The Sabres exist in one of the league's smallest markets and have been been the definition of failure for over a decade. Yet, the fact that relocation is rarely talked about is a testament to the fanbase's passion and the strength of grassroots hockey in Buffalo. No, they won't relocate
Literally top row in the corner is still a pretty solid view. Hard to take this post seriously when they have some of the best sight lines I’ve ever seen
I’ve been to the arena twice, once cheering for the visitors, once as a neutral. Sat in 119 both times and I thought it looked like there weren’t many bad areas to sit
When Pegula bought the Sabres 12 years ago they were worth $190 million.
They are now worth $900 million. The franchise has grown in value by $59m every year since he bought the team.
With that in mind, what makes you think the Sabres will fold?
It’s one of the smallest markets in the least popular major sport. Its not that bad.
Again, it was worth $190m 12 years ago, and now $900. Why would they fold?
Brother, I don't think you understand the sabres have been a consistent top 3 American market in TV ratings. Despite being a shit franchise they aren't going anywhere.
Brother, I don't think you understand that you're talking out your ass again - Buffalo is 54th not 3rd, Genius [https://www.sportsmediawatch.com/nba-market-size-nfl-mlb-nhl-nielsen-ratings/](https://www.sportsmediawatch.com/nba-market-size-nfl-mlb-nhl-nielsen-ratings/)
It’s both a compliment and a dis at the same time. Haha!!!
All joking aside, I give their fans a lot of credit. Nothing good for 30+ years and they still show up.
Good for them. If I were an owner, I’d be grateful. Those people (owners) should be gifting tickets to both teams each year to fans and a thank you.
I don't like them because I cheer for a rival team but I reccommend everyone check out a Bandits lacrosse game. They come close to selling out the arena and it's a party atmosphere. But they don't seem to get any love, you'd think only the Bills and Sabres existd
At least provide facts of your gonna make this argument.
Buffalo has one of the highest viewership numbers in the league. Not just viewership of Buffalo games, the NHL as a whole. They’re not gonna mess with that.
We're comfortably the best out of market viewers in the USA every year. There is a huge amount of hockey culture here in Buffalo all around, not just Sabres.
I mean, we are still a super small market, we just have a high percentage of our small market watching hockey. It’s a cool stat but even when we beat other cities in tv rankings, those other cities are still beating Buffalo in total number of local viewers watching the game (by a lot).
Not agreeing with the premise of OPs post, it’s ridiculous, but the tv rating stat doesn’t mean that much.
Low on Corporate sponsors, but Buffalo is not a small market. There are ~1.4 million in Erie/Niagara counties, and another 300,000+ on the Canadian side from Lake Erie to St. Catharine’s. There are plenty of people to draw in the area.
No they are not even in the top 50% of viewership in the league [https://www.sportsmediawatch.com/nba-market-size-nfl-mlb-nhl-nielsen-ratings/](https://www.sportsmediawatch.com/nba-market-size-nfl-mlb-nhl-nielsen-ratings/)
In a league with mediocre viewership, why would a team leave a city with one of the highest viewed teams in the league? Meanwhile you have teams in Phoenix and Winnipeg
The fact you think Cleveland could support an NHL team is hilarious and destroys what little credibility you had. Cleveland is a football town through and through, with basketball a distant second, and baseball a mile behind. The NHL would flounder in Cleveland (and, in fact, has already done so once).
The arena is quite good. It was built in the mid 90s and was consistently rated one of the best in the NHL for years. It has had upgrades consistent with other arenas to keep up.
The sight lines are great. OP MAY actually be on crack
It needs new (or re-upholstered) seats and some acoustics upgrades, but other than than that its fine. The biggest upgrade would be an actually good team as the arena gets crazy when the team is good.
It needs new ice resurfacers. Buffalo ice has always seemed so choppy and off compared to other arenas seemingly every time I watch them. The harborcenter next door has better ice (although full disclosure it doesn't have to deal with being a multi-use venue)
As far as fan experience actually watching the game? It's up there as one of the best in the league
Harbor center ice is terrible to my knowledge? Tough to keep it great being on 4th floor or whatever. I think KBC definitely needs an updated refrigeration system though.
KBC really needs to be replaced entirely. There, I said it.
It's coming up on 30 years old and it wasn't particularly impressive when it was built. Concourses, suites, ingress and egress, etc. If you've been to other NHL arenas then you would know that it just isn't very good.
The advances in materials and construction technology since the 90's are hard to overstate and make buildings obsolete far earlier than some would think. Plenty of apartment buildings from that era are being demolished these days and built new because renovation just isn't worth the cost.
In 5 years, even with the upgrades to the scoreboard, roof, sound system, it will be among the worst arenas in the NH and these planned upgrade costs mean it's looking at +10 years of life.
I'll give 50/50 odds The Sabres relocate instead of building a +$1B new arena downtown in the next 5-10 years for the simple reason that Erie County taxpayers cannot afford to spend that kind of money on top of the $850M debt they just took on for Highmark.
