Bring Back The Whale!!!

[MadVlad]

We've gotten to the Boston city line in an hour twenty plenty of times(from Manchester).

NESN does do things for Connecticut!!!

They have done outdoor fishing shows here.

This year, the 70th annual Manchester Road Race on Thanksgiving, the 2nd largest road race in New England, second only to The Boston Marathon, will be televised on both NESN and YES.

It is always filmed for local access TV, and the WFSB news clips, but this year Salmini Films of Fort Lee, New Jersey will videotape the Road Race for broadcast in December on the NESN and YES cable sports networks.

www.manchesterroadrace.com

anyone else running?!!?

NESN carries the Bruins, they wouldn't carry the Whalers. A new team would need a channel where they could be the top dog, otherwise it wouldn't work, just like it didn't work with SPortschannel New England since the Celtics were the top dog there, and the Whalers filled in.

[uconn99]

NESN carries the Bruins, they wouldn't carry the Whalers. A new team would need a channel where they could be the top dog, otherwise it wouldn't work, just like it didn't work with SPortschannel New England since the Celtics were the top dog there, and the Whalers filled in.

You see all these Fox sports channels I don't see why you couldn't have something like Fox Sports Southern New England. It would cover all of Connecticut and Western Mass.

On the channel you woud have the following-

- Whalers Hockey

- UConn Basketball

- UConn women's hockey (they are in the HockeyEast)

- Boston Redsox games, Yankee games, Mets games possibly a few a year

- UConn football

- UConn soccer

- Minor league baseball games

- High school football games (at least 1 a week live) more tape delayed and all playoff games either live or tape delayed

- Since it will be Fox sports channel you have a lot of filler programing that fox offers in the down times

- NBA basketball team games (look below)

Could the Kings be up for a move?

Arena backers say they'll keep trying

As the sales tax increase for a new Kings arena in the downtown railyard went down to a crushing defeat Tuesday, the group spearheading the campaign for Measures Q and R said it will continue working to get such a facility built.

Measure R, which would have raised the Sacramento County sales tax by a quarter-cent, failed by a 80 percent to 20 percent margin Tuesday night with all precincts reporting. Measure Q, a companion advisory initiative, fared slightly better, going down on a vote of 72 percent to 28 percent.

Measure Q asked voters to bless spending up to half of the $1.2 billion raised by Measure R on a downtown arena, and the remainder on community projects throughout the county.

The Yes on Q&R leaders tried to keep the focus on the future Tuesday night with an "Rally for the Railyard" party held at glitzy Mason's restaurant. The campaign issued a news release announcing the formation of a new nonprofit group, led by the same business leaders who spearheaded Yes on Q&R, to continue pressing to get an arena built downtown, preferably in the 240-acre railyard.

"That 240 acres will someday be the crown jewel of our community," said Sacramento Fire Chief Joe Cherry, who joined Sacramento City Councilman Rob Fong, Sacramento County Supervisor Roger Dickinson and other leaders of the Q&R campaign on a stage at Mason's.

But while the revelers in Mason's tried to stay upbeat, a high-ranking official in the National Basketball Association offered a more grim assessment of the prospects for getting an arena built here. He noted that there is no alternative arena financing plan at the moment, and several previous attempts to come up with one have failed.

"The Maloofs are committed to staying in Sacramento if they possibly can, and there's certainly no interest on the part of the NBA in moving the team. But we can't figure out what to do next," said the NBA's Harvey Benjamin, who participated in ultimately unsuccessful negotiations with the city, county and the railyard developer for an arena.

Joe and Gavin Maloof issued a written statement saying they would "seek guidance from the NBA and hope they can provide suggestions about alternative means of achieving our objectives in Sacramento."

While some initiative proponents have talked about putting another sales tax measure on the ballot in 2008, Benjamin said the Maloofs can't wait that long.

"The arena, they tell me, is in terrible shape," Benjamin said. "And what if (the sales tax measure) fails again? I'm not sure we're ever going to be able to overcome the reluctance of people to pay more for school supplies so some of the money can be used to build an arena."

Opponents of the initiatives celebrated their victory Tuesday in donated midtown office space decorated with hand-drawn signs and cr

[HartfordTycoon]

You see all these Fox sports channels I don't see why you couldn't have something like Fox Sports Southern New England. It would cover all of Connecticut and Western Mass.

On the channel you woud have the following-

- Whalers Hockey

- UConn Basketball

- UConn women's hockey (they are in the HockeyEast)

- Boston Redsox games, Yankee games, Mets games possibly a few a year

- UConn football

- UConn soccer

- Minor league baseball games

- High school football games (at least 1 a week live) more tape delayed and all playoff games either live or tape delayed

- Since it will be Fox sports channel you have a lot of filler programing that fox offers in the down times

- NBA basketball team games (look below)

Could the Kings be up for a move?

