Ville de Québec Part XI: Être ou ne pas être? Telle est la question!

[Fenway]

Not just directed at you, but when was the last time Peladeau or anyone from Quebecor mentioned the NHL, meeting the league, etc.?


Winnipeg was deathly quiet on the public front, but there was a ton of chatter, oft dismissed. Heck, even the Thrashers name was floated as the team likely headed there and that was poo-pooed by many. I honestly was not surprised in the least when that came together. This is quieter.

Quebecor's Journal de Québec, Journal de Montreal, TVA and TVA Sports have said little. A couple of weeks ago they sent a reporter to Seattle to sniff around but otherwise nothing.

 

[Slashers98]

Quebecor's Journal de Québec, Journal de Montreal, TVA and TVA Sports have said little. A couple of weeks ago they sent a reporter to Seattle to sniff around but otherwise nothing.

My buddy writes for Le Soleil and he was sent to Florida to interview Doug Cifu...

 

[Fugu]

Quebecor's Journal de Québec, Journal de Montreal, TVA and TVA Sports have said little. A couple of weeks ago they sent a reporter to Seattle to sniff around but otherwise nothing.

I'm thinking further back than this, perhaps around the time the arena work was first announced.

 

[Fenway]

My buddy writes for Le Soleil and he was sent to Florida to interview Doug Cifu...

That is not a Quebecor owned paper however.

 

[Slashers98]

That is not a Quebecor owned paper however.

Indeed, but it was a personal request from his boss and he told me that the Cifu interview reminded him of what was saying Don Wadell back in the days with the Thrashers. Ironically, Wadell now works for the Hurricanes, who are for sale.

 

[Confucius]

I'm going to agree with those thinking Quebec already has a team. Just for the fact that nobody from Quebec is saying anything. There isn't even a covering their ass statement on how they may have been led down the garden path.

 

[tiredman]

Not just directed at you, but when was the last time Peladeau or anyone from Quebecor mentioned the NHL, meeting the league, etc.?

Winnipeg was deathly quiet on the public front, but there was a ton of chatter, oft dismissed. Heck, even the Thrashers name was floated as the team likely headed there and that was poo-pooed by many. I honestly was not surprised in the least when that came together. This is quieter.

Peladeau isn't involved anymore in the project. I've heard some interviews with Benoit Robert, Pierre Dion and Brian Mulroney recently (all working for Quebecor) about what they are doing to bring back the Nordiques... but there's not much to say : they are building a business relationship with the NHL with the new TV contract, they have a strategy but won't talk publicly about it to respect NHL's desire, blah blah blah. It's pretty clear Quebecor is working on it, the return of a team. But it's not that surprising we are not hearing much IMO... because honestly, I believe nobody knows what's going to happen : The NHL still hasn't decided what they are going to do.

 

[Scandale du Jour]

Peladeau isn't involved anymore in the project. I've heard some interviews with Benoit Robert, Pierre Dion and Brian Mulroney recently (all working for Quebecor) about what they are doing to bring back the Nordiques... but there's not much to say : they are building a business relationship with the NHL with the new TV contract, they have a strategy but won't talk publicly about it to respect NHL's desire, blah blah blah. It's pretty clear Quebecor is working on it, the return of a team. But it's not that surprising we are not hearing much IMO... because honestly, I believe nobody knows what's going to happen : The NHL still hasn't decided what they are going to do.

Basically, this.

Sorry Killion, but the "Quebec-is-a-done-deal" thing you keep repeating doesn't make any sense. We are doing what needs to be done, but there is no guarantee that it will pay off soon*. I mean, yeah, sure, some day, when they have no choice, we'll get a team. We are a safe landing spot. The NHL will do anything to keep it that way unless they absolutely have no choice, like they had no choice with Winnipeg.

If they come, great, if they don't, meh. That's where I am right now. I have been patient for nearly 20 years, now I am just being indifferent to all the speculation. Don't get me wrong, the day they announce the Nords are coming back is gonna be the day I lay in my own vomit on Grande-Allée after partying way too much.

 

[Fugu]

Peladeau isn't involved anymore in the project. I've heard some interviews with Benoit Robert, Pierre Dion and Brian Mulroney recently (all working for Quebecor) about what they are doing to bring back the Nordiques... but there's not much to say : they are building a business relationship with the NHL with the new TV contract, they have a strategy but won't talk publicly about it to respect NHL's desire, blah blah blah. It's pretty clear Quebecor is working on it, the return of a team. But it's not that surprising we are not hearing much IMO... because honestly, I believe nobody knows what's going to happen : The NHL still hasn't decided what they are going to do.

Is it possible that his lack of direct involvement is one problem? Maybe the league would rather have Peladeau buy a team directly, instead of using Quebecor to do it. Most NHL franchises are owned by a one guy, often a billionaire, though there are few exceptions.

 

[Fenway]

Is it possible that his lack of direct involvement is one problem? Maybe the league would rather have Peladeau buy a team directly, instead of using Quebecor to do it. Most NHL franchises are owned by a one guy, often a billionaire, though there are few exceptions.

Quebecor is also rumored to be having financial problems. They just sold their English newspapers a few weeks ago.

Quebecor sells 175 Sun Media newspapers and websites to Postmedia

 

[AllezlesBleus]

Anyone posted that interview from Bob Mckenzie?

It happened two days ago. Expansion to Las Vegas, Seattle AND Quebec City?

http://www.tsn.ca/radio/mckenzie-there-s-a-pretty-good-chance-of-nhl-expansion-to-las-vegas-1.132770

 

[Stanley Cup]

Quebecor is also rumored to be having financial problems. They just sold their English newspapers a few weeks ago.

