OT- Any hockey fans?

[Waquoit]

It is not the same not without the Wendy's you just wouldn't understand. It may look the some but doesn't have the same feel to it. Of course they need a new arena.

Or Chuck's.

 

[Husky25]

It is not the same not without the Wendy's you just wouldn't understand. It may look the some but doesn't have the same feel to it. Of course they need a new arena.

So having a fast food chain store just outside the door made the Civic Center that much more appealing? Romanticize your childhood much?

Hey, I love Fenway Park. It's quirky, it has history, it's a baseball landmark, but there is a reason I haven't been there since 2009. The seats in my price point were built for the 1910's-20's patron and I have a better view from my couch 120 miles away. I certainly don't go to Fenway on the off chance I can sneak in a breakfast sandwich from the Dunkin' Donuts on corner of Brookline and Boylston.

 

[CallMeBruce]

What failure was that? He got that franchise to the playoffs. The fans turned on him because he had no use for Bernie Kosar anymore. The fanbase chose Bernie over Bill, that's why I have little sympathy for Browns fans.

He got them to the playoffs once in five years. They were 36-44 in his tenure there. His last season there was his worst (5-11). When he was fired, Kosar hadn't been the full-time starter for years. What are you talking about?

 

[CallMeBruce]

So having a fast food chain store just outside the door made the Civic Center that much more appealing? Romanticize your childhood much?

Hey, I love Fenway Park. It's quirky, it has history, it's a baseball landmark, but there is a reason I haven't been there since 2009. The seats in my price point were built for the 1910's-20's patron and I have a better view from my couch 120 miles away. I certainly don't go to Fenway on the off chance I can sneak in a breakfast sandwich from the Dunkin' Donuts on corner of Brookline and Boylston.

Dude they've got a Tasty Burger in there now.

 

[Husky25]

Yup and by looking at percentage in the Whalers best years 86-87 The Bruins drew 12,431 and 12,128 which is around 83% filled in a HUGE market compared to the Whale average of 92% filled in a limited market. I'm not saying we had a filled building every night each year because that is far from the truth but I'm sick and tired of people singling out Hartford for not packing them in for a losing team when even OG6 teams (in the US) struggle at the gate when the team is losing. I think an NHL team could strive here with the right ownership, good marketing and corporate support all of which was absent in the past. Replacing the Civic Center is step one.

Here's the thing, It isn't 1986 anymore. In 1986, The Bruins were a 60 year old NHL franchise with 5 Stanley Cups. In 1986, the Whalers were 7 years old and threw a parade for a 4th place Adams Division team that couldn't get out of the second round. In 1986 83% capacity could support players' salaries. Luxury boxes were just that to both fans and the venue. They weren't a necessity. Case in point: The Bruins would make the Stanley Cup Finals in 1988 and 1990 earning the salaries Jacobs paid on the backs of the fans. Finally, by the time The Shawmut Center opened in 1994, its plans had been in the works for 8 years.

Hartford filled a need for the NHL had at the time, but never had a succession plan for the Civic Center, which wasn't even state of the art when it opened. 91%, let alone 83%, capacity and no luxury box occupancy won't cover the 10's of millions in salaries of today's NHL. Honestly, I have respect for the truly die hard Whalers fans, but that time is over. At the end of the day, John Q. Fan was probably not the issue. The community as a whole did not (and probably will not) support the team, from the state, to the city, to the corporations (Corporate support was a key issue back in the Baldwin years. See: Aetna), and finally (in 1996) ownership. Too much is now invested in UConn.

 

[Husky25]

Dude they've got a Tasty Burger in there now.

Where? Where the Dunks' is? I told you, I haven't been back in 5 years. In fact, the last time I was at Fenway, my brother and sister-in law took us for a game up on the Monster as a wedding present. In the interest of full disclosure however, I've seen the Sox in Kansas City, Oakland, and Colorado since then as well as the Dodgers in San Francisco.

Bringing it full circle back to hockey...Going to a preseason game last year at the Pepsi Center in Denver finally convinced me beyond the shadow of a doubt that Hartford is low on the list for a relocated franchise. That place is amazing.

 

[intlzncster]

What failure was that? He got that franchise to the playoffs. The fans turned on him because he had no use for Bernie Kosar anymore. The fanbase chose Bernie over Bill, that's why I have little sympathy for Browns fans.

• 36–44 overall record
• 1 winning season, which included a wildcard spot in the playoffs
• final season finished 5-11, while losing 6 of 7 to finish the season. With a 'supposed' Superbowl contender.

Hardly what anyone would call a success. Cleveland taught him what not to do as a coach, with regards to handling players, org personnel, and as you say, the public. He has admitted as much iirc.