NHL open to another expansion franchise in Atlanta (Columbus, Macon: real estate, apartments)

[primaltech]

Originally Posted by wanderer34

First of all, how can you be sure Atlanta will have the 6th largest MSA?

I think ATL actually already passed Philly metro for the 7th slot? Think I saw that earlier this year? And DC MSA (which excludes Baltimore) has just like a small handful more people than that. It's close. ATL metro will pass them soon because it's growing, and DC is losing people. Almost all of the sunbelt is still growing.

And just because Atlanta is the 8th largest market doesn’t make it suitable for hockey, and if that was the case, then why doesn’t Houston, which is a much bigger market, have an ice hockey team as we speak?

Houston doesn't have an NHL team for whatever reasons (I remember they had the Houston Aeros, but I think that was IHL), but like ATL, that doesn't mean one couldn't do well. I'm sure there's a movement to try to get a team there too.

Yes there's not a lot of ice hockey culture in the South as far as youth leagues and all that, largely due to the climate not being cold enough, that's true, but the flip side is that air conditioned indoor arena sports (especially ones involving ice) are probably a nice break from the heat and humidity outside, more than outdoor baseball would be...

A lot of northern transplants now reside in the South. That's probably why the Florida teams have done well.

[Columbus1999]

Not to excited about the proposed location. I hate driving on 400 when I come to town. Downtown or the battery would be great. One thing many fail to realize is life does exist outside of Metro Atlanta. Minor league hockey has flourished in Georgia’s second tier cities for decades. Augusta, Columbus, and Macon have all done very well with minor league hockey teams. There is a huge fan base in this state and some of our neighboring states that will draw fans to Atlanta, but not everyone wants to drive that far out. A central location would be best.

[cdw1084]

Originally Posted by Columbus1999

Not to excited about the proposed location. I hate driving on 400 when I come to town. Downtown or the battery would be great. One thing many fail to realize is life does exist outside of Metro Atlanta. Minor league hockey has flourished in Georgia’s second tier cities for decades. Augusta, Columbus, and Macon have all done very well with minor league hockey teams. There is a huge fan base in this state and some of our neighboring states that will draw fans to Atlanta, but not everyone wants to drive that far out. A central location would be best.

The second tier cities don't have the funds, amenities nor infrastructure to support a NHL team. A centralized location would be Macon and there's no way that it can support a NHL team regardless of who comes in town for any direction. Atlanta, by far, is the only place that can support major league teams in GA.

[wanderer34]

Originally Posted by primaltech

I think ATL actually already passed Philly metro for the 7th slot? Think I saw that earlier this year? And DC MSA (which excludes Baltimore) has just like a small handful more people than that. It's close. ATL metro will pass them soon because it's growing, and DC is losing people. Almost all of the sunbelt is still growing.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Combined_statistical_area

Philadelphia as if the 2022 US Census has the 9th largest CSA and the 7th largest MSA, just slightly ahead of Atlanta, and although it looks like Atlanta will eventually surpass Philadelphia, I believe that once the 2030 US Census is complete, it will show that Miami will have a much larger MSA & CSA due to a lot of transplants from the East Coast and the Midwest, as well as immigrants from Latin America and the Caribbean continuing to move to South FL.

Also, Ft Myers is over and hour to Ft Lauderdale and Naples is over an hour to Miami. Since MSAs and CSAs are determined solely by commuting patterns, I predict that eventually the Ft Myers - Cape Coral - Naples CSA will join with the Miami - Port St Lucie - Ft Lauderdale CSA soon, greatly surpassing the Atlanta CSA.

Originally Posted by primaltech

Houston doesn't have an NHL team for whatever reasons (I remember they had the Houston Aeros, but I think that was IHL), but like ATL, that doesn't mean one couldn't do well. I'm sure there's a movement to try to get a team there too.

Yes there's not a lot of ice hockey culture in the South as far as youth leagues and all that, largely due to the climate not being cold enough, that's true, but the flip side is that air conditioned indoor arena sports (especially ones involving ice) are probably a nice break from the heat and humidity outside, more than outdoor baseball would be...

A lot of northern transplants now reside in the South. That's probably why the Florida teams have done well.

Houston had an oppurtunity back in 1979 when the WHA teams went to the NHL (Edmonton, Winnipeg, Quebec, and Hartford), but I believe that the application got rejected at the time. It’s going to be a lot tougher for a locale like Houston to get an NHL franchise since the league is fully saturated with 32 teams already!

