Balsille Signs Arena Deal with Hamitlon....

ranold26

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May 28, 2003
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http://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/article.jsp?content=20070531_001140_2400
its a signed agreement, but it really isn't.
Basically Hamilton politicians are giving him arena rights and new additional perks, if he moves the team.......and if he can.
I wouldn't be surprised if this was signed back when he was going after Pittsburgh and the stipulation on the offer was based on owning a NHL franchise.
When he didn't get PIT, the offer was "de-activated", now that he has NSH, it looks like the Hamilton politicians are "re-activating" their offer.
This doesn't mean Balsillie WILL accept, or CAN for that matter.
Nashville shouldn't be worried imho.
 
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ranold26

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Sure they should, the groundwork is being laid for him to move the team and he isn't even the official owner yet.

Plans change. I'll wait to hear from Balsillie, before listening to a bunch of eager politicians and their "re-activation" of a previous subjective agreement.
The Pittsburgh scenario is different than Nashville's. Is Balsillie going to break a lease/movement agreement that is already in place with Nashville?
My only concern would be if Balsille jacked up the prices so high[blaiming a 49-51m cap level], that they couldn't make the attendance stipulations, thus enabling the move.
Regardless, it isn't happening next year.
 

GKJ

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Feb 27, 2002
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Plans change. I'll wait to hear from Balsillie, before listening to a bunch of eager politicians and their "re-activation" of a previous subjective agreement.
The Pittsburgh scenario is different than Nashville's. Is Balsillie going to break a lease/movement agreement that is already in place with Nashville?
My only concern would be if Balsille jacked up the prices so high[blaiming a 49-51m cap level], that they couldn't make the attendance stipulations, thus enabling the move.
Regardless, it isn't happening next year.

It's two years that will be his first real opportunity to move the team.
 

AdmiralPred

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It's two years that will be his first real opportunity to move the team.
If the Copps is a NHL-ready facility, why have the Preds be around as a "dead team skating" for two full seasons? Regardless of the clause with the City of Nashville. There are ways out of deals and if Balsillie has the means, there probably will be a way out of the lease.
 

Jarnberg

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Don't worry "anti-American" "anti-Bettman" "anti-growth of the sport" fans, you'll soon have your way when the Predators leave. And then you can rejoice as the NHL has been saved from extinction.

Further proves that Balsillie is a real threat and Bettman will likely still say "he told me he didn't want to move them".
 

Ruzicka38

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Nashville is growing the sport? How so? They don't have much of a following. I'm all for giving Canada back a team or two. They should still have Winnipeg and Quebec. I'm not so sure about Hamilton though. Won't the US media tear that team and the league apart for moving to a city nobody has ever heard of?
 

GSC2k2*

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Nashville is growing the sport? How so? They don't have much of a following. I'm all for giving Canada back a team or two. They should still have Winnipeg and Quebec. I'm not so sure about Hamilton though. Won't the US media tear that team and the league apart for moving to a city nobody has ever heard of?
Nashville has more paying customers than Winnipeg ever had in its best year. Quebec City is only comparable in attendance, so if you define "following" as people who come to the games, Nashville beat QC also.
 

Jarnberg

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Nashville is growing the sport? How so? They don't have much of a following. I'm all for giving Canada back a team or two. They should still have Winnipeg and Quebec. I'm not so sure about Hamilton though. Won't the US media tear that team and the league apart for moving to a city nobody has ever heard of?

You've clearly missed the point. Perhaps you should read some other posts made by me and others in the 40 other threads bashing Nashville.

You're going to tell me the NHL and hockey haven't grown in Nashville since they've been here?
 

GSC2k2*

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If the Copps is a NHL-ready facility, why have the Preds be around as a "dead team skating" for two full seasons? Regardless of the clause with the City of Nashville. There are ways out of deals and if Balsillie has the means, there probably will be a way out of the lease.
Copps is not NHL-ready. IMO, and having been to many events there, it is a dump by NHL standards, located in a dump of a mall (by any standard), with little parking (by NHL standards).
 

Ruzicka38

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You've clearly missed the point. Perhaps you should read some other posts made by me and others in the 40 other threads bashing Nashville.

You're going to tell me the NHL and hockey haven't grown in Nashville since they've been here?

I have not missed the point. I would rather see the NHL in Portland, Maine, than Nashville. It's not a hockey area period. The NHL hasn't thought out any expansion since Ottawa and TB came on board.
 