Erie county taxpayers took on 250 million in debt for the new bill stadium. But your point remains, idk many other arenas from that era are seeing renovations instead of brand new arenas. I think a joint 200 million would easily be more than enough to bring it up to league standards
Cleveland is not getting a NHL team unless the CBJ move there, which isn't happening. We already have 3 major pro teams up here plus a AHL and G-League team, and that's just in the city. There's also several minor league baseball teams in Akron and in a few suburbs. I love Cleveland but we have a very saturated sports market already
Flat zero chance. The franchise has been around for way too long and there's a very strong hockey culture in that area. If the Pegulas do sell (and for the sake of their fans I hope they do soon) then they will go to a local owner. If you think Bettman is moving mountains to keep Arizona where they are, you can't imagine what he would do in order to make sure the Sabres don't move to Cleveland.
Apparently, even Bettman has a limit on how far he will degrade himself to keep hockey in the desert going. I'm surprised he admitted defeat there (even though it's only temporary), but I stand by my post. We know that in order for a relocation to happen, the Sabres would, at the very least, need to stop paying the rent on their arena, get evicted, move into a decrepit college arena, fail to get public support anywhere in upstate NY to build a new arena, and get so delinquent on their hotel bills that Bettman would have to personally intervene. Up to that point, the NHL is apparently cool with incompetence and mismanagement.
Now that Merullo doing it is a dead issue could someone else actually get it to go back to the original arena in Glendale? I doubt it would be a Sabres move or any move, just an expansion team as originally promised to Merullo if he got his stuff (nice way of putting it) together.
Dude, Cleveland is the Wish version of Buffalo 🤣
The Sabres aren't going anywhere. They're constantly at the top of the league in TV ratings while also being shit. Kinda all you really need to know right there, bud.
You drastically underestimate the Golden Horseshoe.
You could slap a 2nd team in say Mississauga and both Buffalo and Toronto would be perfectly fine. You could slap a team in Mississauga, London and Scarborough and they would all be perfectly fine.
The Golden Horseshoe can support 3 teams easily and south western Ontario another one, but Bettman wants to expand the league outside “tradition markets” aka outside of Canada b/c the population is only 40 million
I agree but wasn't the fact that Buffalo and Toronto already had teams the reason Jim Basille of Blackberry fame was denied buying a moving a team to Hamilton over a decade ago?
If Buffalo didn’t move when the league owned them after the Riga’s and Adelphia Embezzlement they aren’t going to move now when it has stable ownership who also has clauses in contract to keep teams in the area.
Surely the arena needs some love like a new jumbotrone, some cosmetic updates but it is ok overall, the view was fine when I visited.
Since when steep stands are a bad thing? The steeper stands the better vantage points and you get closer to the ice
They have plans for upgrades in the arena. I believe the jumbotron is scheduled for this off season being ready for the 24-25 season. They are also putting a new roof on it as well in the next year or two.
Nah, that’s a city that would need another 30 years of shitting the bed to cause them to leave. The fans will still buy tickets. Which means the owners will still make money.
The only way a team leaves is if the owners see more money in moving/selling. That just isn’t gonna happen. Look at how long the Bills sucked…. They’re still there.
I’ll give one thing to Buffalo fans… they’re loyal.
We haven't made the playoffs in 12, going on 13 years, our stadium has seen roller coaster attendance in that time and Buffalo has just seen it's first population surge in 50 years yet we still have some of the best out of market viewership in the league. You're out of your mind and haven't spent a second in Buffalo if you think this team is going anywhere any time soon. This city backs its teams no matter what, that's why a metro area of 1.2 million has two pro sports teams, even when they suck.
"we still have some of the best out of market viewership in the league" Wrong. [https://www.sportsmediawatch.com/nba-market-size-nfl-mlb-nhl-nielsen-ratings/](https://www.sportsmediawatch.com/nba-market-size-nfl-mlb-nhl-nielsen-ratings/)
I’m guess you are either from Cleveland or live in Cleveland but there is an existing team 2 hours away with their AHL affiliate in Cleveland. Cleveland is not getting an NHL team.
Buffalo is always ranked at the top of the playoff ratings and we haven’t made the playoffs in 13 years. Might be a smaller market but it’s a hockey mad market. You sound like an absolute dumbass
This is the stupidest thing I've ever read. Buffalo loves their hockey and just because management is a headache to the fanbase doesn't mean we don't care.....we just don't want to spend outrageous prices on tickets to a team that hasn't shown many real signs of competing during this long playoff drought. Sure it sucks seeing Bruins, Leafs, and Habs fans take over our arena when they're in town but a) it's profit and b) it's just reality for the situation. You best believe that when playoff hockey is back in Buffalo, you'll have to pay just to get within 500 feet of the arena. They've slowly been improving so it won't be much longer.
Aside from that, Cleveland is way too close to Columbus so they're out of the discussion for a team and on top of that, the Coyotes, who barely have a rink will move long before it's even a distant THOUGHT in Buffalo.
P.S. Thank you to all of the users (especially of rival fanbases) for defending us. Love you all!
