Maple Leafs blocking Balsillie?

[Derishton]

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/sports/balsillie-wants-peddie-on-the-hot-seat/article1249653/

More from the Toronto Maple Leafs "We Suck and Will Make Sure We Bring Everyone Down To Our Level" column. After all, they can't win but they make oodles of money from the drones ... er, fans ...

Seriously, does this actually surprise anyone? Does it actually qualify udner anti-trust legislation? The issue has huge implications for all the major leagues, as they move away from being affliated franchises and towards WWF-style entities.

 

[AdmiralGarak]

Sounds like Balsille is simply lashing out at everyone he can think of after failing for the umpteenth time to pilfer another city's team.

 

[James Bond]

It serves him right for trying to take a team to Hamilton.

 

[Derishton]

Yeah, Balsille certainly has made some bone-headed moves. I had thoguht he'd blame Buffalo first, though.

 

[Canadave]

^ Buffalo arguably has more to lose than the Leafs, since they draw so heavily from the Niagara Peninsula for attendance. And the Leafs are, well, the Leafs.

Really, though, if the Leafs and Sabres are fighting Balsillie, is anyone surprised? If he was trying to move a team to Laval don't you think the Habs would try to fight it? I don't think it's particularly insidious on anyone's part, it's just how these things work. And this is coming from someone who wants to see a team in Hamilton. I don't think it'll happen, though... Balsillie has been boneheaded with how he's gone about things.

 

[Garak]

If true, I wouldn't be surprised. Although this seems unprovable barring someone coming out and admitting it, which won't happen.

The whole situation is unfortunate. Balsillie came at this the wrong way from day 1, there's a certain set of protocols you have to go through and he didn't bother, there's no denying that. But the fact of the matter is that he's a potential owner with a shitload of cash who can save a franchise that leaks money and is in no way, shape or form sustainable in its current location.

The NHL is an old boy's club and if there's one thing the commissioner hates, it's losing face and denting his ego - Balsillie gets Phoenix and not only does Bettman lose to him, his southern expansion plan gets confirmation of failure, and who knows what team will go next - Tampa, Florida, Atlanta and Nashville are all in trouble.

I'd love to see another team in Canada, it's mind boggling that the most rabid fans up here have lost 2 teams whereas the NHL is fighting tooth and nail to keep a team in a town full of people that don't care. It's just too bad there's so much shit at play here from both sides.

Hopefully once the owners of the NHL start getting sick of paying to keep Phoenix afloat they shove Bettman aside and push through the sale - they're the bosses after all.

 

[Thestral]

Good for the Leafs. And the Bruins' and Wild's owners. And everybody working to stop this particular sale. As a fan of the Preds, I hope that dick Balsillie never gets a team.

I hope the Coyotes can find a way to stay afloat in Phoenix, but if they have to move, it better not be Balsillie.

 

[Garak]

Good for the Leafs. And the Bruins' and Wild's owners. And everybody working to stop this particular sale. As a fan of the Preds, I hope that dick Balsillie never gets a team.

I hope the Coyotes can find a way to stay afloat in Phoenix, but if they have to move, it better not be Balsillie.

Why would you be against a solid financial backer in the best league on the planet?

 

[Canadave]

Good for the Leafs. And the Bruins' and Wild's owners. And everybody working to stop this particular sale. As a fan of the Preds, I hope that dick Balsillie never gets a team.

I hope the Coyotes can find a way to stay afloat in Phoenix, but if they have to move, it better not be Balsillie.

Why would you be against a solid financial backer in the best league on the planet?

Or against moving a hockey team out of a market in which it clearly doesn't work? Hell, even the other possible buyer for the Coyotes (his name escapes me) is proposing playing a bunch of games in Halifax and Saskatoon. And I think the market for hockey in those two cities of 300,000 people is still probably better than in the 4+ million Phoenix.

 

[Derishton]

The whole situation is unfortunate. Balsillie came at this the wrong way from day 1, there's a certain set of protocols you have to go through and he didn't bother, there's no denying that. But the fact of the matter is that he's a potential owner with a shitload of cash who can save a franchise that leaks money and is in no way, shape or form sustainable in its current location.

Although, to be fair to Balsillie, we forget in the aftermath of the Penguins's recent Cup victory that they were the first team he went after, at a time when Pittsburgh was deciding whether to build the team a new arena. The sale was almost through when Bettman tacked on a new condition, that Balsillie never move the team even if the city decided against the new building ... which would have been a killer financially.

Balsillie has made some bad, bad moves, but Bettman is a confirmed ass.

Kestrel, Nashville is at least in better shape than Phoenix and likelier to survive in its present location (Florida and Atlanta are also, I think, doing significantly worse than the Preds).

 

[Canadave]

Kestrel, Nashville is at least in better shape than Phoenix and likelier to survive in its present location (Florida and Atlanta are also, I think, doing significantly worse than the Preds).

Actually, in terms of attendance numbers, the Panthers have out-performed the Predators for a number of years now. Last season, Florida was 24th in the league with an average attendance of 15,621, while Nashville was 27th with 15,010. For comparison's sake, Phoenix was 28th with 14,875, the top team was Chicago with 22,247 (though I suspect the Winter Classic substantially inflated this number) and the New York Islanders were last with 13,773. See here for more.

Of course, none of this has anything to do with the financial stability of any of these teams. Nashville is definitely much better off than Phoenix if for no reason other than they're not ridiculously overpaying for a coach.

