Quebecor confirms NHL expansion application to bring back Nordiques
Interested parties have until Aug. 10 to submit their candidacy
Quebecor has applied for an NHL expansion franchise with the aim of bringing the Nordiques back to Quebec City.
- NHL announces start of expansion process
- Quebecor says it will apply for NHL expansion franchise to bring back Nordiques
- Stephen Harper continues push for NHL expansion in Quebec City
The company confirmed the move on Twitter today, saying the company had submitted its candidacy to the National Hockey League.
We confirm that we submitted our candidacy for the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NHL?src=hash">#NHL</a> expansion process in order to bring the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Nordiques?src=hash">#Nordiques</a> back to <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Qu%C3%A9bec?src=hash">#Québec</a> City.
—@QuebecorInterested parties must apply between July 6 and July 20.
NHL commissioner Gary Bettman has said the expansion fee will be at least $500 million US.
Quebecor, which will be responsible for operations at the new 18,259-capacity Videotron Arena in Quebec City, is among several groups, including Las Vegas and Seattle, that have expressed interest in an expansion franchise. The arena is owned by the city.
The NHL already has a relationship with Quebecor through its French-language television-rights deal with the TVA television network.
Quebec City has not had an NHL team since the Nordiques left for Denver and became the Colorado Avalanche in 1995. The NHL has not expanded since adding its 29th and 30th teams, the Columbus Blue Jackets and Minnesota Wild, in 2000.
Deputy commissioner Bill Daly has said the earliest any expansion would happen is the 2017-18 season.
Corrections
- Quebec City owns the Videotron Arena, and the bidding deadline is July 20. Incorrect information appeared in an earlier version of this story.Jul 20, 2015 3:30 PM ET
with files from The Canadian Press