Confirmed with Link: #MelnykOut Campaign - successfully raised 8K over this past weekend.

[thammias]

Until the situation here becomes equivalent to literally the worst owner in modern NHL history, we aren't allowed to complain?

Come on now. That's ludicrous.

Imagine if this was applied to other parts of life: "You aren't allowed to complain about your car until you are literally trapped inside of it while it is entirely engulfed in fire, and also careening down the side of a mountain".

When did I ever say people aren't allowed to complain? I'm talking about me personally not getting too angry or worked up. But bringing up Harold Ballard is just hyperbole at this point. I am guilty of it as well. I just want people to step off the ledge and take a breath. We all love the Senators, I'm just not sure this whole #MelnykOut and billboard stuff will bring about any positive change.

 

[BonkTastic]

When did I ever say people aren't allowed to complain?.

Uhh... right here:

until we get to Harold Ballard levels, I fail to see the need to get so angry and worked up about it.

At least, that seems to be the insinuation.

 

[thammias]

Uhh... right here:



At least, that seems to be the insinuation.

The insinuation is that I do believe people are getting angry and worked up and for me personally I don't think this whole #Melnykout movement is helping. I think it's drawing a line in the sand and dividing the fanbase to toxic levels based on comments I've seen in this thread and all over social media of fans telling each other to quit whining and show up to games and the other side calling fans shills and having Stockholm Syndrome for saying anything positive about Melnyk.

 

[Sensung]

Well I for one will continue to hope that the franchise does indeed double in value like you say and makes money hand over fist, even if that means putting more money in Melnyks pockets. That way when profits are indeed soaring and undeniable he will have no excuse to not spend money. As of right now the market and fans are giving him plenty of easy excuses to not spend. Mexican standoff.

You do realize that the Sens are coming off a season where they made approx 26M in profit, right?

Melnyk reduced payroll and cut the organization to the bone.

There is no stand off. Melnyk has made it clear that fan spending will not increase the budget.

Now the Fans are going to make it clear to Melnyk and the NHL that they reject him as an owner.

 

[Qward]

No. And until we get to Harold Ballard levels

Ballard convicted of fraud = Melnyk found guilty of accounting fraud.
Ballard cut his scouting staff salaries forcing them to resign. = Melynk let go the scouting staff.
Ballard and Captain Dave Keon had such a bad relationship that Keon left. = Alfy.
Ballard wanted to swap teams with Edmonton = Melnyk threatening to move

From Wikipedia "Even though the Leafs were barely competitive for much of the latter part of Ballard's tenure, every game at Maple Leaf Gardens was sold out. Ballard thus felt he had little financial incentive to sign better players. However, many players were unwilling to sign with Toronto in any event because of Ballard's reputation." This is what I fear is the next step in their parallel journeys.

 

[BonkTastic]

Ballard and Captain Dave Keon had such a bad relationship that Keon left. = Alfy.

And then he did the exact same thing with Darryl Sittler after Keon left.

 

[Gil Gunderson]

https://www.gofundme. com/melnikin

lol @ those offline donations.

 

[thammias]

You do realize that the Sens are coming off a season where they made approx 26M in profit, right?

Melnyk reduced payroll and cut the organization to the bone.

There is no stand off. Melnyk has made it clear that fan spending will not increase the budget.

Now the Fans are going to make it clear to Melnyk and the NHL that they reject him as an owner.

And I'm just pointing out that there may be an half a billion dollar reason why we are running a barebones operation right now.
Nobody is saying that having Menyk as an owner is ideal. I'm just not ready to demonize and vilify Melnyk yet, just because his pockets aren't as deep as other owners. And the anger some fans are directing towards other fans because they might not be as angry as them is disappointing to see.

I dunno, maybe I'm being naive and Melnyk truly is evil and is the next reincarnation of Harold Ballard and Bill Wirtz and we are all doomed with him as an owner.

