Part 6: True North Sports & Entertainment's efforts to acquire an NHL team (Winnipeg)

[MAROONSRoad]

When the other shoe drops, we'll be waiting

With each passing day it's beginning to look more and more like the NHL has two franchises it will need to move, and with only one immediately viable option.

The Phoenix Coyotes have been on the verge of being sold by the NHL to Matthew Hulsizer since last fall, and although most of the transaction has been dealt with for some time, finishing it off has proven difficult.

Will a deal get done? Maybe, but there's been very little talk out of the NHL, Hulsizer and City of Glendale camps for some time. Perhaps all the work they've reportedly been doing behind the scenes is about to pay off. It better, and in a hurry, because the NHL will need to make a call on the Coyotes real soon.

Also looking like they'll need a new home are the Atlanta Thrashers. The current owners have had enough and want to sell. They've had limited local interest and have made it known they'll sell to a group with relocation plans if that's what they have to do.

All the while, True North Sports and Entertainment sits quietly on the sideline, ready to buy a franchise and move it to the MTS Centre.

True North is close to plug and play regarding an NHL operation and gives the league its only real option for next season. No other ownership group, building or city is anywhere near as ready as the combination Winnipeg has to offer. NHL commissioner Gary Bettman is comforted by the fact that if he can't solve one or both of these blights on his league, he has a safe and easy move to Winnipeg all lined up.

There's not much time left on the clock for either problem to be solved and still there remains only one for-sure answer.

That's what it all comes down to at this point in time -- Phoenix can't fix the Coyotes. Winnipeg can. Atlanta can't fix the Thrashers. Winnipeg can.

http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/br...her-shoe-drops-well-be-waiting-119585244.html

GHOST

Click to read more...

 

[Brazz]

get r done

 

[dronald]

http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/br...her-shoe-drops-well-be-waiting-119585244.html

GHOST

Hypothetically, if the Yotes move to Winnipeg this year, and the Thrashers are forced to move this year, where are they most likely to go? Doesn't QC still have some work to do before they can get a team?

 

[Jesus Christ Horburn]

Hypothetically, if the Yotes move to Winnipeg this year, and the Thrashers are forced to move this year, where are they most likely to go? Doesn't QC still have some work to do before they can get a team?

IMO:

50% Quebec City
30% Kansas City
20% Hamilton

 

[Gryph]

Take this for what it's worth, but spoke to Dave Thomson over the weekend and he said he was very confident that a deal is all but done, and the team will be playing in Winnipeg next year. I pressed him on the Jets/Moose question and he told me it would have to be a surprise.

I'm sure there will be some who don't believe me...but it seems like everyone is pretty desperate for information so I thought I would share anyway.

 

[peter sullivan]

did he happen to mention who might be playing in his arena?

 

[BrianL*]

Hypothetically, if the Yotes move to Winnipeg this year, and the Thrashers are forced to move this year, where are they most likely to go? Doesn't QC still have some work to do before they can get a team?

My personal opinion, based on complete ignorance because the NHL has refused my requests to be in their BoG Meetings, is that they would never consider moving two franchises in the same year. If the Coyotes move to Winnipeg, this almost assuredly indicates that Atlanta will stay put for at least another year to look for a local solution, even if it means the NHL takes over that franchise.

 

[Gryph]

did he happen to mention who might be playing in his arena?

Dating back to last summer it has always been about the Coyotes.

 

[Killion]

did he happen to mention who might be playing in his arena?

The Shea Amphitheater?. Thats a mightyfine facility I'll have you know.

 

[peter sullivan]

Dating back to last summer it has always been about the Coyotes.

hmmm...that surprises me.

 

[BrianL*]

IMO:

50% Quebec City
30% Kansas City
20% Hamilton

Would someone explain to me why people still think KC is a viable option? During their brief, miserable existence, they drew crowds of AHL calibre. In fact, when you consider that in any city that has had both leagues, AHL attendance is well below NHL attendance, KC would rank in the bottom of the AHL. It doesn't matter that the team was horrible, KC is clearly not a hockey town. Accept it, move on.

Hamilton? You aren't getting a team as long as the Maple Buds have influence. Accept it, move on.

Quebec City is clearly the right choice for the next (after Winnipeg of course) NHL franchise. They will have money backing them, they will have a new arena, they will have fan support. They will complete the Canadian Top 8 metropolitan areas (not counting Hamilton which of course is disqualified by their proximity to the centre of the universe) and that's really all Canada can hope for.

 

[BrianSTC]

Take this for what it's worth, but spoke to Dave Thomson over the weekend and he said he was very confident that a deal is all but done, and the team will be playing in Winnipeg next year. I pressed him on the Jets/Moose question and he told me it would have to be a surprise.

I'm sure there will be some who don't believe me...but it seems like everyone is pretty desperate for information so I thought I would share anyway.

