Bettman: ATL relo "one-off" (no more foreseen); Balsillie-approach not suggested

[LadyStanley]

http://slam.canoe.ca/Slam/Hockey/NHL/2011/06/01/18220361.html?cid=rsssportsslam! hockey

The league commissioner says the relocation of the Atlanta Thrashers to Canada is a one-off, not a sign of things to come.

“We don’t believe anyone else should be a franchise relocation candidate,†Bettman said. “This was an Atlanta problem that couldn’t be solved for Atlanta and has nothing to do with anywhere else. And to suggest to the contrary then begins to raise expectations in other markets. And we all know how much fun that wasn’t here in Winnipeg.â€

Bettman tells QC not to start counting their chickens.

“First of all, they don’t have a building,†Bettman said. “Secondly, we don’t have a team that we’re planning on relocating. And we’re not planning on expansion. We do not want to raise expectations in Quebec City. That would be very unfair to the people of Quebec City.â€

Bettman did, indirectly, offer one word of advice to anyone wanting to land an NHL franchise: the Jim Balsillie approach is probably not a good idea.

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[Kimota]

He's just afraid it's gonna become a klondike.

 

[Buck Aki Berg]

“First of all, they don’t have a building,â€

Sounds like we're done with this "Oh, they can just play out of the Colisée for a couple of years" business.

 

[Steve Passless*]

Okay, it's "just an Atlanta problem," but there are Phoenix problems and Columbus problems. He's not gonna say that there's going to be another move, but it's fairly telling that they're waiting to see what happens next year before they realign. Actions, words.

 

[Buck Aki Berg]

Okay, it's "just an Atlanta problem," but there are Phoenix problems and Columbus problems. He's not gonna say that there's going to be another move, but it's fairly telling that they're waiting to see what happens next year before they realign. Actions, words.

Even if God himself came down from the Heavens with a bag of money and bought the Coyotes, there still wouldn't have been a realignment for the 2011-12 season. It was too late to do it.

 

[Fugu]

Bettman certainly must know the Balsillie approach is not a good idea. He's still dealing with that headache. Huge victory for Gary.


Bettman also told Peggers not to get their hopes up and that no one was moving. Can't believe a word he says anymore. That may be his job, but he also told us everything in Phoenix was just peachy.

 

[Holden Caulfield]

This is the right way to do it. Bettman denied and denied the move to Winnipeg so as not to raise expectations. People will call it lying and whatever they want, but what if Bettman comes out and says "There's a good chance Atlanta will relocate to Winnipeg", but then last minute finds a deal to keep them in Atlanta. Then he would be just toying with people and they would be understandbly much more upset. It is the same story he will hold to with regards to the Quebec rumours as he should. Never much liked the guy (loved how pained he looked today at times during the announcement) but in this regard he is completely right not to raise expectations.

 

[HabsByTheBay]

Sounds like we're done with this "Oh, they can just play out of the Colisée for a couple of years" business.

If there's shovels in the ground, I doubt Gary will care much.

 

[Fugu]

This is the right way to do it. Bettman denied and denied the move to Winnipeg so as not to raise expectations. People will call it lying and whatever they want, but what if Bettman comes out and says "There's a good chance Atlanta will relocate to Winnipeg", but then last minute finds a deal to keep them in Atlanta. Then he would be just toying with people and they would be understandbly much more upset. It is the same story he will hold to with regards to the Quebec rumours as he should. Never much liked the guy (loved how pained he looked today at times during the announcement) but in this regard he is completely right not to raise expectations.

Actually, I believe the reason he couldn't realistically admit that Atlanta was likely to be moved was because he had to convince Glendale to pony up for $25 MM. Team sales without a relocation involved are highly complex and take several months to work out. Factor in that relocation was on the docket and there is no way everything could have been worked out from about early May to the end of the month (when Glendale approved the additional funds).

Bettman also had to lie to make sure Atlanta fans still attended games.

 

[Jet]

I don't believe a word of it.

Bettman has done nothing but lie about the state of franchises from day one.

If Phoenix can't find a owner by December and QC has started on a new building, you better believe that it's a real possibility that the Coyotes will move there.

