Management Ownership: Jeremy Jacobs & Family

[GordonHowe]

And they use the "The fans don't want a rebuild" excuse and people buy it. I've been a fan for 50 yrs. Through good and bad times. I know that I can handle a rebuild of a couple of years and then start showing improvements. Most B's fans I know feel the same way. The problem is that we know that this FO couldn't rebuild a Duplo Kitty
View attachment 573054

They could, as you know. They choose not to do so. That would interupt the cash flow.

There are two things that can happen.

One, the Bruins become bad enough that paying customers stay away, as they did, increasingly, in the early to mid oughts.

(Loss of gate, as you will recall, was the only thing that compelled Jacobs to dump Sinden, fire OC, and hand the future to his son Charlie.

(God bless Charlie.

(I may be comically wrong, but I think, along with the bottom line, he actually wants to do right by the Bruins and their fans. It was he who hired Peter Chiarelli. Which, eventually, led to the hiring of Claude Julien, and a string of BBB Redux greats that brougth fans their first Cup since 1972.)

The other is that, at long last, the old man, ah, shuffles off to Buffalo. Metaphorically.

Nothing will change otherwise.

"Book it."

 

[Fenway]

I never knew any of that stuff before reading the article.

I was curious about Jeremy’s brother.

Max Jacobs - Biography - IMDb

Max Jacobs. Actor: Jetzt flippt der Dicke völlig aus. Max Jacobs was born on 28 April 1937 in Buffalo, New York, USA. He is an actor, known for Jetzt flippt der Dicke völlig aus (1986), Prime Evil - Im Namen des Satans (1988) and The Magnificent Yankee (1965).

www.imdb.com

 

[GordonHowe]

Here you go @sooshii I just cleaned it out lol

I know it isn't right to say this but I hope Eagleson burns in hell, he harmed a lot of people.

No. It's right to say that.

He's a pig, and unrepentant pig.

 

[JerseyBruin]

JerseyBruin said:

Right but if your an owner why would you be satisfied with mediocre results when winning the cup brings much more money. People say all Jacobs cares about is to get his 1st round playoff money - as a businessman that's just a flawed thought process.


The building sells out. Every night.

He owns the team. He owns the Garden. He owns the land adjacent to the Garden. He owns the concessions. He owns the parking. He owns an interest in NESN.

The Bruins are worth at least $1.3 billion. Burns himself is worth at least $2.9 billion.

Let me make this plain for you. As long as those things are true, JEREMY JACOBS DOESN'T GIVE A FLYING f*** ABOUT BOSTON, THE BRUINS, OR YOU.

Clear?

I have met a few very successful business people in my life. And one thing I know is true of all of them is that they want to win at everything. People like Jacobs would never leave money on the table by not caring about a major sports franchise. It's so illogical.

 

[GordonHowe]

I hate to be the guy to defend him every time, but here I am again. Jeremy Jacobs is a good owner, and dare I say he may be the best owner in professional hockey.

The owner's job isn't to win cups. It's to maintain an efficient business and lead an organization that is profitable with a sustainable balance sheet. He provides the budget to the hockey operations department and it's hockey operations' job to use those resources to put the team on the ice with the goal of winning. And Hockey Ops is accountable to ownership because winning/losing affects the balance sheet, etc. And in the cap world, you can't blame ownership for being cheap anymore.

The characterization of Jacobs as just money grubbing and leeching off the Bruins isn't even true. There have been some NHL owners who were rapacious grifters looking to line their own pockets - Bruce McNall, the Atlanta group, etc. Jacobs by contrast has set up a very healthy organization with a long-term scope. Per Forbes the Bruins are the 5th most valuable franchise in the league, but they're actually in healthier shape than the organizations ahead of them: the Rangers (1) and Leafs' (2) ownership groups are really leveraged. Like, majorly. The Habs (3) are always at the mercy of politics and local economics, and since the last Forbes list came out the Blackhawks (4) have taken massive hits to their value for on and off ice reasons. The Bruins are not leveraged very much at all compared to the rest of the league, they own their own television and arena, just opened a new practice rink and other facilities in the last few years, etc.

