Did you know the Phoenix Coyotes lost $117M in 2007? And $72M last year?

[Wezil]

I scratch my head why people are offended by the NHL trying to expand their markets. There seems to be a lot of hostility to the very idea.

People are offended because it is a hopeless cause that is hurting the league. It's a cultural thing and the US south does not have a hockey culture (nor will they). NASCAR has a better chance succeeding in Canada than the NHL does in the deep south. Just a plain fact NYE.

Personally I hope Bettman is at the reigns of the NHL for another decade. He is most amusing.

[Lefty Scaevola]

Balsillie will never own an NHL team. He's not the winner here. There are none.

Never owning an NHL team is why he is the winner, despite his best efforts to **** himself and buy one.

[Riesstiu IV]

People are offended because it is a hopeless cause that is hurting the league. It's a cultural thing and the US south does not have a hockey culture (nor will they). NASCAR has a better chance succeeding in Canada than the NHL does in the deep south. Just a plain fact NYE.

Personally I hope Bettman is at the reigns of the NHL for another decade. He is most amusing.

The Dallas Stars seem to do alright. I see plenty of people wearing sports jerseys and other crappy paraphernalia, so I'm assuming there are a lot of fans.

[Asher]

Texans love violence, hockey is violence.

Arizonans(?) love shuffleboard.

[Wezil]

The reports I continually see and hear claim most of the southern franchises are in trouble. I'd bet Dallas will be soon enough as well.

[Riesstiu IV]

Texans love violence, hockey is violence.

Arizonans(?) love shuffleboard.

We only like violence if it involves roundhouse kicks to the face or guns.

[Asher]

If Phoenix had good marketing like this, we wouldn't be in this situation.

This is the opening montage for the Alaska Nanook's hockey team:

[Wezil]

That's pretty hardcore.

[Japher]

Exploding Polar Bear... isn't that a Final Fantasy special move?

[notyoueither]

The reports I continually see and hear claim most of the southern franchises are in trouble. I'd bet Dallas will be soon enough as well.

I wouldn't believe everything written by Canadian media on the topic if I were you.

Presidents, policies, and invading places get the worst out of the American press. The NHL and 'non-traditional' markets get the worst out of the Canadian press.

[Wezil]

I wouldn't believe everything written by Canadian media on the topic if I were you.

Perhaps we should believe the NHL? Remember the stories they told about how successful Phoenix was...?

Plenty of US writers have been saying the same about hockey in the south. SI had an article on it a month or two back.

[Riesstiu IV]

The reports I continually see and hear claim most of the southern franchises are in trouble. I'd bet Dallas will be soon enough as well.

I can only offer anecdotal evidence but it seems while the Dallas Stars take a backseat to the Cowboys and Mavericks, they garner a lot more media attention compared to the Rangers and are light years ahead of the Dallas Burn (doesn't that sound like an STD?). NASCAR doesn't have the same popularity here as in other parts of the south.

Part of the reason the Cowboys and Mavericks are so popular is because of the retarded antics Jerry Jones and Mark Cuban. What the Stars need is an owner who is a billionaire and an arsehole.

[Asher]

Jim Balsillie to buy the Stars?

[Wezil]

I can only offer anecdotal evidence but it seems while the Dallas Stars take a backseat to the Cowboys and Mavericks, they garner a lot more media attention compared to the Rangers and are light years ahead of the Dallas Burn (doesn't that sound like an STD?). NASCAR doesn't have the same popularity here as in other parts of the south.

Part of the reason the Cowboys and Mavericks are so popular is because of the retarded antics Jerry Jones and Mark Cuban. What the Stars need is an owner who is a billionaire and an arsehole.

I think a southern franchise can do fine so long as they put a winning product on the ice. The problem arises over the long term. You can't have a winning team every year. You have to really like the game to support a losing team.

[Lord Avalon]

I think a southern franchise can do fine so long as they put a winning product on the ice. The problem arises over the long term. You can't have a winning team every year. You have to really like the game to support a losing team.

That last line is the key. Where's the hockey culture in the south? Are there southern kids playing hockey? Did their parents play hockey in the south? Or did the only hockey lovers move down from the north?