Howard Baldwin has made millions in business throughout his career through many smart decisions, but these days he is looking to right what he perceives to be a longtime wrong, investing time and capital into a long process that may give the state of Connecticut its only male (lest we not forget the Connecticut Sun and the UFL franchise has yet to play a down) professional spoirts team yet again. Baldwin this week announced that he has purchased the Hartford Wolfpack and renaimed the AHL franchise the Connecticut Whale, an homage to the New England and then Hartford Whalers of the WHA and then the NHL days. It is the first step in a rebranding, refortifying and reestablishment of a core base of fans which he hopes will show the NHL that Hartford again could be a vibrant market, much like Quebec City and Winnipeg are trying to do. is it a good move, and one that could wor.? Maybe. Here's why.
He has the dollars. Baldwin has been known to commit vast resources to projects he believes in and finds ways to make them succeed, even in the face of great obstacles. Here he has an eroded but passionate base of fans, still located between hotbeds like Boston and New York. Also to the north he has a strong model minor league franchise in Providence which can also be emulated. It will take a better arena, a commttiment to marketing and a long term vision to make it work. He has a brand that has been dormant but remains strong with its core. When the Whalers moved to North Carolna, the team was not at rock bottom. Hartford remained a solid core bit small market and lost out to the lure of big bucks in Sun Belt states looking for hockey, many of which have falted in the recession. The fan club, much like the Baltimore Colts fan base, remained vibrant and has actually grown, and although there was some support for the Wolfpack, the fans remained loyal to the Whalers. There is history. Gordie Howe, Ron Francis are all part of the Whalers lore. It is not a startup, it is a re-start that can harken back on the best of its past. There is business support. Even in slow times, Hartford remains the insurance capital of North America, and is a central stop on the Northeast corridor. It is New England. Yes this is UConn hoops country, but hockey at the grassroots remains strong in Connecticut, Rhode Island and Massachusetts where the team will draw from. A new era of fans to experience the NHL with their parents who knew NHL hockey in the area awaits. He knows how to promote. Baldwin has always been very good at the promotional side of sport, as evidenced most recently by the series of outdoor game she is putting on with some partners in minor league cities. His renaming efforts showed respect to the old while engaging the new, giving at first pass the project a chance with all. We all love the comeback story. Baseball's return to Washington, the Browns to Cleveland, even football in the form of the Ravens to Baltimore helped right wrongs of previous eras. this move, if financially viable, along with a return to Winnipeg and/or Quebec City, would be a branding and marketing boost for the NHL at a time when they are looking for another uptick following a solid season last winter.
Will it wor. Tough to say. The financial and arena issues are large, and even with the industry in the city, insurance has suffered as much if not more than most industries. Some say the NHL should scale back not move franchises, and Baldwin would have to find a team at an attractive price to relocate, which in the best times can be difficult to do. One thing is for sure, it won’t be a quick fix overnight. It will have to be proven as a solid business with viable branding, marketing and sales options before it is considered. It is also a small TV market, which won’t help. However in these days of experiental events, TV market size can be overcome by effect digital platforms, and the NHL is the leader in an effective online fan experience.
Maybe the NHL doesn’t need Hartford. Maybe those days are gone and Connecticut isn’t a required stop on the road to hockey success. However the passion and committment of ownership can be very persuasive, and at first glance, the branding power of a dormant franchise is worth watching for all the right reasons.
