As we said last week, this writer believes the NHL expanding by two teams is something highly probable in the next handful of years or so.
But what cities are most likely to wind up with a new franchise?
As part of a continuing series this week and the next, we’ll break down some key cities and explore how they can make a compelling case to bring the NHL to their town.
Today, we’re starting with the city many believe will be the next to land a new team – Houston, Texas.
The Lowdown on Houston
Population: 2,304,580 for Houston proper (as of the 2020 census) and 7,510,253 in Greater Houston (as of 2023)
Houston is a burgeoning locale and the fourth-most populous American city after New York City, Los Angeles and Chicago. Houston is also the fifth-most populous metropolitan area in the United States, just behind Dallas-Fort Worth.
It already hosts the NBA’s Houston Rockets, MLB’s Houston Astros, the NFL’s Houston Texans, the MLS’ Houston Dynamo and NWSL’s Houston Dash.
TV Market Rating: As per ustvdb.com, Houston is the seventh-largest media market in America, with an estimated total of 2,666,330 TV households in 2022-23.
Instantly, an NHL team in Houston would have a built-in rivalry with the Dallas Stars, as Dallas-Fort Worth is the fifth-largest U.S. media market. And the NHL would keenly appreciate getting a footprint in such a massive market.
Arena: Absent some groundbreaking arena deal to build a new rink, a Houston NHL team would almost assuredly be playing in the Toyota Center, a 21-year-old building with a hockey capacity of 17,800.
The Rockets, owned by billionaire Tilman Fertitta, play out of the Toyota Center. Fertitta has spoken out about potentially splurging on an NHL team, and he would be a candidate for the NHL to partner with on an expansion franchise.
Related: Reaction: NBA Rockets Owner Says He’s Talked to NHL About Bringing a Team to Houston
Hockey History: Houston isn’t exactly a historical hockey hotbed, although it does have history as the home of the defunct WHA’s Houston Aeros and the American League’s Houston Aeros.
The AHL team – at one time the affiliate of the NHL’s Minnesota Wild – relocated from Houston to Iowa in 2013. Since then, there’s been a dedicated group of Houston hockey fans who want nothing more than an NHL team of their own.
Ladies & Gentlemen, A New Flyer is up to help promote Hockey in Houston.
Save, Share, & Print this picture to give out to people and help support our cause & about Hockey in Houston. #NHLtoHouston #HoustonIsAHockeyTown pic.twitter.com/VZ6WBQwbuA
— NHL To Houston #BringBackTheAeros (@NHLtoHouston) March 16, 2024
Having a clean slate, with a brand new NHL squad to call their own, would likely be a massive success.
Why Houston is Worth Considering
The sheer size of the Houston market – and the rivalry it immediately would have with Dallas – makes it a no-brainer for the NHL to expand to.
NHL commissioner Gary Bettman has called Houston a “terrific” market before noting that parties other than Fertitta have inquired about potentially owning an NHL team in that city.
The NHL would likely fit Houston in the Central Division and give them one more team than the Pacific Division, but unless the league expands to 36 teams, there wouldn’t be four divisions with the same number of squads.
But all things considered, Houston is a popular pick to land a new NHL team. While there’s not an old-school hockey culture in Houston, as we’ve seen in Vegas and Seattle, sports fans will quickly buy into the NHL’s product, and players will happily come to the no-income-tax state.
Ultimately, Houston fans have every right to be excited to see a new hockey organization built from the ground up, and the NHL owners – the ones who stand to profit most from expansion – should have Houston firmly on their radar.
We’ll go out on a limb – but only a small limb – and say it’s just a matter of time before Houston gets an NHL team.
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Related: Houston Finishes First in THN Writers Poll for the Next NHL City
Related: Opinion: Like It Or Not, Prepare Yourself For Even More NHL Expansion
Related: How Mullett Arena is Influencing a New Major Project
News Summary:
- NHL Expansion: Why Houston Is a Favorite To Land a New Team
- Check all news and articles from the latest NHL updates.