In a 32 team league it's hard to win a cup. But the Bruins have consistently been in the hunt for the last 13 years and made it to three finals and got one cup over that span. The idea of an owner going all in with resources or meddling in operations because they treat the franchise like a toy and winning becomes a higher goal than stability like a Jerry Jones type usually causes more trouble than success (look at Jerry Jones' Cowboys). The Rangers, Leafs, and Habs haven't won anything in a long time. But there's some perception that Dolan cares more because he can be a spendthrift, but they usually have a small window where they're competitive for 3 years then out of the playoffs for 5 years, etc. Snyder in Philly was the same, chasing cups and failing for 30 years causing rebuilds every 4 years. At least the Bruins have sustained something.

People mainly hate that JJ didn't open the wallet to spend a lot on free agents back in the 90s when the Red Wings and Rangers were going crazy, etc. and they also blame him for Harry Sinden being too much of a hardass in negotiations. And the things that the Wings, Rangers, Blues, Stars, etc. were doing in the 90s led to a massive work stoppage and threatened the viability of the league.

Not trying to praise the guy and say he's perfect, but he's far too hated now and doesn't get credit for the good organization that he's built here. The Bruins might be the healthiest organization in the league financially right now and that will give hockey operations the resources to be competitive. It's on Neely/Sweeney to turn that into cups.

You're right about a lot of this.

Since he got his cap, Jacobs has spent to it every season.

I do not expect any owner to pursue the Cup, year after year, with profligate contracts or to chase superstars to remain "relevant." NYR before the advent of Gorton and John Davidson exemplified this foolish and self-defeating course.

It is also true that under Jacobs', the Bruins bottom line, for the most part, has thrived since 1975, when he purchased the club. They are a financially healthy organization, not least because of hard headed decisions per players but also because Jacobs was crafty in building out his Causeway empire.

And Jacobs has never, ever injected himself or his ego into Bruins' dealings, ala Jerry Jones or Dolan. For that I give all tribute. It is a significant plus.

All true.

Even so, I still hate him, and I hate what he let Sinden do for thirty plus years. They deserve each other, and if there is any justice, the two of them will break rocks in hell.

Am I harsh? I am.

Sorry, not sorry.

Back in the early 90s, if a Bruins player wanted to his jersey as a keepsake, perhaps framed, he had to pay for it out of his own pocket. I kid you not.

This was likely Sinden's doing, schmuck that he was, is, and always will be. And don't tell me about Harry's fantastic deals. For every one of those, I can supply a shit signing, an over the hill joke signing when the Bruins could have used AT LEAST one or two legitimate NHLers to put them over the top. Which, of course, under Sinden never happened. Always --always -- a day late and a dollar short.

(Joe Mullen; Paul Coffey, Al Iafrate, Alexei Zhamnov, Kevin Stevens, Marty McSorley, Brian Leetch, Marty LaPointe [OC, 5 million], all of them well washed and pressed by the time they arrived in Boston. Doubtless I am missing at least two or three more. And let's not forget the immortal Petri Skriko. Pulled the trigger on that one.)

If you would like a list of Sinden's boorish, tactless, shithead treatment of his players, a long list can be readily drawn. Raymond Bourque, arbitration. Tom McVie. Reggie Lemelin. To name but a few.

All of this, and more, was known to Jeremy Jacobs. Or, not. The point is that he didn't care. He will never care.

Finally, lest we forget, with Jacobs leading the charge,

In 2003–04 season, under his direction, the Bruins finished first in the Northeast Division, second in the Eastern Conference and fourth overall in the NHL with 104 points. The NHL then locked-out its players for the 2004–05 season and the Bruins lost five players previously acquired by O'Connell (Michael Nylander, Brian Rolston, Sean O'Donnell, Mike Knuble and Sergei Gonchar) to free agency. O'Connell blamed Bruins owner Jeremy Jacobs for the decision to not re-sign the free agents.

