It makes him EXACTLY what I expected. I was shouted out of discussions here for decades for voicing my feelings on what a Katz owner would care about (money) and that the New Arena Deal and Oilers purchase were just adjuncts to much bigger development. But I link things like "Field of Schemes because I've been interested in this pro sports owner dynamic for decades. For around 40-50 years now depending on which sport its become less and less about winning and more about making money through as many corollary income sources as possible.
The trouble is the average fan doesn't care at all about researching these business schemes and seeing what these sports owners are actually, and almost unanimously up to. Its such a shell game its almost like owners have a script. Because it plays out the same everywhere. Complain about current revenues, say its not enough. Get tax money, sponsorship for retrofits of arena to make more money. Pay 1 dollar taxes on Arena. Take over ownership of arena you never built or funded, have cities build you a new arena and threaten to move out of town if they don't. Cite many studies that trump up how much cities benefit from pro sports teams etc.
So Katz is a typical owner. The major thing he could be faulted for is hiring Nicholson who in turn brought in Chiarelli and McLellan. But again this is what the hockey world was essentially telling him to do. These were the guys that were available that came recommended. It all boils down to Nicholson who is not as shrewd a hockey man as people gave him credit for.
Nicholson is a typical mover and shaker. A guy good in a room with a 500 watt smile. The guy that was captain of the football team, track team in highschool and probably valedictorian too. That nature of person often goes into politics. Nicholson chose sports but he's the same species. A populist figurehead. Don't expect him to do much or have the latest well established ideas but he can talk the good talk and spin some good yarns.
When you been following politics, sports, business long enough you recognize a Nicholson. All talk, little substance. Now the one thing I can fault Katz for clearly is not recognizing what nature of manager Nicholson was. I spotted it, and I called it out here a the time of hire. Few did, everybody thought wow what a great hockey man, hockey Canada head, all that. Bob Nicholson has spent a lifetime developing a loved persona. Its no surprise a lot of people initially love him. But Katz should be able to sniff out that beyond the smile and the gladhanding Nicholson ain't much for being a CEO.
However, a Nicholson IS good when it comes to connections. its possible Katz hired him mainly for that. For his built connections with others and world hockey. Katz would have known that Bob Nicholson could land fish like Hlinka Cup, World Juniors, and that Nicholson also had entertainment connections and other international connections. Hiring Nicholson was probably a good use of money, but just not as CEO. In that role you need a Stan with a plan.
