Give it up Fonzerelli. Your whining makes me sick.
I live in Vancouver, and I love junior hockey. I cheer for the Giants, like a lot of us who live here do. Why does that make us arrogant? Should I not cheer for my local team just because they play in a big market (with way more competition for fans' dollars, by the way).
If you ask any fan of junior hockey, they will ALL say that small market teams are CRITICAL for the success of the league. No one want to see the league comprised only of teams in big cities.
I agree that big market teams have an advantage in terms of POTENTIAL to make more money. But it takes a smart owner to hire the right people. Junior hockey failed twice in Calgary and Edmonton before now, and Portland just about did too. Why are the the Thunderbirds not always at the top - they are in the largest metro area in the league!
Players with a choice have been avoiding Portland like the plague, Everett has had a ton of players leave voluntarily, yet these are the so-called "privileged." Your argument is so full of holes all that is left is your pathetic jealousy.
Complain about the league's lack of an effective profit-sharing plan if you want -- at least that has the potential to improve the chances of maintaining teams in all markets -- but don't just whine and crap all over Giants fans because your team doesn't measure up.
The only good thunderstick is one shoved up a cowbell.