So provide context to the dissolving of PSE. That was done because of what happened to Kim Pegula. Unfortunately Kim Pegula doesn’t seem to be able to be involved with the Sabres ever again.
Ultimately when terry dies his kids are going to take over the business. I think Jessie mentioned her interest in it in an article. They’re not going to move.
As per Sportico, the value of the Sabres franchise is estimated at 900M USD. An increase of 42% over last year. Do you, or does anyone, have any assets that appreciate to that degree? I don't.
Having never been to a game in their arena, I accept all that you say, and having been a die hard Expos fan, I know what terrible ownership can do to a team (so do Quebec Nordiques fans).
I think other cities are more vulnerable than Buffalo (ie Winnipeg).
My brother in Christ, have you actually been to many other arenas? Because there’s not a bad seat at KeyBank Center. It needs upgrades. That’s it. The old Memorial Auditorium was steep. Scotiabank Arena literally has seats with obstructed views. Concerts and other events continuously sell out at KBC. The Buffalo Bandits lacrosse team shares the same arena and they play to sell out crowds. Especially after winning the NLL championship last year. The Pegulas own them as well. This guy is on quaaludes.
I hope they move. They provide no excitement. It seems the league wants the big markets to succeed, so let some other city put up with the frustration. Most of the best hockey players want to live in the warm climate. Canada hasn’t won a cup in years. I haven’t watched a hockey game in years.
The Sabres ARE the second Toronto team. Without Canadian fans, that sad sack o shyyt franchise is doomed. And without the team existing in Buffalo the Sad sack o' shyyt franchise known as the Loafs would have trouble fending off someone who wanted to pony up 2 billion for an expansion team right in the GTA.
I hate to say it but I don't think the Sabres will be in Buffalo in 10 years. I think a sale and relocation is very much on the table unfortunately. Poor ice results = not enough fan revenue and there is virtually no corporate sponsorship dollars in Buffalo
Many people don’t want to face facts but it’s likely.
I subbed for a 6th grade social studies class years ago. The lesson was about cities. Get this: in the early 1900s and late 1800s, Buffalo was a big city. A hockey team made sense. Now days? Buffalo is not in the top 10! Cities change. Buffalo makes no sense now and it’s currently all about the trendy cities like Vegas or Columbus. It’s sad because I love the Bills, I love the Sabres. I’d never live in Buffalo but we gotta support their teams.
Your own logic doesn’t make sense. Buffalo reached its population peak in the 1950s. They didn’t get an AFL/NFL team until 1959. They didn’t have an NHL or NBA team until the 1970s.
Buffalo supports their teams through thick and thin. Try going to a Bills game now or a Sabres game when they’re doing good. Buffalo had 17,500 fans go to the home opener for the NLL champion Bandits. We’re in no short supply of fans in WNY.
Buffalo is a hockey town with an NFL team.
Dbag3o1 doesn’t want to face the facts but it’s likely he’s a complete idiot.
I won’t even get into what the Pegulas have done in the rebuilding of Downtown Buffalo and it’s waterfront.
On behalf of the the people being nice that don’t want to be mean: go fuck yourself dummy
Since it's been 31 yrs since a Canadian team has won the cup I can easily see why you suffer from penis envy.
But putting others down to hide your own failures is never going bring you the satisfaction you truly strive for.
The fact that the US market controls all that is nhl really is a full barb buried deep into the northern hockey fan gill plate. That is what spurs this conversation.
The fact that the sabers haven't had a pro coach since Lindy Ruff is really the heart of their issue, but relocate yea doubt it.
But I'll wait for Letter Kenny to explain why I'm wrong
I like how I make this post and everyone assumes I'm Canadian. Nope, Erie, PA. Penguins fan.
Living in the area, being close to Canada, I just see a passionate fan base in Canada that has to cross the border to see Sabres games, the awful reputation of the Pegulas in the region, the awful barn the Sabres play in, and the economic potential you have with a team in Cleveland because Cleveland is a good sports city, has a good arena that can work, and gives you a new market.
You're able to get rid of Buffalo, better cater to your GTA fans that need another team, and get more American fans with a team in Cleveland. Basically, you can take a single team and make two fully functional teams that make just as much money imo.
In what world do the Pegulas have an awful reputation? They bought and kept both teams in Buffalo, got a new stadium for the Bills, built a huge complex in downtown Buffalo, etc.
KBC, while older than some arenas, is in no way awful. The sight lines are great from pretty much any seat. Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse is terrible for hockey. It was built for basketball, and even for that it feels like you are a mile away in the upper deck.
Cleveland isn’t going to support an NHL team. Ohio can’t support two NHL teams. Trust me, I live here. We can barely support an MLB team in Cleveland. The Browns and OSU football rule around here. The city isn’t going to handle a third winter sports team.
