Lots of reports Atl -> Wpg is a done deal

[IPostedWhat]

Geez... what a blow to all the big-time Atlanta Thrashers fans on these boards.

Whatever happened to Soggy?

 

[beantownmaniac]

$$$ - 50 million of them. $25 million last season and $25 million for the upcoming season from the City of Glendale. Of course, the Coyotes lost close to $37 million last season, but as long as the City of Glendale keeps opening up the wallet, the NHL will gladly accept the funds. There was no such committment from the city of Atlanta to subsidize the Thrashers and nobody was willing to step up and buy the team.

How long Hulsizer will hang around for the Coyotes is anybody's guess...I'd start pouring the foundation for the new arena in Quebec City tomorrow because things are looking good.

Haven't they already started building one to the tune of 400 mil?

 

[maddogmark25]

I may be taking a blind swipe here, but my reasoning to the NHL's logic is a couple of reasons:

1. If the NHL gets pushed around by GWI, they lose leverage in future negotiations with cities of similar/smaller populace to Glendale/Phoenix, which is a large market compared to many "potential" future NHL markets

2. Phoenix, even though it is in the desert, presents unique growth opportunities for the NHL whereas a market such as Winnipeg, while dedicated to hockey for sure, doesn't provide large growth prospects...and in general people in Atlanta don't care about sports, nothing there does well

3. If the city is willing to recoup the franchises' losses, why the hell wouldn't you stay there? Essentially equals free money for the NHL

 

[dash]

I'm planning a trip to the Southwest US in November, so for selfish reasons, I'm quite pleased that the Coyotes are remaining in Glendale. If I'm lucky, I'll be able to see a game at Jobing.com (methinks it won't be very difficult to score a ticket).

 

[puckhead]

an interesting tin foil hat twist...

the Globe&Mail (the paper that reported the story) is owned by the same guy who is supposedly buying and moving the Thrashers.

 

[forty_three]

I'm planning a trip to the Southwest US in November, so for selfish reasons, I'm quite pleased that the Coyotes are remaining in Glendale. If I'm lucky, I'll be able to see a game at Jobing.com (methinks it won't be very difficult to score a ticket).

Probably won't be many people in line at the concession either.

 

[maddogmark25]

It is ashame, because the whole ownership ordeal is really hamstringing the franchise; if they can get competent ownership (and I think Hulsizer can do that, because he has stated he would keep the current management in place) they will be able to put a good team in that great arena and put people in the seats...stability is critical within the next year, however

Its a long process, but the NHL is doing this because with the right people involved, this can work

 

[forty_three]

Whatever happened to Soggy?

 

[jstewismybastardson]

an interesting tin foil hat twist...

the Globe&Mail (the paper that reported the story) is owned by the same guy who is supposedly buying and moving the Thrashers.

Stephen Brunt broke the story ... Im sure its all true for the reason you mention plus he's not Dave Shoalts (lol)

also telling is how quickly TSN came hard with Blob Mac and Dreger to discount the validity of the story and remind everyone "NOTHING IS OFFICIAL"

youve been scooped boys ... by the guy who used to be a TSN employee that left for Sportsnet

 

[dash]

Stephen Brunt broke the story ... Im sure its all true for the reason you mention plus he's not Dave Shoalts (lol)

also telling is how quickly TSN came hard with Blob Mac and Dreger to discount the validity of the story and remind everyone "NOTHING IS OFFICIAL"

youve been scooped boys ... by the guy who used to be a TSN employee that left for Sportsnet

I got the same feeling watching that intermission report, jstew - I'm not a big fan of Dreger to begin with, but he seemed quite upset that he wasn't breaking this story. Oh well, Darren, better luck next time.

 

[jstewismybastardson]

imo the reason behind why the Thrashers and why not the Coyotes all boils down to the fact the league and its owners own the Coyotes and the Thrashers werent league owned.

The league tentatively approved the sale of the Thrashers to True North (Stephen Brunt says this happened months ago) because the league doesnt want to own another club.

The league was not going to reject True Norths interest to buy the Thrashers since A) there was no real credible local owner stepping forward to buy them and B) there was no other potential owner in another american city stepping forward to buy them.

