Official "How long will the WHA last if it starts up?" with Poll

Let's say the WHA is official and plans to begin play in October. In your mind, how long do you believe it will last?

Again, let's pretend as if the league is now official.

Do you think:

- It will fold midway through the season like the CBL?
- It will fold after one season like the XFL?
- Will it last for many years but with attendance dropping year-by-year?
- ect...

I think if there is a lockout, the league will last only for as long as the lockout lasts, then people will jump back to the NHL leaving the WHA to suffer a slow and painful death.

If there is not a lockout, then the WHA will fold in mid season, since 40%(ish) of its players will be returning to the NHL.

I'd give it a couple years before it dies away. It'll be a new fad in hockey; kinda like the furbee was.

I have to agree with those that think it will last as long as the NHL lockout does. If the NHL lockout goes into a second NHL season, then maybe the WHA could get firmly entrenched into some additional NHL markets. It would take a minimum of 18-24 months of an NHL lockout for the WHA to have any measure of success. By this point, they would probably be able to infiltrate some additional NHL markets and possibly markets that have AHL or ECHL teams. I can honestly see a trickle-down effect of a protracted NHL lockout. Some minor league teams could fold as a result, and those arenas could be filled with a WHA team. The ECHL always seems to lose a few teams every year, and the WHA could take away players from that league, and more teams in the ECHL could fold.

So the WHA will become a replacement for the failing ECHL? I'm of the opinion that an NHL lockout will not last an entire season with the ultimate solution being a luxury tax that phases in an approx. $45 million limit before the tax comes into effect. Anyway, the WHA could (if it survives an entire season) become a replacement for the ECHL, UHL, CHL (central HL) and maybe even some teams in the AHL. If it can attain some stability during the first year it could slowly expand through the attrition of failing franchises and gain a level of respect and skill but will never be even close to the NHL.

I dont see it making to the opening night

I see it being similar to the old WHA. The NHL will be locked out for a year, luring some players. Attendance will be decent, not great. After the NHL restarts, a few stars (franchise players) will stay behind and the attendance will drop each year. I'll give it 3 years minimum, 5 maximum. If it really begins to get popular, the NHL will be forced to do something drastic, so it may help us to get better hockey either way.

any league that has a draft without a team having a home (founders franchise) is not making it off the ground.

I see it being similar to the old WHA. The NHL will be locked out for a year, luring some players. Attendance will be decent, not great. After the NHL restarts, a few stars (franchise players) will stay behind and the attendance will drop each year. I'll give it 3 years minimum, 5 maximum. If it really begins to get popular, the NHL will be forced to do something drastic, so it may help us to get better hockey either way.

....forced to do something drastic? Like what? force the owners to lure the players back with MORE money?.and then....since they can't really afford to pay them more money - but will still offer the players' contracts for outrageous dollars anyway - they'll be in a similar position as the one they are now in....except it will be WORSE....because they'll still be trying to recover from the "lockout that killed 2005". Nice job Bettman......We can see you've put a tremendous amount of thought into your twisted plan to kill the NHL....

Is Bettman by any chance a shareholder in any of the WHA teams? That could 'splain a few things..... :banghead:

....forced to do something drastic? Like what? force the owners to lure the players back with MORE money?.and then....since they can't really afford to pay them more money - but will still offer the players' contracts for outrageous dollars anyway - they'll be in a similar position as the one they are now in....except it will be WORSE....because they'll still be trying to recover from the "lockout that killed 2005". Nice job Bettman......We can see you've put a tremendous amount of thought into your twisted plan to kill the NHL....

Is Bettman by any chance a shareholder in any of the WHA teams? That could 'splain a few things..... :banghead:

Like make the NHL more exciting, with more offensive hockey, like in the 90's, even.
If it gets more exciting they should draw more fans and the NHL will/should be ok again.

WHA will not get off the ground, and in the slim(0.000000000000000000001%) chance it does get off, it'll collapse mid season. They cant take any criticism, this was clearing shown when they decided to shut down there message board without warning.

