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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Tampa Bay succeeds when NHL’s other warm-weather franchises struggle

Greg Beacham Associated Press

TAMPA, Fla. – Phil Esposito swells with parental pride when he sees the Tampa Bay Lightning chasing the Stanley Cup in an arena largely packed with Florida fans who have converted to his beloved game.

The Hall of Famer who co-founded the franchise 23 years ago realizes how unlikely it was for this team in this city to reach this magical moment. Outside the sold-out Amalie Arena, thousands more brave the June humidity to watch playoff games on an oversize screen, gathering around a bronze statue of Esposito in the plaza.

Every bit of it never fails to amaze the two-time NHL MVP.

“I did a lot of things in hockey as a player, but there’s nothing that can compare to this,” Esposito said. “This, to me, is my greatest thrill. If you’ve had kids, you know what I’m talking about. I gave birth to this team. I gave every penny I ever had in the world. I even sacrificed a marriage because of it. To be in Tampa to see this, it makes me so happy.”

While Sun Belt hockey teams from Phoenix to Miami struggle to stay solvent or relevant, the Lightning are alive and thriving. Their second trip to the Stanley Cup Final is the next peak of a revival under owner Jeff Vinik, whose money has fueled the cold-weather sport’s growth in a warm-weather town.

A franchise with a few incredible highs – including a 2004 title – and many more years of weird lows is now stable and entrenched in the Tampa Bay area. With renovations to the arena, an aggressive approach to community involvement and a first-class product on the ice, the Lightning are even better off than when Dave Andreychuk raised that Stanley Cup 11 years ago.

The team’s revival culminated with an Eastern Conference title and a showdown with the Chicago Blackhawks, but general manager Steve Yzerman’s success is the foundation of a larger project.

Vinik has spent freely to provide top-notch experiences in every off-ice aspect of the Lightning, renovating its arena to world-class status – and even adding an impressive pipe organ that rocks its foundations. The Lightning do innumerable public appearances. They’ve started a high school hockey league and give out $50,000 community hero grants at every game.