 

[BonkTastic]

https://www.gofundme. com/melnikin

lol @ those offline donations.

Hilarious things that are hilarious about this:

1) "Eugene Melnyk" donated $5, which is so far the smallest donation. Amazing.
2) the guy who donated as "Eugene Melnyk" also donated $5 to the #melnykout gofund me.
3) it has raised $156 (one hundred and fifty six dollars) in 2 days. #MelnykOut I think had already cleared $5k by that time.

4) and I have to say, this is the dilly of a pickle... this gofundme is to PAY FOR SEASONS TICKETS FOR THIS GUY.
The goal specifically states that all money will, and I quote here: "Instead of some silly billboard rental, your donation will buy advertising space right in the Arena. My wife and I will sit right behind the opposing team net wearing #MelnykIN t-shirts to every Sens home game."

All funds raised are going to go towards buying this guy and his wife tickets to Sens games so they can wear a t-shirt behind the visitors net. I mean... are you kidding me?

Hell of a scam. My hat is off to this guy for the sheer balls needed to crowd-source this.

 

[Gil Gunderson]

And I'm just pointing out that there may be an half a billion dollar reason why we are running a barebones operation right now.
Nobody is saying that having Menyk as an owner is ideal. I'm just not ready to demonize and vilify Melnyk yet, just because his pockets aren't as deep as other owners. And the anger some fans are directing towards other fans because they might not be as angry as you is disappointing to see.

I dunno, maybe I'm being naive and Melnyk truly is evil and is the next reincarnation of Harold Ballard and Bill Wirtz and we are all doomed with him as an owner.

Fans want to see their team win a Cup. That’s not going to happen with Melnyk. He was the reason Alfie left and he’ll be the reason Karlsson will too. The two most popular Sens of all time.

The guy simply can’t run a hockey team. With an increasing cap, our ability to compete with other teams is slowly fading away. There are teams with a worse financial situation than the Sens that are in way better shape than we are.

I don’t know Melnyk personally, nor do I care much for him, but I do know this franchise will be a mess until he sells. I don’t understand how someone could say otherwise.

 

[mysens]

Yet, he saved this team 15 yrs ago, made most of ottawa true senators fans and now he can't run a team? He was not selling out in the first and second round last year, how can he put a competitive team when fans stay home and don't support their team? Where is the money going to come from, simple business mathematics that fans like you don't get. All these clowns starting this collection of sorts for billboards and signs, like the clown collecting money so his wife and him sit behind the Nets! There is the reason this is all out of control, fans like that who would rather vilify the owner publicly but would take free tickets to see a game. ...nice support from our fans. And again, great precident you fans are setting to try and get the franchise sold to new investors.

 

[Sensung]

Yet, he saved this team 15 yrs ago, made most of ottawa true senators fans and now he can't run a team? He was not selling out in the first and second round last year, how can he put a competitive team when fans stay home and don't support their team? Where is the money going to come from, simple business mathematics that fans like you don't get. All these clowns starting this collection of sorts for billboards and signs, like the clown collecting money so his wife and him sit behind the Nets! There is the reason this is all out of control, fans like that who would rather vilify the owner publicly but would take free tickets to see a game. ...nice support from our fans. And again, great precident you fans are setting to try and get the franchise sold to new investors.

Did Melnyk make money last season after the long playoff run? (Even without sell outs at every game)

Did Melnyk get an extra 16M in expansion fees?

Instead of capitalizing on last year's excitement and spending to replace Methot and MacArthur, he cut the budget and the organization to the bone.

Eugene is responsible for the fan apathy and anger.

 

[BonkTastic]

made most of ottawa true senators fans

What are you even talking about? We had a team for like an entire decade before Melnyk bought the team.

You know who made most of Ottawa senators fans? Bruce Firestone. The guy who actually was responsible for the team existing in the first place.

and now he can't run a team?

There are some of us who have been saying this for years, this is not a new concept.