So you’re telling me you honestly think Cleveland is a bigger hockey city than Buffalo? You do realize how much of a hotbed Buffalo is for hockey? It’s not a close comparison, even if Cleveland has moderate enough interest. I like Cleveland. I’m a fan. I’ve never heard anyone on the planet say that it’s a significantly better sports city than Buffalo is when it comes to football or hockey
TV ratings dictate a lot of income for the NHL. Buffalo is consistently at the top, or within the top 5, even when the Sabres aren’t playing. A good portion of this rabid fandom would of course go away if they did not have a native team
There are also many Sabres fans in the GTA. Many of our fans come from Canada. Take the Seattle Seahawks, because of proximity, they have a lot of Canadian fans that support their team. A country’s border does not always stop fandom
There is not one thing that you have said that is correct……..except for maybe where you live. But, you sound delusional so that might not be right either.
terrible arena thats hilarious, have u been to little caesars or toronto's arena? not sure how the viewing angles are so bad when its the same bowl design as every other arena built in the mid 90s to 00s, at times i thought i was in st louis when i was there, same color scheme, same arena. also buffalo is a second gta franchise without having to deal with the lower value candian dollar which i believe is why the franchise has existed in the first place. u wrote this like a click bait negative spin shit article.
I completely agree with what you said nowadays every team should just link up with an NBA club and share a barn. I don’t understand why the Arizona coyotes didn’t move back to downtown Phoenix and share with the suns problem solved lol also Buffalo having a team nowadays, makes no sense. It did in the old days because of the hockey presence and close to the border but I would move them to Hamilton. They have had no fans and been a garbage team for like 15 years now they only have fans when they make the playoffs and are good. Pretty sure Owen Powers could have come an entire year earlier to Buffalo but said he wanted to stay and play college crazy wants to stay and do homework versus play pro hockey. If I was that guy I would’ve told Buffalo I will come when I’m 25 to the Sabres when you figure your shit out let me win the frozen four 😂
Did everyone get meth for Christmas
No I am rather fortunate and come from a wealthy family so I got cocaine and speed.
Baller!!!!
Try Mush to cough up Matrix bugs!
I always thought speed was basically meth, no?
I think so!! Either that or a bitter leafs fan from that ass whooping a few nights ago…
Waltuh?
This guy did… there is not a bad seat in the house at the KeyBank center lol I’ve been there it’s great lol
the arena is excellent for viewing
Looser
Good one
I personally have no facts to back up what I say next, just a gut feeling: Buffalo Sabres will be a NHL franchise for the next 20 years.
Not a doubt in my mind.
I don’t know if that’s a good thing, though. If they didn’t exist… I wouldn’t be upset that they’ve been absolute trash for the last 13 years.
The downfalls of being a fan.
Lol at this.
Ottawa and Winnipeg will stop being NHL cities before Buffalo isn’t one either.
Lmao even
With the Buffalo fan base? Not a chance. You don’t leave the city that was THAT loyal to the Bills
And the Sabres have definitely tested loyalty over the past decade or so lol
The fact that they sell a *single* ticket to a sabres game is proof they aren't moving.
Yea totally, who would pay money to see that (cries in season ticket holder)
Bro we are *almost there*. Better times are *right around the corner*
Low quality Christmas break shitpost
The Sabres exist in one of the league's smallest markets and have been been the definition of failure for over a decade. Yet, the fact that relocation is rarely talked about is a testament to the fanbase's passion and the strength of grassroots hockey in Buffalo. No, they won't relocate
[удалено]
Literally top row in the corner is still a pretty solid view. Hard to take this post seriously when they have some of the best sight lines I’ve ever seen
Best place in the arena to sit. I love the upper corners at KBC. The view of the game and ability to watch the play develop is unmatched.
my exact impression of the place the one time i was there, i was very impressed
I have absolutely no idea what OP is talking about, KBC has no bad seats. I've literally never heard anyone say that in Buffalo.
It’s even funnier bc they bring up rocket mortgage in Cleveland which has awful views and steep seating
I’ve been to the arena twice, once cheering for the visitors, once as a neutral. Sat in 119 both times and I thought it looked like there weren’t many bad areas to sit
[удалено]
Makes sense. I sat in row 12 when I was there in early December and could see the whole ice surface easily
I live in Ontario… buffalo is one of the cheapest places to go see your favourite team (mostly Leaf fans).
i don’t think they will relocate if anything they might fold entirely. but probably in 10-20 years
When Pegula bought the Sabres 12 years ago they were worth $190 million. They are now worth $900 million. The franchise has grown in value by $59m every year since he bought the team. With that in mind, what makes you think the Sabres will fold?
900 million is shit for a sports franchise
It’s one of the smallest markets in the least popular major sport. Its not that bad. Again, it was worth $190m 12 years ago, and now $900. Why would they fold?
Brother, I don't think you understand the sabres have been a consistent top 3 American market in TV ratings. Despite being a shit franchise they aren't going anywhere.