In 2005, O'Connell traded Bruins star center Joe Thornton to the San Jose Sharks, receiving Brad Stuart, Marco Sturm and Wayne Primeau in exchange. Thornton would ultimately win the Hart Memorial Trophy as the League's most valuable player and the Art Ross Trophy as scoring champion at the conclusion of the 2005–06 season.


Jacobs stays out of hockey operations, unless his profts are threatened.

So, okay, he's not the worst NHL owner ever. That accolade is reserved for Harold Ballard, Bruce Norris, and Dollar Bill Wirtz.

He's still a scumbag, however.

If you're a Bruins fan, he's laughing at you.

All the way to the bank.

 

[the negotiator]

You're right about a lot of this.

Since he got his cap, Jacobs has spent to it every season.

I do not expect any owner to pursue the Cup, year after year, with profligate contracts or to chase superstars to remain "relevant." NYR before the advent of Gorton and John Davidson exemplified this foolish and self-defeating course.

It is also true that under Jacobs', the Bruins bottom line, for the most part, has thrived since 1975, when he purchased the club. They are a financially healthy organization, not least because of hard headed decisions per players but also because Jacobs was crafty in building out his Causway empire.

And Jacobs has never, ever injected himself or his ego into Bruins' dealings, ala Jerry Jones or Dolan. For that I give all tribute. It is a significant plus.

All true.

Even so, I still hate him, and I hate what he let Sinden do for thirty plus years. They deserve each other, and if there is any justice, the two of them will break rocks in hell.

Am I harsh? I am.

Sorry, not sorry.

Back in the early 90s, if a Bruins player wanted to his jersey as a keepsake, perhaps framed, he had to pay for it out of his own pocket. I kid you not.

This was likely Sinden's doing, schmuck that he was, is, and always will be. And don't tell me about Harry's fantastic deals. For every one of those, I can supply a shit signing, an over the hill joke signing when the Bruins could have used AT LEAST one or two legitimate NHLers to put them over the top. Which, of course, under Sinden never happened. Always --always -- a day late and a dollar short.

(Joe Mullen; Paul Coffey, Al Iafrate, Alexei Zhamnov, Kevin Stevens, Marty McSorley, Brian Leetch, Marty LaPointe [OC, 5 million], all of them well washed and pressed by the time they arrived in Boston. Doubtless I am missing at least two or three more. And let's not forget the immortal Petri Skriko. Pulled the trigger on that one.)

If you would like a list of Sinden's boorish, tactless, shithead treatment of his players, a long list can be readily drawn. Raymond Bourque, arbitration. Tom McVie. Reggie Lemelin. To name but a few.

All of this, and more, was known to Jeremy Jacobs. Or, not. The point is that he didn't care. He will never care.

Finally, lest we forget, with Jacobs leading the charge,

In 2003–04 season, under his direction, the Bruins finished first in the Northeast Division, second in the Eastern Conference and fourth overall in the NHL with 104 points. The NHL then locked-out its players for the 2004–05 season and the Bruins lost five players previously acquired by O'Connell (Michael Nylander, Brian Rolston, Sean O'Donnell, Mike Knuble and Sergei Gonchar) to free agency. O'Connell blamed Bruins owner Jeremy Jacobs for the decision to not re-sign the free agents.

In 2005, O'Connell traded Bruins star center Joe Thornton to the San Jose Sharks, receiving Brad Stuart, Marco Sturm and Wayne Primeau in exchange. Thornton would ultimately win the Hart Memorial Trophy as the League's most valuable player and the Art Ross Trophy as scoring champion at the conclusion of the 2005–06 season.


Jacobs stays out of hockey operations, unless his profts are threatened.

