He's not wrong.
Translation: I’m not spending $650 million to introduce and grow the game of Hockey in Houston.
Pretty much my takeaway as well, ya. And even if half that, like if he bought 49% or 51% of the Coyotes for $325M I'd be wondering about him based on what he's saying. Just doesnt strike me as being really "sold" on the game. Passionate. Just that "it would be nice". A long time goal, dream.... whatever thats supposed to mean. I can certainly understand & appreciate his reluctance as frankly I do believe that franchise valuations, what Foley paid, what Seattle's about to pay... hyper inflated. The numbers simply dont pencil out so you need that passion, belief, that the franchise part of an empire that will be a bit of a lost leader for some time but helpful, necessary to other business interests. Not seeing it with this guy.
Seattle isn't the issue, here, it's Houston.Seattle (from the area) and the PNW has a long history of hockey. Houston does not. It will be easier to see a franchise succeed in Seattle than it will in Houston.
X3Translation: I’m not spending $650 million to introduce and grow the game of Hockey in Houston.
Seattle (from the area) and the PNW has a long history of hockey. Houston does not. It will be easier to see a franchise succeed in Seattle than it will in Houston.
Hardly a canadian fan now is it? This is like the first time I have ever heard an owner in any league say this. This actually gives the BIG more incentive to give him a team and prove the theory wrong, however.Hockey struggles in Washington and St. Louis?
An NHL franchise is not worth 650 million imo. There is no TV contract to justify that. Mostly because of what you have mentioned. This shouldn't affect a bid unless jacobs is as thin skinned as people here say he is.I disagree. For one thing the only reason the NHL's had problems south of the Mason~Dixon or anywhere near it has everything to do with itself & intransigent ownership. Secondly, since when does the State of Texas give a frigg about the Mason~Dixon & "The South" (I mean the proper South)? Ya, they did Secede & joined the Confederacy after deposing Governor Sam Houston, considered the "Lower South", cotton producers, slavery endorsed but since then, massive socio-economic & cultural changes. That state firmly planted in the separate dilineated region of the Southwest. Texas for all intents & purposes a country unto itself....
So no, I'm not buying his argument as it ignores the reasons for the NHL failures while casting aspersions on markets south of the Mason~Dixon while also ignoring domestic demographic shifts, fails to take into any account the various ownership's & Leagues culpability and responsibilities for those failures.... be it Cousins, the train wreck that was the KC Scouts & Rockies, the Morons in S.Florida & Tampa, ASG, Arizona with Burke & Gluckstern... Ellman/Moyes/IA & now Barroway, Hicks & so on & so forth.
Fertitta is creating obstacles for himself upon conception and that is not the kind of owner you want. Fickle. Blame the market. Blame the fans. If you believe in the power of the game & the NHL brand you can more than make a go of it. Houston has all of the fundamentals, ideal location. Maybe he's playing games. Maybe he truly does want in but isnt prepared to pay whatever it is the NHL is demanding for the Coyotes so he's creating this "Mason~Dixon" narrative-nonsense in order to garner the upper-hand, leverage and I dont see that workin on Bettman, the NHL. So ya, Houston, you have a problem. And its name is Tilman Fertitta.
He's not wrong.
Except hockey appears to be doing very well in Nashville. Tampa Bay has been successful. Carolina had been successful in the past. Vegas has been hugely successful so far.
My take-away is that hockey can succeed in non-traditional markets where there is not substantial conflict with other sports (and more importantly, basketball). All of the markets I mentioned the team does not go up against basketball. Whereas in Miami, Phoenix, Dallas... there is a NBA franchise to compete against.
Translation: I’m not spending $650 million to introduce and grow the game of Hockey in Houston.
Houston had a hockey team that did very well and only lost it because Alexander didn't want them in his building anymore. They wouldn't have to be "introduced."
Well, that was 40 years ago (a WHA team I think). So, to most of their potential fan base, they would have to be introduced.