Hockey Markets and Ownership

I don't really watch any sports other than hockey and international sports, including the Olympics. I ask people questions about other sports because I like to learn things and frankly if nothing else is on TV basketball is an entertaining option. But I know the most (read very little) about hockey and I am from Winnipeg. Meaning I followed the Phoenix Coyotes saga closely and new about the Atlanta Thrashers problems with ownership well. Fans of those teams always say (or said) when we get a new owner it will all be better. But rarely does it work.

Not to say that new ownership doesn't help a fan base. Look at the Chicago Blackhawks, after their owner, Bill Wirtz, died and his son Rocky took over the team returned to TV, fans came back. But Chicago was an Original Six team whose had been frozen out of developing a relationship with their local team. That is not happening in places like Phoenix and Florida. They have access to their team. A family of four can go to a game without it costing an arm and a leg. But yet it doesn't happen. Even with stable ownership, fans don't come to games. At some point it has to be said that places are either A) not hockey markets (Florida or Phoenix)
B) too close to major hockey markets (Ottawa)
and that a hockey team in the area doesn't make sense. At some point the arena being in the middle of nowhere and requiring driving starts sounding like whining. 7:30 starts for all then. At some point you have to show you deserve a team.

Winnipeg lost a team because they couldn't afford it anymore due to the dollar and a sinking Manitoban economy that left little money for a NHL team and the NHL moved the Jets from Winnipeg. But after patiently building up the city, Manitoba rebuilt its economy, brought in the AHL, ran them well and showed the NHL that they could be a successful hockey market. Winnipeg showed they cared about hockey and had to earn a team back by selling of season tickets BEFORE the sale went through. This was unprecedented and is not required in other markets. Winnipeg won a team back. Other cities were gifted them and those markets are struggling. Maybe the NHL was onto something but how long can they stand by a sinking ship.

A hockey market is a hockey market no matter the ownership. If the economy doesn't allow for the NHL to be viable than the NHL should leave because market viability AND stable ownership should be priority not one or the other.