History speaks louder and truer than a weasel lawyer

 

[Steve Passless*]

So basically, Bettman cannot be trusted on any business matters. Fine, not his job to be honest to the general public, but let's not pretend that the Coyotes and Blue Jackets aren't in severe trouble anymore because he told Quebec City not to get their hopes up.

 

[Buck Aki Berg]

Jesus - Gary Bettman could walk into a building drenched head-to-toe and tell you it's raining outside, and you guys would be convinced that he walked through a carwash and is just BS'ing you.

Get over yourselves.

 

[chipper]

Actually, I believe the reason he couldn't realistically admit that Atlanta was likely to be moved was because he had to convince Glendale to pony up for $25 MM. Team sales without a relocation involved are highly complex and take several months to work out. Factor in that relocation was on the docket and there is no way everything could have been worked out from about early May to the end of the month (when Glendale approved the additional funds).

Bettman also had to lie to make sure Atlanta fans still attended games.

So true.

 

[Fidel Astro]

Bettman can't say anything else.

We all know by now that he has to stick to the "we don't relocate" line until the very last minute, so even if the Coyotes do need to move to Quebec (here's hoping), he's going to deny, deny, deny until the official announcement is made, just like he did here in Winnipeg.

I almost felt sorry for the guy, having to deny what had become common knowledge with the Altanta-Winnipeg situation, but then I remembered it's Gary Bettman. There's a reason everyone at the Forks booed him every time he opened his mouth during the announcement.

 

[jessebelanger]

Actually, I believe the reason he couldn't realistically admit that Atlanta was likely to be moved was because he had to convince Glendale to pony up for $25 MM. Team sales without a relocation involved are highly complex and take several months to work out. Factor in that relocation was on the docket and there is no way everything could have been worked out from about early May to the end of the month (when Glendale approved the additional funds).

Bettman also had to lie to make sure Atlanta fans still attended games.

Bettman certainly must know the Balsillie approach is not a good idea. He's still dealing with that headache. Huge victory for Gary.


Bettman also told Peggers not to get their hopes up and that no one was moving. Can't believe a word he says anymore. That may be his job, but he also told us everything in Phoenix was just peachy.

Unless I'm mis-understanding, you're holding Bettman to a pretty crazy standard here Fugu. You expect him to predict what is going to happen months down the line wrt ownership scenarios and then share this information with the media? Is there any other private business in the world that would operate this way? It's rediculous - if he did attempt this approach, you would go the other way and blast him when he is incorrect. Yes, the thrashers did end up being purchased by TNSE, but without knowing the details of the transaction, who knows how many possible outcomes there were.

These situations are lose-lose for Bettman, and I'm not sure that the standard that you're holding him too is neccesarily fair. That being said, he is paid quite a bit, so I suppose it comes with the job

 

[tarheelhockey]

Jesus - Gary Bettman could walk into a building drenched head-to-toe and tell you it's raining outside, and you guys would be convinced that he walked through a carwash and is just BS'ing you.

Get over yourselves.

Seriously. Bettman was relatively direct about the problems with ASG as they began to mount, and he was on record saying that Winnipeg would be the next relo destination to the exclusion of QC and other candidates. The writing was on the wall for the Thrashers for a fairly long time in advance and the past month or two it was very clear what the direction would be.

If Bettman says that there is no way anyone else gets a team in the immediate future, and specifically shoots down a QC rumor, I'm inclined to believe him until real evidence surfaces to the contrary.

 

[Jet]

Jesus - Gary Bettman could walk into a building drenched head-to-toe and tell you it's raining outside, and you guys would be convinced that he walked through a carwash and is just BS'ing you.

Get over yourselves.

Gary, is that you?

 

[MaskedSonja]

I don't believe a word of it.

Bettman has done nothing but lie about the state of franchises from day one.

If Phoenix can't find a owner by December and QC has started on a new building, you better believe that it's a real possibility that the Coyotes will move there.

History speaks louder and truer than a weasel lawyer

Oh, hey now, come on now that's harsh!

Weasels have feelings too you know.....