So, okay, he's not the worst NHL owner ever. That accolade is reserved for Harold Ballard, Bruce Norris, and Dollar Bill Wirtz.

He's still a scumbag, however.

If you're a Bruins fan, he's laughing at you.

All the way to the bank.

Sadly this is dead -on accurate

I've had the opportunity to work/ consult with numerous CEOs....the best had a core set of values as well as strong business acumen. And unfortunately, many other " successful " CEO's had one and only one focus- profits

Jeremy Jacobs falls into category two ...actually he is the poster child for making money no matter what it takes

 

[LouJersey]

Bruins fans deserve the Wilpons

 

[everett rats]

Sadly this is dead -on accurate

I've had the opportunity to work/ consult with numerous CEOs....the best had a core set of values as well as strong business acumen. And unfortunately, many other " successful " CEO's had one and only one focus- profits

Jeremy Jacobs falls into category two ...actually he the poster child for making money no matter what it takes

Really? So he spends as much as he can every season but somehow is cheap? Blame him if you want for the 90s early 2000s but please don't blame him for the past two decades he has spent to the cap would you rather have some of these other owners like in Buffalo Detroit Arizona list could go on and on the bruins for the past 2K decades have been much more successful than most of the NHL

 

[Gordoff]

Really? So he spends as much as he can every season but somehow is cheap? Blame him if you want for the 90s early 2000s but please don't blame him for the past two decades he has spent to the cap would you rather have some of these other owners like in Buffalo Detroit Arizona list could go on and on the bruins for the past 2K decades have been much more successful than most of the NHL

You're right! I mean, he went out of his way to put in all of those shiny new narrow seats for Bruins/Celtics etc fans fanny's. Sardines know the feeling.
Of course, they didn't waste any money on that nonsensical new ice plant so that players don't blow out their knees or groins. You'd think that the players would be more thankful for the vacations that they get after their injuries and some, the surgeries to repair said injuries. Generous=Jacobs!

 

[McGarnagle]

You're right about a lot of this.

Since he got his cap, Jacobs has spent to it every season.

I do not expect any owner to pursue the Cup, year after year, with profligate contracts or to chase superstars to remain "relevant." NYR before the advent of Gorton and John Davidson exemplified this foolish and self-defeating course.

It is also true that under Jacobs', the Bruins bottom line, for the most part, has thrived since 1975, when he purchased the club. They are a financially healthy organization, not least because of hard headed decisions per players but also because Jacobs was crafty in building out his Causway empire.

And Jacobs has never, ever injected himself or his ego into Bruins' dealings, ala Jerry Jones or Dolan. For that I give all tribute. It is a significant plus.

All true.

Even so, I still hate him, and I hate what he let Sinden do for thirty plus years. They deserve each other, and if there is any justice, the two of them will break rocks in hell.

Am I harsh? I am.

Sorry, not sorry.

Back in the early 90s, if a Bruins player wanted to his jersey as a keepsake, perhaps framed, he had to pay for it out of his own pocket. I kid you not.

This was likely Sinden's doing, schmuck that he was, is, and always will be. And don't tell me about Harry's fantastic deals. For every one of those, I can supply a shit signing, an over the hill joke signing when the Bruins could have used AT LEAST one or two legitimate NHLers to put them over the top. Which, of course, under Sinden never happened. Always --always -- a day late and a dollar short.

(Joe Mullen; Paul Coffey, Al Iafrate, Alexei Zhamnov, Kevin Stevens, Marty McSorley, Brian Leetch, Marty LaPointe [OC, 5 million], all of them well washed and pressed by the time they arrived in Boston. Doubtless I am missing at least two or three more. And let's not forget the immortal Petri Skriko. Pulled the trigger on that one.)

If you would like a list of Sinden's boorish, tactless, shithead treatment of his players, a long list can be readily drawn. Raymond Bourque, arbitration. Tom McVie. Reggie Lemelin. To name but a few.

