Part 7: True North Sports & Entertainment's efforts to acquire an NHL team (Winnipeg)

[jorbjorb]

i too believe the thrashers are coming here not the coyotes
http://www.tsn.ca/returntowinnipeg/story/?id=363831

 

[Fidel Astro]

Ever since the Sun did that stupid relaunch of their website, I can't open their stories on this ****** old computer.

Not having read the story, I'd be very surprised if Katz had any inside information about the goings-on in Glendale. Yes, he has experience as a team owner himself, but that's a minor-pro baseball team. It doesn't mean he has any special insight into an NHL hockey team.

Frankly, it's probably best if he stays away from sports in general. We all saw what happened last time he played soccer. If anything, Katz casting doubt on the Coyotes coming here (again, I can't open the article, so I don't know exactly what he said) kinds of sucks away all of the goodwill he earned when he said he'd buy season tickets to the returned Jets.

Mod: deleted.

 

[Hawker14]

The mayor must have been using his super-secret decoder ring to uncover these "committments" tying the team to Glendale in perpetuity.

 

[CarlWinslow]

He's probably just trying to temper expectations knowing how much Bettman hates this town.

 

[Hank Chinaski]

At this point Katz is just a private citizen with an opinion, but because of who he is it gets published.

If NHL hockey comes back to Winnipeg it will be inspite of gov't involvement, not because of gov't involvement. TNSE is the best thing that happened to Winnipeg for increasing our chances of getting the NHL back. If the gov't was involved they would just screw it up and we would never see a team.

So when someone in the gov't opens thier mouths and talks about the NHL, take it for what its worth...... Thankfully NOTHING!

Bingo. The moment anyone from the province or city comes within reaching distance of their finances, I'll know it's over.

Your post brought back this memory: Remember when Hugh McFadyen guaranteed the NHL's return if elected, saying he had been in talks with a group of "young turks" that could finance a purchase? Good lord, what an idiot that guy was.

 

[molsonmuscle360]

Honestly Atlanta has more marketable players for Winnipeg as well....Buff would be a huge star there.

 

[roccerfeller]

No one posted this?


http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/breakingnews/Winnipeg-only-option-for-Thrashers-sale-120815069.html

Winnipeg only option for Thrashers sale
By: Gary Lawless

...

"They want to sell and they have no options other than Winnipeg," a source close to the transaction told the Free Press. "They want the NHL to solve its issues in Phoenix and sell the team to (Matthew) Hulsizer so they can then sell to the group in Winnipeg.

"The NHL will let them sell. This market has failed once before and these guys have been trying to sell for years and no local group has come forward. They are desperate to sell and the Winnipeg guys are the only ones with money ready to go."

Former Atlanta Braves pitcher Tom Glavine said last week he’d like to put together a group to buy the Thrashers, but he himself didn’t have the "$80 million to $100 million" required to make a deal.

"If the NHL gives Spirit the green light to sell to Winnipeg, the team will sell in the neighbourhood of $145 million, with the NHL taking its cut off the top for a relocation fee and Spirit receiving somewhere around $100 million," said the source. "That’s more than they can expect to get from a group that wants to keep the team here. The team is a financial disaster and no one wants to touch it."

As much as some want an NHL franchise to return to Winnipeg, the owners of the Thrashers want to get rid of one.

....

But the waiting is likely to be soon over. Whispers out of the NHL’s New York offices have the clock on the deal in Phoenix about to expire — this week or next. Phoenix is far from over, with any number of hoops, including the Goldwater Institute and its threat of a lawsuit, to jump through.

...

 

[htpwn]

This was posted by blues10 in the Atlanta thread that was just locked.

Per Kypreos.

Told True North deal with #NHL already include contingency plan with #Thrashers in event last minute funds are found keeping #Coyotes in Pho

http://twitter.com/#!/RealKyper/status/63393949049561088

 

[Pinchy]

Dreger is such a tool.

Thanks for absolutely NO information...if it isn't Phoenix, it might be Atlanta.

Only interesting thing said was that we should know by next week what's happening...although with the way things have been going...that might mean 6 weeks...

 

[headsigh]

No one posted this?


http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/breakingnews/Winnipeg-only-option-for-Thrashers-sale-120815069.html

"They want to sell and they have no options other than Winnipeg," a source close to the transaction told the Free Press. "They want the NHL to solve its issues in Phoenix and sell the team to (Matthew) Hulsizer so they can then sell to the group in Winnipeg.

