Management Eugene Melnyk - Lawsuits, rants and more... Part Deux

[coladin]

Listened to the interview, no great surprise . Typical counting the chickens before they are hatched bravado from Melnyk, and clever for him to rewrite history like this was the master plan all along. I don't buy it, no one should. It would have been nice for him to stick to being hopeful, as the team is still a lottery team for the foreseeable future, and haven't drafted anyone yet. Noteworthy was the insight on the logistics planning of starting games again

 

[Stylizer1]

Listened to the interview, no great surprise . Typical counting the chickens before they are hatched bravado from Melnyk, and clever for him to rewrite history like this was the master plan all along. I don't buy it, no one should. It would have been nice for him to stick to being hopeful, as the team is still a lottery team for the foreseeable future, and haven't drafted anyone yet. Noteworthy was the insight on the logistics planning of starting games again

Makes me hope the team sucks just to see him get more crazy.

 

[angrydad]

Quebec City is a terrible market. The NHL knows that, which is why they will keep being bypassed.

Tell me what the difference is between the team playing in Ottawa or Houston. The vast majority of fans don’t attend live games, and if it’s just one or two a year, a quick trip to Montreal gets your Houston Senators fix.

Or you, the solo sens fan from Houston can go to a sens game in Dallas to get your fix. the Ottawa Senators don't exist for your sole fandom.

 

[Filatov2Kovalev2Bonk]

Breaking down the Melnyk interview

Thoughts in Bold: Melnyk Speaks on the Fan 590


His strategy was simple: he wanted a new stadium that the taxpaying community would pay for.
Like many other owners of the era, he wanted to portray his baseball organization as poor to create imbue the notion that unless his team received a new building, they would never be able to create and sustain long-term success.
To generate sympathy and rally more fans behind his cause, Huizenga had the idea to spend frivolously between 1995 to 1997 to try and deliver a World Series so that he could have an easier time with his publicly-subsidized stadium efforts as fans were caught up in the championship honeymoon period.
In 1997, the Marlins won the World Series and a few short weeks after, they dealt Moises Alou. He was the first casualty of Huizenga’s scheme that eventually saw players like Robb Nenn, Bobby Bonilla, Al Leiter, Kevin Brown, Gary Sheffield, Charles Johnson, Devon White and Jeff Conine move on.
Huizenga literally tore down a championship roster in the pursuit of a new stadium.
Interestingly, the remnants of a few of these trades eventually wound up helping the Marlins win another World Series in 2003, so for Melnyk to say that a teardown of this magnitude has not been done before is a bit disingenuous

Yeah, I read this and the comparisons aren't really apt. The Senators aren't a championship team; they were an overnight sensation run that got stripped.
The more apt comparison was the one Pierre McGuire made today, that of the New York Rangers who sold some assets and sent a letter to their fans saying there would be some change over the years to build a stronger brand.

More lulzy was The Gene saying that NHL can survive with no fans in the stands; hope he is not hoping for an attendance boost with that statement...

 

[Sensung]

Yeah, I read this and the comparisons aren't really apt. The Senators aren't a championship team; they were an overnight sensation run that got stripped.
The more apt comparison was the one Pierre McGuire made today, that of the New York Rangers who sold some assets and sent a letter to their fans saying there would be some change over the years to build a stronger brand.

More lulzy was The Gene saying that NHL can survive with no fans in the stands; hope he is not hoping for an attendance boost with that statement...

Ya, funny that a non sellout during a playoff run (where he was making money hand over fist) was the end of the world, but now he's claiming they don't need any fans at all for the business model to work.

Con man, through and through.

 

[BonHoonLayneCornell]

Who needs fans when you can just tell your GM to focus all his efforts on circumventing the cap.

Couldn't even follow through on the cap floor spending promise from the legendary Nick R. For shame.

 

[JungleBeat]

How much do season tickets run for anyways?

