A Matter Of Dollars And Sense

The NHL owners went to Florida to party and sunbathe, but wound up trying to deal with the vexing problems that plague hockey: rising salaries, boring games, sagging attendance and the likely loss of several franchises Peter Gammons, Sports Illustrated Vault November 29, 1976 Source

HOCKEY;Winnipeg Jets Migrating South to Phoenix

The New York Times December 05, 1995 Source

Perspective; Team Profits and Labor Peace

Andrew Zimbalist, New York Times July 05, 1998 Source

The Relation between New Arenas and Gate Receipts in the National Hockey League

This study examines the relation between the attributes of National Hockey League (NHL) arenas and gate receipts generated by NHL clubs over a period spanning the 1989/1990 through 1997/1998 NHL seasons. We find that the annual gate receipts of eight established NHL clubs increased on average by 47% after they moved into new arenas during the 1990s. This increase greatly exceeds a corresponding increase of 17% for other NHL clubs over the same period. These results hold after controlling for other factors that affect gate receipts, including the quality of clubs, the population and per capita income of a club’s metropolitan area, and a time trend variable. We estimate that a new arena with the average number of luxury and club seats of other new arenas would increase the gate receipts of the Pittsburgh Penguins by approximately $6 million per season in constant 1997 dollars. In short, this study documents that new arenas have a substantial effect on the revenues of NHL clubs. Katz Graduate School of Business, University of Pittsburgh April 22, 1999 Source

Reliant Stadium Articles

MediaVentures November 16, 2000 Source

Say It Ain't So... Transactions That Broke Our Hearts

Seems time sort of stopped for Jets fans on October 18, 1995 -- the day the Winnipeg Jets were officially sold to U.S. businessmen. But before that date, other dates also abruptly stopped Jets fans in their tracks as six dates in Jet history caused many a Jets fan to take pause and them some. CNN/Sports Illustrated August 09, 2001 Source

Study names best, worst cities for sports franchise

American City Business Journals analyzed 172 markets across America to determine their economic ability to support additional professional teams in baseball, football, basketball, hockey and soccer. The study focused on markets without a team in at least one of the five major sports. LA was the most underserved with Philadelphia, Portland, Orlando and Houston also showing excess sport dollars waiting to be spent. Phoenix was the most overextended markets with Tampa-St. Petersburg, Pittsburgh, Kansas City and Denver being the cities that are shortest on total personal income fort he teams they already have. The study concludes that based on total personal income levels, a total of 26 markets have the economic capacity to support an NHL franchise that does not currently have one. The study may be a little too optimistic as it apparently justifies market sizes for 36 new NFL teams, 1 MLB team and 20 more NBA teams. But as other information on Manitoba Mythbuster website shows, the size of the market alone means little to franchise success and sustainability. However this study is a handy starting point to start the prequalifying process. G. Scott Thomas, Birmingham Business Journal November 29, 2002 Source

The NHL In Trouble?

One of the most detailed articles reviewing the state of the economics of pro sports and the differences in hard and soft salary caps and luxury tax systems. Although wrote before the NHL lockout season, so much of the article could have been wrote current day with the new CBA in hand. As such the article provides a great understanding of the issues, which seemingly have gone unchanged for many of the NHL's stakholders including the proverbial family of four. The article's conclusions may be stark but may become more realistic as time moves forward. Matt Witting, WashingtonHockey.com February 10, 2003 Source

Los Angeles Kings Financial Report

A fan of the LA Kings with a financial background goes the extra mile in trying to understand how his team can be losing millions every season and provides some suggestions to better the situation. Phil Propper July 01, 2003 (Link not available to source)

Coyotes' strike a real deal

ESPN's Darren Rovell details the Coyotes lease in Glendale. With all rink revenues going to the team and the far majority of arena build costs going to the city of Glendale the article makes the point that this is one of the best leases in all of the NHL. Darren Rovell, ESPN.com December 23, 2003 Source

Doomsday on the horizon

A terrific blog wrote back in the days of the NHL work stoppage talking about the need for revenue sharing and cost certainty and how they interrelated. What is key to the article are the quotes in it from NHL staff. How large should the revenue sharing extend? How does successful teams swallow a plan that sends million to the same weak teams every year? Most of these questions relate to where we are today. And this might be the biggest bit of evidence that the CBA as it is has not addressed the reality fully. Darren Rovell, ESPN.com April 02, 2004 Source