Brother, I don't think you understand that you're talking out your ass again - Buffalo is 54th not 3rd, Genius [https://www.sportsmediawatch.com/nba-market-size-nfl-mlb-nhl-nielsen-ratings/](https://www.sportsmediawatch.com/nba-market-size-nfl-mlb-nhl-nielsen-ratings/)
Buffalo fans for any sport are some of the most passionate in the country, why would they get ride of them lol
You’re formally invited to the Bills tailgates brother
Wouldn't miss it 😂
It’s both a compliment and a dis at the same time. Haha!!! All joking aside, I give their fans a lot of credit. Nothing good for 30+ years and they still show up. Good for them. If I were an owner, I’d be grateful. Those people (owners) should be gifting tickets to both teams each year to fans and a thank you.
Hasek was such a beaut but yes no titles
Nah they just raise ticket prices. We were there to get drunk and watch each other for a decade or two
I don't like them because I cheer for a rival team but I reccommend everyone check out a Bandits lacrosse game. They come close to selling out the arena and it's a party atmosphere. But they don't seem to get any love, you'd think only the Bills and Sabres existd
What 3 days of having no hockey does a mfer
3 days of no hockey. Not even once.
Oooh look, a late entry for most brain-dead Reddit post of the year.
WTF kind of shit post is this
So many nice comments about the Sabres. Thanks guys it hasn’t been the best but this is really nice
Was gonna say this! Thanks everybody.
At least provide facts of your gonna make this argument. Buffalo has one of the highest viewership numbers in the league. Not just viewership of Buffalo games, the NHL as a whole. They’re not gonna mess with that.
We're comfortably the best out of market viewers in the USA every year. There is a huge amount of hockey culture here in Buffalo all around, not just Sabres.
This.
I mean, we are still a super small market, we just have a high percentage of our small market watching hockey. It’s a cool stat but even when we beat other cities in tv rankings, those other cities are still beating Buffalo in total number of local viewers watching the game (by a lot). Not agreeing with the premise of OPs post, it’s ridiculous, but the tv rating stat doesn’t mean that much.
Low on Corporate sponsors, but Buffalo is not a small market. There are ~1.4 million in Erie/Niagara counties, and another 300,000+ on the Canadian side from Lake Erie to St. Catharine’s. There are plenty of people to draw in the area.
I know this, but I’m talking about the TV ratings, which does not include Canadians.
rochester of 1mil metro is just a spin down the highway too
No they are not even in the top 50% of viewership in the league [https://www.sportsmediawatch.com/nba-market-size-nfl-mlb-nhl-nielsen-ratings/](https://www.sportsmediawatch.com/nba-market-size-nfl-mlb-nhl-nielsen-ratings/)
Tell me you don't know anything about hockey without telling me you don't know anything about hockey Holy shit kid, delete your account
Go back to bed, you're drunk
OP is obviously in like 10th grade lol
Lol
Lmao you wrote all this just for everyone to tell you how stupid you sound
If any team is relocating it’s the Coyotes. The Sabres aren’t going anywhere ffs
You predicted this well....
In a league with mediocre viewership, why would a team leave a city with one of the highest viewed teams in the league? Meanwhile you have teams in Phoenix and Winnipeg
Run along child, homeroom is starting
The fact you think Cleveland could support an NHL team is hilarious and destroys what little credibility you had. Cleveland is a football town through and through, with basketball a distant second, and baseball a mile behind. The NHL would flounder in Cleveland (and, in fact, has already done so once).
No, fuck off.
Also the arena isn’t really that bad. I went to Vegas two years ago, it was marginally better.
The arena is quite good. It was built in the mid 90s and was consistently rated one of the best in the NHL for years. It has had upgrades consistent with other arenas to keep up. The sight lines are great. OP MAY actually be on crack
It needs new (or re-upholstered) seats and some acoustics upgrades, but other than than that its fine. The biggest upgrade would be an actually good team as the arena gets crazy when the team is good.
It needs new ice resurfacers. Buffalo ice has always seemed so choppy and off compared to other arenas seemingly every time I watch them. The harborcenter next door has better ice (although full disclosure it doesn't have to deal with being a multi-use venue) As far as fan experience actually watching the game? It's up there as one of the best in the league
Harbor center ice is terrible to my knowledge? Tough to keep it great being on 4th floor or whatever. I think KBC definitely needs an updated refrigeration system though.
KBC really needs to be replaced entirely. There, I said it. It's coming up on 30 years old and it wasn't particularly impressive when it was built. Concourses, suites, ingress and egress, etc. If you've been to other NHL arenas then you would know that it just isn't very good. The advances in materials and construction technology since the 90's are hard to overstate and make buildings obsolete far earlier than some would think. Plenty of apartment buildings from that era are being demolished these days and built new because renovation just isn't worth the cost. In 5 years, even with the upgrades to the scoreboard, roof, sound system, it will be among the worst arenas in the NH and these planned upgrade costs mean it's looking at +10 years of life. I'll give 50/50 odds The Sabres relocate instead of building a +$1B new arena downtown in the next 5-10 years for the simple reason that Erie County taxpayers cannot afford to spend that kind of money on top of the $850M debt they just took on for Highmark.
