How to get new ownership?

[pzeeman]

Everything that I have read over the years is that the sens have run pretty close to balance if not a bit positive on operating income. What costs Melnyk is interest on the dept, which was way to high for the value when he bought the team, but he wanted to have his cake and eat it too at the time, and so instead of selling off some of his 1.5 bil of biovail stock at the time to bring down the dept, he left it at near 50% of the team value. Which is obviously not sustainable for any business because you are not going to cover the operating costs and interest on 130 mil dept, every single year in a small market.

Meanwhile his personal fortune went in the crapper because he sold his stock at the utmost low point, re-invested in start-ups that have failed, got divorced, and now has found other things to try and invest what's left of his fortune (Casino, Lebreton, Soccer Team, etc, etc)

At some point the buck has to stop at EM. Put aside the on-ice performance, he has failed in the role of owner...which I view as being able to provide a solid enough financial foundation for the team so peaks/valleys of team income do not impact the on-ice operations. Is this really too much to ask? Provide me with another team (that doens't also have ownership issues, ie: arizona) where if the team revenues go up/down by 5% it has an impact on the long-term on-ice plan for the team.

Billionaires can absorb 5-10 million dollar losses from year to year if there are chances to make it up over the long-term from positive years, or make it back in team value, sponsorships, etc. And to Melnyk's credit, this is exactly what he used to do when he still was a billionaire.

But just like Anderson hasn't lived up to being a number 1 goalie this year, Melnyk over the past 5 years has not lived up to being a billionnaire. He cannot support the team like he used to. Fact.

He still owns the team, and it's his prerogative how he wants to run it. But there are other owners that could step in and fund the team like Melnyk used to and other owners do. So I think it's totally valid for fans to be fuming that this guy is willing for the team/fans to suffer just so that he can fill the giant hole in his ego that needs to own an NHL team...especially when it results in a player like Karlsson being traded, but even more so because it means that this team will never have more than a 1-2 year window to compete for a cup, because as soon as we ramp up the salaries for a run, half a season of bad performance and we are back into a rebuild. (Again, swho me another team full of guys in their prime that is going into a rebuild).

Sad.

When I read stories like this, I think of Russ Hanneman and the three comma club.

 

[L'Aveuglette]

Is Melnyk aware that he is killing this franchise right now? I've talked to a bunch of other Sens fans, seen the posts on here and on Twitter and Reddit.....seems like a large majority of Sens fans are considering boycotting the team or just cheering for another one. Are they aware that these are not empty promises and that we are very very disgruntled? I mean sure, there's a minority that are putting the blame on the fanbase because they'll defend Melnyk to the ends of the Earth, but I'm not sure they'll fill much more than a few hundred seats at the CTC.

It's amazing how they haven't even come out once since that vague statement by Melnyk to at least explain what their plan is. They're watching it all burn silently.

 

[sennysensen]

Somebody needs to start a GoFundMe accepting $100 season ticket deposits for a new owner of the Sens. Held in trust until the Sens are sold, or refunded if not sold in 5 years. If they got lots of fans willing to pay this, meanwhile Sens attendance tanks more, another strong message to the league and Melclown.

 

[Vesa Awesaka]

Is Melnyk aware that he is killing this franchise right now? I've talked to a bunch of other Sens fans, seen the posts on here and on Twitter and Reddit.....seems like a large majority of Sens fans are considering boycotting the team or just cheering for another one. Are they aware that these are not empty promises and that we are very very disgruntled? I mean sure, there's a minority that are putting the blame on the fanbase because they'll defend Melnyk to the ends of the Earth, but I'm not sure they'll fill much more than a few hundred seats at the CTC.

It's amazing how they haven't even come out once since that vague statement by Melnyk to at least explain what their plan is. They're watching it all burn silently.

It really puzzling. At this point even if the sens miraculously turn it around in a a season or two it would seem melnyk has irreversibly damaged fan support over the course of the last ten years. I'm not sure were ever going to see fan support recover as long as melnyk is the owner.

 

[L'Aveuglette]

It really puzzling. At this point even if the sens miraculously turn it around in a a season or two it would seem melnyk has irreversibly damaged fan support over the course of the last ten years. I'm not sure were ever going to see fan support recover as long as melnyk is the owner.

There's a real, tangible feeling of disdain towards him that will be impossible to move on from entirely.

 

[Ice-Tray]

I never understood this line of reasoning.

Watching a Bill Wirtz Blackhawks, Harold Ballard Leafs, Jeffrey Loria Marlins etc. is way worse than not having a team at all. At least if you don't have a team, you have focus your fandom on something else that actually provides some type of utility (in the economics sense of the word). Being a fan of a perpetual farm team in the North American franchise system is akin to throwing money into a swimming pool, setting fire to it, and then jumping into the pool.

Modern sports is at the base of it, the selling of hope. The Sens under Melnyk don't do that.

Ok, sorry no. That's something only a disgruntled fan in a city that has a team would say, fans from a city that don't have a team would take any form of ownership (which is temporary) to have a team (ask anyone in Quebec City for example). I mean, do you really believe that there is a single Blackhawks or leafs fans that wish that they had folded their teams during the low period?