Dead before the end of their first season, after teams start to fold when they can't make payroll in mid-year.

I'll give this league a year tops. It just seems so disorganized, sloppy and down right "bush." This league just seems doomed.

By the looks of it, it will end up as the CBL of hockey. After all the CBL was just as disorginized, well, maybe moreso.

The problem with the WHA is that its tapping into already established hockey markets that know their hockey and have high standards of hockey players and skill level.

There is no way the WHA will survive in toronto.

If the WHA was smart, they would locate to small town that don't have any pro level of hockey. Going into a city with an NHL market will be the biggest mistake of the WHA.

Search for town like quebec city, winnipeg, saskatoon, halifax etc

It just seems so disorganized, sloppy and down right "bush." This league just seems doomed.

That describes the NHL too, to a lot of people.

The problem with the WHA is that its tapping into already established hockey markets that know their hockey and have high standards of hockey players and skill level.

There is no way the WHA will survive in toronto.

If the WHA was smart, they would locate to small town that don't have any pro level of hockey. Going into a city with an NHL market will be the biggest mistake of the WHA.

Search for town like quebec city, winnipeg, saskatoon, halifax etc
Your right, put hockey markets in smaller hockey towns like Quebec City, Winnipeg, Hamilton, Victoria, ect. Even in the USA, Grand Forks ND, Hartford CT, Billings MT?

One and done.

Yeah, Hartford would be nice, but Madison Square Garden now manages the Hartford Civic Center, so there's no chance that a WHA team could play there.

is competition.

It would serve the NHL a great purpose if the WHA started and was very very enjoyable.

It would push the NHLPA and the NHL to get their stuff together and ice a product that we cna all be happy with.

I hope the WHA is around for at least 5-10 years.

The WHA is not competition. People are investing millions of dollars into this business and to have them lose money will be very sad. The hockey market is saturated with so many leagues. I'm not sure what the niche/target market for the WHA is but I'm certain they won't find it in a city with an NHL club.

Although I do see a market for the WHA in small but growing cities that are constantly trying to get an NHL club, those cities could be test markets for future NHL Clubs. In reality, the AHL should be more worried about the WHA than the NHL.

Right now, I don't think the WHA has a game plan thats solid enough. Instead they are taking the opportunity to quickly launch in a very opportunistic time with the pending lockout.

Tips for the WHA. Locate in all those cities that have requested NHL clubs. Understand that you are niche market such as arena football. You say you are offering affordable prices for pro level hockey, well your competition will be the AHL not the NHL since you have a very low salary cap. Work with the NHL, dont' act as if you're taking over but that you want to be a partner. Maybe start out as a development league. (This will probably be the only way the sign any of those players they apparenlty drafted). Tell us who your market is, what makes you different from what we have besides affordable prices. What makes you game diferent from the NHL, AHL ???

I see it as the second coming the the CBL (Canadian Baseball League) with the same fate

I'm getting a bit miffed about all the WHA bashing. If they become another IHL then I call it a success. I'm sick of the "this league looks doomed" and "they won't last but a year". Yeah, if I was a business man I would throw my money into a doomed league too.

Stop with all the pessimistic thinking and stop trying predict things before it gets started. I can't believe all the negativity towards this league. Last time I checked, the WHA isn't going to replace the NHL...it will only be another professional league as a stop-gap for the NHL and a haven for players who want another circuit to try out.

Money talks, and a lot of players not in the NHL (or low level NHL players) will walk. The money sounds like it's there, so just take a wait & see approach instead of knocking it so unjustly.

a) They dont have GM's
b) They dont have Hockey Arena lease agreements
c) Some teams dont have names
d) They dont have coaches
e) They expect fans to watch AHL hockey for 60 bucks

HMM is there any reason for us to be optimistic??

a) They dont have GM's
b) They dont have Hockey Arena lease agreements
c) Some teams dont have names
d) They dont have coaches
e) They expect fans to watch AHL hockey for 60 bucks

HMM is there any reason for us to be optimistic??
YES.........VAGNERRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR

YES.........VAGNERRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR

LOL VAGNER!!

