Higgins 3,617 Posted October 5, 2014 Share Posted October 5, 2014 A Few Hints Towards Future Expansion VHL head honchos were busy this week as they missed attending the opening week of Season 40 as they were traveling around the world to cities without any VHL franchises. The three commissioners who are rarely seen together spent all of the past week visiting four cities together. We aren't sure why Jordan Buncleworth, Victor and Mitch Higgins were making stops in these cities, but if we had to guess the cities are in regions that have interest in acquiring a VHL team in the future. We are going to take a look at each stop on the commissioners world tour this week. Saint Petersburg, Russia Saint Petersburg sits in the far western part of Russia and is the fourth largest city in Europe. The city would make sense for a VHL expansion in the European conference because it sits in the middle of all the current teams geographically. The VHL has also expressed an interest in expanding into Russia with a VHLM team moving to Moscow a few seasons ago. One thing to note is that the Moscow Red Wolves could be an experiment for a future Russian VHL team. So far it hasn't been the best as the Moscow team has yet to sell out a home game and the overall attendance numbers were sitting below 70% for Season 39. Another point to make is that the number of Russian born players in the VHL has declined over the past ten seasons. Many are opting to stay in the KHL and there isn't any pressure to expand into the motherland anytime soon. Victor, Buncleworth, Higgins and special guest Nikolai Chershenko were in attendance at a closes door meeting with Russian officials for only two hours before the three commissioners left for the next city. London, United Kingdom When you think of ice hockey in Europe you definitely don't think of the football countries like Great Britain. Could the VHL potentially find an untapped market for ice hockey in London or would it just be another dud like the former Madrid team. The commissioners spent two days in London as they met with potential franchise buyers David Knight and Phil Knight. The Knight brothers are the major player to bring the VHL to London and have let their intentions be known. The Knight brothers have committed over 300 million dollars for a new arena and another 100 million for franchisee expenses. The highlight of the trip wasn't an official photo op, but it was one where Buncleworth snuck off on his own for some sight seeing and took an intoxicated selfie with a member of the Queen's guard. After the two days in London the three big wigs boarded for North America. Halifax, Nova Scotia After the cross Atlantic flight into Halifax the three commissioners toured the waterfront before entering meetings with a group of unnamed investors. We aren't sure who the investors are, but a source in Halifax told us it consisted of two prominent former VHL players as well as one current player via Skype. Halifax would be an interesting choice as it would put a VHL team in each of Northern, Western, Central and Atlantic Canada. Halifax isn't the biggest city in terms of population, but the surrounding areas including PEI, New Brunswick and Nova Scotia could rally around their first ever professional sports team. It's no secret that Higgins, as a native of Nova Scotia, used his influence to secure this meeting between the VHL brass and the Halifax investors. As the trip was ending Buncleworth and Higgins peer pressured Victor into having his first ever non-European beer, a glass of Alexander Keith's. Bay Area, California California dreaming where ice hockey has taken off in the last ten years. The commissioners made the cross continental trip to the Pacific coast for their final stop. The VHL already has a team on the Pacific, but the league reportedly wants to tap into the southern market specifically California. There are no active investors looking to bring a team to California, but the commissioners didn't let that stop them from exploring the options and showing the leagues interest in California. San Francisco was a finalist for the last expansion in North America with the VHLM, but the team ultimately went to Yukon. At a public event the commissioners told the public they needed their support to bring a franchise to the area. The crowd was mostly ecstatic, except for one person who booed the commissioners and held a sign saying 'Vegas or Bust". The man was later identified as former VHLer and rich kid Robbie Zimmers. After a week of touring Europe and North America it seems the league has dropped little to no hints as to why they actually visited these four particular areas. Maybe for expansion, future all-star games, draft locations or the commissioners just wanted to travel on the backs of their inflated 10 million a year dollar salaries. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AIM-11 134 Posted October 5, 2014 Share Posted October 5, 2014 The current teams don't even have full rosters. Expansion seems like a strange option. Probably just looking for ice girls. HawksFan19 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Senior Admin Will 4,604 Posted October 5, 2014 Senior Admin Share Posted October 5, 2014 Why wasnt I invited to the halifax trip ffs Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Higgins 3,617 Posted October 5, 2014 Author Share Posted October 5, 2014 Cus your not an ice girl Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Senior Admin Will 4,604 Posted October 5, 2014 Senior Admin Share Posted October 5, 2014 facku Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corco 1,124 Posted October 5, 2014 Share Posted October 5, 2014 The current teams don't even have full rosters. Expansion seems like a strange option. That's a salary cap issue, not a roster issue. Corco 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HawksFan19 89 Posted October 5, 2014 Share Posted October 5, 2014 Content: 3/3 Expansion is always an idea that I love to hear, but with the people we have here, I don't think it is something we can talk about right now. Good idea though! 830 words. Grammar: 2/2 sight seeing = sightseeing Appearance: 1/1 Pictures, formatted nicely! FINAL: 6/6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. Grumpy Bear 347 Posted October 5, 2014 Share Posted October 5, 2014 No, no it's not Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Higgins 3,617 Posted October 5, 2014 Author Share Posted October 5, 2014 Gawd damn that was some old school level quickness with the grade Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Higgins 3,617 Posted October 5, 2014 Author Share Posted October 5, 2014 No, no it's not I got news for you Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HawksFan19 89 Posted October 5, 2014 Share Posted October 5, 2014 Gawd damn that was some old school level quickness with the grade When you have me as a grader, everything is quick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Munk 1,298 Posted October 5, 2014 Share Posted October 5, 2014 Victor, Buncleworth, Higgins and special guest Nikolai Chershenko were in attendance at a closes door meeting with Russian officials for only two hours before the three commissioners left for the next city. I was there..? I mean, pls let me be commish now den I told u i was cummin for ur jawb higgnpuffs Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. Grumpy Bear 347 Posted October 5, 2014 Share Posted October 5, 2014 I got news for you I was talking about Corco's post, should have quoted it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Admin Victor 10,550 Posted October 5, 2014 Admin Share Posted October 5, 2014 Damn, how did I not think of this excuse? Errr, yes, it was a very enlightening trip. Buncleworth and Higgins peer pressured Victor into having his first ever non-European beer, a glass of Alexander Keith's.It was terrible! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scoop 3,255 Posted October 5, 2014 Share Posted October 5, 2014 Not exapansion, just new locations for Vasteras/Seattle. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gregreg 930 Posted October 5, 2014 Share Posted October 5, 2014 Not exapansion, just new locations for Vasteras/Seattle. Fuck that Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Higgins 3,617 Posted October 5, 2014 Author Share Posted October 5, 2014 Fuck that pensfan hax frescoelmo 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gregreg 930 Posted October 5, 2014 Share Posted October 5, 2014 pensfan hax it was more about Seattle but at this point the VHL could of moved Vasteras seasons ago but still haven't done it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Higgins 3,617 Posted October 5, 2014 Author Share Posted October 5, 2014 it was more about Seattle but at this point the VHL could of moved Vasteras seasons ago but still haven't done it. Vasteras 2 Seattle and Seattle 2 Vasteras #likeoldtimesintheVHLMOslotoMinotMinottoOslo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kesler 1,514 Posted October 5, 2014 Share Posted October 5, 2014 Oh + Quebec to Vancouver. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Higgins 3,617 Posted October 5, 2014 Author Share Posted October 5, 2014 Oh + Quebec to Vancouver. Not even Vancouver wants that band of misfits Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eaglesfan036 4,585 Posted October 5, 2014 Share Posted October 5, 2014 I don't see any Philadelphia in here Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. Grumpy Bear 347 Posted October 5, 2014 Share Posted October 5, 2014 Seattle to Oregon frescoelmo 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scoop 3,255 Posted October 6, 2014 Share Posted October 6, 2014 it was more about Seattle but at this point the VHL could of moved Vasteras seasons ago but still haven't done it. Seattle of the last 20 seasons has been almost as bad as Vasteras. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scoop 3,255 Posted October 6, 2014 Share Posted October 6, 2014 And I don't mean to disrespect Bushito in bringing this up, but if the Blue Team does force him out and they want me to take over, I'm only going to do it on the condition that I can relocate Seattle. Corco 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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