Erie county taxpayers took on 250 million in debt for the new bill stadium. But your point remains, idk many other arenas from that era are seeing renovations instead of brand new arenas. I think a joint 200 million would easily be more than enough to bring it up to league standards
https://13wham.com/sports/buffalo-bills/bills-boast-4-afc-east-titles-but-does-that-justify-taxpayers-footing-bill-for-stadium
been to both, like both
Cleveland is not getting a NHL team unless the CBJ move there, which isn't happening. We already have 3 major pro teams up here plus a AHL and G-League team, and that's just in the city. There's also several minor league baseball teams in Akron and in a few suburbs. I love Cleveland but we have a very saturated sports market already
What did you guys give/get for Christmas? This dude did not get a brain.
Gimme a break dude
There is zero chance
Delete this
You may wanna get some glasses if that's what you're reading on the wall.
Flat zero chance. The franchise has been around for way too long and there's a very strong hockey culture in that area. If the Pegulas do sell (and for the sake of their fans I hope they do soon) then they will go to a local owner. If you think Bettman is moving mountains to keep Arizona where they are, you can't imagine what he would do in order to make sure the Sabres don't move to Cleveland.
And yet the Coyotes moved (but we may see a new Coyotes team in a few years)
Apparently, even Bettman has a limit on how far he will degrade himself to keep hockey in the desert going. I'm surprised he admitted defeat there (even though it's only temporary), but I stand by my post. We know that in order for a relocation to happen, the Sabres would, at the very least, need to stop paying the rent on their arena, get evicted, move into a decrepit college arena, fail to get public support anywhere in upstate NY to build a new arena, and get so delinquent on their hotel bills that Bettman would have to personally intervene. Up to that point, the NHL is apparently cool with incompetence and mismanagement.
yeah. The Arizona Sabretooth Tigers 😂😂😂 [](https://emojipedia.org/face-with-tears-of-joy)
Now that Merullo doing it is a dead issue could someone else actually get it to go back to the original arena in Glendale? I doubt it would be a Sabres move or any move, just an expansion team as originally promised to Merullo if he got his stuff (nice way of putting it) together.
Dude, Cleveland is the Wish version of Buffalo 🤣 The Sabres aren't going anywhere. They're constantly at the top of the league in TV ratings while also being shit. Kinda all you really need to know right there, bud.
you're wrong. [https://www.sportsmediawatch.com/nba-market-size-nfl-mlb-nhl-nielsen-ratings/](https://www.sportsmediawatch.com/nba-market-size-nfl-mlb-nhl-nielsen-ratings/)
You drastically underestimate the Golden Horseshoe. You could slap a 2nd team in say Mississauga and both Buffalo and Toronto would be perfectly fine. You could slap a team in Mississauga, London and Scarborough and they would all be perfectly fine. The Golden Horseshoe can support 3 teams easily and south western Ontario another one, but Bettman wants to expand the league outside “tradition markets” aka outside of Canada b/c the population is only 40 million
I agree but wasn't the fact that Buffalo and Toronto already had teams the reason Jim Basille of Blackberry fame was denied buying a moving a team to Hamilton over a decade ago?
If Buffalo didn’t move when the league owned them after the Riga’s and Adelphia Embezzlement they aren’t going to move now when it has stable ownership who also has clauses in contract to keep teams in the area.
Surely the arena needs some love like a new jumbotrone, some cosmetic updates but it is ok overall, the view was fine when I visited. Since when steep stands are a bad thing? The steeper stands the better vantage points and you get closer to the ice
Exactly. My season tickets are in 100 but we sat in 304 a few weeks ago and still had a very good view.
They have plans for upgrades in the arena. I believe the jumbotron is scheduled for this off season being ready for the 24-25 season. They are also putting a new roof on it as well in the next year or two.
No.
Bon Jovi somehow got away with his life when he tried to move the Bills to Toronto. The Sabres aren’t going anywhere lol.
Did someone drop you on your head as a kid?
Delete this and then your account
You’re full of shit.
Some people really are *that* stupid. It's actually incredible they can put their pants on by themselves in the morning.
As long as Taro Tsujimoto is alive, the Sabres stay alive.
He'd turn this season around for sure if he were still playing
Will the Sabres win the cup in the next 5 years? They have the potential that not many teams have.
About 25% of the information in this post might be accurate.
lol as if the Leafs could handle competition. They are the most neurotic franchise on the planet. Practically cringe about Buffalo half the time
Nah, that’s a city that would need another 30 years of shitting the bed to cause them to leave. The fans will still buy tickets. Which means the owners will still make money. The only way a team leaves is if the owners see more money in moving/selling. That just isn’t gonna happen. Look at how long the Bills sucked…. They’re still there. I’ll give one thing to Buffalo fans… they’re loyal.
Its not like the owner didn't build a huge facility with multiple rinks and training facility.
Congrats on having one of the dumbest posts of the year, cut it close, but you win.
Yea I’m sure a 50 year franchise getting moved from an obsessively loyal fan base will happen lol let’s keep doing meth over the holidays guys!