What the league will probably do now is take that 50 to 60 million dollar relocation fee that True North is paying in the deal and fund the yearly losses in Glendale that arent covered by the city itself ($the $25 mill per year) if Bettman thinks the Hulsizer deal is dead and/or the board agrees to take it off the market and continue owning the team and running it

another possibility I heard is use the atlanta relocation fee to buy the oustanding municipal bonds that investors have shyed away from. But the potential would still be there for Goldwater to sue

so option A is probably whats going to happen ... the team will continue to be owned and operated by the league and funded not by the owners of big revenue generating teams (how happy will they be????) but by the relocation fee ... gary just won a couple more years for Glendale

 

[devs30rko]

I saw tsns refute.... so what's the deal is it true or is it not? Doesn't the guy who owns true north own the globe too? Or something like that?

 

[4thstreet]

I'll be glad as hell when it is official.
Won't be long after the rumours of Phoenix(again?),Florida,Islanders,NJ or someone else start up,about them going to Quebec.

If it were up to me I'd add a team to Quebec,then have a Canadian conference
Montreal,Quebec,Toronto,Ottawa(east)
Calgary,Vancouver,Edmonton,Winnepeg(west)

American conference
Philadelphia,Boston,Rangers,Penguins,Detroit,Chicago(plus 2 more from contracting rest of teams).

These are the majority of teams that draw fans.It's ridiculous for CBC to be paying out 100 million,and almost 70% of it goes to support American teams.

I know it's far fetched,but that jackass Bettman has to pull his head from his arse and put teams in markets that appreciate hockey.

 

[puckhead]

Kipper (Sportsnet) piling on to THAT party line.

"Confirming Brunt story. Relocation fee in $50-60m range"


Portage & Main getting the party started already

 

[devs30rko]

I'll be glad as hell when it is official.
Won't be long after the rumours of Phoenix(again?),Florida,Islanders,NJ or someone else start up,about them going to Quebec.

If it were up to me I'd add a team to Quebec,then have a Canadian conference
Montreal,Quebec,Toronto,Ottawa(east)
Calgary,Vancouver,Edmonton,Winnepeg(west)

American conference
Philadelphia,Boston,Rangers,Penguins,Detroit,Chicago(plus 2 more from contracting rest of teams).

These are the majority of teams that draw fans.It's ridiculous for CBC to be paying out 100 million,and almost 70% of it goes to support American teams.

I know it's far fetched,but that jackass Bettman has to pull his head from his arse and put teams in markets that appreciate hockey.

The islanders just got approval for a new arena and the devils are in the top 12 most valuable according to Forbes last I checked

 

[devs30rko]

Might be wrong tho

 

[IPostedWhat]

The islanders just got approval for a new arena and the devils are in the top 12 most valuable according to Forbes last I checked

Might be wrong tho

As of December 2010, the Devils were #11.

 

[4thstreet]

The islanders just got approval for a new arena and the devils are in the top 12 most valuable according to Forbes last I checked

I was going off attendance.
The Devils were 25th in attendance this year,the Isles dead last.A new arena is a start,but I don't see a dramatic jump in the near future.

Out of all the teams I mentioned,the Oilers were 19th in attendance.I actually feel sorry for the once almighty Isles.They couldn't even draw 1/2 million fans this year?

Keeping a team in Phoenix(attendance avg 12,188-good for 29th in league) is just mind boggling.

 

[dash]

One other thing worth stating: Don Cherry was one of the first people to 'guarantee' that Winnipeg would have a team for the 2011-2012 season.

For as much grief that Cherry takes from the media and other people, he was 100% correct on this one. Attaboy Grapes!!

 

[devs30rko]

I was going off attendance.
The Devils were 25th in attendance this year,the Isles dead last.A new arena is a start,but I don't see a dramatic jump in the near future.

Out of all the teams I mentioned,the Oilers were 19th in attendance.I actually feel sorry for the once almighty Isles.They couldn't even draw 1/2 million fans this year?

Keeping a team in Phoenix(attendance avg 12,188-good for 29th in league) is just mind boggling.

playing on what's technically the nyc market does wonders for you all good brother