Arena backers say they'll keep trying

As the sales tax increase for a new Kings arena in the downtown railyard went down to a crushing defeat Tuesday, the group spearheading the campaign for Measures Q and R said it will continue working to get such a facility built.

Measure R, which would have raised the Sacramento County sales tax by a quarter-cent, failed by a 80 percent to 20 percent margin Tuesday night with all precincts reporting. Measure Q, a companion advisory initiative, fared slightly better, going down on a vote of 72 percent to 28 percent.

Measure Q asked voters to bless spending up to half of the $1.2 billion raised by Measure R on a downtown arena, and the remainder on community projects throughout the county.

The Yes on Q&R leaders tried to keep the focus on the future Tuesday night with an "Rally for the Railyard" party held at glitzy Mason's restaurant. The campaign issued a news release announcing the formation of a new nonprofit group, led by the same business leaders who spearheaded Yes on Q&R, to continue pressing to get an arena built downtown, preferably in the 240-acre railyard.

"That 240 acres will someday be the crown jewel of our community," said Sacramento Fire Chief Joe Cherry, who joined Sacramento City Councilman Rob Fong, Sacramento County Supervisor Roger Dickinson and other leaders of the Q&R campaign on a stage at Mason's.

But while the revelers in Mason's tried to stay upbeat, a high-ranking official in the National Basketball Association offered a more grim assessment of the prospects for getting an arena built here. He noted that there is no alternative arena financing plan at the moment, and several previous attempts to come up with one have failed.

"The Maloofs are committed to staying in Sacramento if they possibly can, and there's certainly no interest on the part of the NBA in moving the team. But we can't figure out what to do next," said the NBA's Harvey Benjamin, who participated in ultimately unsuccessful negotiations with the city, county and the railyard developer for an arena.

Joe and Gavin Maloof issued a written statement saying they would "seek guidance from the NBA and hope they can provide suggestions about alternative means of achieving our objectives in Sacramento."

While some initiative proponents have talked about putting another sales tax measure on the ballot in 2008, Benjamin said the Maloofs can't wait that long.

"The arena, they tell me, is in terrible shape," Benjamin said. "And what if (the sales tax measure) fails again? I'm not sure we're ever going to be able to overcome the reluctance of people to pay more for school supplies so some of the money can be used to build an arena."

Opponents of the initiatives celebrated their victory Tuesday in donated midtown office space decorated with hand-drawn signs and cr

[MadVlad]

I'm thinking the Maloofs are heavily vested in Las vegas and would move the team there in a second if they couldn't make it work in Sacramento. I had no idea that Arco Arena was such a hole....

[uconn99]

I'm thinking the Maloofs are heavily vested in Las vegas and would move the team there in a second if they couldn't make it work in Sacramento. I had no idea that Arco Arena was such a hole....

It looks fine on TV. It isnt that old, opened in 1988.

[drc72]

I would love see an NBA team come to Hartford. Couple that with the Whaler's return and Hartford would be where it is suppose to be, in the big leagues!!!!

[Captain59]

I don't like the NBA, but if Hartford got a team, I'd be all over it.

[HartfordTycoon]

New Courant article talking about our Arena prospects. I think at this point a new facility is the way to go and I'm all for letting Northland handle building a new one based on the current track record and investment in the city.

Courant Arena Article

[drc72]

New Courant article talking about our Arena prospects. I think at this point a new facility is the way to go and I'm all for letting Northland handle building a new one based on the current track record and investment in the city.

Courant Arena Article

I don't understand why anybody would waste their time with the HCC. It's old and cannot be expanded any further. The choice is clear a new arena is needed. I also agree as well that Northland should definitely oversee the development of a new arena.

[Theophrastus Bombastus]

Does Pratt make "SuperSonic" engines so the name can stay?

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=6495789

[drc72]

Does Pratt make "SuperSonic" engines so the name can stay?

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=6495789

The Hartford SuperSonics.

[robm324]

Obviously its a longshot, because as Andrew Zimbalist notes if you listen to the audio clip, if the team wants to be there bad enough, they can pump money into a PR campaign and ultimately defeat the opponants who usually do not have a large amount of funds.

However, the timing might be in favor, because it could take 2-3 seasons to sort all of that out in Seattle. I am optimistic enough to think that we might have at least plans for a new major league quality arena by the start of 2009. You figure the RFP's are due within 30 days, and it will probably take the state 6-10 months to review those RFPs, and another 6-10 months for the legislature to decide whether or not to move on the RFP.

While I am not a huge NBA basketball fan, I would obviously love to see a team in Hartford. I worry that the team might have to split its corporate and fans support with UConn basketball though. That could possibly be a large hurdle for the team.

Having an NBA team less than 30 miles away from the Basketball Hall of Fame where I work would only be a good thing for me.