If they call an NHL team the Moose I will puke in my sleep.

Winnipeg Jets all the way!

 

[Moobles]

They have an arena, and if an ownership group comes up that's all that matters. That said, if another team is going to move, Quebec would probably be the city with the most enthusiastic group of willing owners (quite a few big names looking to bring a team there).

Would someone explain to me why people still think KC is a viable option? During their brief, miserable existence, they drew crowds of AHL calibre. In fact, when you consider that in any city that has had both leagues, AHL attendance is well below NHL attendance, KC would rank in the bottom of the AHL. It doesn't matter that the team was horrible, KC is clearly not a hockey town. Accept it, move on.

Hamilton? You aren't getting a team as long as the Maple Buds have influence. Accept it, move on.

Quebec City is clearly the right choice for the next (after Winnipeg of course) NHL franchise. They will have money backing them, they will have a new arena, they will have fan support. They will complete the Canadian Top 8 metropolitan areas (not counting Hamilton which of course is disqualified by their proximity to the centre of the universe) and that's really all Canada can hope for.

 

[LadyStanley]

Would someone explain to me why people still think KC is a viable option?

Because they have an (almost) new, shiny arena without an anchor tenant.


(Still haven't seen anyone come up with a potential owner for there -- and that's the NHL's second criteria about relocating team.)

 

[Steve Passless*]

(under the right conditions, the place IS a good hockey market

How can you assert this when we've seen them lose lots of money every year?

 

[BrianL*]

Hamilton? You aren't getting a team as long as the Maple Buds have influence. Accept it, move on.

Ehh, I'll take that one back. Late night, too much wine. Money can make anything happen. Unless your name is Balsillie.

 

[Kebekoi]

Ehh, I'll take that one back. Late night, too much wine. Money can make anything happen. Unless your name is Balsillie.

Toronto and Buffalo only have 2 votes out of 30 in a 50%+1 voting.
If MSLE can grease hands they could swing the votes.

 

[Hamilton Tigers]

Because they have an (almost) new, shiny arena without an anchor tenant.

And it's operated by AEG, who have significant clout with the NHL.

 

[Buck Aki Berg]

How can you assert this when we've seen them lose lots of money every year?

You can't just look at what colour ink you're writing with and make assumptions about viability and stability. The Coyotes were drawing very well when they were downtown at AWA, but they lost money because of a crappy lease. The fact that they were drawing well shows that there's a possibility that they could draw well in the future.

 

[saskganesh]

Because they have an (almost) new, shiny arena without an anchor tenant.


(Still haven't seen anyone come up with a potential owner for there -- and that's the NHL's second criteria about relocating team.)

they also need 3) a business plan appropriate to the market. the NHL's old strategy of "build it and they will come" has led to many problems in new markets.

 

[King Woodballs]

You can't just look at what colour ink you're writing with and make assumptions about viability and stability. The Coyotes were drawing very well when they were downtown at AWA, but they lost money because of a crappy lease. The fact that they were drawing well shows that there's a possibility that they could draw well in the future.

see there is always an excuse
after 15 years there had better be solutions not more excuses

 

[Ryan34222]

IMO:

50% Quebec City
30% Kansas City
20% Hamilton

50% KC
25% Hamilton
25% QC
imo

i'd be surprised if the Gary Bettmans NHL would give Canada back 2 teams so soon..
unfortunately i have this feeling QC is going down the same path as Hamilton did.. brand new arena no team

 

[MAROONSRoad]

You can't just look at what colour ink you're writing with and make assumptions about viability and stability. The Coyotes were drawing very well when they were downtown at AWA, but they lost money because of a crappy lease. The fact that they were drawing well shows that there's a possibility that they could draw well in the future.

The Coyotes lost money while playing at AWA also.

Can you detail why the Coyotes' lease at Jobing.com was "crappy." Consider that the taxpayers paid $180MM to build the arena. The Coyotes had access to much of the revenue from the building. And as lessee did not have to pay any property taxes.

GHOST

 

[Whileee]

The Coyotes lost money while playing at AWA also.

Can you detail why the Coyotes' lease at Jobing.com was "crappy." Consider that the taxpayers paid $180MM to build the arena. The Coyotes had access to much of the revenue from the building. And as lessee did not have to pay any property taxes.

GHOST

Plus, presumably they could have generated and kept a whole whack of revenue from parking, though for some reason they decided not to generate anything from that revenue source.

 

[pirate94]

Because they have an (almost) new, shiny arena without an anchor tenant.


(Still haven't seen anyone come up with a potential owner for there -- and that's the NHL's second criteria about relocating team.)

All they need is a fanbase, business plan, ownership willing to buy into the NHL after seeing 2 expansion teams lose a combined $630 million in non-traditional hockey markets.