I cant believe Halifax picked him.

#4 should read...

They'll get one poor season under the belts

I believe there is a place for a league in North America for the players who can't find work in the AHL because of the veteren rule, and aren't quite good enough for a regular spot in the NHL.
You just have to look at all the North Americans playing in Europe. Sure, some of them chose to go over and like it over there, but I'm sure others have gone out of necessity.
If the WHA does get off the ground, I could see a lot of those guys coming back, and maybe even a few NHL 4th liners will choose to play in the WHA seeing as they could make similar money and get to play a lot more.

LOL VAGNER!!

I cant believe Halifax picked him.

You must be very desperate to start something again about this kid... poor you;The next thing you'll know he might end up right next door to you hahaha oohhhh poor la-la-laprise...all you want is the spotlight.JeEeZ give this kid a break...he must have done something really personal to you huh?!?

For my part of this subject i dont think the WHA will have success,most of them will go for the AHl;we'll see but that is my opinion!

The WHA is not competition. People are investing millions of dollars into this business and to have them lose money will be very sad. The hockey market is saturated with so many leagues. I'm not sure what the niche/target market for the WHA is but I'm certain they won't find it in a city with an NHL club.

Although I do see a market for the WHA in small but growing cities that are constantly trying to get an NHL club, those cities could be test markets for future NHL Clubs. In reality, the AHL should be more worried about the WHA than the NHL.

Right now, I don't think the WHA has a game plan thats solid enough. Instead they are taking the opportunity to quickly launch in a very opportunistic time with the pending lockout.

Tips for the WHA. Locate in all those cities that have requested NHL clubs. Understand that you are niche market such as arena football. You say you are offering affordable prices for pro level hockey, well your competition will be the AHL not the NHL since you have a very low salary cap. Work with the NHL, dont' act as if you're taking over but that you want to be a partner. Maybe start out as a development league. (This will probably be the only way the sign any of those players they apparenlty drafted). Tell us who your market is, what makes you different from what we have besides affordable prices. What makes you game diferent from the NHL, AHL ???

The whole idea is not to be a partner....the AHL is a partner, and honestly, it is nothing more than a test and development zone for the NHL (both in players and policies).
If the WHA gets going, and I hope it does, the least it will accomplish is to open up the game and show all the hockey fans that the NHL has done nothing but hurt the game in the last few years. The WHA is going to give the average fan what they want to see.....more offense and thus more goals. The players, fans, coaches, media, etc. has been crying about the "trap" for years, and the NHL has done nothing bold to fix it...nor has its partner league the AHL.

I think it will be a brand of hockey that is more fun to watch, and the truth is....with hockey's popularity falling below NASCAR and next curling, maybe the pureness of the game is not as important as selling a product people want to watch.

Regardless of whether they sink or swim, I don't understand why so many hockey fans are negative about it. Do you guys have some kind of a stake in the NHL or WHA? Probably not...so what it boils down to is the possibility of another choice for hockey fans, which is good unless you are communist.

If anything, give these people who are bold enough, albeit a little foolish and maybe unorganized, props for trying.

Also, I don't understand why fans are not more understanding when it comes to the lack of organization. This is something new. It isn't like starting a trucking business or restaurant or chain of grocery stores. Hockey leagues don't start up everyday, and I don't think many people can claim experience in such matters.

Lets not forget, most people have trouble organizing one local business, with one name, no fans or critics, one local government, and a product that is often tangible. This is a business that spans the two countries, countless governments, requires the lease of a major building, and you can't simply hire employees for an hourly wage.

I wish them luck, and I will definately support a the league if they can ice a product, no matter what they end up icing the first year.

You must be very desperate to start something again about this kid... poor you;The next thing you'll know he might end up right next door to you hahaha oohhhh poor la-la-laprise...all you want is the spotlight.JeEeZ give this kid a break...he must have done something really personal to you huh?!?