Jarnberg

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I have not missed the point. I would rather see the NHL in Portland, Maine, than Nashville. It's not a hockey area period. The NHL hasn't thought out any expansion since Ottawa and TB came on board.

So because you would rather see a NHL team in Portland, Maine, that means that hockey hasn't grown in Nashville, therefore saying that Nashville has done NOTHING to grow the sport?

The NHL hasn't thought out Expansion since Ottawa and Tampa Bay? Tell Columbus and Minnesota that. Atlanta has tremendous growth potential. Nashville has potential too, although not as much as Atlanta in my opinion.
 

Ruzicka38

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So because you would rather see a NHL team in Portland, Maine, that means that hockey hasn't grown in Nashville, therefore saying that Nashville has done NOTHING to grow the sport?

The NHL hasn't thought out Expansion since Ottawa and Tampa Bay? Tell Columbus and Minnesota that. Atlanta has tremendous growth potential. Nashville has potential too, although not as much as Atlanta in my opinion.

Yes. I do not believe Nashville has done anything to grow the sport. Neither have Cloumbus or Phoenix. Hamilton/Winnipeg would produce instant sell outs. Canada realizes they need to support their teams and not take them for granted. US hockey fans, for the most part, do not realize that ... except in Hartford.
 

Ruzicka38

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The NHL hasn't thought out Expansion since Ottawa and Tampa Bay? Tell Columbus and Minnesota that. Atlanta has tremendous growth potential. Nashville has potential too, although not as much as Atlanta in my opinion.


I stand corrected on that ONE point. BUT, Minnesota should never have left in the first place. Columbus is a joke. I know people in Ohio who laughed at me (as an NHL fan) when that team was announced. Columbus is a minor league city. It is no more (probably less) deserving of a NHL team than Hartford.
 

Tafkak

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Yes. I do not believe Nashville has done anything to grow the sport. Neither have Cloumbus or Phoenix. Hamilton/Winnipeg would produce instant sell outs. Canada realizes they need to support their teams and not take them for granted. US hockey fans, for the most part, do not realize that ... except in Hartford.

...Have you ever been to a game in Columbus or for that matter looked up the attendance records the BJ's?
 
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DevFan-RU-

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Yes. I do not believe Nashville has done anything to grow the sport. Neither have Cloumbus or Phoenix. Hamilton/Winnipeg would produce instant sell outs. Canada realizes they need to support their teams and not take them for granted. US hockey fans, for the most part, do not realize that ... except in Hartford.

You're wrong... you're proven wrong with every Nashville fan that fills the seats or has season tickets. Before the Preds went there... those fans didn't exist... yet they do now. But I guess that isn't growth then... :dunno:
 

SOLR

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Nashville has more paying customers than Winnipeg ever had in its best year. Quebec City is only comparable in attendance, so if you define "following" as people who come to the games, Nashville beat QC also.

You must be joking. Remember the year 1989-90? The nords while being dead last in the league had a superior attendance average in a smaller arena than Nashville this year.
 

Ruzicka38

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You're wrong... you're proven wrong with every Nashville fan that fills the seats or has season tickets. Before the Preds went there... those fans didn't exist... yet they do now. But I guess that isn't growth then... :dunno:

Good, they can make up for the fans lost in Hartford, QC, WPG, etc. I'm not against expansion, just against expansion for expansions sake.
 

Jarnberg

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Yes. I do not believe Nashville has done anything to grow the sport. Neither have Cloumbus or Phoenix. Hamilton/Winnipeg would produce instant sell outs. Canada realizes they need to support their teams and not take them for granted. US hockey fans, for the most part, do not realize that ... except in Hartford.

You are making two DIFFERENT arguments. You are confusing sellouts with growth of the sport.

Again, you are telling me flat out that hockey hasn't grown in Nashville. I'm proving you wrong.

As for your "Cloumbus" argument, excuse me while I go laugh.
 

GSC2k2*

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You must be joking. Remember the year 1989-90? The nords while being dead last in the league had a superior attendance average in a smaller arena than Nashville this year.

sorry, you are factually wrong.

QC attendance 1989-90 - 15,080 (their high water mark in the history of the team)

Nashville attendance 2006-07 - 15,259.

It speaks for itself whose "following" was bigger. You can argue all you want about QC being a smaller arena and a smaller town, and "freebies", etc. The fact remains that more people went to Nashville games last year than ever went to a Nordiques game.
 

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