Kanada Kev Posted June 28, 2007 Report Share Posted June 28, 2007 News of the stoopid. I heard that Leipold was frustrated with the stalling tactics and roadblocks that the NHL head office (Bettman) was playing: http://tsn.ca/nhl/news_story/?ID=212106&hubname= Report: Leipold won't sell to Balsillie TSN.ca Staff 6/28/2007 8:55:25 AM Jim Balsillie's bid to purchase the Nashville Predators and relocate them to Southern Ontario appears unlikely now that current Predators owner Craig Leipold has found a new buyer. According to the National Post, Leipold informed Balsillie earlier this week that he would not accept his $238-million US offer for the NHL club. Instead, Leipold is preparing to sell the franchise to California businessman William DelBiaggio, who is expected to move the team to Kansas City instead. DelBiaggio's bid is reportedly $50-million US less than what Balsillie was offering for the club. Balsillie's deal to purchase the Predators was set to close on June 30. Balsillie and Leipold refused to comment on the report although a spokesperson for Leipold said he was unware of any changes to the current plan to sell the team to the Research-In-Motion co-founder. The NHL, which called Balsillie's plans to relocate the team to Southern Ontario "premature", also declined to comment. Despite the fact he doesn't yet own the team, Balsillie recently signed an option for a 20-year lease on Copps Coliseum in Hamilton and began accepting desposits for season tickets and suites. Kansas City, which recently built a brand new downtown arena, has been searching for a permanent tenant and recently made a pitch to try and lure the Pittsburgh Penguins to Missouri. The arena is managed by Anschutz Entertainment Group, which is owned by L.A. Kings owner Philip Anschutz. DelBiaggio has an agreement with the Anschutz Group to own and operate an NHL franchise in the new arena. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kanada Kev Posted June 28, 2007 Author Report Share Posted June 28, 2007 Sounds like great business: You want to sell something and a dude offers you $250 MILLION. Then, because of a meddling governor and his cronies, you get fed up and settle for selling to somebody else for $198 MILLION. Wow! Good deal.The NHL is fucking up big time with this one. Why do they keep electing Bettman to run this ship of fools? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ollie Posted June 28, 2007 Report Share Posted June 28, 2007 I just hope Bettman doesn't now change his tune that relocation is the last thing he wants for the Predators. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kanada Kev Posted June 28, 2007 Author Report Share Posted June 28, 2007 Don't worry Ollie, he'll be overjoyed if they end up in Kansas Shitty, MO!http://home.att.net/~kchockey/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Booche Posted June 28, 2007 Report Share Posted June 28, 2007 I blame Balsille in all of this. He came in and shoved people around and pissed off the old school boys club.Despite the fact he doesn't yet own the team, Balsillie recently signed an option for a 20-year lease on Copps Coliseum in Hamilton and began accepting desposits for season tickets and suites. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Low Roller Posted June 28, 2007 Report Share Posted June 28, 2007 Agreed. Balsille only knows the aggressive business model of having to compete with the Japanese tech market. That doesn't fly with all the old codgers that run the NHL.The NHL is desperately trying to break into the American market. DESPERATELY. Having an expansion team move back to Canada is opposite of what they are trying to accomplish short term. They won't exactly appreciate someone trying to strongarm them into that position. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ollie Posted June 28, 2007 Report Share Posted June 28, 2007 The NHL is desperately trying to break into the American market. DESPERATELY.But they've been trying forever and making very few inroads. At some point you have to look at your business model and make a change if it ain't working. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Booche Posted June 28, 2007 Report Share Posted June 28, 2007 Where else are they going to go Ollie? You HAVE to make it in the States if you want to be prosperous. If not, say goodbye to the NHL kids. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ollie Posted June 28, 2007 Report Share Posted June 28, 2007 They already have a base of teams in the States. I'm not suggesting they move them all up to Canada. I just think they should focus on hot markets and not try to force it where it's not wanted, mainly the south. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Booche Posted June 28, 2007 Report Share Posted June 28, 2007 Remember, they are coming off a strike and the US has snubbed their noses at them. The same thing happened with MLB but luckily for them, the home run chase in 1998 drew interest in the game again. Just because the NHL isnt doing very well now doesnt mean they should up and move. They have to fight the good fight and win back fans. Leaving would be suicide. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Low Roller Posted June 28, 2007 Report Share Posted June 28, 2007 Leaving would be admitting that they failed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AD Posted June 28, 2007 Report Share Posted June 28, 2007 Putting a team in Hamilton doesn't mean not putting teams in the States. Isn't the plan for more expansion in the near future anyways? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Booche Posted June 28, 2007 Report Share Posted June 28, 2007 (edited) Also, lets keep in mind that the NHL might prefer to have an expansion team start up in Hamilton if they are so sure it will be a hit. Let Basille (or whomever) sink his money into that fee. Seems like the smarter play to me.I think its obvious something more is at play when an owner turns away an extra 50 million bucks. EDIT TO ADD: I just noticed that AD posted at the exact time as I did. Same shit, different pile. Edited June 28, 2007 by Guest stinky Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ollie Posted June 28, 2007 Report Share Posted June 28, 2007 Leaving would be suicide.Where do I say anything about leaving? I'm talking about relocating 2 franchises: Florida and Nashville. