Yet another sign that the trap is the worst thing to happen to hockey.

WTF Indeed: Nothing says "smart business move" like moving a sports franchise which has a predominately white/middle class fan base into one of the largest minority/poorest cities in America. Then not providing parking next to the arena, so that said fans have to park their cars on the streets of Newark for night games.

You neglected to mention the enormous train station 3 blocks away that's easily accessible from the majority of train stations in New Jersey (and ones in NYC too). Taking a train beats the shiat out of hauling your ass to the swamp. And that arena is gorgeous. That said, I have no idea what all of that has done for attendance.

WTF Indeed: It's not about the train station, it's the fact that the team asked their fans to "take the train into Newark" for a game. The average Devils fan is coming from the suburbs so they want to drive in because they are only going to Newark, but you can't find parking there so they don't want to go.

I don't know, maybe it's just that I'm used to trains after taking them to work and to go out in the city for years. But I went to my first Devils game this year and it involved me taking a train from work in the city to the game, and then another train to my girlfriend's in New Brunswick after. It couldn't have been easier. And it's not like Newark Penn is a small station that's only served by one line.

Of course all of this is relevant to my interests with the potential that the Islanders eventually move to the Barclays Center (read: directly above an LIRR terminal and a ton of subway lines). If that happens I'd never drive to a game again.

WTF Indeed: They've spent a lot of money trying redoing that area, but it's still Newark. It's like in the 70's and 80's when Steinbrenner was trying to move out of the Bronx. When there was a game it was safe as can be, you still couldn't go more than two blocks off of River Ave. and the Bronx was just a haven of crime. The area around the arena is nice, but you're still asking white middle class people to drive into Newark

This is true. You can't stray too far from the arena and that's a problem. But I can't imagine a spot in Jersey that's more convenient for more people, short of plopping an arena in the middle of the suburbs and eminent-domaining the shiat out of some neighborhood. I guess they just need to do something about the parking.

WTF Indeed: Then not providing parking next to the arena, so that said fans have to park their cars on the streets of Newark for night games.

There is a garage right next door and a parking lot across the street.

WTF Indeed: The average Devils fan is coming from the suburbs so they want to drive in because they are only going to Newark

I would take the train but I don't live near a train line. When I worked in Newark I would catch a bus that was about 10 minutes from my house and dropped me off in front of my office, but that service is infrequent and ends at 8PM. By time I drive to the closest train station in that direction I am almost half way to Newark. Of course that does beat dealing with Newark traffic.

WTF Indeed: Nothing says "smart business move" like moving a sports franchise which has a predominately white/middle class fan base into one of the largest minority/poorest cities in America. Then not providing parking next to the arena, so that said fans have to park their cars on the streets of Newark for night games.

There are a ton of lots around the arena for people to park, usually park for free at either the restaurante we hit pre game or just on the street near one of the bars. Never had a problem. That section of Newark isn't as scary as most people make it out to be.

The financial woes have nothing to do with the move to Newark and everything to do with one of Vanderbeek's partners wanting out.

WTF Indeed: I know it's not a bad area, but there is obviously a problem when the second best team in the NHL this year is 24th in attendance.

I don't know if I'd call them that...they managed to get hot when it mattered.

WTF Indeed: Nothing says "smart business move" like moving a sports franchise which has a predominately white/middle class fan base into one of the largest minority/poorest cities in America. Then not providing parking next to the arena, so that said fans have to park their cars on the streets of Newark for night games.

That is a stupid point. While not a devil's fan, I go to a ton of games. More than I would if they were still in the meadowlands. The ease of mass transit to the game is a big part of that.

And I do occasionaly drive. Parking is $10 there, on par or cheaper with what it was at the meadowlands, and is plentiful, and it is just as easy, if not easier to drive there than when they played at the meadowlands. Plus there are actually things to do in newark when you go to the game. Where would you have proposed they built the arena?

Simply put, the devil's don't move tickets at the price they need. My buddy has season tickets about 10 rows up from the glass on the corner, and while face on them is something like $175, in his package he only ends up paying about half of that. Unless the devils are playing a big name, they have trouble filling the rock even when most of the upper tier gets sold at $10 a pop just by saying you are a college student.

Simply put, they don't have enough fans, or at least fans that come out to games. The location doesn't have anything to do with it.

Even in Round 1 and Round 2, the games didn't sell out until a day or two before the games, and that was without them inflating the ticket prices. I got round 2 tickets, day of game, for like $75 bucks, and half of the place was flyers fans. Food and the like are pretty reasonably priced there, and they put on a great experience.

So don't fault management, fault your fans who refuse to show up even though the team is doing their part.

And what do you mean you can't stray far from the area? You have all of ferry street and the excellent places to eat and drink in the ironbound.

Yea, I wouldn't want to be walking around some of those neighborhoods at 2am by myself, but before and after games, its just fine. Hell, even walking up market to the Rutgers area and going to McGovern's and the like is perfectly safe.

