NHL Insider Leaks Surprising New Expansion City, Fans Are Outraged
Photo credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
NHL Insider John Shannon sparked some controversy on Inside Sports after claiming the NHL could expand to 34 teams; with one team causing a massive stir.
There's been some discussion over whether or not the NHL might add some more teams to their league, with a poll a few months ago stating cities like Atlanta, Houston, Miami, and even a second Toronto team were in the mix.
Gary Bettman isn't shy about wanting to expand his league, but so far there's been no discussions further, but you can definitely expect talks to continue happening until a decision happens.
But that decision could end up causing a lot of controversy, especially if NHL Insider John Shannon is to be believed.
The Controversial City That's Now in the Spotlight
Speaking on Inside Sports, Shannon revealed the league's expansion plans could see an extra two teams added, with Phoenix a potential destination in the next half decade:
I think in the next five years we're gonna be at 34 teams; I suspect we're gonna see Atlanta come in let's say 2028, and then Houston or Phoenix, if Phoenix gets a new arena, in 2030.
It would be a stunning turn to see Phoenix getting a team after years of turmoil and battles with getting a proper arena and actually being financially feasible. We saw years of both Phoenix and Arizona have less than ideal crowds, and at one point needed the league to own the team and take control.
Why This Expansion Leak Has Fans Furious
Safe to say, fans are not too pleased either. The reaction to the potential addition to the league has some wondering exactly what the heck Gary Bettman is thinking:
The fans aren't just calling out Bettman for the idea being a bad one, but instead question his motivation to not market the league better, and instead opt for quantity over quality:
Other cities who could be a much better destination for a new team include Quebec City, Hamilton, Portland, and Milwaukee, and the league would actually see a net positive all round with not only exposure but be a boost financially.
It's a clear motivator that Bettman and his associates just want to earn as much money as possible, but this is getting out of hand. From the Prime deal, to Rogers' exclusive rights, to these talks of expansion; money is the name of the game but it seems the fans; the ones who pay hefty sums to watch, are left in the dust.
So while there's nothing yet when it comes to expansion, 2028 is only a couple of years away and as we all know: Anything can happen.
| POLL | ||
AOUT 6 | 1434 ANSWERS NHL Insider Leaks Surprising New Expansion City, Fans Are Outraged Where would you like to see an expansion team next? | ||
| Houston | 116 | 8.1 % |
| Atlanta | 69 | 4.8 % |
| Hamilton | 696 | 48.5 % |
| Don't Expand | 553 | 38.6 % |
| List of polls | ||
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