For my part of this subject i dont think the WHA will have success,most of them will go for the AHl;we'll see but that is my opinion!
........who are you?

it can be another good league. look at all of the players playing in europe now. there is still a market in many cities such as halifax and quebec that are craving pro hockey.

the WHA does not have the ability to compete with the NHL but look at some of they players who are pushed into retirement early or some of the skilled jr players who for some reason dont make it to the NHL. this is just another option thats all, and i hope it works.

go ice breakers go!!!!!!

btw the halifax harbour has never had any ice in it ever! its one of the largest and deepest harbours in north america.

how long did the original last for?

One from column A, one from column B. Some teams will fold, a few others will keep going until the end of the season, then the league will fold. It'll be like how baseball was in the 1870s. Well, at least that is what I would put money on, but who knows.

........who are you?

Dear JasonMacIsaac,i am somebody who followed the olympiques for quite a long long time and i pay attention to the developement of european players.Also,i have been reading this forum for a few years.. Which in this forum M. La-La-Laprise,keep bringing down one of our players.. in a really brutal and non-constructive way for absolutely no reason...I understand for i dont know what reason you dont seem to like vagner also... but this La-La-Laprise jumps to every subjects that includes talking about this kid.For a specific reason at first vagner may not seem the ideal type of hockey player for me..but this kid has a lot of potential and a great vision.. good skate..I am in the middle of hockey and what i saw in him made me see how great he is as a hockey player he can be which is a defensive-defense...Whatever those scouts or General manager or all the people in the hockey environment i believe they know what their doing and believe in a kid like vagner..My son plays hockey and he wants to be drafted too like every kid does.. i just put my son in the place of vagner if he would read such things they say about him..i would'nt take it too seriously but..things like that or people like that have no class.All that brings me to say that this kid has a chance to prove himself and the people that surrounds him can see that he his a great talented hockey player and that he deseves that chance like anybody else.I cant believe how certain people attack a player like this, i never saw that anywhere...except all those sites that la-la-laprise goes to.Is petr Pohl the next victim, he's european too.

how long did the original last for?

7 Seasons (1972-73 to 1978-79)

Even though Orlando had a WHA team for a little bit, you heard absolutely nothing about it. It would have done alright here if it was run by the right people. If there isn't going to be Lightning hockey next year, I would have gone, but it's all academic now. I was for it for a little while, but I couldn't care less any more. I guess they'll get the same mileage as the XFL did. Once the novelty wears off they'll be beaten down by the NHL when it comes back. They may squeeze two or three seasons out but I predict they'll start to lose money halfway through the first year.

I think the WHA will succeed in markets like Hamilton, Halifax, Quebec City, etc. Especially if they can sign some of the top NHL players that they drafted. (Why in the world did Halifax draft Travis Green for their 1st pick??) Those markets will get the opportunity to see some stars, which is much better than junior/AHL.

I doubt Detroit and Toronto will succeed at all. Even though Detroit seems to be the "Most Together" franchise of them all so far. I doubt it because the NHL can draw high paying crowds in both cities.

In Dallas I see typical American fans who i'm sure would be happier to pay much less for tickets to see hockey than the NHL charges, so I think they have a small chance for success.

The reality is that the WHA can succeed in the non-NHL market cities because they will have 1 top NHL level talent to wow the fans. Plus the WHA has a history that many people will be fond of.

If they get into Winnipeg, Hartford, and some other small market cities they can survive I believe.

Plus if the NHL doesn't get a salary system that works for teams like Calgary and Edmonton, then I wouldn't be suprised to see them fold eventually or be moved, and for WHA teams to appear.

Even though Orlando had a WHA team for a little bit, you heard absolutely nothing about it. It would have done alright here if it was run by the right people.

No, it wouldn't have. I lived in Orlando while the Solar Bears were there. Despite a consistently good team in a league whose level of play was at least equal to what the WHA will be offering, their attendance declined every year until they were playing in a building that was two-thirds empty. And that's with tickets at a fraction of the WHA's prices.

If the WHA was to succeed it should consider:

1. Ditch the "Bettman experiment" and stop putting team in places that will fail (What would have been Orlando).

2. Put teams in bigger cities that are distant from and NHL city.

They did a good job of this so far even though Hamilton and Quebec City are close to Toronto, Montreal and Ottawa. (A team in Halifax is genius I think.)

