Saying the words "NHL" and "expansion" in the same sentence may induce vomiting more severely than the most potent ipecac, but don't worry, I'm suggesting a different kind of expansion.
The NHL is already over-saturated, so adding another team doesn't make sense to anyone except Gary Bettman, but adding a second team in a hot market could prove to be lucrative.
Toronto, Canada is one of the hottest NHL markets around. Trying to find a pair of stubs to see the Maple Leafs is like trying to get a date with Paris Hilton. If you don't have bags of money to burn, then good luck.
Yeah, it's that tough. It's on par with trying to get your hands on New York Yankees, Manchester United, or New England Patriots tickets.
The pool of passes thins very quickly as local business groups buy up large chunks of tickets even before opening night. Most reasonable brokerages sell off their hotcakes swiftly, which forces the average fan to deal with old-fashioned scalpers and online scalpers, both of whom charge roughly double the face value.
In simple economical terms, the demand is higher than the supply at this point, which means it's time to opening up another shop.
With the Maple Leafs entrenched virtually as south as it comes, there is room for a second franchise up north.
It's not really a novel concept to have more than two franchises from one sport in the same city. The city of Los Angeles has two NBA teams and the city of New York has two NFL and MLB teams.
The city of Toronto is definitely capable of supporting two NHL teams.
Obviously, the kingpin that is Maple Leafs Sports & Entertainment (MLSE) would not be thrilled to have a competitor spring up on its territory, but there is enough money to go around for everyone.
Right now, a trip to watch the Maple Leafs play at the Air Canada Centre in the heart of downtown Toronto will cost you no less than $35 per person. That is, if you walk there, ignore the concessions, and sit in the very last row on the highest level. If you do factor in some parking and a seat upgrade, it becomes clear that not everyone can afford this kind of entertainment.
So while the affluent can still bleed their blue and white, a more reasonably-priced option up north would definitely appeal to those who don't currently go to the ACC.
The further away you venture from downtown, the cheaper the land is. Hence, the construction of a new building would be millions cheaper than if it were planted in the core of the city.
But the league does not need to expand to 31 teams to give Toronto a second one. They could and should move one of the numerous teams that are struggling at the box office.
An easy excuse can be made for a lack of attendance in New Jersey or Washington, as those teams are not competitive. But teams like Carolina and Nashville, who rank third and fourth in their respective conferences, rank 24th and 26th in attendance this season.
Winning is supposed to fill up the seats, but apparently there is little interest no matter how competitive their teams are.
If the trends continue, a moving day is inevitable and the city of Toronto should be seriously considered.
Expansion and relocation mix like Mondays and me.
"Like dear St. Francis of Assisi, I am wedded to poverty, but in my case, the marriage is not a success." — Oscar Wilde
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