[HartfordTycoon]

Man, I still love the NBA. If we could get an NBA Team that would be even better than getting the Whalers back. I hope that doesn't offend anyone here. I'm a big supporter of the Whale, but don't follow the NHL at all since there's no more Whalers. Also, the NBA is a higher profile league. So it could really make it soooo much easier to get the Whale back if we actually scored an NBA Franchise first! That would bring all sorts of energy and new clubs/bars, retail, and obviously residents. It would be great.

[Theophrastus Bombastus]

Man, I still love the NBA. If we could get an NBA Team that would be even better than getting the Whalers back. I hope that doesn't offend anyone here. I'm a big supporter of the Whale, but don't follow the NHL at all since there's no more Whalers. Also, the NBA is a higher profile league. So it could really make it soooo much easier to get the Whale back if we actually scored an NBA Franchise first! That would bring all sorts of energy and new clubs/bars, retail, and obviously residents. It would be great.

Is the NBA similar to the NHL in that the Knicks, Nets, or Celtics could block any new team in Hartford? I recall the Bruins and the Rangers had a problem when the Whalers came along.

[HartfordTycoon]

Is the NBA similar to the NHL in that the Knicks, Nets, or Celtics could block any new team in Hartford? I recall the Bruins and the Rangers had a problem when the Whalers came along.

I don't think it would be quite as hard to get it past the other owners. I think it would be harder to convince a team to come though. I don't know for sure, I'll try to find out though.

[GHartford]

I don't think it would be quite as hard to get it past the other owners. I think it would be harder to convince a team to come though. I don't know for sure, I'll try to find out though.

No offense, Tycoon, but the NBA sucks. I don't think there is any way we will get a team, nor is there a market for one. People here treat Uconn as their professional team and, in my opinion, college basketball is much more interesting. I don't think people here would be too quick to support an NBA team. Uconn rules the area basketball-wise. And please don't point to the Connecticut Sun. The WNBA attracts a much different demographic than the NBA and it took them a few years to attract enough people to fill the much smaller Sun arena. If anything, we should try and get the Sun to come downtown if and when a new arena is built (I know, someone would most likely have to buy the team from the Mohegans- unlikely).

The thing about the Whalers is that they still have a fan base and there is a niche for 1st rate hockey in the area. I believe Uconn basketball takes up the 1st rate basketball niche. The NHL is a much better bet. With that said, of course I would support a team if they came to Hartford. I would just be bored out of my mind for the first three quarters of the game...

[mikel]

No offense, Tycoon, but the NBA sucks. I don't think there is any way we will get a team, nor is there a market for one. People here treat Uconn as their professional team and, in my opinion, college basketball is much more interesting. I don't think people here would be too quick to support an NBA team. Uconn rules the area basketball-wise. And please don't point to the Connecticut Sun. The WNBA attracts a much different demographic than the NBA and it took them a few years to attract enough people to fill the much smaller Sun arena. If anything, we should try and get the Sun to come downtown if and when a new arena is built (I know, someone would most likely have to buy the team from the Mohegans- unlikely).

The thing about the Whalers is that they still have a fan base and there is a niche for 1st rate hockey in the area. I believe Uconn basketball takes up the 1st rate basketball niche. The NHL is a much better bet. With that said, of course I would support a team if they came to Hartford. I would just be bored out of my mind for the first three quarters of the game...

That's your opinion. But keep in mind the NBA crowds have been bigger than NHL crowds, and the ratings are MUCH better than the NHL's on TV. I think either league would work in Hartford, but the NHL would probably be a better fit since we have college basketball. Still, the NBA is more popular than the NHL by far.

[MadVlad]

No offense, Tycoon, but the NBA sucks. I don't think there is any way we will get a team, nor is there a market for one. People here treat Uconn as their professional team and, in my opinion, college basketball is much more interesting. I don't think people here would be too quick to support an NBA team. Uconn rules the area basketball-wise. And please don't point to the Connecticut Sun. The WNBA attracts a much different demographic than the NBA and it took them a few years to attract enough people to fill the much smaller Sun arena. If anything, we should try and get the Sun to come downtown if and when a new arena is built (I know, someone would most likely have to buy the team from the Mohegans- unlikely).

The thing about the Whalers is that they still have a fan base and there is a niche for 1st rate hockey in the area. I believe Uconn basketball takes up the 1st rate basketball niche. The NHL is a much better bet. With that said, of course I would support a team if they came to Hartford. I would just be bored out of my mind for the first three quarters of the game...

The reason it took so long for the Sun to attract people is they are located way out in the middle of nowhere. The WNBA didn't want to wait the year for a Hartford owner to come along because they wanted into the Connecticut scene so bad. If the team was in Hartford, they would have twice the attendance over these last few years. This is all ironic too because the WNBA scoffed at markets like Hartford for years because they didn't have an NBA team there. That's a bad business decision if you ask me.