 

[Tnuoc Alucard]

This isn't a realistic scenario. Bettman has already made it clear that relocation is a last resort. In this case, if Melnyk tries to sell the team, the BoG will pressure him to sell the rink, too, and pressure whatever prospective buyer into thinking they won't be approved to relocate the team.

Melnyk either sells the team and rink, or doesn't sell either.

I don't believe that it's a NHL rule that NHL franchise owners also must own their building that they play in.

But I'll play along with your example.

So IF Melnyk decides to sell both the Franchise and the CTC, but retains the rights to redevelop Lebreton flats, who would be interested in buying the Senators along with an Arena that is in it's last stages of viability?

 

[Tnuoc Alucard]

You do realize that the Sens are coming off a season where they made approx 26M in profit, right?

Where did you get this number from?

 

[Sensung]

Where did you get this number from?

3rd round playoff run = approx 10 M in profit (likely a little lower than actual)

16M in expansion fees.

 

[bert]

Ballard convicted of fraud = Melnyk found guilty of accounting fraud.
Ballard cut his scouting staff salaries forcing them to resign. = Melynk let go the scouting staff.
Ballard and Captain Dave Keon had such a bad relationship that Keon left. = Alfy.
Ballard wanted to swap teams with Edmonton = Melnyk threatening to move

From Wikipedia "Even though the Leafs were barely competitive for much of the latter part of Ballard's tenure, every game at Maple Leaf Gardens was sold out. Ballard thus felt he had little financial incentive to sign better players. However, many players were unwilling to sign with Toronto in any event because of Ballard's reputation." This is what I fear is the next step in their parallel journeys.

Excellent post. I just got back from a week in Costa Rica and have read through a few threads. Looks like the same posters drinking the Melnyk coolaid have really dug their heels in.

 

[Joeyjoejoe]

I don't give a shit that he saved this franchise, this franchise saved his f***ing life. That's more important than anything. He has made money off this franchise since he bought it, and for buying it for $90M, now it's worth more than $500M. He can sell it and make a killing. I say we have paid him enough to keep using that 'saved the franchise' shtick he's been using against us.

 

[bert]

And I'm just pointing out that there may be an half a billion dollar reason why we are running a barebones operation right now.
Nobody is saying that having Menyk as an owner is ideal. I'm just not ready to demonize and vilify Melnyk yet, just because his pockets aren't as deep as other owners. And the anger some fans are directing towards other fans because they might not be as angry as them is disappointing to see.

I dunno, maybe I'm being naive and Melnyk truly is evil and is the next reincarnation of Harold Ballard and Bill Wirtz and we are all doomed with him as an owner.

Let's say his pockets were deep. Do you think the way he treated his employees is right? Do you think this nonsensical quotes to the media are beneficial? Don't you have an issue with Alfredsson and now Karlsson leaving not only due to money but the man himself are a good thing? What about his Matt Cooke investigation or his ridiculous comments about Crosby. Or his well documented business history? He is a low life with or without the spending. Hell there is a good chance he isn't even alive without the Senators and this is how he runs the organization.

 

[Upgrayedd]

He wasn't putting a cap team on the ice when he was making a profit (and when the team could've used a good player to two to compete). There's no reason to believe he invests more than the minimum going forward. It has always been a string of excuses. Hell, he hasn't even paid down the debt of the team after all these years. He has been using the organization all this time as an ATM machine and as a status symbol. Nothing more.

Agreed with this, I turned a blind eye for a few years but I can't ignore the massive billows of smoke and flame any longer, the Melnyk in thing has and will continue to give me a good laugh, same with those fighting the good fight for the owner for some reason....it is pure idiocracy at its finest, the definition of contrarianism!

 

[Nac Mac Feegle]

I don't believe that it's a NHL rule that NHL franchise owners also must own their building that they play in.

But I'll play along with your example.