That's pretty much bull considering 3 local entities (not including "the balkan" or the tom glavine-led group) have already been confirmed as wanting to buy the team, so it's not as if they have "no options". With all due respect, I'd believe this more if it weren't from a biased local reporter.

 

[HamiltonOHL]

to be honest i rather have thrashers here then the coyotes.... we dont have anything from thrashers against the idea and we have a brighter future in players with thrashers

 

[btn]

The Winnipeg media is just pulling stories from baseless rumors on the jetsowner.com message board. Even the guy that runs that site admitted as much the other day.

Hard to believe anything coming out of the Winnipeg media right now.

 

[Fugu]

Detroit will never be allowed to move to the East.



And with that said, let's not turn this into a realignment thread.

 

[Le Golie]

The Winnipeg media is just pulling stories from baseless rumors on the jetsowner.com message board. Even the guy that runs that site admitted as much the other day.

Hard to believe anything coming out of the Winnipeg media right now.

It's also hard to believe Atlanta folks with blindfolds and earmuffs on.

There's something to it, this Dreger update.

 

[Jet]

Thanks to Mungman who posted Dan Tencers Twitter feed in the Phoenix thread. For those of you who don't know Tencer, he is the host of Oilers broadcasts on Edmonton station CHED, he does regular segments for the Oilers in house video production (for websites and specials), and he co hosts a hotstove during intermissions of Oilers games on SNET. I would consider him to be very reputable:


dantencer Dan Tencer
@
@fan960boomer Not Munzie...haven't talked to him in months.
18 minutes ago
»
Dan Tencer
dantencer Dan Tencer
Don't take it as gospel, but the source has been pretty good on this...and that's what the word is tonight.
51 minutes ago
»
Dan Tencer
dantencer Dan Tencer
And, it is Atlanta, not Phoenix.
52 minutes ago
»
Dan Tencer
dantencer Dan Tencer
Also told they will not name the team Jets. Or Moose.
52 minutes ago
»
Dan Tencer
dantencer Dan Tencer
My source in Winnipeg suggests week of May 9 is more likely timeline...season ticket drive to come before final annc't, a BOG requirement.
52 minutes ago
»
Dan Tencer
dantencer Dan Tencer
@
@kenwardskorner Nice scoop, Joe!

EDIT: Mungman originally posted something to the effect of Chipman meeting NHL in NYC today to solidify deal for Thrashers. I didn't see that on Tencers twitter, and has now disappeared from the Phoenix thread.

Seems as if this is more of the same recycled info. As you were.

 

[HamiltonOHL]

to be honest i rather have thrashers here then the coyotes.... we dont have anything from thrashers against the idea and we have a brighter future in players with thrashers

Reason why i say this is because Phoenix might have the better overall roster but i think Atlanta has the brighter future..

 

[Mungman]

Thanks to Mungman who posted Dan Tencers Twitter feed in the Phoenix thread. For those of you who don't know Tencer, he is the host of Oilers broadcasts on Edmonton station CHED, he does regular segments for the Oilers in house video production (for websites and specials), and he co hosts a hotstove during intermissions of Oilers games on SNET. I would consider him to be very reputable:

...

EDIT: Mungman originally posted something to the effect of Chipman meeting NHL in NYC today to solidify deal for Thrashers. I didn't see that on Tencers twitter, and has now disappeared from the Phoenix thread.

Seems as if this is more of the same recycled info. As you were.

Thx for the hat tip! Looks like the original one went down the memory hole, there is this retweet from him that says something similar:

kenwardskorner Joey Kenward
by dantencer
Have heard from a few sources today saying it's pretty much done deal: Atlanta not Phoenix moving to Winnipeg. Announcement Friday. #NHL

 

[borno87]

That's pretty much bull considering 3 local entities (not including "the balkan" or the tom glavine-led group) have already been confirmed as wanting to buy the team, so it's not as if they have "no options". With all due respect, I'd believe this more if it weren't from a biased local reporter.

The Balkan is the same kind of unconfirmed report from unquotable sources that this Dreger report is. Glavine stated he want to puchase the team, but has no "group" ready to negotiate, he merely stated he would like to assemble one.

