Speculation: Are we being Major Leagued?

[DarkHorse]

I keep wondering why the owners, who have no allegiance to New York (outside of them being born in the city), bought the Islanders. Ledecky is a serial team owner/bidder, and Malkin is the money man. The Islanders' deal is not a favorable one in terms of profitability, outside of the reality that the team essentially can't lose money under the Barclay's deal (because so many costs are covered.)

So my theories are:
1) They sense a possibility of buying out Mikhail Prokhorov, and taking over the Brooklyn/Long Island sports & entertainment market.
2) They plan to make a play for the money-short Mets, and combine the two teams in a complex in Queens.
3) They plan on moving the team at the first opportunity a favorable lease shows up.

Of these three, 1 and 3 seem most in line with the current set-up. For 1, if the Islanders are terrible (along with the Nets), it hurts Prokhorov's bottom line and he might be more inclined to get out while the getting is good.

For 3, what's the easiest way to move a team? Major League it. Make the team so bad that the fans don't even care anymore (look around this board), and then walk away without much of a peep. This would explain the support of the awful management, the willingness to risk losing JT by not supporting him, and a somewhat combative relationship with those attending games.

Tin-foil hat stuff, for sure, but with no logic to the current situation, conspiracy has to fill the void.

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[steveat]

I had the same thought too, but the market is there, so there is money to be made. In saying that, my other thought was that this is a way to get out of the lease. I am hoping there are some financial metrics to be met (contract-wise), where if certain amount(s) of revenue are not met by the team, then lease can be renegotiated or termination can proceed.

When the Isles become a good team, they stand to lose a LOT of revenue because this apparently new building has such garbage capacity. In order to make any financial sense, they have to move to a building that supports AT LEAST 22,000 if not 30-45k seats. 14-15k seats just doesn't cut it, except for a high school homecoming and even then they are larger sometimes!

When you think about it, we've already been major leagued..fans or locals didn't care anymore or not enough and we lost our home (our real home).

I think that 25 year lease was a necessary evil to show that the owners were not giving up..I am sure there are quite a few exit clauses in there. There is NO WAY we'd accept a quarter century of being stuck in a capacity challenged building for that long without a way out.

 

[DarkHorse]

I think that 25 year lease was a necessary evil to show that the owners were not giving up..I am sure there are quite a few exit clauses in there. There is NO WAY we'd accept a quarter century of being stuck in a capacity challenged building for that long without a way out.

Though 25 years of zero losses would have been a dream for Wang, giving him plenty of time to find a new owner.

 

[Strummergas]

3) They plan on moving the team at the first opportunity a favorable lease shows up.

Of these three, 1 and 3 seem most in line with the current set-up. For 1, if the Islanders are terrible (along with the Nets), it hurts Prokhorov's bottom line and he might be more inclined to get out while the getting is good.

For 3, what's the easiest way to move a team? Major League it. Make the team so bad that the fans don't even care anymore (look around this board), and then walk away without much of a peep. This would explain the support of the awful management, the willingness to risk losing JT by not supporting him, and a somewhat combative relationship with those attending games.

Tin-foil hat stuff, for sure, but with no logic to the current situation, conspiracy has to fill the void.

In the movie, the owner scraped the bottom of the barrel and filled the roster with "has-beens and never-will-bes" in order to cause already dwindling interest in the Indians completely crash and burn, allowing them to get out of their agreement with the city due to low attendance numbers. Spending very close to the cap is not the way to "Major League" a franchise.

They didn't set out to make the team as bad as they have been playing, it's just that poor decisions in roster building seem to have been made when trying to get the team to take "the next step". Unfortunately, that step seems to have been backwards.

Also, if L&M wanted to Major League it, why didn't they just pay less for the team when Wang first put it on the market (and before the sale of the Clippers and the Brooklyn announcement)?

 

[Chardo]

Why did they buy the team? Because billionaires want toys. They buy sports teams for the prestige. Sports franchises rarely lose money (even Wang made a killing), and even if they do, it's just part of the owner's net worth. NHL teams happen to be the most "affordable" sports franchises, and this one happened to be available for sale.

 

[lorwood]

Something's afloat. This is on the QT, but I think they're gonna sell us.

I can't name names, but let's just say

that there's a senior citizen's community in a southern state

that's in the market for a hockey team.

Actually, it's Florida.

See, they're gettin' a bunch of old geezers down there from the northeast.

And what do you think those old geezers really miss in Florida?

Hockey. Their own team. A Saturday-night game.

Those poor old people down there, they gotta have something to root for

 

[A Pointed Stick]

No, because the team was already on the edge of going elsewhere when originally bought. If this was the long game then they are pretty stupid with their money and I have trouble believing a billionaire is that bad with his money.

But I suspect this thread is more about cranking on fans who are sick of the Neverending years of circus acts we have supported.

 

[teknics]

Something's afloat. This is on the QT, but I think they're gonna sell us.

I can't name names, but let's just say

that there's a senior citizen's community in a southern state

that's in the market for a hockey team.

Actually, it's Florida.

See, they're gettin' a bunch of old geezers down there from the northeast.

And what do you think those old geezers really miss in Florida?

Hockey. Their own team. A Saturday-night game.

Those poor old people down there, they gotta have something to root for

This.

 

[PK Cronin]

I just don't see the team leaving the area until that MSG deal is up. It's too profitable. The Islanders are essentially a no-risk investment because of the deal with the Barclays Center and their cable deal. They'll never lose money, so they can take their time to figure out what they want to do. I wouldn't be surprised if they made an attempt to get a piece of the Mets or move to that location, but I think step one for making more money than they currently are, is to ice a better team. Better teams have a bigger fan base, bigger fan bases can help persuade the necessary people to get the owners what they want. I'm not naive in thinking the Isles will become the Ranges overnight or anything, but I'd have to think that icing the best team and trying to get out of the Barclays Center is better than having a bad team move to a new, risky location.