As for what Gary is saying, I'm in the "what does one expect him to say" camp. I also agree, we don't know where we go down the road-what if a team goes and tosses the keys on the desk, giving up a franchise over the next year? And what if that team has no local buyers like Altanta, what choice would they have BUT to move a franchise.

It's interesting that as long as they own the Yotes, another team can put the NHL in the predicament as Altanta did, and the NHL has to do something because of the difficulties I would think again of owning two teams.


I've wondered if Gary has an account on the BoH boards, and I have wonder who the most likely Candidate is Lessee, which poster defends almost every action of Gary's?

 

[tarheelhockey]

It's interesting that as long as they own the Yotes, another team can put the NHL in the predicament as Altanta did, and the NHL has to do something because of the difficulties I would think again of owning two teams.

There was never a possibility of the NHL owning the Thrashers, regardless of the Coyotes situation. ASG wanted them out of the arena.

 

[jacketracket*]

Okay, it's "just an Atlanta problem," but there are Phoenix problems and Columbus problems. He's not gonna say that there's going to be another move, but it's fairly telling that they're waiting to see what happens next year before they realign. Actions, words.

Did I miss a statement from Columbus ownership advising that there were "Columbus problems"? Or are you "speculating" again?

 

[Buck Aki Berg]

Gary, is that you?

Ye... no.

 

[matCH penalty]

Bettman tells QC not to start counting their chickens.

He said the same thing about Winnipeg essentially until Tuesday afternoon.

It's meaningless.

 

[Mungman]

Well, it still remains to be seen if the QC building gets shovels in the ground. It is currently bogged down pretty badly in the political muck right now. The only hope is that the provincial government passes a law banning lawsuits regarding the arena, this looks like a long shot as it needs 100% yea votes to pass.

Could get tied up for years in court.

 

[tarheelhockey]

He said the same thing about Winnipeg essentially until Tuesday afternoon.

It's meaningless.

He was on record saying that Winnipeg was a suitable location, and private records showed he considered Winnipeg the most "deserving" candidate. He never said Winnipeg wouldn't get a team, he just kept pouring cold water on rumors until the deal was done.

He hasn't come anywhere near saying such things about QC.

 

[Fugu]

Unless I'm mis-understanding, you're holding Bettman to a pretty crazy standard here Fugu. You expect him to predict what is going to happen months down the line wrt ownership scenarios and then share this information with the media? Is there any other private business in the world that would operate this way? It's rediculous - if he did attempt this approach, you would go the other way and blast him when he is incorrect. Yes, the thrashers did end up being purchased by TNSE, but without knowing the details of the transaction, who knows how many possible outcomes there were.

These situations are lose-lose for Bettman, and I'm not sure that the standard that you're holding him too is neccesarily fair. That being said, he is paid quite a bit, so I suppose it comes with the job

There's nothing crazy about it unless you believe Bettman is a reactive businessman/lawyer without the ability to think strategically or about contingencies.

I agree that he is forced to withhold a lot of information by virtue of the job and that he has to protect the interests of each franchise where it stands right now, and going forward, the asset value.

He has known far longer than any of us the state of Moyes/Phoenix, Atlanta-- and every other franchise. Where I do fault him is in the apparent inability to control the owners because that IS his job too. AEG and Leipold made the league a laughing stock by enabling the Preds sale to someone that would never have gotten an approval if relevant information had been made known. They even had seats on the committee that reviews franchise sales! Are you going to tell me they did what was in the best interest of the NHL in that case? (The Boots loans?)

He's also responsible for Moyes clearly/intentionally going against the league and its rules. I still don't believe it had to happen that way. Those were some really pissed off men (Moyes, JB), one who was "in the club" and the other one a person who had been courted by the league.

Finally, he's responsible for the lockout. Five years later, franchise values are, at best, stagnant, and realistically in decline in several markets. There certainly was a problem with the league's economics, but they came up with the wrong solution. They won a PR battle, but will lose the war. When the cap floor is at a level that is 2x where the lowest payrolls were pre-lockout, it's hard to call it a victory. The franchise values are a barometer of that, if you don't wish to believe me. They closed shop to keep 5-6 teams from spending over $50 MM annually. Today, virtually all teams are spending over that level, or far higher.