 

[Nac Mac Feegle]

Quebec City is a terrible market. The NHL knows that, which is why they will keep being bypassed.

Tell me what the difference is between the team playing in Ottawa or Houston. The vast majority of fans don’t attend live games, and if it’s just one or two a year, a quick trip to Montreal gets your Houston Senators fix.

Houston will not fill an arena for ice hockey for any length of time.

 

[Peptic Balcers]

How much do season tickets run for anyways?

At a quick glance, anywhere between $1000-$17000 per seat

 

[Tnuoc Alucard]

I'm shocked that a radio station contacted EM for an on air interview, and he accepted.

Never mind the interviewer is a close friend, and works in the market where the vast majority of the Franchises' corporate HQs are located.

I wonder why a local radio station just doesn't pick up the phone and request an interview.

 

[Joeyjoejoe]

I'm shocked that a radio station contacted EM for an on air interview, and he accepted.

Never mind the interviewer is a close friend, and works in the market where the vast majority of the Franchises' corporate HQs are located.

I wonder why a local radio station just doesn't pick up the phone and request an interview.

They do, he just ain't accepting their requests anymore because he is a petty baby.

 

[Tuna99]

I'm shocked that a radio station contacted EM for an on air interview, and he accepted.

Never mind the interviewer is a close friend, and works in the market where the vast majority of the Franchises' corporate HQs are located.

I wonder why a local radio station just doesn't pick up the phone and request an interview.

melnyck should have 100 close friends in the Ottawa media by now, he has zero. Garrioche writes Melnycks fluff Pieces and even he had to do it from the transcript.

This is a guy who did an interview with Boro to tell everyone his team was crap, he’s not savy, he’s not calculated - he’s running a hockey team into the ground all by himself

 

[GCK]

Houston will not fill an arena for ice hockey for any length of time.

That’s a very uninformed viewpoint. Based on demographics, both population and corporate, Houston will be a huge success for the NHL.

 

[AchtzehnBaby]

That’s a very uninformed viewpoint. Based on demographics, both population and corporate, Houston will be a huge success for the NHL.

Hopefully they don't move there, for my sake.

Though I do agree that it is a good city for the NHL: Super sports-centric city. Lots of Canadian expats there too.

 

[coladin]

Ya, funny that a non sellout during a playoff run (where he was making money hand over fist) was the end of the world, but now he's claiming they don't need any fans at all for the business model to work.

Con man, through and through.

"Survive" is not the same as " to work"

 

[AchtzehnBaby]

I wonder if Eugene is thinking of partnering up with some folks out in the GTA. That would be a great idea for him. Belleville is only 2 hours away, the ECHL team is in Brampton. If only they get NHL to back a second team in the GTA. It would be awesome. Millions of fans ready to climb aboard.

These guys should be on speed dial with Euge

Maybe that’s why he talks to the Toronto media.

 

[FormentonTheFuture]

I wonder if Eugene is thinking of partnering up with some folks out in the GTA. That would be a great idea for him. Belleville is only 2 hours away, the ECHL team is in Brampton. If only they get NHL to back a second team in the GTA. It would be awesome. Millions of fans ready to climb aboard.

These guys should be on speed dial with Euge

Maybe that’s why he talks to the Toronto media.

are you suggesting the Sens move to the GTA, or are you saying Melnyk should partner with people to get a GTA team then sell the Sens?

For relocation talks, if the Sens ever moved I wouldn't cheer for them anymore. What would be the point? At that point I could pick any team in the NHL. I probably wouldn't pick any. The only attachment I have to the Sens is because they are here in my city.

 

[umma gumma]

I wonder if Eugene is thinking of partnering up with some folks out in the GTA. That would be a great idea for him. Belleville is only 2 hours away, the ECHL team is in Brampton. If only they get NHL to back a second team in the GTA. It would be awesome. Millions of fans ready to climb aboard.

These guys should be on speed dial with Euge

Maybe that’s why he talks to the Toronto media.