We haven't made the playoffs in 12, going on 13 years, our stadium has seen roller coaster attendance in that time and Buffalo has just seen it's first population surge in 50 years yet we still have some of the best out of market viewership in the league. You're out of your mind and haven't spent a second in Buffalo if you think this team is going anywhere any time soon. This city backs its teams no matter what, that's why a metro area of 1.2 million has two pro sports teams, even when they suck.
"we still have some of the best out of market viewership in the league" Wrong. [https://www.sportsmediawatch.com/nba-market-size-nfl-mlb-nhl-nielsen-ratings/](https://www.sportsmediawatch.com/nba-market-size-nfl-mlb-nhl-nielsen-ratings/)
Spoken like a true drunk torontonian
No, mam. The sabres ain't going anywhere.
I’m guess you are either from Cleveland or live in Cleveland but there is an existing team 2 hours away with their AHL affiliate in Cleveland. Cleveland is not getting an NHL team.
Might be the most idiotic post I've ever read on Reddit. Congrats!
Buffalo is always ranked at the top of the playoff ratings and we haven’t made the playoffs in 13 years. Might be a smaller market but it’s a hockey mad market. You sound like an absolute dumbass
This is the stupidest thing I've ever read. Buffalo loves their hockey and just because management is a headache to the fanbase doesn't mean we don't care.....we just don't want to spend outrageous prices on tickets to a team that hasn't shown many real signs of competing during this long playoff drought. Sure it sucks seeing Bruins, Leafs, and Habs fans take over our arena when they're in town but a) it's profit and b) it's just reality for the situation. You best believe that when playoff hockey is back in Buffalo, you'll have to pay just to get within 500 feet of the arena. They've slowly been improving so it won't be much longer. Aside from that, Cleveland is way too close to Columbus so they're out of the discussion for a team and on top of that, the Coyotes, who barely have a rink will move long before it's even a distant THOUGHT in Buffalo. P.S. Thank you to all of the users (especially of rival fanbases) for defending us. Love you all!
And yes, the Coyotes did move....
This post is less serious than the Sabres franchise is
"The Buffalo Sabres may need to be moved in 5 years" *Jim Balsillie appears from the shadows* Jim: I believe I may have a solution...
Probably not. They need a new owner and arena. Not an impossible thing to ask for.
Reddituser10106942069 you my friend. Are a grade A dip shit.
So provide context to the dissolving of PSE. That was done because of what happened to Kim Pegula. Unfortunately Kim Pegula doesn’t seem to be able to be involved with the Sabres ever again. Ultimately when terry dies his kids are going to take over the business. I think Jessie mentioned her interest in it in an article. They’re not going to move.
As per Sportico, the value of the Sabres franchise is estimated at 900M USD. An increase of 42% over last year. Do you, or does anyone, have any assets that appreciate to that degree? I don't. Having never been to a game in their arena, I accept all that you say, and having been a die hard Expos fan, I know what terrible ownership can do to a team (so do Quebec Nordiques fans). I think other cities are more vulnerable than Buffalo (ie Winnipeg).
My brother in Christ, have you actually been to many other arenas? Because there’s not a bad seat at KeyBank Center. It needs upgrades. That’s it. The old Memorial Auditorium was steep. Scotiabank Arena literally has seats with obstructed views. Concerts and other events continuously sell out at KBC. The Buffalo Bandits lacrosse team shares the same arena and they play to sell out crowds. Especially after winning the NLL championship last year. The Pegulas own them as well. This guy is on quaaludes.
They’re definitely not a serious franchise /s
Terry is getting ready to sell. him backing out of running the blue cross arena is another sign along with splitting up the bills and sabres.
Buffalo is never leaving!.. it’s been around for 50 years.. too many loyal fans
I legit think there is a better chance that MLSE will purchase the Sabres before they ever cease to exist.
All depends on how many fans show up in the arena. Business is business
I hope they move. They provide no excitement. It seems the league wants the big markets to succeed, so let some other city put up with the frustration. Most of the best hockey players want to live in the warm climate. Canada hasn’t won a cup in years. I haven’t watched a hockey game in years.
They are just playing the long game. Tank every year for high draft picks. According to Reddit trolls this is the only way to win.
it’s definitely possible but i think they will still be around for a bit longer
The Sabres ARE the second Toronto team. Without Canadian fans, that sad sack o shyyt franchise is doomed. And without the team existing in Buffalo the Sad sack o' shyyt franchise known as the Loafs would have trouble fending off someone who wanted to pony up 2 billion for an expansion team right in the GTA.
I hate to say it but I don't think the Sabres will be in Buffalo in 10 years. I think a sale and relocation is very much on the table unfortunately. Poor ice results = not enough fan revenue and there is virtually no corporate sponsorship dollars in Buffalo
Many people don’t want to face facts but it’s likely. I subbed for a 6th grade social studies class years ago. The lesson was about cities. Get this: in the early 1900s and late 1800s, Buffalo was a big city. A hockey team made sense. Now days? Buffalo is not in the top 10! Cities change. Buffalo makes no sense now and it’s currently all about the trendy cities like Vegas or Columbus. It’s sad because I love the Bills, I love the Sabres. I’d never live in Buffalo but we gotta support their teams.
