Sports

Rumors Fly Around a Second NHL Franchise For Toronto

by Jon Azpiri | October 21, 2008 at 11:45 am

590 views | 2 Recommendations | 4 comments

According to a report in the Globe & Mail, the NHL is considering putting a second franchise in the hockey hotbed of Toronto. The report suggests that Research In Motion co-CEO Jim Balsillie may be granted an expansion franchise or be allowed to purchase an existing franchise and move it to Hogtown.

“Why shouldn't we put another team in the best and biggest market in the world?” one of several NHL governors who spoke with The Globe anonymously said of the Greater Toronto Area.

According to this governor, one idea floated is for prospective owner Jim Balsillie to be rewarded with an expansion team in Toronto after helping to restore financial ballast to the Nashville Predators.

“I've heard this exact scenario,” a second governor said.

Several cities have two or more franchises in the same sports league and many of them have flourished. New York has two NHL, NFL, and Major League baseball franchises, each with their own distinct fan base. Los Angeles has two NBA teams that play in the same arena: the superstar L.A. Lakers and the more low-key L.A. Clippers. A likely scenario could play out in Toronto, with the Leafs garnering much of the attention and ticket revenues while the new expansion team, much like the Clippers, develop their own unique set of younger and more cost-conscious fans.

Considering that the Toronto Maple Leafs are the hottest ticket in the NHL, despite their poor performance, it may make sense to have another team in the GTA to service all those fans who can't get into Leafs games.

The Maple Leafs, however, sound indifferent at best about having a crosstown rival.

"I'd have to wait, I don't want to speculate," said Peddie. "When and if the NHL brings the board a recommendation, we'll have a point of view at that point and time."

Likewise, TSN hockey analyst Bob Mackenzie dismissed the idea of a second NHL team in Toronto as just speculation.

"The concept of a second team in Toronto is one that is talked about by a lot of people a lot of the time but there is zero traction from the NHL head office or the board of governors or the executive committee of the board of governors," McKenzie said Tuesday.

"It has never been discussed at that level and my sense is it's not likely to for a long, long time -- if ever."

But, if a second team were to be approved, McKenzie said it would definitely be successful and the Maple Leafs would get a "sweetheart deal" up front on infringement rights to compensate for any threat of lost revenue.

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JeffHuang

at 11:51 on October 21st, 2008

If they said no to Hamilton, why would they say yes to Toronto#2

polarcubby

at 16:19 on October 21st, 2008

polarcubby has contributed a photo to this story.

tjgrz11

flagged this story as Good Stuff

at 02:46 on October 23rd, 2008

Jon Azpiri, I like this story. It's good stuff.

I'd rather see the NHL go back to a market they walked away from in the past. Give a team back to Winnipeg or Quebec. I've been saying for years that the rapid expansion in to ridiculous markets such as Atlanta and Phoenix was going to come back and hurt the NHL. Before moving teams around, lets do what is really needed, get rid of Gary Bettman. He is the worst thing to ever happen to the NHL.

adobo republic (not verified)

at 09:52 on April 24th, 2009

i'd say why not? this should give the leafs management some wake-up call for taking toronto fans for granted for so long.

let the leafs have a competition right here in the city so they'd stop their lackluster performance and maybe, just maybe - another toronto team will bring the stanley cup back to the city and to the fans.