Can the NHL Copy the Predators' Success in Vegas?

The way many in the hockey world speak of the place, you'd think they were talking about Paris, London, or Rome. Earlier this season forward James Neal, after three and a half seasons in hockey mad Pittsburgh, called his new home "Great." Visiting Toronto Maple Leafs Coach Peter Horachek called the city a "Great place to go."

But they're talking about Nashville. Long lumped in with sunny but under-performing NHL markets like Phoenix and Miami, Nashville has transcended its geography, and now, in its 16th season with a team, counts itself as a hockey hotbed. The Predators finished the regular season with a Western Conference-best 28-9-4 record at home, and begin their 1st round playoff series against the Chicago Blackhawks today. But their success on the ice was preceded by steady growth off it thanks to effective marketing, rising ticket sales, and investment in the community.

"Our franchise is maturing," Predators General Manager David Poile said in an interview with VICE Sports. Poile is the only hockey boss the Predators have ever had, having served as GM since the team's debut in 1997.

The NHL, with dollar signs in the eyes of Commissioner Gary Bettman and his posse, couldn't be happier. Flush with cash after two record-setting TV deals, the league has its eyes on expansion to Las Vegas. The proposal, which would make the NHL the first of the four major North American leagues to place a team in Sin City, has drawn the ire of many in the hockey world as established hockey markets such as Quebec City, and more sensible ones such as Seattle, are also lobbying for a team.

But the league, which recently saw the Atlanta Thrashers, who debuted the same season as the Predators, relocate to Winnipeg, still believes in the potential of warm-weather markets. And they see Nashville as a model city and franchise.

"Hockey is getting into a lot of different communities including at the high school level," said Poile. "Interest in the Predators is as high as it's ever been which has been reflected in our season tickets and sponsorships."

Recently the ownership group looking to bring a team to Las Vegas said it bypassed 9000 season ticket deposits. They are banking on establishing a loyal fanbase quickly. Here again, the Predators serve as a model.

"Coming from a Canadian market one thing I noticed is how passionate these fans are," said Predators forward Mike Fisher, who spent the majority of his career with the Ottawa Senators. "They love the game, they love the sport. We appreciate them and if you look at our record at home it speaks for itself as far as what the fans can bring."

Vegas also has something else in common with Nashville: it is an entertainment hub, with a busy urban core. The 17,500-seat MGM-AEG Arena under construction on the strip will have more in common with the Predators' downtown Nashville Bridgestone Arena than the Arizona Coyotes' suburban Gila River Arena.

According to Poile, the 100 percent publicly funded stadium's location has been a pillar of the franchise's ability to grow in popularity.

"The City of Nashville is very fond of being the 'it' city and being the place to be," says Poile. "Downtown is certainly an area that is a great place to spend any night and Bridgestone Arena is the focal point of downtown. There's lots of reasons both on and off the ice."

Poile has staked his claim in the NHL as a shrewd GM: he's built an efficient team while keeping costs low. According to Hockey Buzz's Cap Central site, the Predators currently operate with over $12 million in salary cap space, the fifth-lowest total in the NHL.

But the on-ice product still has fans attending games at Bridgestone Arena like never before. In 2011, the team, which had been struggling to draw fans and television viewers, began to turn things around. According to ESPN their revenues increased by between 25 and 30 percent between 2011 and 2012, and their television ratings continued to grow as well. Still, Preds CEO Jeff Cogen told ESPN that he believes "…nothing happens (With a franchise) until the building's filled.

Cogen got his wish this year, as on March 24 the team set a franchise record for sellouts with their 26th sellout of the year. Eric Stromgren of The Tennessean also stated on December 31st that the Predators were filling Bridgestone Arena at 98.9% of capacity, a strong number for any NHL franchise.

The Predators has certainly gained the respect of the NHL, who awarded Nashville the 2016 NHL All-Star game earlier this season.

However, it didn't come quickly or easily. Nashville nearly lost the Predators on numerous occasions. They could have, like the Thrashers, moved to Canada. One rumor in 2007 suggested that they might relocate to Hamilton, Ontario.

So where does that leave a proposed NHL team in Las Vegas? Can they use the success of Nashville as an inspiration—or better yet, as leverage to convince fellow owners and investors that hockey in a non-traditional market can work? The league and the proposed ownership hope so, but the Las Vegas economy's reliance on tourism may also create a barrier to a long-term fanbase.

Some will point to the fact that this was also true of Nashville. Others would argue that for every Nashville Predators, there is an Arizona Coyotes and Florida Panthers. But if future franchises can avoid the mistakes of the Panthers, Coyotes, and Thrashers, and look to clubs like the Predators—who instead of applying cookie cutter tactics, developed a franchise that was organic to its community—for best practices, they may have a chance.

"I hope in some respects that we are a good model to some franchises in the things we've tried or used in our marketing approach, and would be good in other places including Las Vegas for an expansion franchise," Poile says.

The cash is flowing once again in the NHL right now, and a move to Vegas, buoyed in part by the success of the Predators, may seem inevitable. But as anyone who has spent a weekend in Vegas will tell you, there's no shortage of cash to burn when the going is good. However, when the cash is all gone, there's no shortage of confusion, regret, or homesickness either.