even if the sport continues to be a distant 4th on the sports landscape. We'll have to wait and see, though.
Hockey is great, but...it is not a good place to sink one's $$$ in these days. Perhaps after their CBA? It'd be great, but right now I understand Les' reluctance.
As do I (though a case could be made that teams will be more expensive and potentially harder to move after the CBA if it is owner-friendly...... but given the current state of affairs, the risk is just too big).
If you think tha's interesting, try this. New Jersey fans in the fanhome.com forum are talkin about the Devils moving to Houston and the Nets to NY and how NJ fans could try to stop them. Here's a sample. NYCdog Registered User Posts: 1 (5/28/03 12:26:21 am) Reply Re: RE -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- You mean you guys honestly dont know whats going on? Have you seen the news or read the papers in a little while? Thanks to your boy Govna' James McGreevey and the rest of those bumbling idiots down in Trenton, the arena deal in Newark is a DEAD issue because they failed to pass a bill for funding of the new arena. The Nets tried to work out funding some how involving bonds issued to renovate Newark International but that is not going to work either. Whats even worse is that NJSEA (company that runs Medowlands complex) is planning to demolish Continental Airlines Arean to make way for the proposed Xanadu Developement around Giants Stadium to attract future Super Bowls and other major sporting events to the area. According to sportsbussinessnews.com which has reliable sources close to this situation, The Nets are actually close to being sold off by the Yankees to Isles owners Charles Wang and Sanjay Kumar. With them having the Nets along with the Isles, they could speed up the process of landing a new arena in Long Island much faster. There new arena is close to being a done deal and would be built on the east lot next to the Coliseum with the old place being torn down to make way for a convention center. Meanwhile the Devils would more than likely be headed to Houston who has a new arena that will open this season. The NHL would be okay with the move because H-Town is like the 4th largest city in America and Bettman wants them to have a team. Its getting pretty serious for you guys. If I were you, hold McGreevey hostage until he gives you guys a deal on a new arena to save your teams. Or else, they could end up being the New York Nets and the Houston Devils very soon. Here's a link to the thread. URL=http://insiders3.ezboard.com/fnewjerseynetsfrm1.showMessage?topicID=189.topic]http://insiders3.ezboard.com/fnewjerseynetsfrm1.showMessage?topicID=189.topic[/URL] So who do you guys want? the Houston Penguins or the Houston Devils. My vote goes to the Devils
Dammit it didnt work. OK here's a thread to the NJ fans forum http://insiders3.ezboard.com/fnewjerseynetsfrm1.showMessage?topicID=189.topic
oooooh yeeaaaaaaa that would be tite if the devils come here...so if they win the stanley cup and relocate to houston this summer, do they still raise the championship banner here?
