On Wednesday Nashville Predators owner Craig Leipold extended a midnight deadline for local investors, trying to buy the Predators and keep them in Nashville, to finalize the sale or lose exclusive negotiating rights. The local group is negotiating with Nashville city officials on more favorable arena lease terms they deem necessary for the sale to go through and for the team to be profitable.
Back in March Leipold signed a letter of intent to sell the team for $220 million to Canadian businessman Jim Balsillie. In June Balsillie started taking deposits in Hamilton, Ontario for season tickets and suites, hoping to move the team after voiding the Predators’ lease (a possibility if the team does not average 14,000 in paid attendance this season). Leipold then decided not to sell to Balsillie. The local group signed their letter of intent in August to buy the team from Leipold for $193 million – much less than Balsillie’s offer.
It’s believed that NHL commissioner Gary Bettman is against a team moving to Canada at this time (Winnipeg would also like a team). However, a team wanting to move to a U.S. market such as Las Vegas or even Kansas City, which has a new arena but no team, would get more favorable treatment. While I’m not entirely convinced Nashville is a viable enough NHL market, I do think there is a team that should be ahead of the Predators on the moving-franchises list. And it’s not one of the teams in the state of Florida, or Atlanta, or even Phoenix.
It’s the New Jersey Devils.
Despite three Stanley Cup titles and a generally high standard of excellence, the Devils have never drawn well. Until this year they played at the Continental Airlines Arena (now the Izod Center) in the Meadowlands. It’s considered one of the poorest hockey facilities and it’s in the middle of nowhere. But now the Devils’ home is the Prudential Center in downtown Newark. It’s two blocks from the train station, making it easily accessible via Amtrak, New Jersey Transit and other lines. Generally, teams moving into beautiful new facilities are able to sell tickets easily, at least for the first season. But after their home opener this past Saturday was sold out, the announced attendance for their second home game last night was 13,218 – over four thousand short of capacity.
Simply put, the Devils have no fan base. The northern part of the state is dominated by New York Rangers fans, and the south is Philadelphia Flyers territory. Whenever the Rangers or Flyers play road games against the Devils, their fans attend in large numbers. With the new building’s proximity to the train station, that trend will continue and may even increase. And having three teams in the New York City media market (Devils, Rangers and Islanders) hasn’t had a positive effect on the NHL’s fortunes. There is no reason for a team to be in New Jersey.
Besides, I’m pretty sure a trip to see a Flyers-Devils game will be much more fun if it’s in Las Vegas. – Joe Guckin
on Nov 2nd, 2007 at 3:07 PM
The devils had more fans attend on Halloween night than Florida and the New York Islanders. Those teams have drawn well in more than a decade, why should new jersey lose its team?
on Nov 2nd, 2007 at 3:12 PM
Besides the Tampa Bay lightening playing on the road would only sell out in AT MOST 2 markets in this league.
on Nov 2nd, 2007 at 5:10 PM
Because the Devils should have never been placed in New Jersey to begin with. It was totally illogical. Not saying Florida should have existed, but at least they put a team where there was no team nearby to begin with. In theory, they could have been a success (and perhaps still can be). And the Islanders have drawn in the past, and if they ever get a combination of ownership with a clue and money, plus a new arena (don’t know if the Islanders want one or not, but I assume their building is obsolete by current standards) they’ll draw again. The Devils will NEVER be a draw.
on Nov 2nd, 2007 at 5:53 PM
I’ll add that Florida doesn’t draw well because of their lack of on ice success. I won’t look it up but believe that they haven’t been to the postseason since 2000 or 2001. Few if any franchises will draw well with this kind of play.
OTOH, in the same state. Tampa Bay draws much better support, what one Stanley Cup can do to a franchise.
Then there’s Jersey. Three cups, consistent postseason performer. Brand spanking new venue, and you can shoot a cannon through the place. This should not be happening.
on Nov 2nd, 2007 at 6:27 PM
If you are so determined to get rid of a team from the Metropolitan area the Islanders are the one to take. Since 2001, as far back as ESPN.com’s NHL attendance goes, the Islanders have outdrawn the Devils once and by a cumulative total of about 2,700 fans over the course of the whole season. Meanwhile the Islanders have been dead last in attendance twice, Yeah, the Islanders drew once, about 25 years ago.
And of course there is Halloween. Let;s look at some other Halloween attendances. In 06-07 the Islanders didn’t crack 9,000 and the Panthers barely broke 10,000. Hell, the Rangers didn’t even sell out their Halloween game in 05-06.
There is a reason the NHL doesn’t schedule many Halloween games.
The reason the Predators always get mentioned for moving has more to do with their ownership situation and arena lease than anything else. The Devils ownership situation is solid and their lease is iron clad. They are going nowhere.
on Nov 2nd, 2007 at 6:54 PM
And they’ll continue to be a complete embarassment when it comes to attendance. A consistently contending team with good ownership and a brand new arena shouldn’t have over 4,000 empty seats, Halloween or no Halloween.
on Nov 2nd, 2007 at 7:19 PM
What is “embarrassing” about it? You don’t get extra points in the standings for selling out your arena. Attendance only matters as a way for other fans to take shots at the Devils because they are so successful on the ice. It is silly.
I think 13,000 is fine. More than fine even. If they draw 13,000 and win 6-1 every home game I will be very pleased.
on Nov 2nd, 2007 at 7:34 PM
Wait. You are a Flyers fan? That explains everything. You needed to say that in your post. If course you want the Devils to move. No team has brought more heartache to the Flyers over the last decade plus than the Devils. The only thing the Flyers have on the Devils is attendance so you have to play it up. It all makes sense now.
on Nov 2nd, 2007 at 8:32 PM
You, sir, are an idiot. And a Flyers fan. Which is kind of redundant.
on Nov 2nd, 2007 at 11:07 PM
If the best argument you can make is to refer to me as a Flyers fan, you have no argument. And as for “Bill”: yawn.
Tonight’s attendance for the Toronto game: 14,523. And it wasn’t Halloween.
on Nov 3rd, 2007 at 12:52 AM
Yes, it’s never made sense to me why Nashville is always the one team that gets crapped on about attendance.
Thanks for this, Joe.
-sooners2727
on Nov 3rd, 2007 at 11:34 AM
That horse has been beaten to a bloody pulp.
You may want to take a closer look around the
league attendance is down in many places.
Oh and most important please try and be original
on Nov 3rd, 2007 at 12:57 PM
While the fan base is lacking, the state stepped up with a big time arena deal. And for us Rangers fans I love the fact they’re here. It’s an extra 4 games we can go to, in a brand new arena no less. Let’s Go Rangers!
on Nov 3rd, 2007 at 6:00 PM
Phil is right between the Rangers,Flyers,Devils and even the Isles there is
a deep rivalry and it is fun to watch.