THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1997, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Monday, January 13, 1997 TAG: 9701130192
SECTION: FRONT PAGE: A7 EDITION: FINAL
SERIES: THE NHL IN HAMPTON ROADS
SOURCE: Stories researched, written and compiled by staff writers
Harry Minium, Karen Weintraub, Ed Miller, Mylene Mangalindan, Battinto
Batts, Lon Wagner, Larry Bonko and Carl Fincke.
LENGTH: 77 lines
Q. What are the chances Hampton Roads will be awarded an NHL expansion franchise?
A. Hampton Roads started out as a longshot, and remains one. The competition is stiff, and the region's demographics are not favorable. Still, stranger things have happened. George Shinn likes to point out that no one gave him a snowball's chance of getting an NBA team in Charlotte, but he did.
Q. Will the region's other cities back Norfolk's effort to build a 20,000-seat arena?
A. So far, they're not lining up to jump on board. Virginia Beach is lukewarm to the idea, and that's being generous. Portsmouth seems to favor a new arena, as does Newport News and Hampton. Chesapeake, and Suffolk have been non-committal. City councils might not vote on the proposal for a month or longer, but so far it's looking like a hard sell.
Q. Can Hampton Roads get a team without an arena deal?
A. No. The two go together: The region will not get an NHL team without a new facility for it to play in, and there will be no arena unless there is a big-league team as its primary tenant.
Q. Wouldn't a new arena mean the end of Scope and the Hampton Coliseum?
A. Not necessarily. A 20,000-seat downtown Norfolk arena probably would result in Scope being turned into a scaled-down facility that also would be used as a practice rink for an NHL team. The Hampton Coliseum likely would be hurt by a new arena, but still might find a niche for mid-level events, and could serve as the new home for the Hampton Roads Admirals, if the minor-league team stuck around.
Q. If an NHL team does come to Hampton Roads, and an arena is built, does that increase the area's chances of getting an NBA team?
A. Just the opposite. The team's owner would need most, if not all, arena revenues to support the NHL franchise. Splitting the revenues, especially those from the luxury suites, between two teams just wouldn't work. Plus, there already is some concern about the region's ability to support one big-league team, let alone two.
Q. Why will so much of the arena's hockey-game revenue go back to Shinn?
A. Because arena's are a key source for NHL owners to pay their expenses - which are considerable. If awarded a franchise, Shinn will have to pay the NHL an estimated $75 million expansion fee. Start-up costs are about another $15 million. Then there is the expense of putting a team on the ice, probably $30 million to $40 million a year.
Q. What's the story behind Shinn's arena battle in Charlotte?
A. Shinn wants a new downtown arena in Charlotte for his NBA Hornets. Although it was opened in 1988, Shinn claims the Charlotte Coliseum is no longer acceptable as an NBA arena. The reason: poor location and not enough luxury suites. The Coliseum was one of the last big-league sports arenas built without a full complement of luxury suites. Shinn is facing a tough time selling Charlotte on a new arena. In the end, Charlotte might have to make a decision between giving Shinn his new arena, or risk the Hornets leaving town.
Q. What kind of ratings does the NHL get on TV around here?
A. It barely rates at all. During the February ratings' sweeps last winter, when Channel 33 was airing NHL games at 3 p.m. on weekends, barely 1 percent of the 600,000 TV households in Hampton Roads tuned in. The NHL has far-inferior TV contract to those of Major League Baseball, the NBA and the NFL.
Q. Will the NHL ever be as popular as the Big Three?
A. Probably no time soon, but it is growing in popularity. Some marketing experts consider the NHL as the pro sports league with the most potential for growth. Mike Nichols, editor of Phoenix-based trade publication Team Licensing Business, says the NHL has more room for expansion in broadcast, merchandise and international exposure than the Big Three: ``The NHL probably has the most room to grow overall because they're building a fan base of young kids right now. They're thinking long-term.'' MEMO: PILOT ONLINE: All previous Virginian-Pilot coverage of the Rhinos'
drive is on the Sports page at http://www.pilotonline.com
KEYWORDS: Q & A ARENA NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE FRANCHISE