[testa50]

Originally Posted by wanderer34

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Combined_statistical_area

Philadelphia as if the 2022 US Census has the 9th largest CSA and the 7th largest MSA, just slightly ahead of Atlanta, and although it looks like Atlanta will eventually surpass Philadelphia, I believe that once the 2030 US Census is complete, it will show that Miami will have a much larger MSA & CSA due to a lot of transplants from the East Coast and the Midwest, as well as immigrants from Latin America and the Caribbean continuing to move to South FL.

Also, Ft Myers is over and hour to Ft Lauderdale and Naples is over an hour to Miami. Since MSAs and CSAs are determined solely by commuting patterns, I predict that eventually the Ft Myers - Cape Coral - Naples CSA will join with the Miami - Port St Lucie - Ft Lauderdale CSA soon, greatly surpassing the Atlanta CSA.

Not sure if this is a joke or what, but this is definitely, definitely not going to happen. Miami is built-out, and it’s not adding anywhere near enough housing to keep up with Atlanta’s population growth (current YTD Miami MSA is +13,000 housing units, Atlanta is +22,000).

https://www.census.gov/construction/bps/msamonthly.html

Fort Myers and Naples will never, ever be added to Miami CSA. The roads literally don’t have enough capacity for that.

[2020's YouTube Vlog]

Originally Posted by cdw1084

The second tier cities don't have the funds, amenities nor infrastructure to support a NHL team. A centralized location would be Macon and there's no way that it can support a NHL team regardless of who comes in town for any direction. Atlanta, by far, is the only place that can support major league teams in GA.

I didn't get the impression that he was suggesting Macon, etc to host the NHL franchise. I think he was just pointing out that hockey is more popular in GA as a whole than some people believe.

[primaltech]

Originally Posted by wanderer34

It’s going to be a lot tougher for a locale like Houston to get an NHL franchise since the league is fully saturated with 32 teams already!

Yeah, and this is also the negative that I see about the prospects of an NHL expansion in Atlanta. Could happen I guess, but the NHL already has their 32 teams now, and that seems to be a bit of magic number for the major pro sports leagues. It's definitely a nice even number for organizing conferences and divisions and so forth. (Though I guess 36 would be as well...)

Which of course is different if we're talking a relocation. But I'm not sure which teams in the NHL are not doing well in their markets or might be looking to move, other than the obviously struggling Arizona Coyotes.

Maybe the Coyotes could move to Houston, and either the Columbus Blue Jackets or maybe even the Florida Panthers could try a relocate to Atlanta. (The Panthers still struggle with attendance despite being a good team lately.)

[cdw1084]

Originally Posted by 2020's YouTube Vlog

I didn't get the impression that he was suggesting Macon, etc to host the NHL franchise. I think he was just pointing out that hockey is more popular in GA as a whole than some people believe.

That's fine, the fact remains that Atlanta is the only city in a 4 hour radius that can support a NHL team besides Nashvile and Charlotte. No other location makes the slightest sense.

[JMatl]

Originally Posted by wanderer34

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Combined_statistical_area

Philadelphia as if the 2022 US Census has the 9th largest CSA and the 7th largest MSA, just slightly ahead of Atlanta, and although it looks like Atlanta will eventually surpass Philadelphia, I believe that once the 2030 US Census is complete, it will show that Miami will have a much larger MSA & CSA due to a lot of transplants from the East Coast and the Midwest, as well as immigrants from Latin America and the Caribbean continuing to move to South FL.

Also, Ft Myers is over and hour to Ft Lauderdale and Naples is over an hour to Miami. Since MSAs and CSAs are determined solely by commuting patterns, I predict that eventually the Ft Myers - Cape Coral - Naples CSA will join with the Miami - Port St Lucie - Ft Lauderdale CSA soon, greatly surpassing the Atlanta CSA.





Houston had an oppurtunity back in 1979 when the WHA teams went to the NHL (Edmonton, Winnipeg, Quebec, and Hartford), but I believe that the application got rejected at the time. It’s going to be a lot tougher for a locale like Houston to get an NHL franchise since the league is fully saturated with 32 teams already!

LOL!?!?! You definitely need to take this Comedy Show on the road!

[Craziaskowboi]

Originally Posted by JMatl

Then please explain the Lightnings wild success.

That's easy. The Tampa Bay Lightning won three Stanley Cup championships in 18 seasons. Winning championships is a great way for a professional sports team to build its brand equity. They're also the best-run team in their market. The Buccaneers and Rays have had their moments, but neither have been as consistent or successful.