advertisement
Audio » Story updated with Audio: Ford thinks NHL's return to 'Peg is near
All it takes is a few minutes over coffee with uber-fan Darren Ford to start believing the return of the National Hockey League to Winnipeg is inevitable.
Filling the MTS Centre to capacity 40-plus nights a year, whether the opponent is Montreal or San Jose? Easy. Leasing the luxury boxes for triple the price companies pay to watch the Moose? No problem. Maintaining fan support if the team struggles to win games? This time will be different, says Ford.
The one unanswered question for the founder of JetsOwner.com is how much it will cost to buy a struggling American franchise and relocate it to Winnipeg.
"The key with Winnipeg is there isn't a doubt in anyone's mind anymore if (the NHL) can work here," says Ford. "The real question is that upfront price tag to get it here."
"I certainly don't have any concern as to backing for a venture like this. Should True North and Mark Chipman say, 'Listen, it all works. We've done all the number crunching,' people will be there."
Ford says commissioner Gary Bettman's positive comments at the recent NHL all-star game about a team one day moving to Winnipeg should come as no surprise. The way Ford sees it, Winnipeg is one of the largest hockey markets in North America, even though the total population pales in comparison to NHL cities like Atlanta, Nashville and Miami.
Chipman, the chairman of True North, the corporation that owns MTS Centre arena, and governor of the Moose, declined to be interviewed, but issued the following statement after hearing Bettman's remarks:
"Mr. Bettman's assessment is consistent with the conclusions we have arrived at after examining the NHL's new framework for ourselves...We have been and will continue to be proactive in our attempts to explore this matter with the NHL."
- Mark Chipman
When plans were first revealed to construct the MTS Centre, many questioned whether an arena with barely 15,000 seats would be big enough for the world's best hockey league.
Ford sees it differently, saying the relative scarcity of tickets would create more demand.
"It's very important to keep it packed," he says. "I think at 18,000 (capacity), it's unrealistic for this market to sustain that."
As confident as Ford is that all 15,000 seats will be filled for every home game, he's even more certain Winnipeg's business community will foot the bill for the arena's 46 luxury suites.
"I'm less concerned about corporate support than fan support," he says. "There are currently 90 companies that support the Moose - albeit at a third of the cost - but I can't imagine a majority or even a minority of those companies saying they're out now even though it's triple the cost.
"And then you can't forget the companies that don't support the Moose (now). So a lot of companies will come out of the woodwork."
With 1,500 to 2,000 visitors logging on to his website every day, Ford says it's clear the city's appetite for NHL hockey hasn't disappeared in the decade since the Jets left.
Now, it's only a matter of waiting.
Audio
Avi Saper Darren Ford talks about attendance numbers necessary for the NHL to survive in Winnipeg
Comments
Frank Landry » Apr 3rd 2007, 21:22
I agree with the first poster ... Decent seats to an NHL game now cost $200. I know that would be a tough sell. Sure, there would be a lot of sold out games at first, but the novelty would soon wear off and attendance would dwindle. Also, the MTS Centre is just too small. It's at least a few thousand seats short of NHL standards. Really, you pretty much need 20,000 seats nowadays to make it worthwhile. That being said, I wish WPG good luck is getting a franchise again.
Jesse Johnston » Apr 4th 2007, 09:05
I will just stir the pot here a bit and just say as I have before, years ago the NHL wanted to dip into the American market because of all the cash in TV contracts. They tried but found out that the Yanks don't care about hockey. The NHL is beginning to realize that Canadian cities make the NHL tons of cash and hopefully in the soon to near future Gary Bettman, or hopefully his replacement, makes it more realistic for small Canadian cities to house an NHL team. Never say never. Keep the dream alive!! It doesn't hurt anyone.
Matt Pearce » Apr 4th 2007, 09:39
The bring back the Jets campaign is just that. A Dream. Everything is about the all mighty dollar these days. The league and players dont care about tradition, they only go where the money is. Its pathetic and true. To have so few teams in CANADA is an embarrassment to the sport. How do these teams survive in cities where they dont even have snow? The Americans only enjoy hockey because of the fighting and violence and not the beauty of the way they glide on the ice. We are a hockey town and I would love to see the NHL back to keep our tradition alive, but in these money and greed fueled days, its not going to happen.
Joel Taplin » Apr 5th 2007, 11:58
This city needs the NHL, I go to the moose games and wishe them all the best but. It's having all those stupid games and the kids running around that makes me wish it was the NHL so that it would be responsible parents and kids that come to watch the game to play games. Come on Winnipeg get it done.
Leave a Comment
Interested in contributing to WinnipegFIRST? Registered users can not only leave comments on any posted article, but can even submit their own articles and news stories for publication! If you want to start participating, click here to Register.
author
advertisement
david young » Apr 3rd 2007, 19:08
It's time to flush the "bring back the Jets" dream down the toilet once and for all. Even with the salary cap, this city simply can't afford the godawful payroll a team would cost. Furthermore there's no way a team would sell out every home game and we all know it. Listen, the days of McDonald tickets are long gone; most working stiffs would be lucky to be able to afford one, maybe two games a season (including wife, kids and parking) if that. The NHL is not about sports anymore, it's strictly business and all about money. We can't afford it...let it go.