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SPORTS Thursday 4 OcTOber 2018
NHL is moving forward with Seattle expansion bid

By STEPHEN WHYNO we need from the NHL
AP Hockey Writer and the team and stick to
NEW YORK (AP) — The NHL the schedule so we have
is moving forward with hockey in 2020," Durkan
plans to expand to Seattle. said. "They know we want
Commissioner Gary Bet- it in 2020 and (the league
tman said Tuesday the would) like to have it in
Board of Governors' ex- 2020, too, if we get the
ecutive committee rec- team."
ommended proceeding When the board next meets
with Seattle's expansion Dec. 3-4, Bettman expects
application, with an eye a full report on Seattle ex-
on voting to approve the pansion and said the goal
league's 32nd franchise is to for the governors to
in December. The recom- vote at that time, with 24
mendation came a few of 32 needed for approval.
hours after key stakehold- It's conceivable the board
ers presented their case to votes to give Seattle the
the committee and hit it off green light for 2020 contin-
enough that Seattle could gent on the arena with the
be awarded a team two option to push things back
months from now. to 2021 if necessary.
"The notion is have the Approval seems assured at
board vote on expansion," this point. Bettman said the Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan, left, walks with Seattle Hockey Partners David Wright, center, David
Bettman said. "And assum- endorsement by the nine- Bonderman, second from right, and Tim Leiweke as they leave a meeting at National Hockey
League headquarters, Tuesday, Oct. 2, 2018, in New York.
ing, as I think everybody is, owner executive commit- Associated Press
that it would be approved tee "speaks volumes," and
— I don't want to be pre- it seems unlikely the board over an hour, Durkan, Se- a facility that will get built, deposits in 12 minutes, and
sumptuous of the board's will turn down a $650 million attle Hockey Partners Presi- a partnership with the city team officials say they now
prerogative — but every- expansion fee for the op- dent and CEO Tod Leiweke, and away we go," Bonder- have 32,000 as excitement
thing seems to be on track." portunity to expand to the majority owner David Bon- man said. "All we need is a builds for the return of a
It was the best possible U.S. Pacific Northwest, pro- derman did not want to do franchise." major professional winter
news that could have vide a natural geographic a victory lap yet. The NHL had been at 30 sports team in the biggest
come out of the meetings rival for the Vancouver "It's been a long time com- teams since 2000 when it U.S. market without one.
for proponents of the NHL Canucks and balance the ing and we can be pa- decided in 2016 to expand The ticket numbers, a plan
in Seattle. Bettman agreed Eastern and Western con- tient," Leiweke said. to Las Vegas. to renovate KeyArena and
with Seattle Mayor Jenny ferences at 16 teams each. Tod's brother, Tim, Hol- The Golden Knights began a video showcasing the
Durkan that the preference "It looks good," Vancouver lywood producer Jerry play a year ago and made benefits of Seattle expan-
is for the team to begin play owner Francesco Aquilini Bruckheimer and fellow a stirring run to the Stanley sion were all part of the
in the 2020-21 season, and said. "It's exciting. We want minor owner David Wright Cup Final in their inaugural presentation at the league
that's still a very real possi- a team in Seattle. It's great were also part of the con- season. office. What did not come
bility as long as renovations for Vancouver. It's great for tingent that made what That process began with up in that meeting was the
to KeyArena in downtown the league. It's eventually Bettman called an "excel- a season-ticket drive the status of the collective bar-
Seattle proceed as sched- going to happen. KeyAre- lent" presentation. league approved in the gaining agreement, which
uled. na is going to be built. So I "With the mayor's help, winter of 2014 to see if Las the owners or players could
"I'm very confident we're think it's imminent." what we tried to get across Vegas would be a viable choose in September 2019
going to be able to move After meeting with the ex- was Seattle is ready for a hockey market. Seattle to terminate effective Sept.
forward and get what ecutive committee for well team, we got potentially sold 10,000 season-ticket 15, 2020.q

NASCAR to remove restrictor

plates at Daytona and Talladega

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (AP) on the engines, NASCAR rations that combine the
— NASCAR will use two pri- will now use a thicker ta- restrictor plate with a ta-
mary rules packages next pered spacer with tapered pered spacer. NASCAR will
season and race at Dayto- holes aimed to restrict air go to just a spacer at Day-
na and Talladega without flow. tona and Talladega after
restrictor plates for the first NASCAR next year wants the 500.
time since 1987. to lower the horsepower in NASCAR believes the ad-
The rules packages re- Cup cars at 21 races, all on justments will create more
vealed Tuesday will be ovals larger than 1.2 miles, passing, more drafting and
tailored to specific tracks from 750hp to 550hp. The afford a better throttle
and designed to slow Cup 14 races on tracks shorter response for the drivers.
Series cars to create more than 1.2 miles in length will NASCAR executive vice
passing for the lead. At use the same sized spacers president Steve O'Donnell In this photo shot with a fisheye lens the field take the green
Daytona and Talladega, from this season. insisted the idea is not to flag to start the NASCAR Cup series auto race at Charlotte
the two fastest tracks in The season-opening Day- create pack racing at ev- Motor Speedway in Concord, N.C., Sunday, Sept. 30, 2018.
NASCAR were horsepow- tona 500 next year will be ery track, but instead tight- Associated Press
er-sapping plates are used run under current configu- er competition.q