Posted Nov 24, 2011, 3:04 PM
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Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Dynamic City, Alberta
Posts: 17,566
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Vancouver or Montreal would have a harder time supporting a 2nd team - not because of population but because their teams have actually had success since HNIC went to colour. I think people overestimate the "die hard Leafs forever" fan contingent - give the GTA another NHL franchise, that actually wins, and I bet plenty of people would switch allegiance in a heartbeat.
To put it another way, the Torontonians I know aren't all guys in their 60s, reminiscing about the glory days and slavering drones that will only accept the ONE TRUE TEAM. I think they support the Leafs largely because it's the only option, not because Toronto is filled with millions of people whose memories go back 50 years.
Especially with the massive amount of new immigrants hitting the city every year, and the hockey audience growing into all sorts of new demographics. These people don't really give a shit about the Leafs, and like most people would prefer to support a team that wins - hell, just look at how Pittsburgh and Chicago are suddenly the "fan favourites" across the country, while they toiled in relative obscurity for over a decade.
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