Cincinnati Needs An NHL Team

Apr 3, 2014; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Columbus Blue Jackets goalie Sergei Bobrovsky (72) makes a save against the Philadelphia Flyers during the second period at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports

Have you ever been to a Columbus Blue Jackets game? Especially a game this season as they hunt for the Stanley Cup Playoffs? If you haven’t I suggest you go. The atmosphere is well worth the price of the ticket, the game is even better. Prompting the thought, Cincinnati needs an NHL team.

Sure the people of Cincinnati have the Cincinnati Cyclones, a very competitive ECHL team. The organization is top notch, they treat the fans amazingly and they’ve won championships. At the same time though wouldn’t it be great to exchange the Cyclones for an NHL team?

Now there will be a lot of loyal Cyclones fans who will hate that this is even being said. Instead of sending the Cyclones somewhere else, say Dayton or Florence, why not name the new NHL team the Cyclones? Keep the name and spirit alive in Cincinnati.

The best part about going to a Blue Jackets game is how engaged the fans are, it is like going to a good basketball game where fans actually know what is going on. Everyone is paying attention, cheering and booing at every shot they get. The pre game festivities are incredible, the thunderous name calling for each player and even the national anthem singer is great. That would be amazing in Cincinnati.

Nationwide Arena and the surrounding Arena district are great venues. A renovated US Bank Arena and a finished Banks could emulate what has been created in Columbus.

US Bank Arena is certainly not big enough to hold an NHL team. For the first few seasons of a budding franchise it may work. Think about MLB teams that build smaller stadiums in order to avoid empty seats, that could be the same type of thing for an NHL team in Cincinnati. After a few seasons if the franchise is doing well then possibly explore the opportunity to build a new arena. Possibly in-between GABP and PBS, a tie in with the Banks would be perfect. Not to mention there is plenty of parking to sustain a team and their fans.

The main question that has to be asked is would an NHL team be sustainable in Cincinnati? The answer is yes, but it will take some time. The first season will see sold out crowds, everyone will be super excited. Year two will see a bit of a drop off, the first couple of years of a new franchise will struggle. But if the team can develop players and attract some veterans by year 5 they should be competitive.

With around 2.2 million people in Greater Cincinnati there are more than enough fans to support a team. Consider Greater Columbus, a city of 1.9 million people supports the Blue Jackets. Columbus has no other professional sports teams, instead they have the Ohio State Buckeyes who they treat as a professional team.

Not to mention the amount of youth leagues and adult leagues in Cincinnati. If the kids like it they will force their parents to like it. Not to mention fans from other teams will come to games just to see their team play. Ticket sales are ticket sales.

With a team in Cincinnati and a team in Columbus it will create an intense in state rivalry, a civil war type of match up. There are no other teams close, the hockey fans in Ohio will pick between the two making it a state wide game.

Think about the possibilities of having an NHL team in Cincinnati. People alway complain there is nothing to do in the winter in Cincinnati, here is your answer.