All of this, and more, was known to Jeremy Jacobs. Or, not. The point is that he didn't care. He will never care.

Finally, lest we forget, with Jacobs leading the charge,

In 2003–04 season, under his direction, the Bruins finished first in the Northeast Division, second in the Eastern Conference and fourth overall in the NHL with 104 points. The NHL then locked-out its players for the 2004–05 season and the Bruins lost five players previously acquired by O'Connell (Michael Nylander, Brian Rolston, Sean O'Donnell, Mike Knuble and Sergei Gonchar) to free agency. O'Connell blamed Bruins owner Jeremy Jacobs for the decision to not re-sign the free agents.

In 2005, O'Connell traded Bruins star center Joe Thornton to the San Jose Sharks, receiving Brad Stuart, Marco Sturm and Wayne Primeau in exchange. Thornton would ultimately win the Hart Memorial Trophy as the League's most valuable player and the Art Ross Trophy as scoring champion at the conclusion of the 2005–06 season.


Jacobs stays out of hockey operations, unless his profts are threatened.

So, okay, he's not the worst NHL owner ever. That accolade is reserved for Harold Ballard, Bruce Norris, and Dollar Bill Wirtz.

He's still a scumbag, however.

If you're a Bruins fan, he's laughing at you.

All the way to the bank.

I kind of think now that the whole cheap reputation wasn't Jacobs but actually Harry Sinden, who never left 1965 in his dealings with players (taking Bourque to arbitration lmao). Jacobs' fault over that period was sticking with Harry for 30 years - but business was good and up until 1994 they were perpetually in the conversation every spring. After Neely retired the chickens came to roost and it still took 2 DNQs in 4 years for Sinden to step down, and even then his crony MoC was put in his chair until he made the most boneheaded trade in history and had to be removed - which may have been a blessing in disguise in the end.

The only time Jacobs ever injected himself into the on-ice product was the Martin Lapointe fiasco (and I don't even know if that's true or some urban legend that Kevin Dupont heard third hand and reported). Mike Illitch supposedly called Jacobs a cheapskate at a BoG meeting and he took it personal and ordered MOC to sign one of Detroit's free agents no matter the cost. Even then, it worked out since without Lapointe Bergeron doesn't have a francophone mentor in his rookie season.

 

[CrownofThornton]

Fix the f***ing Ice at TD garden you cheap f***s!

 

[Gordoff]

Fix the f***ing Ice at TD garden you cheap f***s!

Ingrate!

 

[Fenway]

The Jacobs starting with the father used to advance money to struggling teams in return for lifetime concession rights.

Hospitality & Food Service Leader - Delaware North

Delaware North is a global leader in hospitality and entertainment, a culinary leader in the world of premium restaurants, catering and sports hospitality.

www.delawarenorth.com

Ponder this over your morning coffee......

The Adams Family owned the team from 1924-1951 and 1964 - 1972. Walter Brown ran the Bruins from 1951-1964 but he was more concerned with the Celtics.

The Adams family was well off but not wealthy and they had to sell because of the WHA. The 1971-72 Boston Braves kept the Bruins afloat but when the Whalers started the Braves became an afterthought.

Jacobs was invisible for 31 years - The first time I ever heard his voice was the day after the Thornton trade and he called WEEI demanding to speak to Ordway.

What would have happened to this team if they had moved to New Hampshire 40 years ago?



18:04 - Brian McFarlane interviews former Bruin Johnny Peirson 20:45 - Dave Hodge interviews Bruin GM Harry Sinden

 

[BiteThisBurrows]

This thread is absolutely hilarious. The Bruins are a model professional sports franchise and the envy of many many teams/cities. The players love it here, the culture is incredible, and the fans are spoiled rotten. The owners are part of that equation.
If you think this franchise is broken and things need to change, maybe you should try going to Buffalo and supporting them for a while. Good luck with all that.

