The NHL is looking to get bigger, with an eye on having a team in Texas, in either Houston or Austin. It could three years awa. They’re also looking to grow the game in Europe, and they have visions of hosting an outdoor game somewhere.
NHL Expansion coming to Texas, possibly as early as 2029-30
Chris Johnston of The Athletic: NHL expansion is coming to Texas, with the league and Friedkin’s Pursuit Sports group in talks, according to NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly. Dan Friedkin has already agreed to pay a $2 billion expansion fee.
“We’re moving forward in Texas,” Daly said in an interview at the NHL’s European Media Tour. “I expect ultimately we’ll be in a position to bring something to the board to get their view on it. So, that’s proceeding at a pace. We’ll probably get together with the group again in September and kind of see where they are in the process and what they want us to do to help, to the extent they need anything.
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“If we finalize that and the board approves it, then (at the) end of this calendar year we’ll have an announcement that we’re expanding to either Houston or Austin.”
Houston is the fourth biggest market in the United States. There is hope that the 33rd NHL team could be ready to go in three years, for the start of the 2029-30 season.
Daly said that there are early talks for a 34th team with people from Phoenix and Atlanta.
“So we will have one down and potentially one to go. We have ongoing discussions both with people in the Phoenix marketplace, but also Atlanta, and then we’ll see what comes of those discussions.”
Houtson is a bigger market than Austin, but there is only one pro franchise in Austin, an MLS team. So, less sports competition.
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An outdoor game in Europe?
Tom Gulitti of NHL.com: As the NHL continues to look for ways to grow the game, they could be looking at holding an outdoor game in Europe, according to NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly, who is on the European Player Media Tour in Germany.
“I think it’s going to happen, for sure. When it’s going to happen, I couldn’t tell you, but I would say relatively near future would be a good guess.”
Daly was asked if Germany would be a contender for an outdoor game, and he said, “Yeah, I think that’s fair.”
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