Licentia
Registered User
- Jun 29, 2004
- 1,832
- 655
I don't understand why people think this league will fail. If they can sign some of these players (And I read an article today saying Simon Gagne from Philadelphia is interested), then why wouldn't it succeed? They have $5 mil set aside to nab an NHL star on every team (Except Halifax who didn't draft one, unless they pay Travis Green $5 million. Ha!) Simon Gagne has only been offered about $3 mil to play in the NHL with Philadelphia. Why wouldn't he jump?
Many of the players will be paid their salaries ahead of time to make sure they make the jump.
Martin St. Louis has mentioned interest in this league as well. Lots of top players will jump for that kind of cash. Plus lots of great junior players will make the jump to the WHA instead of playing another year in Junior.
What if the WHA offers Crosby $2 million to play in the league? Why risk injury playing in the juniors making $500 or so a week, if you can make $1 or $2 million in the WHA?? Only an idiot would turn that down! And if Crosby succeeds in the league he would get the $5 million franchise player salary. And I wouldn't be suprised if the league would share his salary to pay him more if they needed like they once did with Bobby Hull.
Look at the plan the WHA has in place! It makes sense. They can get top talents and yet still play in small market cities. Plus, one of the reasons the NHL doesn't get fans in the southern USA is the price of tickets. WHA tickets will be less then half the price of NHL tickets.
I don't believe for a minute that the WHA will survive in Toronto and Detroit, but the other franchises have a fantastic shot, especially the Canadian teams, especially Quebec city!
All of the owners in the league are apparently worth at least $100 million, so they have the money to pay these players out of their own pockets for a couple of years if necessary. That was an important stipulation that all potential owners would be wealthy enough to be able to stand a few years of money loss. They have the expectation that it will take 2-3 years before they start to make profits. They are prepared for that.
Yes, they are certainly rushing things so they can get started in time for an October 29th drop of the puck. But rushing to get started doesn't equal a poor business plan. They have a very smart plan on how to make this game appeal to the fans of these cities, and I see no reason why they wouldn't.
Many of the players will be paid their salaries ahead of time to make sure they make the jump.
Martin St. Louis has mentioned interest in this league as well. Lots of top players will jump for that kind of cash. Plus lots of great junior players will make the jump to the WHA instead of playing another year in Junior.
What if the WHA offers Crosby $2 million to play in the league? Why risk injury playing in the juniors making $500 or so a week, if you can make $1 or $2 million in the WHA?? Only an idiot would turn that down! And if Crosby succeeds in the league he would get the $5 million franchise player salary. And I wouldn't be suprised if the league would share his salary to pay him more if they needed like they once did with Bobby Hull.
Look at the plan the WHA has in place! It makes sense. They can get top talents and yet still play in small market cities. Plus, one of the reasons the NHL doesn't get fans in the southern USA is the price of tickets. WHA tickets will be less then half the price of NHL tickets.
I don't believe for a minute that the WHA will survive in Toronto and Detroit, but the other franchises have a fantastic shot, especially the Canadian teams, especially Quebec city!
All of the owners in the league are apparently worth at least $100 million, so they have the money to pay these players out of their own pockets for a couple of years if necessary. That was an important stipulation that all potential owners would be wealthy enough to be able to stand a few years of money loss. They have the expectation that it will take 2-3 years before they start to make profits. They are prepared for that.
Yes, they are certainly rushing things so they can get started in time for an October 29th drop of the puck. But rushing to get started doesn't equal a poor business plan. They have a very smart plan on how to make this game appeal to the fans of these cities, and I see no reason why they wouldn't.