Quebecor sells 175 Sun Media newspapers and websites to Postmedia

Selling newspapers does not equal "rumored to be having financial problems". How do you come up with such a statement?

 

[Mightygoose]

Is it possible that his lack of direct involvement is one problem? Maybe the league would rather have Peladeau buy a team directly, instead of using Quebecor to do it. Most NHL franchises are owned by a one guy, often a billionaire, though there are few exceptions.

Yes, MLSE says hello. But yes, even with a corporation owning the team, there will still be a front man - Tanenbaum in the case of MLSE.

I remember the league stating last year at the start of the Quebec election that, Paladeau's departure doesn't change QCs chances either way and they're in talks with Quebecor

Quebecor is also rumored to be having financial problems. They just sold their English newspapers a few weeks ago.

Quebecor sells 175 Sun Media newspapers and websites to Postmedia

In this digital age, good n them to find a buyer for the print media. I think fiscally this will make Quebecor even stronger now. Doubtful that cash flow will be an issue.

 

[Tarasenko]

If they come, great, if they don't, meh. That's where I am right now. I have been patient for nearly 20 years, now I am just being indifferent to all the speculation. Don't get me wrong, the day they announce the Nords are coming back is gonna be the day I lay in my own vomit on Grande-Allée after partying way too much.

You won't be the only one.
In fact, we won't be the only ones.

 

[Shawa666]

You won't be the only one.
In fact, we won't be the only ones.

I already told my boss I'd be sick that day.

 

[Tarasenko]

I have the fear to never see the Nordiques play, because there is a huge risk I'm dying of a alcoholic coma.

 

[Shawa666]

I have the fear to never see the Nordiques play, because there is a huge risk I'm dying of a alcoholic coma.

Still worth it. You will have died a happy man.

 

[Brick City]

What I find weird is mostly that the Nordiques are not being mentioned by BOTH Quebecor and the NHL. And, like I said, Labeaume is too quiet. Maybe I'm going crazy but..there is something wrong with all this quietness.

Said it before, silence is golden with Uncle Gary. I believe no news is absolutely good news - absence of evidence is not evidence of absence.

I'm with Killion that the fix is in one way or the other. A few posters who seem to have knowledge of provincial politics agree that the government would not have given the arena the green light as a speculative venture. They're not looking to build the next Sprint Center here.

 

[powerstuck]

Not just directed at you, but when was the last time Pelladeau or anyone from Quebecor mentioned the NHL, meeting the league, etc.?

I don't remember anyone from Quebecor (including Peladeau) be clear about meeting with NHL officials.

I mean, there have been two or three occasions where the mayor was travelling (once to NYC and another time when they visited the Consol Energy Center) where there were rumors about meeting the league.

Every of those trips, they were in a big group and both city and Quebecor people were part of it. But I don't remember anyone saying as clearly as we've heard about Seattle : ''Bettman and Daly meeting Quebec's officials''.

When Bettman was in Montréal to officially introduce TVA Sports as the French broadcaster...it is most likely that someone met someone, behind closed doors.

 

[Fenway]

I'm with Killion that the fix is in one way or the other. A few posters who seem to have knowledge of provincial politics agree that the government would not have given the arena the green light as a speculative venture. They're not looking to build the next Sprint Center here.

The good people of Quebec remember this fiasco. I am certain the fix is in.

 

[Revo]

Selling newspapers does not equal "rumored to be having financial problems". How do you come up with such a statement?

Further evidence that it's a bit of an outlandish statement:

Quebecor Inc is up today by $0.24 or 0.82% to $29.53. Over the last five days, shares have gained 2.71% and 11.69% year to date. Shares have outperformed the S&P TSX by 3.19% during the last year.

 

[Shawa666]

Said it before, silence is golden with Uncle Gary. I believe no news is absolutely good news - absence of evidence is not evidence of absence.

I'm with Killion that the fix is in one way or the other. A few posters who seem to have knowledge of provincial politics agree that the government would not have given the arena the green light as a speculative venture. They're not looking to build the next Sprint Center here.

The sprint Center model wasn't the goal, sure. There are provisions within the lease for payment with and without a NHL team. But the provincial support was obtained through simple means, Grassroot pressure.

 

[cheswick]

Said it before, silence is golden with Uncle Gary. I believe no news is absolutely good news - absence of evidence is not evidence of absence.

I'm with Killion that the fix is in one way or the other. A few posters who seem to have knowledge of provincial politics agree that the government would not have given the arena the green light as a speculative venture. They're not looking to build the next Sprint Center here.

Things have been awfully silent on the Hamilton front too. Sounds like a team is moving there....

With all due respect you are absolutely [mistaken] if you think that the NHL guaranteed Quebec City a team if they built an arena. The arena means that they could now one day get a team, something that would never happen without a new arena, but there is absolutely no way the league guaranteed the city a team.

 

[Slashers98]

Things have been awfully silent on the Hamilton front too. Sounds like a team is moving there....

With all due respect you are absolutely [mistaken] if you think that the NHL guaranteed Quebec City a team if they built an arena. The arena means that they could now one day get a team, something that would never happen without a new arena, but there is absolutely no way the league guaranteed the city a team.

You know that Gary Bettman and former PM Bryan Mulroney, who is sitting on Quebecor's CA, are close friends right?

 

[cheswick]

You know that Gary Bettman and former PM Bryan Mulroney, who is sitting on Quebecor's CA, are close friends right?

Oh really? Then you're right. There must have been a super secret guarantee that an NHL team would be coming to Quebec city once an arena is built. That's like solid evidence.