CBA: Bettman and revenue sharing

A terrific blog wrote back in the days of the NHL work stoppage talking about the need for revenue sharing and cost certainty and how they interrelated. What is key to the article are the quotes in it from NHL staff. How large should the revenue sharing extend? How does successful teams swallow a plan that sends million to the same weak teams every year? Most of these questions relate to where we are today. And this might be the biggest bit of evidence that the CBA as it is has not addressed the reality fully. Andrew's Dallas Stars Page September 26, 2004 Source

Welcome to Winnipeg

Edmonton Sun's Robert Tychkowski compares the sports landspace in Winnipeg to that of Edmonton during the 2005 NHL lockout. The article focuses on the loss of the Jets and what the team meant to Winnipeg. Comments from the Manitoba Moose staff downplayed their intent to bring back NHL hockey to Winnipeg. Robert Tychkowski, Edmonton Sun January 09, 2005 Source

Québec: Aubut rêve encore aux Nordiques

A French language article that indicates Marcel Aubut believes that the NHL could return to Quebec City now that a salary cap is in place. He also mentions that Quebec City needs a new 16,000 seat arena in order to potentially revive the Nordiques and references to the MTS Centre in Winnipeg are made. Radio-Canada.ca May 20, 2005 Source

Collective Bargaining Agreement (2005) between the NHL and NHLPA (PDF)

NHL, NHLPA July 01, 2005 (Link not available to source)

NHL preseason game will come to KC

Kansas City Business Journal July 22, 2005 Source

Hurricanes yet to hit goal on sponsorships

Chris Baysden, Triangle Business Journal August 26, 2005 Source

Just a matter of time

Sports business analyst says NHL's return to Winnipeg is a 'no-brainer' With the new CBA bringing both revenue sharing and a salary cap into view, a new arena in downtown Winnipeg that can derive much more revenue than the past Winnipeg arena, Mark Chipman has crunched the numbers. While he won't guarantee anything, he also won't rule anything out, as it pertains to the NHL returning to Winnipeg. Paul Friesen, Winnipeg Sun October 05, 2005 (Link not available to source)

KC group continues pursuit of Penguins

Randy Covitz, The Kansas City Star December 14, 2005 Source

A team-by-team look at all 30 NHL franchises

While some of the predictions during the lockout were overly negative, this article presents each team's payroll pre-lockout as well as their announced attendance averages. This may be helpful hindsight in understanding how bad and for how long things have been bad in certain NHL cities. TSN.ca December 15, 2005 Source

Authority Not Betting On Baldwin's Dream Of NHL In Hartford

Triggered by low attendance for AHL Wolf Pack games, ongoing battles between the state authority that runs the Hartford Civic Center, other levels of government and Howard Baldwin are documented by Jeffrey Cohen in this article. Jeffrey B. Cohen, Hartford Courant December 19, 2005 Source

Penguins moving to Hartford?

CBC Sports April 07, 2006 Source

Don't Believe the Gripe: The NHL Is Back

The Business of Sport One of the great fears of the NHL losing an entire season was that the fans would not come back. Between the end of the lockout and the next season left just 90 days to sell all of the big ticket items such as luxury suites and club seats. The NHL has come back very quickly in most markets. The article paints a rosy picture about a national US TV deal that simply was too rosy now looking in hindsight. But it does offer some understanding of all the revenue streams that a modern NHL team must sell and the excitement of the NHL being back. Now almost 4 seasons later, the bloom has clearly fallen off that rose in many markets where hockey never gained a foothold. Evan Weiner, The New York Sun June 16, 2006 Source

A sympathetic ear

Great One recalls Jets' past and holds out hope for NHL future Gretzky comments positively about Winnipeg as he arrives in town for the first preseason game at the MTS Centre: "When the franchise left years ago, there were a lot of reasons as to why the team left," Gretzky began. "A lot of those issues have sort of changed. By that, I mean the salary cap, obviously, revenue sharing to a certain degree, the American-Canadian dollar is stronger than it was ... and the new facility. So there's a lot more in favour of Winnipeg maybe some day getting an NHL franchise back." He added, "I know the league, the players themselves, enjoy playing here." Gretzky concluded by saying, "The visiting teams enjoy the atmosphere in this city. There's a lot better chance in this day and age that this city could get a franchise than maybe 10 years ago. Whether or not it happens is something the league has to work out, and ownerships have to work out. But obviously this city's always going to get talked about, because it's a good hockey city." Paul Friesen, Winnipeg Sun September 18, 2006 (Link not available to source)

