Return of the Nordiques?
February 4, 2022
Last night, I listened and watched with interest as Hockey Time Machine presented a two-hour show on the Quebec Nordiques. Among the topics discussed was whether or not an NHL team would ever return to Quebec.
Just like there was and is in Winnipeg, there are plenty of passionate fans. That was never a problem. They have a new arena, Centre Videotron, which seats over 20,000. On the surface, it would seem to be a perfect fit.
But it’s not.
During their time in the NHL, Quebec was the smallest market in the league. Smaller than Winnipeg, even. And the NHL won’t be keen to downgrade again, even if they can be assured the Centre Videotron would be packed to the rafters every night. Someone suggested that it might happen if and when Gary Bettman is deposed as commissioner, but even in that case, his replacement will likely be just as obsessed with the bottom line as his predecessor was.
It’s working in Winnipeg. Why can’t it similarly work in Quebec, you ask?
But it’s not “working” in Winnipeg. The only reason there’s a team there today is because the government effectively bought the franchise for private owners and built them an arena. It’s a little-known fact many choose to ignore. And the team will disappear the instant the government loses its appetite and/or ability to continue to fund it. It doesn’t matter how many fans are in the building. The fan base is among the most passionate anywhere in the world, but there just isn’t enough money in Winnipeg, a city where the biggest “industry” is government. Sadly, it’s no different in Quebec, even if you discount the value of the Canadian dollar with respect to the U.S. greenback.
And there’s another factor to consider.
Do the fans in Quebec really want an NHL franchise? Do you really want to be associated with the NHL? Do you want to be part of a league increasingly prioritizing pushing political messages and being uber politically correct over hockey? When I was a Jets season ticket holder back in the 1980s, I just went to see hockey. I didn’t know or care about which party Dale Hawerchuk voted for. Or what his take on the hot-button topic of the day was. The “woke” mob’s hold over pro sports is a major reason why I haven’t watched an NHL, NFL or MLB game in nearly a decade. And why this former Center Ice and Sunday Ticket subscriber won’t be going back. Ever.
As they say, be careful what you wish for.
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