[Amanda]

New Sonics chairman floats NHL idea


Seattle SuperSonics chairman Clay Bennett on Tuesday revealed that he met last week with NHL commissioner Gary Bettman and told him there is interest in the Seattle market for a professional hockey team.
Bennett, speaking to the media for the first time since his group officially took over the franchise – the money has been wired and received – also announced that he has named Danny Barth, the Sonics’ chief financial officer, as Wally Walker’s interim replacement at CEO.

But the bigger news was that Bennett, who is pursuing a new arena in the Seattle area, met with Bettman when Bennett was in New York for the NBA’s Board of Governors meeting.

Bennett has said all along that if a new arena is built for as much as $500 million, it would need more tenants than the Sonics to help pay off the debt. From the beginning, he has mentioned the NHL as a possibility.

“I voiced the notion that there may be interest here in hockey,” Bennett said of the meeting. “(Bettman) was very kind and he thanked me for coming by. It is to be explored. I don’t know.

“Anecdotally, it seems there may well be interest in hockey here. And I think we ought to really test that. I think it is worth understanding the feasibility of hockey in the marketplace.”

New Sonics chairman floats NHL idea | TheNewsTribune.com | Tacoma, WA

 

[StevieY19]

Sounds like a good idea to me. Brings a team a little closer to home for me.

 

[imported_shookem]

I think it would be worth a shot. Seattle has been mentioned as a possible NHL city for a long time and the owners are right that the arena will need another tenant.

I can imagine a great rivalry between them and the Canucks!

 

[OLYMPIA STADIUM]

Seattle

New Sonics chairman floats NHL idea


Seattle SuperSonics chairman Clay Bennett on Tuesday revealed that he met last week with NHL commissioner Gary Bettman and told him there is interest in the Seattle market for a professional hockey team.
Bennett, speaking to the media for the first time since his group officially took over the franchise – the money has been wired and received – also announced that he has named Danny Barth, the Sonics’ chief financial officer, as Wally Walker’s interim replacement at CEO.

But the bigger news was that Bennett, who is pursuing a new arena in the Seattle area, met with Bettman when Bennett was in New York for the NBA’s Board of Governors meeting.

Bennett has said all along that if a new arena is built for as much as $500 million, it would need more tenants than the Sonics to help pay off the debt. From the beginning, he has mentioned the NHL as a possibility.

“I voiced the notion that there may be interest here in hockey,” Bennett said of the meeting. “(Bettman) was very kind and he thanked me for coming by. It is to be explored. I don’t know.

“Anecdotally, it seems there may well be interest in hockey here. And I think we ought to really test that. I think it is worth understanding the feasibility of hockey in the marketplace.”

New Sonics chairman floats NHL idea | TheNewsTribune.com | Tacoma, WA

NO WAY the NHL does not need to be in seattle. go back to winipeg and quebec

 

[Hkyfn]

Oly! You know absolutely nothing. We all know what you think, tiny little puny markets should get a team (when there is no owners waiting to step up and deliver) whereas large, successful markets like Seattle go for nought.

 

[OLYMPIA STADIUM]

Winnipeg

Like i have said before the NHL needs to go back to winnipeg, quebec and hartford. and no the NHL has no business in seattle and again this is my opinion.

 

[hok]

Like i have said before the NHL needs to go back to winnipeg, quebec and hartford. and no the NHL has no business in seattle and again this is my opinion.

hmmmm ...

I vote for the Red Wings to move to Seattle.

 

[OLYMPIA STADIUM]

hmmmm ...

I vote for the Red Wings to move to Seattle.

Sorry but that will never happen. send carolina back to hartford.

 

[hok]

nahh - it'll happen for sure

... right after GM sheds the union and introduces it's new production plants in Latin America.

 

[Hkyfn]

LOL, then Oly really would have a hard time getting a job! Why is it, in Oly's opinion that the only markets that deserve a team, are 3 small, old and somewhat poor cities that couldn't support a team the first time around? The 3 cities he seems to love are all old WHA haunts, isn't it funny how that league went defunct, as well as 3 of the 4 cities that merged with the NHL in 1979? The only holdover team is Edmonton, and they remain on thin ice.

Seattle on the other hand is a large and vibrant city, with cash galore. Oly, I suggest you get out and check out other areas around the country. You will find that indeed the grass is most certainly greener!

Seattle or Portland, Oregon would be wonderful markets for the NHL (Seattle was supposed to get an expansion team in 1976). The great Northwest would have a natural rivalry with Vancouver, as well as San Jose.

Incidently, I'm sure if Seattle did get that expansion team in 1976, and happened to move, then Oly would be calling for the NHL to return there again!

 

[Hkyfn]

I'm with you HOK, hmmmm....., the Seattle Red Wings, has a nice ring to it, doesn't it!

 

[StevieY19]

The Seattle Red Wings is no good. Lets not talk like that. As for another NHL team in Seattle, heres a crazy thought maybe billionaire Bill would become a hardcore fan and throw some of that money around the NhL(or at me). Chew on that for a second everybody.

 

[hok]

... how about the Anchorage Red Wings ?
With a brand new stadium.

 

[OLYMPIA STADIUM]

... how about the Anchorage Red Wings ?
With a brand new stadium.

STAY ON TOPIC. this is not about the detroit red wings.

 

[BE-LEAF-ABLE]

I think Seattle would be a great market for Hockey, especially with it being the only city to fill the gap between Colorado and Vancouver.

This isn't the first time that Seattle was asking for a team though. They were shunned years ago in place of Nashville, Atlanta, Columbus, and Minnesota.

Yes, some of those markets are successful, but I think the NHL made a mistake by missing out on an opportunity like this just because Bettman wanted to stretch the Hockey map downwards. :dunno:

I'm all for Seattle, but is Gary Bettman?

 

[BE-LEAF-ABLE]

NO WAY the NHL does not need to be in seattle. go back to winipeg and quebec

What's wrong with Seattle? :dunno:

 

[OLYMPIA STADIUM]

Winnipeg

What's wrong with Seattle? :dunno:

The NHL needs to go back to winnipeg and quebec. they dont need a team in seattle.

 

[StevieY19]

... how about the Anchorage Red Wings ?
With a brand new stadium.

:thumbsup: Now that has a nice ring to it!

 

[Canuck]

Seattle Would be a great city for hockey. I would say get hockey out of nashville and call them the Seattle Predators and Put a new team like Winnipeg back in. Seattle would definetly make a great rival for Vancouver.

 

[Rids]

Seattle? With the 3000 Thunderbird fans? Besides the Sonics are moving to Oklahoma City anyhow so why package a NHL team with them?

Last T-Bird games attendance - 2546 Oct. 29; 3011 Oct. 28; 3949 Oct. 21; 2406 Oct. 15; 3141 Oct. 14.