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Low Roller Posted June 28, 2007 Report Share Posted June 28, 2007 Bring back the Nordiques! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Booche Posted June 28, 2007 Report Share Posted June 28, 2007 Where do I say anything about leaving? Dont assume I am simply talking to you Ollie. I didnt know you were so self-obsessed. and besides, you implied it: I'm not suggesting they move them all up to Canada. I just think they should focus on hot markets "all" reads that some could and "hot market" suggests Hamilton within the context of this thread. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Low Roller Posted June 28, 2007 Report Share Posted June 28, 2007 Moving a team to Hamilton, even though it might sell out often, won't necessarily generate any new revenue from broadcasts as TSN Ontario, CBC Ontario, and RDS are all already on board, and might in fact hinder revenue generation for the Leafs, Sens, and Sabres by having to choose which games to cover. The Sens are already having problems getting national exposure, imagine if a new team arrived in Ontario.In Nashville the NHL has a local NBC affiliate that bought the rights to the broadcasts and a radio station WNSR (Nashville Sports Radio) that exlusively covers all Nashville games.If they can't sell tickets in Nashville, they should move the team to another city that would give them the same conditions, namely Kansas City assuming that maximum revenue generation is the ultimate goal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jaimoe Posted June 28, 2007 Report Share Posted June 28, 2007 The biggest problem revenue-wise in Nashville is/was the total lack of corporate involvement, and I'm talking ZERO involvment. If the Preds had corporate interest, they wouldn't be up for sale. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Low Roller Posted June 28, 2007 Report Share Posted June 28, 2007 I remember the glory days of Silicon Valley North in 2000. If you didn't have your name in the Corel Centre SOMEWHERE, then you weren't shit. Even my old company of 100 people had corporate sponsorship in the Corel Centre... up behind the 300 section, obscured by pretty much everything including the rafters. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kanada Kev Posted June 28, 2007 Author Report Share Posted June 28, 2007 Remember, they are coming off a strike and the US has snubbed their noses at them. The same thing happened with MLB but luckily for them, the home run chase in 1998 drew interest in the game again. Just because the NHL isnt doing very well now doesnt mean they should up and move. They have to fight the good fight and win back fans. Leaving would be suicide.Yup, and the homerun chase was fulled by performance enhancing drugs!!! Cool. Not to say that all NHL'ers are 'clean', but trying to rid of the fighting element in the game is NOT going to gain a bigger fan base in the US.Like Cherry said (and not that he's right about everything, but) the Amercians love their football, boxing, NASCAR crashes, guns, etc. WTF is wrong with some fisticuffs on the frozen pond? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kanada Kev Posted June 28, 2007 Author Report Share Posted June 28, 2007 If they can't sell tickets in Nashville, they should move the team to another city that would give them the same conditions, namely Kansas City assuming that maximum revenue generation is the ultimate goal.And the cycle continues. Move to a new american market. Tix will sell because the team is 'new' and there will be a lot of hype. Just like with most of the other poorly placed expansion teams, the Honeymoon Phase will end quickly unless they get a quick winner. Then, sales will die and they'll be looking at relocating to Ames, Iowa before they get back to Canada. Do it the Capatalist way ... sink or swim baby. It's all a big business. If it ain't profitable, let the slackers die off and leave enough teams and talent to provide the entertainment that people are willing to pay for and support. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Booche Posted June 28, 2007 Report Share Posted June 28, 2007 The ticket sales are fine in Nashville. As Jaimoe pointed out, its the lack of corporate sponsership that is killing them. Having seen a couple of broadcasts this year, I was completely impressed with the enthusiasm from the crowd. They would easily drown out the Leaf fans at Air Canada center any fucking day of the week, so this isnt a lack of passion we are talking about. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Booche Posted June 28, 2007 Report Share Posted June 28, 2007 WTF does football, NASCAR crashes and guns have to do with fighting in the NHL? There is no parallel at all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kanada Kev Posted June 28, 2007 Author Report Share Posted June 28, 2007 (edited) WTF does football, NASCAR crashes and guns have to do with fighting in the NHL? There is no parallel at all.What? Oh, I guess the argument that Americans (and Canadians) DON'T want to see any sort of violent imagery on their boob tubes is completely legit. That's all.I know that I'm watching NASCAR for the fine sportsmanship, and I wish that they changed the rules in the NFL to flag football rules, and that they'd remove all violence from movies and TV productions. Edited June 28, 2007 by Guest Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jaimoe Posted June 28, 2007 Report Share Posted June 28, 2007 The only way the NHL can fly in Kansas City is IF, they get the corporate suits onboard with luxury boxes etc... well ahead of the drop of the puck. Don't forget KC has an NFL team, so it ain't a lot different than Nashville, and KC also has a big college basketball market to contend with. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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