Some NHL owners reportedly favoring Houston over Austin for expansion franchise due to TV market
The NHL is looking to expand to 33 teams at some point in the near future, and the league has circled Texas as the place to do it. Currently, the only NHL franchise located in the Lone Star State is the Dallas Stars. Considering the size of Texas, the league has identified the state as…
The National Hockey League (NHL) is considering adding a 33rd team in the near future. Texas is the preferred location for expansion due to the state's large market potential. Currently, only the Dallas Stars represent the NHL in the Lone Star State. The league has narrowed down the potential cities to Houston and Austin. According to ESPN, some influential NHL owners are favoring Houston over Austin due to the larger television market in Houston.
Houston has the sixth-largest Designated Market Area (DMA) in the country, while Austin ranks 34th. Austin, however, has more established local sports broadcasting compared to Houston. The decision will ultimately be made by NHL commissioner Gary Bettman, based on which city is better suited for a new team. Some owners are even against expansion, citing concerns about the player pool becoming too diluted and the impact on the playoff tournament, which remains at 16 entrants.
Written by urgent.news from Yahoo Sports's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
