Gary Bettman's reasoning for expanding back to Atlanta revealed
Photo credit: IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Greg Wyshynski says the NHL's renewed interest in Atlanta comes down to money, timing and geography, not nostalgia.
Speaking on The Sheet with Jeff Marek, the ESPN senior writer explained why Gary Bettman and the league office are once again circling a market that has already burned them twice.
The reason why the NHL is sniffing around Atlanta is they think that the overall economics have changed. They think that there are people that are passionate about owning a team, and they think there will be a building that's closer to where they believe the fans are.
That last point is the crux of it. Both failed Atlanta franchises played in downtown arenas that struggled to pull suburban fans through traffic and distance.
Ownership groups now circling the market, including projects in Forsyth County and Alpharetta, are pitching venues built closer to the city's booming northern suburbs instead.
Two Failures Already on the Books
The Flames lasted eight seasons before relocating to Calgary in 1980. The Thrashers followed in 1999, made one playoff appearance in twelve years, and left for Winnipeg in 2011 after ownership disputes and thin attendance.
Both exits were tied to the same root problems: shallow local ownership, an arena in the wrong spot and a fan base that never fully committed.
Why This Could Still Go Wrong
Skeptics argue college football and a crowded pro sports market will always crowd out hockey in Atlanta, regardless of where the arena sits. Corporate relocation into metro Atlanta has also slowed compared to the pandemic-era boom the NHL is banking on.
A third failure would be a costly, public embarrassment for a league still searching for stable footing in nontraditional markets like Arizona.
The NHL has not launched a formal expansion process, but Bettman has met with multiple Atlanta ownership groups this year.
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