[HartfordTycoon]

No offense, Tycoon, but the NBA sucks. I don't think there is any way we will get a team, nor is there a market for one. People here treat Uconn as their professional team and, in my opinion, college basketball is much more interesting. I don't think people here would be too quick to support an NBA team. Uconn rules the area basketball-wise. And please don't point to the Connecticut Sun. The WNBA attracts a much different demographic than the NBA and it took them a few years to attract enough people to fill the much smaller Sun arena. If anything, we should try and get the Sun to come downtown if and when a new arena is built (I know, someone would most likely have to buy the team from the Mohegans- unlikely).

The thing about the Whalers is that they still have a fan base and there is a niche for 1st rate hockey in the area. I believe Uconn basketball takes up the 1st rate basketball niche. The NHL is a much better bet. With that said, of course I would support a team if they came to Hartford. I would just be bored out of my mind for the first three quarters of the game...

That's your opinion and you are entitled to it. No offense taken. Like I said, I still love the NBA and I love teams with Uconn players on them the most. One being the Sonics with our beloved Ray Allen. Hartford is diverse, there are many here with little interest in the NHL and much more in the NBA, trust me. Just like there are many who prefer the NHL. I of course realize it's a longer shot than the NHL, but still think the pay off would be much greater and the exposure for Hartford would be much greater with the NBA over the NHL if forced to choose. I however am bullish on the market and think we could support both with no problems.

[redbaron]

That's your opinion and you are entitled to it. No offense taken. Like I said, I still love the NBA and I love teams with Uconn players on them the most. One being the Sonics with our beloved Ray Allen. Hartford is diverse, there are many here with little interest in the NHL and much more in the NBA, trust me. Just like there are many who prefer the NHL. I of course realize it's a longer shot than the NHL, but still think the pay off would be much greater and the exposure for Hartford would be much greater with the NBA over the NHL if forced to choose. I however am bullish on the market and think we could support both with no problems.

The NBA would be fine as long as they were succesful. We don't like losers much in this part. Look at UCONN (both men and women), as long as they keep winning we'll support them. I'm more of an NHL fan but I would support any pro sports team that chose Hartford as its home.

[HartfordTycoon]

The NBA would be fine as long as they were succesful. We don't like losers much in this part. Look at UCONN (both men and women), as long as they keep winning we'll support them. I'm more of an NHL fan but I would support any pro sports team that chose Hartford as its home.

I think that a lackluster pro team could do OK here. Look at the Whalers. I truthfuly think it would be OK and better than many other NBA markets with bad teams. I know we could outdraw the Hawks, and when Uconn players come to play or popular teams come to town it would be a pretty packed house I would think.

The reason it took so long for the Sun to attract people is they are located way out in the middle of nowhere. The WNBA didn't want to wait the year for a Hartford owner to come along because they wanted into the Connecticut scene so bad. If the team was in Hartford, they would have twice the attendance over these last few years. This is all ironic too because the WNBA scoffed at markets like Hartford for years because they didn't have an NBA team there. That's a bad business decision if you ask me.

Very bad. If anything they should focus on 2nd tier markets. Less competition for that semi-popular product.

[drc72]

That's your opinion. But keep in mind the NBA crowds have been bigger than NHL crowds, and the ratings are MUCH better than the NHL's on TV. I think either league would work in Hartford, but the NHL would probably be a better fit since we have college basketball. Still, the NBA is more popular than the NHL by far.

I agree the NBA would most likely do good here, but the NHL still has a much more stronger following here. Almost 10 years later and the Whaler's have never been forgotten, that right there proves that the NHL belongs in Hartford.

[malikr65]

During the lockout the NHL lost most of TV contracts including the one it had with ESPN which is the main reason I prefer the NBA. If the largest sports network in the world won't televise a team in its own backyard then why should we pursue them over an NBA team that could provide Hartford with national exposure several times a year?

[mikel]

During the lockout the NHL lost most of TV contracts including the one it had with ESPN which is the main reason I prefer the NBA. If the largest sports network in the world won't televise a team in its own backyard then why should we pursue them over an NBA team that could provide Hartford with national exposure several times a year?

To be fair that's not a good reason to want one league over another, just because its on one cable network over another lesser cable network. The point should be to entertain the citizens.

Some NBA games are on ABC, some NHL games are on NBC, it's all irrelevant.

[MadVlad]

During the lockout the NHL lost most of TV contracts including the one it had with ESPN which is the main reason I prefer the NBA. If the largest sports network in the world won't televise a team in its own backyard then why should we pursue them over an NBA team that could provide Hartford with national exposure several times a year?

The fan base is already here. The NBA would be on unchartered territory. That being said, I'd support either or both.