So IF Melnyk decides to sell both the Franchise and the CTC, but retains the rights to redevelop Lebreton flats, who would be interested in buying the Senators along with an Arena that is in it's last stages of viability?

So Melynk is going to build an arena in Lebreton when he has no team? Oh, and he isn't the sole rights holder to Lebreton, so any changes have to go through his partners at Rendevous.

 

[BonkTastic]

So IF Melnyk decides to sell both the Franchise and the CTC, but retains the rights to redevelop Lebreton flats

Melnyk doesn't have sole rights to the Lebreton redevelopment. It's a joint effort on quite a few fronts.

Melnyk's participation in the project, I'm going to assume, is contingent on his continued ownership of the main tenant of the proposed arena that is at the center of the Lebreton project. Melnyk's only asset in the deal is the Senators. Without that, he's a non-contributing partner in any way you measure equity.

In the event that Melnyk sells the team, I assume that the other partners in Rendezvous push him out in favour of the new owner. There's no way he would maintain those rights, unless both the Rendezvous group AND the NCC suffer massive lapses in sanity and sign a deal that allows Melnyk some kind of equity in the deal regardless of his deliverables - in this case, his deliverable being an NHL hockey team.

 

[Micklebot]

Melnyk doesn't have sole rights to the Lebreton redevelopment. It's a joint effort on quite a few fronts.

Melnyk's participation in the project, I'm going to assume, is contingent on his continued ownership of the main tenant of the proposed arena that is at the center of the Lebreton project. Melnyk's only asset in the deal is the Senators. Without that, he's a non-contributing partner in any way you measure equity.

In the event that Melnyk sells the team, I assume that the other partners in Rendezvous push him out in favour of the new owner. There's no way he would maintain those rights, unless both the Rendezvous group AND the NRC suffer massive lapses in sanity and sign a deal that allows Melnyk some kind of equity in the deal regardless of his deliverables - in this case, his deliverable being an NHL hockey team.

Take your common sense logic and get out of here, it clearly doesn't belong in this discussion!

 

[BankStreetParade]

3rd round playoff run = approx 10 M in profit (likely a little lower than actual)

16M in expansion fees.

Your ability to represent facts in such a false way is truly remarkable. It took no less than a franchise expansion and this team getting to game 7 of the third round of the playoffs for this team to post any respectable profits (for which we have no accurate numbers).

How repeatable are those 2 things currently? Should we expect to see $16m per year in expansion fees? Should we expect at least game 7 of the third round every year?

How much taxes are paid on that profitability? What about servicing the debt on this team? How much would be left over from all of that profit? Would it even be enough to increase spending for 2 years? Who are the players you're looking to sign in free agency? Who would have signed here in July 2017, according to you? Just because you have the money to sign a player doesn't mean they'll automatically sign in Ottawa. There are many considerations and whether people like it or not, Ottawa has not historically been attractive to free agents. It's not clear what the main concern is but it could be the high income tax in Ontario. It could be Ottawa itself as a city for a young, wealthy athlete to enjoy himself in. It could be the weather in the winter. It could be wanting to play with friends. It could be how the team values certain free agents vs. how other teams value them (both in terms of dollars and term). It could be opportunity to play significant minutes or the lack thereof.

Nothing is as linear as "we made more money let's spend it". Definitely not when it comes to something as fluid as professional sports. The players aren't beholden to any owner and just because we want someone to come and play here doesn't necessarily mean they will.

But I suppose in your world and the hysteria and conspiracy that surrounds you, every single player who doesn't sign in Ottawa is because the owner is cheap.

Just accept it, Ottawa is not a major market and can't spend like one. Why is that so hard to admit to?

 

[thammias]

Looks like the same posters drinking the Melnyk coolaid have really dug their heels in.

Yep I'm drowning in the Melnyk koolaid. This what I mean when I say this #Melnykout campaign is bringing a toxic divisive atmosphere to the fanbase. Why can't we just have a discussion without these petty jabs?