The local options? Well at this point you would figure if they were still negotiating there would be a name. Look at Dallas for a similar scenario (arena + team) where there are multiple serious parties not hiding behind an NDA.

That last bit is speculative, but no more so than taking "the Balkan" seriously

 

[Lux Aurumque*]

Can't wait to buy my Enstrom Jets jersey.

 

[pegcity]

I enjoy hearing the Canadian media conspiracy theories. You gotta blame someone so you mine as well blame Canada

 

[kdb209]

I enjoy hearing the Canadian media conspiracy theories. You gotta blame someone so you mine as well blame Canada

Is that Mayor Scruggs?

 

[MAROONSRoad]

It's finally being set out in clear details. I've always believed the Thrashers were TNSE's Plan A and that TNSE was the NHL's backup plan for the Coyotes. Of course, TNSE will be happy with any NHL team:

Whether they stay in Arizona or move back to Manitoba, the Phoenix Coyotes hold most of the cards regarding the potential return of the NHL to Winnipeg.

The Coyotes sale remains a muddled mess, but the NHL continues to try to clean it up and reach a deal with the City of Glendale and potential owner Matt Hulsizer, which will keep the team in Phoenix.

Efforts to save the team are preventing Winnipeg from landing the franchise it lost 15 years ago and it may also be preventing True North Sports and Entertainment from making a deal to buy the Atlanta Thrashers.

The Thrashers are for sale and are a candidate for immediate relocation, but it’s believed the NHL is waiting to see how the situation shakes out in Phoenix before it addresses any transaction involving the Thrashers.

Both TSN and Sportsnet reported Wednesday that the Thrashers will move quickly into a deal with True North if an agreement is reached to keep the Coyotes in Phoenix.

In fact TSN insider Darren Dreger said the Thrashers owners are ready to sell to Winnipeg interests right now.

But it likely won’t happen with the Coyotes still in limbo.

http://www.winnipegsun.com/2011/04/27/coyotes-sale-holding-up-thrashers-move

GHOST

 

[peter sullivan]

interesting article by lawless.....he should have tweeted it and given his source an obscure southern european nickname if he wanted real credibility.

i dont understand how this story is still being dismissed.....it has nothing to do with the fact that atlanta doesnt lose as much money as phoenix, or that the league stepped in and bought the coyotes so they will do the same for the thrashers.

the simple fact is that if ASG want out they have few options.....the sources for this relocation rumour have been varied and have been happening for a long time....at what point do people begin to listen to them.

lawless could have published this story long ago....its not like he hasnt heard it....its practically accepted knowledge by everyone, hockey fan or not in winnipeg.....the 'which would prefer phoenix or atlanta' debate has been water cooler talk for 18 months in winnipeg....and it started from the inside, not from the media....the city was buzzing about it long before anyone said it publicly.

for lawless to all of a sudden print it, he must have a very legitimate source.....he was quick to throw water on the idea a year ago and every time the coyotes looked like they were saved he was clear that it was the only option at the moment, even with all the local rumours about atlanta....for his stance to change so dramatically he must have come into new information that proves to him that it is no longer mere rumour.....dreger himself has been widely criticized here for simply being an NHL mouthpiece and all of a sudden he believes that ASG are ready to sell immediately?....that seems like a pretty big turnaround.

we have the free press suddenly changing their tune, we have dreger, kypreos, healy, shannon and lebrun all breaking news about this at different times over the last year.....ASG say they want out right away....they claim they have tried for 5 years to sell.....local buyers remain in twitterland....the NHL gives uncharacteristic tepid support to the market.

at what point do all these pieces come together to form a real story?


al strachan in 2009 the first link to thomson and the first media break of the story:
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/story/2009/10/05/mb-nhl-thrashers-winnipeg.html

 

[Dado]

The one thing to watch out for - if I was ASG and faced with the NHL taking a huge cut of the selling price as a relocation fee - I'd consider waiting until the offer was firm and then promptly putting the team in bankruptcy.

 

[Mungman]

The one thing to watch out for - if I was ASG and faced with the NHL taking a huge cut of the selling price as a relocation fee - I'd consider waiting until the offer was firm and then promptly putting the team in bankruptcy.

Not positive, but I think the team, arena rights, and NBA team are all held by one company. To do that all three would end up in BK court, so that's kinda like throwing the baby out with the dirty bathwater.