Gretzky-mania hits Winnipeg

Posted by Ezra Ginsburg in News You Can Use on September 24, 2008 — 4 Comments

Wayne Gretzky stuck to his guns today at MTS Centre, saying his comments about Winnipeg and the NHL 12 days ago to the Economic Club of Canada were nothing new at all.

During that luncheon in Toronto, the Great One spoke on a variety of NHL issues, including possible European expansion and the hot topics of future teams in southern Ontario and the Manitoba capital.

Gretzky is just being diplomatic with the local Winnipeg media here. The Great One has a soft spot in his heart for the River City but wonders, like many of us do, if the NHL will ever return given the current financial landscape.

For Illegal Curve, I’m Ezra Ginsburg.

Mikos

He’s not all that wrong. For some reason Winnipegers love to shell out money for exhibition games but would it be sustainable through an entire season?

Would you really pay $100 (or even $50) per ticket to see Florida play??
Hot_Rod

Mikos, they don’t have a problem doing it in Edmonton, Calgary, or Ottawa. They sell out every night in those cities.

So why is it an issue for Winnipeg? We’re not an inferior city.

The NHL belongs here.
Bob Roberts

The current financial landscape has less to do with it than the current political landscape, don’t you think? Political as in Gary can talk forever (oh yes he can) about how wonderful Canada is and blah blah blah but let someone (oh I don’t know, say Jim Balsillie) want to overpay for a franchise and move it to Canada and it’s boom boom out go the lights. Winnipeg may not be quite as attractive to a man like JB as a site for an NHL team, but I bet he’d take it in a heartbeat if there was any chance Gary would allow it.

Obviously Mikos wouldn’t pay to see NHL hockey in Winnipeg, but how long a lineup would there be for season tickets if a team were confirmed there for next season? The people in the line would be glad he wasn’t in front of them.
Mikos

For the record I had season tickets to the Jets for years. (Section 29, Row 4, Seats 1 & 2 – cost $45 a ticket). I loved having NHL hockey in Wpg.

I just don’t like how we try and demonstrate that we are a first rate city by selling out a meaningless NHL exhibition game.

If the NFL can play regular season game(s) in Toronto, can’t the NHL do as well?