 

[Fenway]

This thread is absolutely hilarious. The Bruins are a model professional sports franchise and the envy of many many teams/cities. The players love it here, the culture is incredible, and the fans are spoiled rotten. The owners are part of that equation.
If you think this franchise is broken and things need to change, maybe you should try going to Buffalo and supporting them for a while. Good luck with all that.

I think we all know the B's are now in rough seas as there are teams in the Atlantic that have been bottom feeders that are now trending up.

Jacobs gave the keys to Harry for 30 years

Charlie convinced Papa that they needed to bring in an outsider to run hockey ops and Chia was hired but they also hired Cameron to be the public face of the club.

Thankfully the B's did not overreact after the 2010 disaster with the Flyers but Cam was ready to fire Chia and Julien in 2011 but...................

A Jacobs owned team has made it to the SCF 7 times

1977, 1978, 1988, 1990, 2011, 2013, 2019

 

[smithformeragent]

Jeremy remains chair of the NHL board of governors. That tells you all you need to know.

It's a cold-dead-hands scenario, despite the living will formalities.

For someone who handed off the reins, he’s around just as much as ever.

 

[Bradely]

I hate to be the guy to defend him every time, but here I am again. Jeremy Jacobs is a good owner, and dare I say he may be the best owner in professional hockey.

The owner's job isn't to win cups. It's to maintain an efficient business and lead an organization that is profitable with a sustainable balance sheet. He provides the budget to the hockey operations department and it's hockey operations' job to use those resources to put the team on the ice with the goal of winning. And Hockey Ops is accountable to ownership because winning/losing affects the balance sheet, etc. And in the cap world, you can't blame ownership for being cheap anymore.

The characterization of Jacobs as just money grubbing and leeching off the Bruins isn't even true. There have been some NHL owners who were rapacious grifters looking to line their own pockets - Bruce McNall, the Atlanta group, etc. Jacobs by contrast has set up a very healthy organization with a long-term scope. Per Forbes the Bruins are the 5th most valuable franchise in the league, but they're actually in healthier shape than the organizations ahead of them: the Rangers (1) and Leafs' (2) ownership groups are really leveraged. Like, majorly. The Habs (3) are always at the mercy of politics and local economics, and since the last Forbes list came out the Blackhawks (4) have taken massive hits to their value for on and off ice reasons. The Bruins are not leveraged very much at all compared to the rest of the league, they own their own television and arena, just opened a new practice rink and other facilities in the last few years, etc.

In a 32 team league it's hard to win a cup. But the Bruins have consistently been in the hunt for the last 13 years and made it to three finals and got one cup over that span. The idea of an owner going all in with resources or meddling in operations because they treat the franchise like a toy and winning becomes a higher goal than stability like a Jerry Jones type usually causes more trouble than success (look at Jerry Jones' Cowboys). The Rangers, Leafs, and Habs haven't won anything in a long time. But there's some perception that Dolan cares more because he can be a spendthrift, but they usually have a small window where they're competitive for 3 years then out of the playoffs for 5 years, etc. Snyder in Philly was the same, chasing cups and failing for 30 years causing rebuilds every 4 years. At least the Bruins have sustained something.

People mainly hate that JJ didn't open the wallet to spend a lot on free agents back in the 90s when the Red Wings and Rangers were going crazy, etc. and they also blame him for Harry Sinden being too much of a hardass in negotiations. And the things that the Wings, Rangers, Blues, Stars, etc. were doing in the 90s led to a massive work stoppage and threatened the viability of the league.

Not trying to praise the guy and say he's perfect, but he's far too hated now and doesn't get credit for the good organization that he's built here. The Bruins might be the healthiest organization in the league financially right now and that will give hockey operations the resources to be competitive. It's on Neely/Sweeney to turn that into cups.

You might be right on the Jacob's family I don't really know...But the bold part just is for me bizarre and is imo irrelevant
1) Politic a problem for the Habs or for English speaking individuals not really understanding it and b) how is the Montreal current local economic actually a problem for ownership? Same Canadian dollar than Toronto!

