New West Americans. #NHLExpansion. Do You Recall the New York Americans? Travel-Tag-Team Idea

The name New York Americans is a throw-back in hockey:  en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_York_Americans
America expanded west.  Instead of the old New York Americans, couldn't we range out a new brand for a NHL franchise called the New West Americans?  Arenas in places that would fall short of NHL attendance standards could charge more and play fewer games.   But it would mean more NHL in more of America.  not that I think that's needed, but it's a thought.  And an expansion team in the league could be a travel tag team  The American heart could grow fonder.  I think it's a win for the growth of the NHL.

A travel tag team, declaring it's home games at camp stations and embracing outlanders as a brand could be done on the Canadian side, also:    click  Canadian Band - NHL Travel Tag Team for Outlander Canada 

   Expansion is about to happen

Instead of like a Seattle/Vegas expansion to balance out a T2/Quebec City set of teams in league alignment, I have a few ideas:   Do a northwest market team combining camps of Seattle and Portland as one "Northwest" named brand.  Also, do a travel-tag-team for multiple big cities in the rest of America.  Put the T2 thought into the awaiting Hamilton arena calling them something "Ontario" and do something to the same tune as the U.S. travel-tag-team from Nova Scotia to BC for the provincial outlands.

I think a more efficient expansion could be done for any of the big leagues by considering those left out to tag along to one extent or another.  Pulling out of a market and seeing which ones are stronger could be indicated by how much support this travel teams receives at which home camp.  The trickiness is in the branding I'm sure.  Example:  If there was ever a Great Lakes brand splitting ice camp time in Cleveland, Milwaukee, Indianapolis and Cincinnati, and if either market has dismal turnout, the next season that city would be dumped from the schedule.  Toe tapping markets.

1929

With the Americans name I was strictly trying to make a nostalgic tie.  If the name is too nationalistic we could dull it a bit with the name Eagles or (even better) the Turkeys, paying homage to early entertaining thoughts of America while giving Canada something to think of as maybe being a potential slight.  Turkeys could be a point of pride for those who know Benjamin Franklin.

What would you call an all-other-of-America outlander team?  The Rebels?  Outlanders?
The Rebel Riders?  Sliders.  Overlords.  American Band.  Trackers.  Skiers.  The Unions?

Some cities that I thought that could be lumped into this travel tag team brand:
Cincinnati, Indianapolis, Atlanta, New Orleans and/or Houston, Milwaukee, Kansas City, Omaha, SLC, Portland and Seattle.   That was going by the tracks on the map below.  Boise, I see you.  I have thought of a Great Lakes brand with main docking to occur in Cleveland and Milwaukee.  Let those AHL cities take part.

With the tracks, a thing could be made of it.  The bandwagon trainriders fan groupies.  Amtrackers.  Sponsorship for logistics is in there somewhere.  Corny, but thoughtful, I know.  Logistics would be interesting, a great gun-to-your-head exercise indeed.

The 'Trackers?
The Express?  Midwest Express?

 

I imagine my idea could be tried at the AHL or ECHL level but I'm thinking since hockey is fourth fiddle here, it might not generate enough buzz around the amber waves of grain unless it's the NHL.

Try the travel Tag Team model in the Minor Leagues of Sports first.

Crazy?  Yeah, well, Miami and Phoenix frozen ponds.  Success in Nashville and North Carolina.  Worth a shot on goal?

What say you?

See way more expansion, co-location and relocation talk for football, baseball, basketball, hockey and soccer on my blog prosportsexpansion.blogspot.com/