Rumor: Ottawa Senators in for potential Ownership Change

[BatherSeason]

OMG........ The Senators are not going to return to Ottawa from this road trip ........... they're going to play the rest of the season in Quebec City!!!!

Did I say something about Quebec City?? Pretty sure I have never mentioned relocation in any of my posts.

 

[coladin]

Ottawa may have seemed like it before the Senators but because the CFL was the closest thing to a major league in town but Ottawa is more of hockey city than a football town. The CFL has more often than not averaged less than 20,000 per season in Ottawa. Prior to the RedBlacks they hadn't even come close to selling out the stadium for a season n 40 years with the stadium about 60% full on average.

Not to derail too much but, no, attendance was over 20K most of the time, even during Super Season 88, I spent a lot of my time there as a kid and fans were as loyal and diehard as they come. Much better than Senators fans.

 

[Alf Silfversson]

Just spelt his name wrong, simple mistake on my part

 

[Masked]

Not to derail too much but, no, attendance was over 20K most of the time, even during Super Season 88, I spent a lot of my time there as a kid and fans were as loyal and diehard as they come. Much better than Senators fans.

1989 - 18,504.9 (52.91% of capacity)
1988 - 20,406.2 (58.35% of capacity)
1987 - 18,354.4 (52.48% of capacity)
1986 - 18,278.1 (52.26% of capacity)

And those are with minor league ticket prices. Remember when Bruce Firestone raised the prices and a whole lot of those "loyal" fans started screaming bloody murder?

 

[Micklebot]

During the super season the rough riders attendance was over 20k 4 out of 9 home games, and close enough in one other. The other 4 games (last 4 of the season) averaged 17.5 k. For what it's worth, they averaged 22.7k in the first 5 home games. Not sure what this proves, as it's a very different proposition to get fans of a team out to the arena 9 times a year as opposed to 41.

 

[Micklebot]

To bring this back in to the thread subject, I think both the Rengades/Rough riders and the Sens could be argued to have ownership issues which affect(ed) how viable they are/where. Fan bases are sensitive to issues with Ownership and the mood of Ottawa CFL fans is completely different currently than it was when Glieberman owned the team.

 

[LuckyPierre]

 

[branch]

There is a difference between a balance sheet and a cash flow statement.

There is a difference between Melnyk’s net worth (in terms of his actual holdings) and the liquidity available to him in the normal course.

I find it hard to believe that people can't understand such a simple concept.

 

[Masked]

Not a verified account.

 

[Fandlauer]

Not a verified account.

May actually be legit lol

 

[The Lewler]

May actually be legit lol

It's at least a clever attempt at the least.

He does go by "Cy" to friends , but that's not too hard to figure out I guess.

 

[L'Aveuglette]

In all this, what really surprises me is that after Melnyk's Lebreton proposal won, I thought it was at least a given that the team would be moving there, but apparently talks are still going on and it's not set in stone yet? How is it that all these months later negotiations are still going on??? They should be making plans to start construction on the complex ffs.

 

[branch]

Not a verified account.

Why would it need to be verified? It's not like he is someone known beyond Ottawa and he is unemployed.

 

[Golden_Jet]

They won the right as the preferred bidder....then said 1 year of negotiations

 

[L'Aveuglette]

They won the right as the preferred bidder....then said 1 year of negotiations

Ah, got it. But that was in April 2016, so obviously if negotiations are still going 18 months later, it doesn't look great.

 

[Fandlauer]

Ah, got it. But that was in April 2016, so obviously if negotiations are still going 18 months later, it doesn't look great.

They are dealing with the NCC. It will take years. Consultation with the public, aboriginal groups being built on "unsurrendered Algonquin territory etc." , as well as many other interested parties. Their mandate is to do what they deem is best for Canada, the city of Ottawa and the NHL are irrelevant to them. Not saying it won't happen, but this will be an insanely long process. Another problem unique to Ottawa.

 

[L'Aveuglette]

They are dealing with the NCC. It will take years. Consultation with the public, aboriginal groups being built on "unsurrendered Algonquin territory etc." , as well as many other interested parties. Their mandate is to do what they deem is best for Canada, the city of Ottawa and the NHL are irrelevant to them. Not saying it won't happen, but this will be an insanely long process. Another problem unique to Ottawa.

So in other words, the bidding process was mostly just show, and the NCC was always going to drag this out forever.

This team might be closer to moving to Quebec than to Lebreton.

 

[JD1]

Ah, got it. But that was in April 2016, so obviously if negotiations are still going 18 months later, it doesn't look great.

the process they are going thru for negotiations was made very public initially. nothing that has been published since has suggested the negoiations have derailed. just the opposite. negot it ions are said to be ongoing and remain within the initially published timelines

 

[Fandlauer]

So in other words, the bidding process was mostly just show, and the NCC was always going to drag this out forever.

This team might be closer to moving to Quebec than to Lebreton.

I wouldn't say it was completely just for show. It does seem the NCC wants to do something with the land. They do seem genuinely interested in the proposals. If the proposal can satisfy them, then it will happen, but it will take years yes. And yes they can just pull the plug on the entire idea and reserve the spot for greenspace or a museum or anything else under the sun if they so choose. Luckily the land is a wasteland currently and will cost quite a bit to revitalize. The federal government isn't exactly flush with cash at the moment, it's a perfect time for a development like this to happen.

This gets back to the rumored new ownership group too. They have lots of friends tied to the feds.

 

[Engineer]

Unless i recall incorrectly, didn't negotiations begin in November 2016?

Slow moving process, especially when a select special interest group comes out of the woodwork for compensation.

 

[Masked]

So in other words, the bidding process was mostly just show, and the NCC was always going to drag this out forever.

This team might be closer to moving to Quebec than to Lebreton.

No, multi-billion dollar deals take time. This isn't haggling over how much you're paying the kid down the street to cut your grass. This is a complex process with many stakeholders and many issues. Plus the whole bid for Amazon HQ2 got thrown in there during the negotiation.

 

[L'Aveuglette]

I wouldn't say it was completely just for show. It does seem the NCC wants to do something with the land. They do seem genuinely interested in the proposals. If the proposal can satisfy them, then it will happen, but it will take years yes. And yes they can just pull the plug on the entire idea and reserve the spot for greenspace or a museum or anything else under the sun if they so choose. Luckily the land is a wasteland currently and will cost quite a bit to revitalize. The federal government isn't exactly flush with cash at the moment, it's a perfect time for a development like this to happen.

This gets back to the rumored new ownership group too. They have lots of friends tied to the feds.

Like I said........closer to QC than Lebreton.

 

[Masked]

Like I said........closer to QC than Lebreton.

No. There is zero chance of a move to QC while Lebreton is pretty much an inevitability .

 

[Fandlauer]

Like I said........closer to QC than Lebreton.

Not at all. If the development goes through, it will be an absolute gold mine worth a hell of a lot more than just moving the team to an already built stadium in QC. Smart business people will have no problem playing the long game here.

 

[Do Make Say Think]

No. There is zero chance of a move to QC while Lebreton is pretty much an inevitability .

Disagree that it is inevitable.

Had the Conservatives been in power I'd have agreed however. The Liberals still might do it though, but it isn't a guarantee.

One of the few downsides of getting rid of Harper. I definitely hope the Senators win and get the arena, the city needs a big project like this.