Rockets owner hasn’t given up on dream of Houston NHL team (mod: Houston thread)

[Centrum Hockey]

Just throw in a free steakhouse chain.




When a guy talks about wanting to bring an NHL franchise to his arena and then within nearly the same breath publicly cries how difficult it is to own a team below the Mason/Dixon line. Then later it's discovered he had to get financing from the Rocket's previous owner to buy the team off him. More than just a few red flags jump out there.

Texas sized ego with a Visa gift card in hand.

He makes a big deal about how he wants a NHL team. He really draws attention to it and himself. But then, he says he doesn't want to pay the market rate for a team and proclaims the absolute falsehood that hockey doesn't work in the South financially. Like Legend said, red flags are flying everywhere based on his acquisition of the Rockets and the operating rights for the arena. He decided to buy a restaurant chain with the roughly the same amount money that could have been used to buy a NHL team.

He was then privately ripped apart in a meeting with Bettman and Daly, much word didn't leak about what was said but everything that did said Fertitta left with his tail between his legs. So, instead of going the Lamar Hunt Jr. route where he tries to slowly build hockey in the market because of his commitment and love for the sport, he shuts his mouth and has barely said a word since, let alone showed an interest in the sport.

He tried to get a NHL team on the cheap, ran into the inevitable brick wall, and then went into hiding rather than do the tough thing and try to build up interest in the game of hockey in Houston from the bottom up. He preferred to spend his money on a restaurant chain than the game of hockey. He deserves shade for trying to weasel his way into the league without paying his dues and then disappears when his visualized path doesn't open up, and the only one still open is too difficult for him.

Hopefully that helps

It probably would not be that difficult to plan a pre season game in Houston with the Stars playing a central division team like STL or Nashville to see if there is a large interest for hockey in Houston.

 

[Barclay Donaldson]

It probably would not be that difficult to plan a pre season game in Houston with the Stars playing a central division team like STL or Nashville to see if there is a large interest for hockey in Houston.

St Louis has held games at the T-Mobile Center in Kansas City so this is certainly something that could happen. I don't think it will happen, nor should it. Don't allow Fertitta to draw more attention to himself and this supposed pursuit of a NHL team.

 

[Aero 75]

Just my opinion, but is Gary Bettman mocking Tillman Fertitta by saying he "would love" to bring NHL hockey to Houston?
Gary Bettman "would love" to make NHL in Houston happen

 

[gstommylee]

Just my opinion, but is Gary Bettman mocking Tillman Fertitta by saying he "would love" to bring NHL hockey to Houston?
Gary Bettman "would love" to make NHL in Houston happen

That's kinda uncalled for. You don't mock someone that controls the arena that you want to put a team in.

 

[Aero 75]

That's kinda uncalled for. You don't mock someone that controls the arena that you want to put a team in.

True, but it kinda sounds like Bettman is looking at another owner, and another arena, if the NHL even has a chance in Houston. "The combination of needing an owner and somebody who could actually either have an arena or play in an existing arena, that option apparently wasn’t available. At some point, we would love to see interest in Houston in a way that we could make it happen.”

 

[TheLegend]

True, but it kinda sounds like Bettman is looking at another owner, and another arena, if the NHL even has a chance in Houston. "The combination of needing an owner and somebody who could actually either have an arena or play in an existing arena, that option apparently wasn’t available. At some point, we would love to see interest in Houston in a way that we could make it happen.”

Sounds like they feel Fertitta is a poser. His "Mason-Dixon" comment certainly didn't help his cause.

 

[Melrose Munch]

Sounds like they feel Fertitta is a poser. His "Mason-Dixon" comment certainly didn't help his cause.

If the NHL is that sensitive it will never grow. I would say leaving Atlanta didn't help their cause.

Also, the fee is too much. You need a better TV contract to justify that.

 

[BKIslandersFan]

If the NHL is that sensitive it will never grow. I would say leaving Atlanta didn't help their cause.

Also, the fee is too much. You need a better TV contract to justify that.

Doesn't matter. Even if fee was more reasonable Fertita does not have the cash right now.

I don't think he will have it any time soon neither.

 

[TheLegend]

If the NHL is that sensitive it will never grow. I would say leaving Atlanta didn't help their cause.

Also, the fee is too much. You need a better TV contract to justify that.

Except the NHL didn't want to leave Atlanta. They had no choice in the matter.