 

[Derishton]

Part of Florida's attendance success is due to schemes like this one, though:

http://mirtle.blogspot.com/2008/10/panthers-great-ticket-giveaway.html

It hasn't translated into financial stability for the team, though. The point's pretty moot, anyways - as you say, almost everybody's doing better than Phoenix.

 

[Canadave]

^ Wasn't aware of that... that'll do it, I guess.

I have to say, I'm honestly surprised the Florida teams don't do better business, what with the state being like Canada's official retirement home and all that.

 

[Thestral]

Good for the Leafs. And the Bruins' and Wild's owners. And everybody working to stop this particular sale. As a fan of the Preds, I hope that dick Balsillie never gets a team.

I hope the Coyotes can find a way to stay afloat in Phoenix, but if they have to move, it better not be Balsillie.

Why would you be against a solid financial backer in the best league on the planet?

Because of the way he went about it and is clearly not at all interested in fans or anything other than playing with himself. His entire desire has been to uproot a team and move it to Hamilton. You really wanna do good by Hamilton? Finance for an expansion. Or at the very least, play by the rules. But since he's so clear that he's only interested in buying a team and relocating it, he can fall off a cliff.

Which is weird that I feel this way, since I care far more about the NFL and I love the Titans. Maybe even a bit hypocritical.

 

[Danny99]

Good for the Leafs. And the Bruins' and Wild's owners. And everybody working to stop this particular sale. As a fan of the Preds, I hope that dick Balsillie never gets a team.

I hope the Coyotes can find a way to stay afloat in Phoenix, but if they have to move, it better not be Balsillie.

I agree 100%! Too bad I live in an area with people who back this clown.

I wouldn't mind another team in Canada, but:

1) Why move to Hamilton? Why not serve fans of Manitoba, Saskatchewan, or any of the Maratime provinces or a Territory? Why force one into a market and steal from two different teams?

2) Balsillie is a dick. Bettman isn't much better, but at least he's trying. People criticize him for bringing teams into markets that don't work. How do you know if you don't try? All Balsillie has done is try and get his foot in the door in order to rob teams from markets and push into a market where one is not needed.

 

[firehawk12]

Southern Ontario can support more teams. That's just the reality of the situation. Could other parts of Canada (Atlantic Canada says hi) support NHL teams better than any of the southern states? Most definitely. But in the quest for "success in America", that's never going to happen.

One of the radio dudes suggested that another team in northern Toronto could work - and given that Leafs games are automatically sold out even when the team is shit - it probably could. I mean, MLSE already has two hockey teams in downtown Toronto - the Leafs and the Marlies. (Now an NFL team in Toronto... that's a fucking stupid idea).

As for Bettman... I stopped paying attention to him ever since he screwed up the NHL TV deal on Fox. He went from a multimillion dollar deal that guaranteed weekend games on national cable to a deal where the NHL is on the Outdoor Life Network or where ever.
The NHL will never be important in the US. It's the winter equivalent of soccer. Once the geniuses in the NHL realize it, the better.

Hell, I'm almost glad that Russian oil barrens are poaching players for their own league. At least it should freak them out a little.

 

[Derishton]

1) Why move to Hamilton? Why not serve fans of Manitoba, Saskatchewan, or any of the Maratime provinces or a Territory? Why force one into a market and steal from two different teams?

I agree inasmuch as I would much rather see a team back in Winnipeg than in Hamilton, but the numbers are better for Hamilton. And, like it or not, Hamilton has a rich guy who wants to give them a team. It would still be better than the second Toronto team some people are talking about.

2) Balsillie is a dick. Bettman isn't much better, but at least he's trying. People criticize him for bringing teams into markets that don't work. How do you know if you don't try? All Balsillie has done is try and get his foot in the door in order to rob teams from markets and push into a market where one is not needed.

You know once ten years has passed and the southern expansion teams are, by and large, not a success. The upper echelons of the league are seriously discussing Las Vegas, with no major population base capable of supporting a team from any league, and Kansas City (where an NHL team once survived a stunning three seasons). The writing is on the wall for Phoenix, Florida and Atlanta (I still think Nashville can survive). Bettman is just to stubborn too see it (or he wants teams to move around the south, while he rakes in the movement fee each and every time).

Another note: Balsillie can't just buy an expansion team, as Bettman has said there's no plans for expanding the NHL anytime soon. Even he knows the market is too diluted right now.

 

[Canadave]

^ Yeah, I think the league would be much stronger if those three teams could move north. Hamilton, Winnipeg and Quebec, maybe? I suppose Halifax might also be an option... small city, but there are over a million people in Nova Scotia (and more in New Brunswick) who don't have any nearby NHL franchises.

 

[James Bond]

I've always found it strange that people would say that a team in Halifax, for example, wouldn't survive because there are only 350,000 (approximation) people there; but a team in say Phoenix is better because there 1,500,000 people there. I understand television and radio figures, but I'm pretty sure there aren't a million people fighting tooth and nail for Coyotes tickets; where as on the other hand, a good chunk of the Halifax population (not to mention other parts of Nova Scotia) would do whatever they could to get tickets for their team, filling the arena.

 

[Canadave]

^ Yeah, I'm fairly confident a team could survive there. I'm virtually certain you could sell enough season tickets to make a go of it, and as I said, there are a million people in Nova Scotia, and the province is small enough that most of them can reach the city with relative ease. Hell, even Moncton is only three hours away. I'm certain there's a market out east.