If the Preds are to become successful financially within the next three to five years most of it will be directly related to their on-ice success. They’ve made the playoffs the last four seasons, something that much of the 2000 expansion class cannot say they have done; but they need to take the next step and have some success in playoffs. If they can do this, I think they can see an influx of fans into their fanbase along with retaining more of them.

Nashville can be a great market but much of it depends on winning, to me.

Thanks, James, for coming down for a visit. It sounds like you’re taking the trip with an open mind, and I appreciate that. Hope you have a great visit. Go Preds!

The only reason the Predators and other teams are still alive are because the other teams are providing welfare payments to them.

The same could be said about Buffalo, Ottawa, and Edmonton about 10 years ago, and I think Calgary and Vancouver were getting some support from their franchise neighbors too the south when the Canadian Dollar was weak as well.

 The Owner doesn’t have to be local (FYI: The Canadiens owner is from Denver) for a franchise to work. If Mr. Wilson is committed to keeping them in Nashville, they’ll stay in Nashville.

Atlanta is probably doomed, but that’s due to incompetent ownership/management. Phoenix looks to be shoring things up, and the Isles are starting to make progress on their new arena, which is a big part of the reason they are losing money.

The biggest challenge for Nashville isn’t so much that it is in the south. The biggest problem is that the market is one of the smaller ones in professional sports and the NFL moved in after the NHL arrived. In my opinion, the big question is whether fans and businesses have enough disposable income to support to pro sports teams.

At least the Predators have great management that puts a competitive team out there on the ice every night. David Poile consistently gets the most points for his money year after year.

And let’s not forget that Taylor Swift is a Predators fan. She may get a whole generation of young women interested in hockey, and bring all her country music-singing friends out to games.

I still feel that Nashville is better suited to maintain a hockey team than Florida, Atlanta, or Phoenix are.

Nashville will never be one of the largest markets, but it will continue to be big enough…

I saw them play the Red Wings there a couple years ago. It was great. Tickets are cheap. Concessions are good.

Wow. What a location. Right on the main drag. And it’s not a drag. Fans pour out and hit the streets – and the bars and see bands. And not just country music, whatever you want.

I live in Ottawa where you get to sit in traffic on the way to the rink. See fans sit on their hands at the rink. And sit in the parking lot trying to get out.

I’ll take Nashville anytime.

Not a big fan of the Predators, but I hope they stay in Nashville. I’ve seen several games there, the last one being about two years ago. The fans are passionate and the arena has always been full. The reports of falling attendance is what is perplexing to me. I’ve never seen it.