And Fertitta is heavily leveraged after the details came out how he got the Rockets, then spends the equivalent expansion fee buying a steakhouse chain. CoVID forced him to lay off hundreds of employees.

 

[Melrose Munch]

Except the NHL didn't want to leave Atlanta. They had no choice in the matter.

And Fertitta is heavily leveraged after the details came out how he got the Rockets, then spends the equivalent expansion fee buying a steakhouse chain. CoVID forced him to lay off hundreds of employees.

Doesn't matter. Even if fee was more reasonable Fertita does not have the cash right now.

I don't think he will have it any time soon neither.

So he doesn't have that much money anyway then. Shame.

 

[MNNumbers]

Except the NHL didn't want to leave Atlanta. They had no choice in the matter.

And Fertitta is heavily leveraged after the details came out how he got the Rockets, then spends the equivalent expansion fee buying a steakhouse chain. CoVID forced him to lay off hundreds of employees.

Not arguing, Legend, but could you please supply links to the way Fertitta acquired the Rockets through debt? I'd be happy to read about it and learn more.

Thanks.

 

[Aero 75]

Not arguing, Legend, but could you please supply links to the way Fertitta acquired the Rockets through debt? I'd be happy to read about it and learn more.

Thanks.

This is a link I posted back in March concerning Fertitta's purchase of the houston nba team. If he needed help purchasing that team, why was he wasting Bettman's time in acting like he was interested in bringing an NHL team to Houston, when he knew at that time he couldn't afford it.Was Tilman Fertitta financially prepared to purchase the Rockets?

 

[TheLegend]

Not arguing, Legend, but could you please supply links to the way Fertitta acquired the Rockets through debt? I'd be happy to read about it and learn more.

Thanks.

Will do some digging when I can. On the surface I recall someone posting he needed to get financing from the previous owner, Alexander.

 

[Barclay Donaldson]

Not arguing, Legend, but could you please supply links to the way Fertitta acquired the Rockets through debt? I'd be happy to read about it and learn more.

Thanks.

In addition to Aero's links, here are some good ones as well.

Here's How Tilman Fertitta Is Paying For The Houston Rockets
How Tilman Fertitta Got The Houston Rockets
https://www.casino.org/news/tilman-fertitta-selling-debt-notes-to-purchase-houston-rockets/

 

[Stumbledore]

Except the NHL didn't want to leave Atlanta. They had no choice in the matter.

And Fertitta is heavily leveraged after the details came out how he got the Rockets, then spends the equivalent expansion fee buying a steakhouse chain. CoVID forced him to lay off hundreds of employees.

Are you talking about the guy in Houston? Because the guy in Phoenix is heavily leveraged and Covid is forcing him to lay off thousands of his employees at his various businesses.

 

[Pandemonia]

In addition to Aero's links, here are some good ones as well.

Here's How Tilman Fertitta Is Paying For The Houston Rockets
How Tilman Fertitta Got The Houston Rockets
https://www.casino.org/news/tilman-fertitta-selling-debt-notes-to-purchase-houston-rockets/

Wow, must be nice to have that kind of money in bonds. Excellent links, thanks much!

 

[TheLegend]

Are you talking about the guy in Houston? Because the guy in Phoenix is heavily leveraged and Covid is forcing him to lay off thousands of his employees at his various businesses.

Fair point.... but is he?? We.... don't..... know.
(and yes, I'm curious about that.)

His food service and construction companies weren't affected.

 

[Centrum Hockey]

This is a link I posted back in March concerning Fertitta's purchase of the houston nba team. If he needed help purchasing that team, why was he wasting Bettman's time in acting like he was interested in bringing an NHL team to Houston, when he knew at that time he couldn't afford it.Was Tilman Fertitta financially prepared to purchase the Rockets?

It sounds like he wanted to buy a team on the cheap. Move it to Houston sell off non essential assets and dump player salary for draft picks/prospects. With the hopes of fielding a inexpensive team during the novelty years while building a cup contender and increasing the value of the team.