Just silly, sorry, but it just is. Having said that, I understand that people are very upset and want to vent in peace. I will respect that

 

[inthewings]

Why was the melnykout thread deleted?

 

[Blotto71]

The league knows Melnyk is the issue.

The team knows Melnyk is the issue

Fans - both of the Sens and not - KNOW Melnyk is the issue.

Melnyk ... does not know that Melnyk is the issue.

 

[StutzleTheGoat]

Anyone going to the game tomorrow should start a ''Keep Our Captain'' chant every time there is 6:50 left in the period. ForeverKarl !!!

 

[Sensung]

Ok, sorry no. That's something only a disgruntled fan in a city that has a team would say, fans from a city that don't have a team would take any form of ownership (which is temporary) to have a team (ask anyone in Quebec City for example). I mean, do you really believe that there is a single Blackhawks or leafs fans that wish that they had folded their teams during the low period?

Just silly, sorry, but it just is. Having said that, I understand that people are very upset and want to vent in peace. I will respect that

Ottawa will have a NHL Franchise even if by some miracle Melnyk gets to move the team.

Let's not forget that a well funded competing build for Lebreton also had an arena as part of their project if Melnyk bails.

The fans are in a uniquely powerful position.

The problem in Ottawa is clearly this owner and not the market. The NHL is very aware of the issue, so as long as the boycott stays focussed on Melnyk the pressure will fall on his pocketbook and won't have long-term ramifications for this market.

Sure the team will suffer in the short-term, but Melnyk was planning on tanking the team until Lebreton gets built anyway. The boycott eill just make sure that Melnyk feels the pain he promised instead of just the Fans suffering.

 

[sexytime]

This is the '3 Billboards Outside Ebbing Missouri' Ottawa version.

 

[sexytime]

The better question is: Can we all contribute enough to be a publicly owned team?

 

[thinkwild]

3 billboards in the CTC parking lot, lol, i wonder what we would write on them? Still buckled up. Still waiting. Still drinking Euge?

 

[Stylizer1]

Stories like this, with the state that the team is in, are like trying to patch a crack in a dam with bubble gum.


Doing one nice thing doesn't eliminate all of the scummy things he's doing.

Maybe this is the work of his new PR team?

 

[Tnuoc Alucard]

Stories like this, with the state that the team is in, are like trying to patch a crack in a dam with bubble gum.


Doing one nice thing doesn't eliminate all of the scummy things he's doing.

What is a "scummy thing" that he's doing?

 

[Tuna99]

What is a "scummy thing" that he's doing?

Ruining his loyal customer base with arrogance, and treating his employees with cruelty

 

[Tnuoc Alucard]

Is Melnyk aware that he is killing this franchise right now? I've talked to a bunch of other Sens fans, seen the posts on here and on Twitter and Reddit.....seems like a large majority of Sens fans are considering boycotting the team or just cheering for another one. Are they aware that these are not empty promises and that we are very very disgruntled? I mean sure, there's a minority that are putting the blame on the fanbase because they'll defend Melnyk to the ends of the Earth, but I'm not sure they'll fill much more than a few hundred seats at the CTC.

It's amazing how they haven't even come out once since that vague statement by Melnyk to at least explain what their plan is. They're watching it all burn silently.

I don't know why anyone thinks the Owner, or the GM should "show their cards" so to speak, in regards to their plans going forward today?

Perhaps revealing their plan publicly, at this time, would only give the other 30 GMs an edge in trade talks, if they knew how, or how not, motivated the GM is, to make a deal. It could affect what is being offered.

I agree that at some point their plan should be laid out for Senators fans, but not in the lead up to TDD.

 

[Tnuoc Alucard]

Somebody needs to start a GoFundMe accepting $100 season ticket deposits for a new owner of the Sens. Held in trust until the Sens are sold, or refunded if not sold in 5 years. If they got lots of fans willing to pay this, meanwhile Sens attendance tanks more, another strong message to the league and Melclown.

 

[Tnuoc Alucard]

Ruining his loyal customer base with arrogance, and treating his employees with cruelty

That's your opinion.
Do you know an employee that was treated with cruelty?

 

[Tuna99]

That's your opinion.
Do you know an employee that was treated with cruelty?

Yes. Do you?

 

[BonkTastic]

Do you know an employee that was treated with cruelty?

Whoo boy. I sure do.

 

[OttawaSenators11]

Not sure if you can fake names when donating but says Jason Spezza donated $19 lol

Anyways , i am going to contribute

 

[The Lewler]

I'm loving all the $65 donations. Classic

 

[OttawaSenators11]

What really needs to be done is that the media stepping up and calling a spade a spade... Besides Brennan the odd time nobody in the media criticizes this guy it's a damn shame.

 

[The Lewler]

What really needs to be done is that the media stepping up and calling a spade a spade... Besides Brennan the odd time nobody in the media criticizes this guy it's a damn shame.

They will write an article when this ad / billboard goes out. 100%

How critical it will be i don't know , but this is like mana from heaven for Brennan.