Killer Cars: LineNoise: So don't fault management, fault your fans who refuse to show up even though the team is doing their part.

I'm curious if there's any readily available survey stats on how many Northern NJ residents actually identify themselves as New Jersey sports fans.

I know plenty of Devil's fans. However for most of them they are Devil's fans because:

1. They hate the rangers of flyers, or moreover the stereotype that comes with being a rangers or philly sports fan.
2. They got into hockey during the devil's great run in the 90s (same as pretty much everyone who is left that calls themselves an islanders fan)
3. They have some connection to the devils from when they played hockey as a kid themselves. Back when I played the devils were great in being involved with youth leagues, etc. You don't see it as much anymore.

I think the devils and their fans just do a shiatty job marketing the experience. As a flyers fan, I shouldn't have to be the one to tell you that parking is cheap and not an issue at your arena, and that the neighborhood is great and safe. I shouldn't have to be the one saying it is one of the nicest arenas around and very reasonably priced.

But when your fans don't give a shiat to do so, and your owner fights with the city, the word doesn't get out.

haterade: the real problem is that you can't get hammered legally on a train like Europe.

/surprised when my friend told me I could get a $150 fine for drinking on the way to a Devils game

If you keep it in a paper bag and aren't a jerk, NJ Transit won't give you a hassle. PATH maybe.

haterade: the real problem is that you can't get hammered legally on a train like Europe.

/surprised when my friend told me I could get a $150 fine for drinking on the way to a Devils game

Really? I'm not sure about NJT but you can drink on the LIRR something like 355 days out of the year.

/though not on the weekends after midnight anymore

FreakinB: haterade: the real problem is that you can't get hammered legally on a train like Europe.

/surprised when my friend told me I could get a $150 fine for drinking on the way to a Devils game

Really? I'm not sure about NJT but you can drink on the LIRR something like 355 days out of the year.

/though not on the weekends after midnight anymore

I think technically you can't on NJT, but I have never seen anyone called on it who wasn't some dumb kid being a jerk. Its pretty common for half the train to summit or the like to be brown bagging it on a friday afternoon.

I know LIRR doesn't let you drink on Belmont Stakes day anymore. That used to be the best part of going to the race. I like to think we had something to do with the rule change the year we brought a keg onto the train with us.

LineNoise: FreakinB: haterade: the real problem is that you can't get hammered legally on a train like Europe.

/surprised when my friend told me I could get a $150 fine for drinking on the way to a Devils game

Really? I'm not sure about NJT but you can drink on the LIRR something like 355 days out of the year.

/though not on the weekends after midnight anymore

I think technically you can't on NJT, but I have never seen anyone called on it who wasn't some dumb kid being a jerk. Its pretty common for half the train to summit or the like to be brown bagging it on a friday afternoon.

I know LIRR doesn't let you drink on Belmont Stakes day anymore. That used to be the best part of going to the race. I like to think we had something to do with the rule change the year we brought a keg onto the train with us.

Yeah, Belmont Stakes day is one of those 10-ish days. Along with the 4th of July, New Year's, Thanksgiving Eve, and a few others. And I've taken the LIRR more times than any human being can count and I've never seen a keg. True innovation on your part.

FreakinB:
Yeah, Belmont Stakes day is one of those 10-ish days. Along with the 4th of July, New Year's, Thanksgiving Eve, and a few others. And I've taken the LIRR more times than any human being can count and I've never seen a keg. True innovation on your part.

This was back in, oh, maybe 2004 or so. The last year that they let you drink on the train, and bring in your own booze if you stayed in the picnic area at belmont. Pretty sure it was the year Smarty Jones came up short. What was funny is we didn't even hide it, as we could find no rule we were violating. we just wheeled the thing along on a hand truck all afternoon and bike locked it to a fence. Nobody even questioned us.

LessO2: Doc Daneeka: This is a sure sign that the situation in Phoenix is moving to its end-game. Either a final sale to Jamison is imminent, or the team is about to pack up and move to QC (or darkhorse Seattle, if Bettman doesn't want to preside over two teams moving to Canada in consecutive years).

No way in hell that the league is going to operate two troubled franchises at the same time.

In the long-term, I remain convinced that three NYC-area teams is one too many for the metro area to adequately and sustainably support, no matter how big it is.


Read up on the NBA/NHL arena in Seattle. Seattle might not be such a dark horse more than it might be a front-runner.

rofl, Seattle, a front runner over Quebec City who already have an arena ready and enough people to sell out within minutes?

gtfo

The Bestest: -move the Islanders to New Haven, rename them the Long Island Sounders
-award expansion franchises to Atlanta and OKC
-move Atlanta team to QC, OKC team to Seattle

/The Bestest for Commissioner

Atlanta Thrashers have been Winnipeg Jets for a year
Where have you been?