 

[voyageur]

Just my opinion, but is Gary Bettman mocking Tillman Fertitta by saying he "would love" to bring NHL hockey to Houston?
Gary Bettman "would love" to make NHL in Houston happen

Well nothing will happen for 2 years, because Meruelo has agreed to pay the debts for 2 more years in Arizona. But if the NHL is interested in your market, they will find you the right owner (See Leweicke in Seattle). As far as I understand it the Toyota Centre is managed by the Houston Sports Authority, so that's who you are negotiating with. Fertitta may only be a minority partner in an NHL franchise. With a new TV deal in the works, having a market like Houston in the works would help the NHL's image. You can paint whatever picture you want of the Coyotes, but business people know you are running a league where you have had to go to court to maintain ownership of a franchise. Forced civic subsidies to maintain it, took over its ownership, and had a revolving door of owners, to continue paying debts. It's not the model of stability, even if Bettman paints it that way. I think you could find investors for a franchise in Houston, and maybe Fertitta sells some of his Rockets share to give his kids a toy to play with. Certainly feasible. I don't see the NHL giving Fertitta a majority share though, given some of his financial troubles, which is amazing to say about a billionaire.

Seattle in 2021 and Houston in 2022 seems possible to me.

 

[Centrum Hockey]

In addition to Aero's links, here are some good ones as well.

Here's How Tilman Fertitta Is Paying For The Houston Rockets
How Tilman Fertitta Got The Houston Rockets
https://www.casino.org/news/tilman-fertitta-selling-debt-notes-to-purchase-houston-rockets/

I found a clip where he tries to justify his thought process on potentially buying a hockey team and he brings up the AHL Aero's attendance for some reason.

Well nothing will happen for 2 years, because Meruelo has agreed to pay the debts for 2 more years in Arizona. But if the NHL is interested in your market, they will find you the right owner (See Leweicke in Seattle). As far as I understand it the Toyota Centre is managed by the Houston Sports Authority, so that's who you are negotiating with. Fertitta may only be a minority partner in an NHL franchise. With a new TV deal in the works, having a market like Houston in the works would help the NHL's image. You can paint whatever picture you want of the Coyotes, but business people know you are running a league where you have had to go to court to maintain ownership of a franchise. Forced civic subsidies to maintain it, took over its ownership, and had a revolving door of owners, to continue paying debts. It's not the model of stability, even if Bettman paints it that way. I think you could find investors for a franchise in Houston, and maybe Fertitta sells some of his Rockets share to give his kids a toy to play with. Certainly feasible. I don't see the NHL giving Fertitta a majority share though, given some of his financial troubles, which is amazing to say about a billionaire.

Seattle in 2021 and Houston in 2022 seems possible to me.

The deal the rockets have with the city makes it almost impossible for anyone other than Fertitta to be a majority owner of a NHL team.

 

[GindyDraws]

That's kinda uncalled for. You don't mock someone that controls the arena that you want to put a team in.

Come on, I want Houston to have hockey once again but everything has to align just right and currently the only arena in the city is owned by a nitwit who invested in the high risk/low reward restaurant industry.

 

[Aero 75]

I found a clip where he tries to justify his thought process on a potentially buying a hockey team and he brings up the AHL Aero's attendance for some reason.

The deal the rockets have with the city makes it almost impossible for anyone other than Fertitta to be a majority owner of a NHL team.
View attachment 369765

Watching that video, Tillman seems almost annoyed talking about hockey. Probably because he doesn't know anything about the sport. Not sure why he thought Bettman would let him in on the cheap, but it was a mistake nonetheless. Sounds like he must have done at least 3 minutes of research on the Houston Aeros if he thought that they "left" on their own (they were forced out by alexander), and that attendance at Aeros games were "2,000 or 3,000" (attendance at Aeros games their final year in Houston 2012-13, was 6,800, good for 7th in the AHL, just behind the San Antonio Rampage, who averaged 7,000 a game).

The deal the houston nba team has with the city of houston for control of Toyota Center is exactly why the NHL won't come to houston under Tillman Fertitta's watch. With Fertitta in control of Toyota Center, it would literally take a new owner with deep enough pockets to build his own arena in houston. That won't happen. It's hard enough to have a minor league arena built in the houston area (failed 4 times already), let alone an NHL arena.

Thanks for the links, Centrum, although that video was really hard to watch.

 

[Mightygoose]

Maybe the thread title should be amended to 'Rockets owner hasn't given up on dream....but not really trying either....of Houston NHL team'

 

[kerrabria]

i still think Austin is a much, much smarter place to put the Coyotes.

 

[Aero 75]

i still think Austin is a much, much smarter place to put the Coyotes.

I would be totally surprised if the Coyotes move anywhere. Things seem to have stabilized with the team with the new ownership, albeit with a few lingering problems, and the Coyotes are doing a good job of growing the sport of hockey there.
I would love to see an NHL team in Austin, but they first need an NHL compatible arena. Looks like the new arena the University of Texas is building won't be hockey compatible.