 

[KrejciMVP]

I hope to see a new ownership goup in my lifetime

 

[Bradely]

I think we all know the B's are now in rough seas as there are teams in the Atlantic that have been bottom feeders that are now trending up.

Jacobs gave the keys to Harry for 30 years

Charlie convinced Papa that they needed to bring in an outsider to run hockey ops and Chia was hired but they also hired Cameron to be the public face of the club.

Thankfully the B's did not overreact after the 2010 disaster with the Flyers but Cam was ready to fire Chia and Julien in 2011 but...................

A Jacobs owned team has made it to the SCF 7 times

1977, 1978, 1988, 1990, 2011, 2013, 2019

And has been one of the most 5 successful organisation in the last 15 years. Not bad imo!

f*** Jeremy
f*** Charlie
f*** the whole Jacobs clan

F.. the traffic
F.. the beer price
F.. the hot-dog price
F... I am missing bruins games

 

[Bs1011]

Oh believe me I know, I was a fan back then. The final straw was when Ray Bourque was traded because it was the only way he'd ever get a real honest to goodness chance to win a Stanley Cup.

Exactly I will never give Mr. Burns the benefit of the doubt. $&@? him and we spend to the cap now crap. He wasted years of hall of fame players being cheap. He never had any fan interest in the Bruins he bought them as a business acquisition to sell his shitty concessions. There never was that fan attachment that some owners have to a team whether it’s love of the sport, team , or the city. This owner loves one thing MONEY!

 

[Therick67]

This thread is absolutely hilarious. The Bruins are a model professional sports franchise and the envy of many many teams/cities. The players love it here, the culture is incredible, and the fans are spoiled rotten. The owners are part of that equation.
If you think this franchise is broken and things need to change, maybe you should try going to Buffalo and supporting them for a while. Good luck with all that.

The fans are spoiled rotten? Seriously? JJ has made a TON of money off the spoiled Bruins fans in 50 plus years .

I'd say he's the spoiled one, the fans show up night in and night out for half a century lining his pockets.

 

[BMC]

Worth noting...

Jeremy Jacobs gives control of Bruins to his six children

I think that while legal control has been given to his children (almost certainly for inheritance tax purposes) the real power is still firmly in his hands.

 

[Number8]

I have met a few very successful business people in my life. And one thing I know is true of all of them is that they want to win at everything. People like Jacobs would never leave money on the table by not caring about a major sports franchise. It's so illogical.

I have as well. The flaw with that argument, IMO, is that "winning at everything" comes with a cost.

For example, two people are bidding as part of a real estate deal. Person X wants to the building because he or she sees it as a good investment. Person Y wants to get the building because once he or she commits to doing something they must win. Person Y overpays due to the obsession with winning. Person X lives to fight another day.

Who is likely to be the more "successful" business person? Person X any day of the week.

Jacobs has shown over the years he ranks "winning" in a way much different than fans. And it is probably in this order of magnitude:

1) Money (gate, concessions, not fixing ice plant, employing Sinden for so many years)
.
.
.
.
.
2) Personal Vendettas (Marty Lapointe debacle with Wirtz in Chicago and not reeling in Sinden when he acted the fool)
.
.
3) Winning Stanley Cups

 

[Midship]

This thread is absolutely hilarious. The Bruins are a model professional sports franchise and the envy of many many teams/cities. The players love it here, the culture is incredible, and the fans are spoiled rotten. The owners are part of that equation.
If you think this franchise is broken and things need to change, maybe you should try going to Buffalo and supporting them for a while. Good luck with all that.

1 cup in 50 years and we are "spoiled rotten"?

 

[Hookslide]

Oh believe me I know, I was a fan back then. The final straw was when Ray Bourque was traded because it was the only way he'd ever get a real honest to goodness chance to win a Stanley Cup.

Neely and Middleton always said they were that one player away..........sad good players wasted in that regard