Dallas is further from St. Paul for at least 3 central teams (Detroit, Chicago, Columbus), moving Dallas to the central makes travel longer for 3 teams, while only helping one, whereas moving Minnesota to the central makes travel better for Minnesota plus Detroit, Chicago, and Columbus.
Dallas, though, doesn't have a team relocating to their backyard.
Winnipeg/Chicago is pretty much equal distance for Minnesota.
It also screws Colorado pretty badly as well in terms of traveling as now they have to travel further for all four of their teams...
The problem with the West is that it is totally spread out past St. Louis that you can't get an equal footing for teams. Someone is going to be screwed.
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As for the TV market thing, people in Detroit and Columbus have to stay up till 10 or 10:30 for the start of a west coast game, it sucks, but Dallas is not the only one with TV market problems.
Problem is, Detroit and Columbus don't have to play the West Coast teams 12 times a year. Or 24 really, if you want to think about it.
So you screw Los Angeles, Anaheim, San Jose, and Phoenix to some extent, along with Colorado simply because it's easier to swap two teams out? Yeah that doesn't make any sense.
Now that I think about it, TV times really won't make much of a difference. The difference is going to be one single road game (6 division versus 4 conference games). If Dallas has to play three PST and one MST teams rather than three CST and one EST teams, fans are only inconvenienced for two games out of an 82 game schedule. Big deal.
Would rather be in a division with Chicago, St. Louis and Detroit like every sport than one with 4 Canadian teams. Nothing against those teams but it's a ***** of a roadtrip and none of them care about us.
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Blog: First Round Bust: A Cast of Thousands celebrating a rather dodgy track record of Minnesota Wild Drafting.
"Will beats skill when skill doesn't have enough will."
-Doug Woog
Should the Wild be concerned with the events in Winnipeg? Surely this is a big deal (IMO) for the northern MN/ND fans, especially Fargo/Moorhead/Grand Forks metros. This is especially true of Fargo, which is of equal driving time away from Winnipeg & St. Paul. Maybe it's wishful thinking, but could this motivate the Wild to make a big splash or two to keep up with the neighbors (and one would presume eventual division rivals) to the north?
Should the Wild be concerned with the events in Winnipeg? Surely this is a big deal (IMO) for the northern MN/ND fans, especially Fargo/Moorhead/Grand Forks metros. This is especially true of Fargo, which is of equal driving time away from Winnipeg & St. Paul. Maybe it's wishful thinking, but could this motivate the Wild to make a big splash or two to keep up with the neighbors (and one would presume eventual division rivals) to the north?
I'm not the least bit concerned. Most hockey fans that far north care about college and high school if they care about hockey. The NHL is secondary when you've got great, competitive hockey right at your doorstep.
I really doubt there's a sizable chunk of Wild fans in Fargo anyway, at least not enough to make our ownership do something rash just to keep them happy.
I'm not the least bit concerned. Most hockey fans that far north care about college and high school if they care about hockey. The NHL is secondary when you've got great, competitive hockey right at your doorstep.
I really doubt there's a sizable chunk of Wild fans in Fargo anyway, at least not enough to make our ownership do something rash just to keep them happy.
This.
The more northern Minnesota you go, the less they do care about the NHL. Even the Wild in northern Minnesota, much less in the Dakotas, don't exactly have a great pull among residents. Depending on where you are, college teams take precedent. High School teams follow. Unless you're moving a team into Duluth, the NHL will likely be an afterthought in those parts. (Still is here, even with the Wild)
As far as the Dakotas, as an alum of UND, that market couldn't care less about the Wild. (And the Wild do not really market themselves up there anyway)
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After Meaningless Win - 3/29/12 - Game 77 | SoH-"Who knows, that could have cost us a Cup tonight." | Dooohkay
Also, for whatever reason I think a lot of Northern Minnesotans and North Dakotans would be reluctant to support a Canadian team. But, yeah, I think if anything this could help us. It could be a great new geographical rivalry, and perhaps an international rivalry. It could actually reinvigorate those in-between areas' interest in the NHL.
I can't wait for the division changes that will happen after the next season.
Man, I really wouldn't like to play for the Winnipeg team during their first season..
I dunno, they're going to have a hell of a lot of fan support. Imagine the first few seasons at the X, and then add in a team that's competitive right from the start.
Should the Wild be concerned with the events in Winnipeg? Surely this is a big deal (IMO) for the northern MN/ND fans, especially Fargo/Moorhead/Grand Forks metros. This is especially true of Fargo, which is of equal driving time away from Winnipeg & St. Paul. Maybe it's wishful thinking, but could this motivate the Wild to make a big splash or two to keep up with the neighbors (and one would presume eventual division rivals) to the north?
Not really. Hockey, not the NHL reigns supreme. Plus there's no ill will between Winnipeg and Minneapolis and I doubt there will be.
Also, IF the Wild moves to the Central for the 2012-2013 season, maybe the Wild staff would realize they need to be a stronger team to compete with the other teams there. Maybe.
Not really. Hockey, not the NHL reigns supreme. Plus there's no ill will between Winnipeg and Minneapolis and I doubt there will be.
I dunno. We're the closest team to Winnipeg, and I imagine they'll struggle to rekindle the Jets' old rivalries just the way we have. I could see a Wild-Winnipeg rivalry in a few years.
Edit: Also, considering the number of Jets fans I've seen at the X, I imagine there will be a HUGE contingent that make the trip down for the first WPG-MIN game at the X next season.
Last edited by llamapalooza: 05-31-2011 at 01:10 PM.
I dunno. We're the closest team to Winnipeg, and I imagine they'll struggle to rekindle the Jets' old rivalries just the way we have. I could see a Wild-Winnipeg rivalry in a few years.
That might be all good and well but there was no Winnipeg-Minnesota rivalry. The two teams were in two separate divisions for decades.
You can't just force something that isn't there, though. 'Rivalries' will develop on their own in any sport if teams are relevant and playing at a high enough level. Neither team is at that level right now. And given that the division is going to be made up of another 3 other Canadian franchises, in all likelihood, the Wild will never be looked at in the same light unless they're atop of the division consistently. And that just isn't in the cards any time soon.
Personally, I just don't see it. Much like the rest of the division already, I'm pretty indifferent to this new Winnipeg squad.
Last edited by this providence: 05-31-2011 at 01:49 PM.
No, I know. I meant more that we're two nearby teams who are both in the market for a good rivalry, since the old ones have dried up.
We might be the closest team to Winnipeg but I can assure you their fans look to Canada first, second and third before Minneapolis. Canadian nationalism is very important to our friends north of the border.
We might be the closest team to Winnipeg but I can assure you their fans look to Canada first, second and third before Minneapolis. Canadian nationalism is very important to our friends north of the border.
Ya, and when they get around to looking towards Minneapolis, they won't even find a team!
I dunno, they're going to have a hell of a lot of fan support. Imagine the first few seasons at the X, and then add in a team that's competitive right from the start.
Until they get crushed again. Moving to the West is going to be a pain in the arse.