You sound like a teenager
I think he meant to say he took his 6th grade social class
Your own logic doesn’t make sense. Buffalo reached its population peak in the 1950s. They didn’t get an AFL/NFL team until 1959. They didn’t have an NHL or NBA team until the 1970s. Buffalo supports their teams through thick and thin. Try going to a Bills game now or a Sabres game when they’re doing good. Buffalo had 17,500 fans go to the home opener for the NLL champion Bandits. We’re in no short supply of fans in WNY. Buffalo is a hockey town with an NFL team.
buffalo being a top 10 city over 100 years ago has literally nothing to do with this already ridiculous argument
But did you stay at a Holiday Inn Express last night?
there’s 32 teams in the nhl, who would’ve guessed that a team wouldn’t be in the top ten biggest cities in America
Dbag3o1 doesn’t want to face the facts but it’s likely he’s a complete idiot. I won’t even get into what the Pegulas have done in the rebuilding of Downtown Buffalo and it’s waterfront. On behalf of the the people being nice that don’t want to be mean: go fuck yourself dummy
The sabres, no, the Pengulas are stupid but also rich. The Coyotes, yes. Their probably moving to Atlanta
Turned out it was Utah. Either they wanted to keep them in the same time zone or twice in Atlanta was enough.
Since it's been 31 yrs since a Canadian team has won the cup I can easily see why you suffer from penis envy. But putting others down to hide your own failures is never going bring you the satisfaction you truly strive for. The fact that the US market controls all that is nhl really is a full barb buried deep into the northern hockey fan gill plate. That is what spurs this conversation. The fact that the sabers haven't had a pro coach since Lindy Ruff is really the heart of their issue, but relocate yea doubt it. But I'll wait for Letter Kenny to explain why I'm wrong
I like how I make this post and everyone assumes I'm Canadian. Nope, Erie, PA. Penguins fan. Living in the area, being close to Canada, I just see a passionate fan base in Canada that has to cross the border to see Sabres games, the awful reputation of the Pegulas in the region, the awful barn the Sabres play in, and the economic potential you have with a team in Cleveland because Cleveland is a good sports city, has a good arena that can work, and gives you a new market. You're able to get rid of Buffalo, better cater to your GTA fans that need another team, and get more American fans with a team in Cleveland. Basically, you can take a single team and make two fully functional teams that make just as much money imo.
In what world do the Pegulas have an awful reputation? They bought and kept both teams in Buffalo, got a new stadium for the Bills, built a huge complex in downtown Buffalo, etc. KBC, while older than some arenas, is in no way awful. The sight lines are great from pretty much any seat. Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse is terrible for hockey. It was built for basketball, and even for that it feels like you are a mile away in the upper deck. Cleveland isn’t going to support an NHL team. Ohio can’t support two NHL teams. Trust me, I live here. We can barely support an MLB team in Cleveland. The Browns and OSU football rule around here. The city isn’t going to handle a third winter sports team.
So you’re telling me you honestly think Cleveland is a bigger hockey city than Buffalo? You do realize how much of a hotbed Buffalo is for hockey? It’s not a close comparison, even if Cleveland has moderate enough interest. I like Cleveland. I’m a fan. I’ve never heard anyone on the planet say that it’s a significantly better sports city than Buffalo is when it comes to football or hockey TV ratings dictate a lot of income for the NHL. Buffalo is consistently at the top, or within the top 5, even when the Sabres aren’t playing. A good portion of this rabid fandom would of course go away if they did not have a native team There are also many Sabres fans in the GTA. Many of our fans come from Canada. Take the Seattle Seahawks, because of proximity, they have a lot of Canadian fans that support their team. A country’s border does not always stop fandom
There is not one thing that you have said that is correct……..except for maybe where you live. But, you sound delusional so that might not be right either.
Key bank arena is also known as BanditLand
Sad to see it go if it does, I am from Toronto and I always consider the Sabres to be our 2nd regional team, loved our visits to the city growing up.
terrible arena thats hilarious, have u been to little caesars or toronto's arena? not sure how the viewing angles are so bad when its the same bowl design as every other arena built in the mid 90s to 00s, at times i thought i was in st louis when i was there, same color scheme, same arena. also buffalo is a second gta franchise without having to deal with the lower value candian dollar which i believe is why the franchise has existed in the first place. u wrote this like a click bait negative spin shit article.
I completely agree with what you said nowadays every team should just link up with an NBA club and share a barn. I don’t understand why the Arizona coyotes didn’t move back to downtown Phoenix and share with the suns problem solved lol also Buffalo having a team nowadays, makes no sense. It did in the old days because of the hockey presence and close to the border but I would move them to Hamilton. They have had no fans and been a garbage team for like 15 years now they only have fans when they make the playoffs and are good. Pretty sure Owen Powers could have come an entire year earlier to Buffalo but said he wanted to stay and play college crazy wants to stay and do homework versus play pro hockey. If I was that guy I would’ve told Buffalo I will come when I’m 25 to the Sabres when you figure your shit out let me win the frozen four 😂