Yes, millions of Leaf fans just ready to dump their allegiance to the team they, their dad, their grandad have followed, to cheer for what used to be their closest rival and with added bonus of having a meddling owner.

The Leafs wouldn't allow it anyway. They won't even allow the Sens to be aired on TV for crying out loud, no way they're letting a 2nd team in the area.

 

[Grizwald]

I wonder if Eugene is thinking of partnering up with some folks out in the GTA. That would be a great idea for him. Belleville is only 2 hours away, the ECHL team is in Brampton. If only they get NHL to back a second team in the GTA. It would be awesome. Millions of fans ready to climb aboard.

These guys should be on speed dial with Euge

Maybe that’s why he talks to the Toronto media.

Any partner with half a brain would want to partner with Melnyk. I mean. c'mon, any potential investors out there should know Melnyk's modus operandi by now, which is: Partner Up, closely followed by F*cking Up, then the partner realizes his/her blind stupidity has resulted in a merry-go-round lawsuit. Mind you, one group I probably wouldn't lose sleep seeing Melnyk screw over is MLSE, if that was ever possible….lol

 

[Sensung]

I wonder if Eugene is thinking of partnering up with some folks out in the GTA. That would be a great idea for him. Belleville is only 2 hours away, the ECHL team is in Brampton. If only they get NHL to back a second team in the GTA. It would be awesome. Millions of fans ready to climb aboard.

These guys should be on speed dial with Euge

Maybe that’s why he talks to the Toronto media.

Great plan.

NHL could then grant a franchise to the group wanting to develop Lebreton, while Eugene is stuck with a white elephant in Kanata.

Works for me.

 

[BonHoonLayneCornell]

Why would anyone partner with Melnyk at this point?

Just seems like a guarantee to get screwed over at some point.

There has to be better ventures available with people that aren't sleezebags.

 

[AchtzehnBaby]

Yes, millions of Leaf fans just ready to dump their allegiance to the team they, their dad, their grandad have followed, to cheer for what used to be their closest rival and with added bonus of having a meddling owner.

The Leafs wouldn't allow it anyway. They won't even allow the Sens to be aired on TV for crying out loud, no way they're letting a 2nd team in the area.

Everyone knows the leafs suck. A new team in the GTA would be a godsend. People dying to see a winning team for 60 years.

 

[Nac Mac Feegle]

Everyone knows the leafs suck. A new team in the GTA would be a godsend. People dying to see a winning team for 60 years.

Tell that to the New Jersey Devils.

If the NY area can't support 3 hockey teams strongly, Toronto likely won't support 2. Plus you have the Marlies.

Besides, Melynk doesn't have two billion dollars to pay the transfer fees, Toronto territorial fees, and for another arena. And no way in hell a partner with that much capital (and having to invest that much capital) is partnering with Eugene. They'd have an easier time simply buying and moving the Panthers.

 

[Nac Mac Feegle]

That’s a very uninformed viewpoint. Based on demographics, both population and corporate, Houston will be a huge success for the NHL.

Tell that to the Stars. Even after winning a Cup lately you can see tons of empty seats per game.

And remember, the economy has shifted. No on is going to spend 'bigly' on something risky like an NHL team (or even buy suites or boxes) in the next few years, until the economic fallout from covid is long past.

 

[GCK]

Tell that to the Stars. Even after winning a Cup lately you can see tons of empty seats per game.

And remember, the economy has shifted. No on is going to spend 'bigly' on something risky like an NHL team (or even buy suites or boxes) in the next few years, until the economic fallout from covid is long past.

Houston has 21 Fortune 500 HQs, the 5th largest population in the US, the 4th highest per capita GDP and the 8th largest DMA. Houston has an NHL ready arena which is desperate for a 2nd tenant. Ottawa is a government town with low corporate support, a small DMA and an arena 30 KM from downtown with no mass transit options.

It’s not a fair fight.