Got My Team Back!

[bigfunkyg]

Imagine if you will.......

This could be applicable to most sport or city. You are a fan and you love your home town team. You go to the games, own the jersey, know the players, are passionate about your team. Your existance is in a small market but love the fact that you run with the big dogs because of your team. It gives you worldwide recognition because of it. Then one day because of changing economic circumstances and a flawed business model, your team cannot exist anymore and moves away. At first you are in denial but then the horrible realization move in. Fans try to cope with filling the emptyness left by turing their interest to other things (different teams, minor hockey, different sports), but nothing ever fills the hole. A long time passes. Hope comes and goes as promises go unfulfilled and futile attempts fail.

And then one day.......

http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/sports/hockey/ourteam/

The team is back!. After 15 years of missing NHL Hockey in the Hockey heartland of Canada, finally we have our team back! The excitement around town is electric. Every conversation is around the team. People are lining up to buy season tickets. The whole city has a reason to celebrate! Here come the Winnipeg Jets* next season!

*Name not offical yet, but they would be stupid to call them anything else.

Off on a fishing trip this weekend but planning on smoking many cigars in celebration.

G

[Puros Y Vino]

Congratulations! Any time a Canadian city gets an NHL team back or for the first time is good news. I hope they're there for good and that they'll be the "Jets" once gain. Now....bring back the Nordiques!!

[riazp]

I agree with Frank, great to have a team back in canada, next on the nhl's agenda needs to be moving pheonix to quebec city, move the panthers to hartford (loved the whalers jerseys!) miami has no business having a hockey team

[ckearns]

Congratulations to you and all Winterpeggers out there. Tuesday was a great day for your city and for Canadian hockey (too bad you had to let that weasel/Count Chocula Gary Bettman in for the press conference).

On a side note, its no wonder the non-traditional hockey markets in the States are failing. I was in Florida a couple weeks ago and I didn't watch one playoff game because the place we were in didn't have Versus. I've learned that Versus is a channel you get when you've subscribed to a premium programming package (ie not a basic cable channel). Its tough to grow a business when its not accessible to the people you're trying to market to and is kind of like a food company charging for samples of their new product.

GO JETS GO!!!

[Mr.T]

Congrats and a great day for Winnipeg! I'm thrilled to see a team back in the Canadian heartland. I may just have to make the drive up from Minneapolis and watch them play. Looks like there will be some realignment of some of the divisions and we may play each other

[bc8436]

Congratulations to you and all Winterpeggers out there. Tuesday was a great day for your city and for Canadian hockey (too bad you had to let that weasel/Count Chocula Gary Bettman in for the press conference).

On a side note, its no wonder the non-traditional hockey markets in the States are failing. I was in Florida a couple weeks ago and I didn't watch one playoff game because the place we were in didn't have Versus. I've learned that Versus is a channel you get when you've subscribed to a premium programming package (ie not a basic cable channel). Its tough to grow a business when its not accessible to the people you're trying to market to and is kind of like a food company charging for samples of their new product.

GO JETS GO!!!

Florida is just a horrible sports market, period. If the NFL struggles with attendance in Florida, nobody can succeed there. Neither Florida Marlins nor Tampa Bay Rays managed to sell out during their runs to the World Series. Even with the Heat boasting 3 of the sport's biggest superstars, you see fans strolling in midway into the 2nd quarter.

[str8dog]

Congrats, now you've got something to take your minds off the Stuka sized mosquitoes.

Seriously though, a good day for Canadian/Manitoban/Winnipeggian? sports!!!

[riazp]

Florida is just a horrible sports market, period. If the NFL struggles with attendance in Florida, nobody can succeed there. Neither Florida Marlins nor Tampa Bay Rays managed to sell out during their runs to the World Series. Even with the Heat boasting 3 of the sport's biggest superstars, you see fans strolling in midway into the 2nd quarter.

Good move the marlins or Raysto montreal :D