Follow these steps and put a team in Regina, Winnipeg, Portland, Hartford and Salt Lake City. All these cities are considered of bigger size (While Portland is really the only of these that is an actual metropolitan area).

By putting teams in these areas you have both put them in a hockey market, put them in a city without an NHL team so fans would be more interested, as well as put them in an area a good distance away from an NHL city so the WHA would be their only option for pro hockey.



Basically, make the WHA an NHL for big cities that dont have a team.

Follow these steps and put a team in Regina, Winnipeg, Portland, Hartford and Salt Lake City. All these cities are considered of bigger size (While Portland is really the only of these that is an actual metropolitan area).

The Agridome in Regina is too small for this league. It can be expanded I've heard but presently it only seats around 6,000 max.

Saskatoon can seat 10,000 plus.

I think Regina and Saskatoon though are too small to support even a WHA team. They are both under 200,000 in population. Plus the league would compete with the Roughriders in Regina which has the most loyal fans in the CFL.

It might last one season, but if it's too last long-term (5 years or more) it needs a long NHL lockout (maybe 2 years), a few marquee NHLers to commit to the league and the franchises to be truly adopted by their homes. Quebec has lost an IHL and an AHL team since the Nords left, so I'm not sure this team will last.

#4 should read...

They'll get one poor season under the belts
I've edited it for you.

Yeah when i read a article in the Saskatoon newspaper about Saskatoon being a possible location for the new WHA i was pretty excited but now Saskatoon is even being considered and im kind of disappointed but I still think if the NHL has a lockout for even 1 year the WHA can be Succesful!

If Regina can support a CFL team then they can support the WHA. The CFL isn't as "lame" as people say and its a big responsability to keep a decent attendance there.

I believe there is a place for a league in North America for the players who can't find work in the AHL because of the veteren rule, and aren't quite good enough for a regular spot in the NHL.
.

What's the veteran rule?

What's the veteran rule?

Something along the lines of you can only have 5 players on your team over the age of 25.

any league that has a draft without a team having a home (founders franchise) is not making it off the ground.
agreed.

I'd like to see it last a while but I just can't see it happening...

They'll complete one season before folding.

the WHA has been MINOR LEAGUED'D!

http://slam.canoe.ca/Slam/Hockey/WHA/2004/09/30/650173-cp.html

Strange. I checked this article out and it said the WHA couldn't sign players and would be planning on releasing a statement Friday to cancel the season and start again sometime in the future. Then I checked the same link/article again half an hour later and Slam changed it now claiming that the reports of the league's death were "premature". :lol: Geez was it just a false alarm or were they just trying to outscoop everyone??? Wasn't sure if the thread I originally started would remain or be locked so I decided to delete it and repost this info here since it seems things are again unclear at this point!

-Edit-

From Sportsnet (http://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/article.jsp?content=20040930_131628_3184):

Sportsnet has learned the World Hockey Association will announce Friday its intention to suspend operations until next season. The decision came down following meetings in Toronto this past weekend. The WHA had hoped to fill the void left in the wake of the NHL lockout, but alas, no.

Guess we'll find out what the story is tommorow. :joker:

:amazed: An update on their website! Sort of.



Fans can choose the top 25 WHA players of all-time
Hockey fans will soon be able to vote for the top 25 WHA Players of All-Time. Fans will be able to vote on our site from a list of over 70 candidates.


It's coming soon... how unsuprizing.

Sportsnet has learned the World Hockey Association will announce Friday its intention to suspend operations until next season. The decision came down following meetings in Toronto this past weekend.

For there to be a 'next' season, there has to be a 'first' season.

Maybe it's time to close the WHA board as well for a season?

Maybe it's time to close the WHA board as well for a season?

the WHA board should be closed for good

runs our league in Oakland, and i asked him about a year ago what the chances were for this league to get off of the ground.

his response. NO WAY IT WILL HAPPEN

The WHA folded? Pathetic...