Anyway, it will be interesting how things play out for the devil's if the Isles end up at Barclay's. That is going to poach a very sizeable percentage of their, "well, I want to see a hockey game but don't want to pay for rangers tickets" crowd.

now I don't know what the agreement the devil's and rangers have with the league for exclusivity in the region, but knowing bettman, I could see a league takeover of the devils as something they try and do so the devil's don't cause any headaches with an isles move to barclays.

desertgeek: Doc Daneeka: This is a sure sign that the situation in Phoenix is moving to its end-game. Either a final sale to Jamison is imminent, or the team is about to pack up and move to QC (or darkhorse Seattle, if Bettman doesn't want to preside over two teams moving to Canada in consecutive years).

No way in hell that the league is going to operate two troubled franchises at the same time.

In the long-term, I remain convinced that three NYC-area teams is one too many for the metro area to adequately and sustainably support, no matter how big it is.

Which anyone who's been paying attention to the Phoenix situation knew was coming anyway. The lease deal is done and I suspect the sale will be closed within the next 4 weeks. At which time we'll hear wailing from the YorkvilleYankoff that will be sweet music to my ears.

(Side note: the bastards who are fighting the deal seem to not have much of a case)

As for the Devils' owner, there seems to be a lot of slimeball qualities on that guy based on everything I've heard said about him over the last couple of months. The NHL is probably sick of the crap and are telling him "get your shiat together or you're out of here."

Hey jackass, there is NO DEAL if Jamison can't find investors.. which according to Forbes, he's having a hard time with the pitch.. in uncertain economic times why would a savvy investor be willing to lose millions just for a tiny chance of a miniscule profit?

don't answer that, I realize your intelligent level is low

LineNoise: Anyway, it will be interesting how things play out for the devil's if the Isles end up at Barclay's. That is going to poach a very sizeable percentage of their, "well, I want to see a hockey game but don't want to pay for rangers tickets" crowd.

now I don't know what the agreement the devil's and rangers have with the league for exclusivity in the region, but knowing bettman, I could see a league takeover of the devils as something they try and do so the devil's don't cause any headaches with an isles move to barclays.

Devils and Islanders could be moved to Canada and I doubt more than a thousand people would be heartbroken over it. NYI have had one of the worst attendance and merch records since the lockout

Take the team from Jeff Vanderbeek and give it to James Van Der Beek. Problem solved.

MattyFridays: ontariolightning:

Hey jackass, there is NO DEAL if Jamison can't find investors.. which according to Forbes, he's having a hard time with the pitch.. in uncertain economic times why would a savvy investor be willing to lose millions just for a tiny chance of a miniscule profit?

don't answer that, I realize your intelligent level is low

Speaking of low intelligence levels, do you think the deal would have gotten to this point if the Jamison deal wasn't pretty solid?

It's like you're holding on to this idea that at the last minute, every single one of Jamison's investors will pull out and the deal will die. At this point in the game, there's a very, very low chance of that happening.

If Jamison had enough investors the deal would have been done already. It has been almost 2 months since Bettman was on HNIC to talk about how the deal is almost done.. and yet its not done yet, what does that tell you?

Doc Daneeka: swahnhennessy: [upload.wikimedia.org image 200x200]

KC does have a beautiful new arena, and the city is itching for either the NBA or the NHL to come and fill it.

I don't think a second Scouts era is likely though, because I think a few other cities are higher on the league's priority list.


Kansas City.. this would not work, return hockey to where hockey matters

ontariolightning: LineNoise: Anyway, it will be interesting how things play out for the devil's if the Isles end up at Barclay's. That is going to poach a very sizeable percentage of their, "well, I want to see a hockey game but don't want to pay for rangers tickets" crowd.

now I don't know what the agreement the devil's and rangers have with the league for exclusivity in the region, but knowing bettman, I could see a league takeover of the devils as something they try and do so the devil's don't cause any headaches with an isles move to barclays.

Devils and Islanders could be moved to Canada and I doubt more than a thousand people would be heartbroken over it. NYI have had one of the worst attendance and merch records since the lockout

I really can't blame Isles fans. The Colosseum is a dump. It was a dump the last time I was there 15 years ago. I can't imagine how bad it is now. They have't put a product on the ice in years that would make anyone who didn't live right by that place want to go see them.

Which is the biggest problem they are having. They pretty much have killed off most of their fanbase, as evident by the county doing absolutely nothing to try and keep them there. The only way that team survives in this area is if they pull a Nets and go to barclays. It would be an entirely new story for them then. But I think that would really bone the devils, as now the casual fan or someone who wants to like hockey but not the rangers will have an alternative, which the isles aren't today.

People like to think of the isles as having this connection to NYC today, but they really don't. I know people who have lived here their whole life and the furthest they have been out on long island is queens. Hell, i don't think you can even take a train or bus to an Isles game without having to transfer a few times.