Fans favour Oilers

Coyotes just aren't Jets The players commented after the preseason game at the MTS Centre: "It's an exhibition game and it did not feel like one," said Doan. "It felt like a regular-season game with the way the crowd was into it. You could see them cheering and holding up signs. This was a unique opportunity that I enjoyed a lot." "It was great and in exhibition games, you don't get that a lot of the time," added Stoll. "I played with the Road Runners two years ago against the Moose and it was a different atmosphere in here tonight. You could feel it and it's good to see that. Winnipeg has always been known as a city that supports their sports." The Wave and the Go-Jets-Go Chant made appearances in the third period as the Oilers beat the Coyotes 5-0. Ken Wiebe, Winnipeg Sun September 18, 2006 (Link not available to source)

Bench boss is lovin' it

Gretzky brings his passion to coaching $1 million: the approximate gate revenue from last night's exhibition game between the Coyotes and Oilers. The profits were split between the Coyotes and True North with the Coyotes receiving a slightly larger share. Writer Paul Friesen penned "That's the kind of crowd it would take, at similar prices, every game, to make a big-league team viable here." Paul Friesen, Winnipeg Sun September 18, 2006 (Link not available to source)

Thumbs up on 'Peg's new digs

Both players and coaches alike from the Edmonton Oilers and Phoenix Coyotes were impressed with the MTS Centre. Ken Wiebe, Winnipeg Sun September 18, 2006 (Link not available to source)

Targeting mayor

NHL's return up to him: group With Winnipeg heading into a mayoralty race, the first NHL preseason game was held at the new MTS Centre. Darren Ford of Jetsowner.com handed out 11,000 flyers showing seating pricing should the NHL return to Manitoba. Scott Brown, a spokesperson for the owners of the new rink, True North Sports & Entertainment Ltd, called the sheet a "pretty good pamphlet". Scott Brown said that the sellout confirms that the market will support NHL hockey at those prices for one night. He added that the next step would be to "discover if Winnipeggers and Manitobans would be committed to those costs over a long period of time, and not just one year but extended years." Ross Romaniuk, City Hall Reporter September 18, 2006 (Link not available to source)

Chipman: Keep the faith, fans

Scoring an NHL franchise is difficult, but doable Tim Campbell, Winnipeg Free Press September 19, 2006 Source

The NHL bounced back last season after a yearlong lockout, but what's next?

Shelly Anderson, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette October 04, 2006 Source

It's not likely at this point, but what if the Penguins were moved?

If the Penguins can’t find a new rink in Pittsburg, three cities are ready to take them, Winnipeg, Hamilton and Kansas City. Since Winnipeg and Hamilton are natural hockey markets with suitable arenas, they have an edge over Kansas City. Pierre Lebrun, Canadian Press October 05, 2006 Source

NHL On The Rebound

The writers make the case that franchises bought just previous to the work stoppage are now worth much more than in the past based on sounded financials via the new CBA. They explain that the NHL's middle teams can count on a revenue sharing system to help them out which has caused a further increase in club values. The big markets are happy since they no longer put extra cash into players salaries making themselves handsome profits even after paying their share into revenue sharing. However, the US TV deals need to be addressed as they net each club only $2 million per season, compared to over $30 million per NBA and MLB clubs. Guaranteed long term contracts need to be addressed as well as inequalities with the revenue sharing system requirements such as not taking into full account the rink leases and government subsidies each team may collect. Michael K. Ozanian and Kurt Badenhausen, Forbes.com November 09, 2006 Source

NHL Team Valuations

Special Report Forbes Magazine charts NHL team revenues in November 2006. Forbes.com November 09, 2006 Source

A tale of two NHL cities – this is the first one

Howard Bloom, Sports Business News November 14, 2006 Source

A tale of two NHL cities – this is the second one

Howard Bloom, Sports Business News November 15, 2006 Source