Getting on the new owners about the team already seems a bit premature. It's a bad situation, for sure, but it is their first full season as majority owners. I'm going to give them some time before I try and run them out of town.

 

[mk21]

I just don't see the team leaving the area until that MSG deal is up. It's too profitable. The Islanders are essentially a no-risk investment because of the deal with the Barclays Center and their cable deal. They'll never lose money, so they can take their time to figure out what they want to do. I wouldn't be surprised if they made an attempt to get a piece of the Mets or move to that location, but I think step one for making more money than they currently are, is to ice a better team. Better teams have a bigger fan base, bigger fan bases can help persuade the necessary people to get the owners what they want. I'm not naive in thinking the Isles will become the Ranges overnight or anything, but I'd have to think that icing the best team and trying to get out of the Barclays Center is better than having a bad team move to a new, risky location.

Getting on the new owners about the team already seems a bit premature. It's a bad situation, for sure, but it is their first full season as majority owners. I'm going to give them some time before I try and run them out of town.

I also believe it its premature to get on owners. Now, about the MSG deal....If the teams move out of area, then MSG is absolved of paying another penny to the team.

I wouldn't put it past the Dolans to lobby against any new arenas in the area. One because they want less competition for events and they would also not have to pay the contract and it becomes a one team Hockey market.

Hopefully the will of the league to maintain 2 NY franchises supercedes MSG's interests.

 

[Axel574]

This.

I hope you realize that was a quote from "Slapshot" and not an actual theory... like Florida needs third team.

My apologies if I misunderstood your reply.

 

[lorwood]

I just don't see the team leaving the area until that MSG deal is up. It's too profitable. The Islanders are essentially a no-risk investment because of the deal with the Barclays Center and their cable deal. They'll never lose money, so they can take their time to figure out what they want to do. I wouldn't be surprised if they made an attempt to get a piece of the Mets or move to that location, but I think step one for making more money than they currently are, is to ice a better team. Better teams have a bigger fan base, bigger fan bases can help persuade the necessary people to get the owners what they want. I'm not naive in thinking the Isles will become the Ranges overnight or anything, but I'd have to think that icing the best team and trying to get out of the Barclays Center is better than having a bad team move to a new, risky location.

Getting on the new owners about the team already seems a bit premature. It's a bad situation, for sure, but it is their first full season as majority owners. I'm going to give them some time before I try and run them out of town.

I don't believe this. I don't friggin' believe this! Hey, you guys, listen.

"Islanders Sought By Florida Retirement Community."

- Oh, come on, Dave. - No, Johnny, it's right here.

Hey, JG, Jimmy, come over here. Listen to this.

"Unidentified but reliable sources have informed the Times Herald

that a St Petersburg, Florida retirement community is negotiating

with the New York Hockey Corporation for the purchase of the Islanders."

It's right there, Reg. Look at that. Yeah!

Dickie Dunn wrote this. It's gotta be true. Fantastic!

- Florida. - What sucker would buy the Islanders?

 

[JeffNYI]

I just don't see the team leaving the area until that MSG deal is up. It's too profitable.

Is it, though?

The Ottawa market is a tad smaller than Brooklyn/Long Island, and the Senators' local TV they signed in 2014 was $400M for 12 years.

Maybe back in the day the NYI TV deal was the gold standard.. today, it may just be top third of the league? Not sure..

 

[Macch]

Something's afloat. This is on the QT, but I think they're gonna sell us.

I can't name names, but let's just say

that there's a senior citizen's community in a southern state

that's in the market for a hockey team.

Actually, it's Florida.

See, they're gettin' a bunch of old geezers down there from the northeast.

And what do you think those old geezers really miss in Florida?

Hockey. Their own team. A Saturday-night game.

Those poor old people down there, they gotta have something to root for

AAAAAAA-MAZING!!!!!

 

[CupHolders]

Maybe this was said already... but I got lazy and skipped after the initial post... Why would these owners pay the premium that they did for a New York team when a cheaper Arizona and Carolina were/are on the market? They could have paid much less and have an easier time relocating.

 

[seafoam]

 

[Sparksrus3]

When I saw the title I just figured we signed Charlie Sheen .
Put him in a Bailey sweater and would anybody really know it was him .

 

[PK Cronin]

I also believe it its premature to get on owners. Now, about the MSG deal....If the teams move out of area, then MSG is absolved of paying another penny to the team.

I wouldn't put it past the Dolans to lobby against any new arenas in the area. One because they want less competition for events and they would also not have to pay the contract and it becomes a one team Hockey market.

Hopefully the will of the league to maintain 2 NY franchises supercedes MSG's interests.

Not quite sure how it works. I'm pretty sure that new teams and relocations need to be approved by teams that are impacted in that market. However, the Isles are already established within the market, so I'm not sure the Rangers get a say as to where they go.

Is it, though?

The Ottawa market is a tad smaller than Brooklyn/Long Island, and the Senators' local TV they signed in 2014 was $400M for 12 years.

Maybe back in the day the NYI TV deal was the gold standard.. today, it may just be top third of the league? Not sure..

I'm really not sure, I'd have to check.

What city will pay more than that for a relocation team though?

 

[MJF]

Not quite sure how it works. I'm pretty sure that new teams and relocations need to be approved by teams that are impacted in that market. However, the Isles are already established within the market, so I'm not sure the Rangers get a say as to where they go.

I think mk21 is talking about James Dolan fighting any new arena being built within the 5 boroughs as competition for Madison Square Garden. Not an Isles-Rags infringement problem.