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Gary Bettman and NHL Unhappy Over Expansion Turnout.
Gary Bettman and NHL Unhappy Over Expansion Turnout.
by Andrew Thompson 3h ago
The National Hockey League seems to be underwhelmed by the amount of cities that applied for an expansion team. The NHL was hoping to see more than just the two cities that got their applications in before the deadline. Bettman and the league had extended sixteen invitations to various cities. While cities in Texas and Minnesota saying no couldn’t have been that much of a surprise, having fourteen out of sixteen invites pass must have thrown the league for a loop. It’s pretty safe to say that NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman is disappointed.
Of all the cities that turned the league down, it’s most surprising that Seattle couldn’t get a bid in on time. Gary Bettman had spent quite a bit of time in Seattle hoping to find a few investors who were willing to bring a team to Washington state.
There were at least three interested parties all pondering bringing hockey to Seattle. Victor Coleman had to back out at the last minute due to not being able to come to an agreement over a site for the new stadium. Connecticut investment banker Ray Bartoszek’s group wasn’t able to put a plan together that would have worked for Seattle either. (He might have had better luck if he had attempted to resurrect the Hartford Whalers franchise.)
There was almost an air of bitterness in the statement the league released yesterday.
“As previously announced, NHL expansion applications were made available to all potentially interested applicants on July 6. Since that date, we have received requests from, and responded by sending applications to, sixteen separate groups/individuals.
“The deadline for filing an application and proceeding in the NHL expansion process was last night. We can confirm that we have received two applications: one from Bill Foley for a franchise in Las Vegas, Nevada, and one from Quebecor for a franchise in Quebec City, Quebec.
Our purpose, in initiating the expansion process in the manner we did, was not only to explore the possibility of admitting new members to the NHL but also, at the outset, to set realistic guideposts to distinguish between bona fide expressions of interest (i.e., those which have at least substantial ownership capabilities and an arena or the realistic possibility of an arena) from those indications of potential interest which were, at best, merely hopes or aspirations. Apparently, only [potential Las Vegas owner Bill] Foley and Quebecor have the confidence in their ability to secure an arena and suitable ownership capability to move forward with this process.
We now intend to focus exclusively on the two expansion applications that have been submitted in accordance with the previously announced process. The process we have outlined for qualified applicants includes at least two more stages of documentation submission. We will provide no further updates until there is something substantive to announce.”
Both cities have a lot to offer the league, and in all likelihood they will both be awarded franchises. Quebec City will get a team due to history, tradition, Canadian love of the game, and it just makes plain sense. Las Vegas will get a team because Gary Bettman has a fetish about throwing money at hockey in the desert. Hopefully, Las Vegas won’t be a repeat of the Arizona disaster.
Gary Bettman and NHL Unhappy Over Expansion Turnout.
by Andrew Thompson 3h ago
The National Hockey League seems to be underwhelmed by the amount of cities that applied for an expansion team. The NHL was hoping to see more than just the two cities that got their applications in before the deadline. Bettman and the league had extended sixteen invitations to various cities. While cities in Texas and Minnesota saying no couldn’t have been that much of a surprise, having fourteen out of sixteen invites pass must have thrown the league for a loop. It’s pretty safe to say that NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman is disappointed.
Of all the cities that turned the league down, it’s most surprising that Seattle couldn’t get a bid in on time. Gary Bettman had spent quite a bit of time in Seattle hoping to find a few investors who were willing to bring a team to Washington state.
There were at least three interested parties all pondering bringing hockey to Seattle. Victor Coleman had to back out at the last minute due to not being able to come to an agreement over a site for the new stadium. Connecticut investment banker Ray Bartoszek’s group wasn’t able to put a plan together that would have worked for Seattle either. (He might have had better luck if he had attempted to resurrect the Hartford Whalers franchise.)
There was almost an air of bitterness in the statement the league released yesterday.
“As previously announced, NHL expansion applications were made available to all potentially interested applicants on July 6. Since that date, we have received requests from, and responded by sending applications to, sixteen separate groups/individuals.
“The deadline for filing an application and proceeding in the NHL expansion process was last night. We can confirm that we have received two applications: one from Bill Foley for a franchise in Las Vegas, Nevada, and one from Quebecor for a franchise in Quebec City, Quebec.
Our purpose, in initiating the expansion process in the manner we did, was not only to explore the possibility of admitting new members to the NHL but also, at the outset, to set realistic guideposts to distinguish between bona fide expressions of interest (i.e., those which have at least substantial ownership capabilities and an arena or the realistic possibility of an arena) from those indications of potential interest which were, at best, merely hopes or aspirations. Apparently, only [potential Las Vegas owner Bill] Foley and Quebecor have the confidence in their ability to secure an arena and suitable ownership capability to move forward with this process.
We now intend to focus exclusively on the two expansion applications that have been submitted in accordance with the previously announced process. The process we have outlined for qualified applicants includes at least two more stages of documentation submission. We will provide no further updates until there is something substantive to announce.”
Both cities have a lot to offer the league, and in all likelihood they will both be awarded franchises. Quebec City will get a team due to history, tradition, Canadian love of the game, and it just makes plain sense. Las Vegas will get a team because Gary Bettman has a fetish about throwing money at hockey in the desert. Hopefully, Las Vegas won’t be a repeat of the Arizona disaster.
... but past history hasnt really shown that to be a given
