Sportsnet Rumor: NHL to buy Thrashers and move them to Winnipeg?

[Ashe]

There will be expansion teams before any of the current teams get sold and move.

Success = Fans. ATL is having success. They are getting fans.
weird.

 

[peter sullivan]

success = profit, not fans.

 

[CC Chiefs*]

There will be expansion teams before any of the current teams get sold and move.

Success = Fans. ATL is having success. They are getting fans.
weird.

Which doesn't make a fanbase, it = bandwagon gimmick.

 

[Fourier]

This all seems rather strange to me. As Fugu said, why would the NHL act as the middle man rather than allow the owners in Atlanta a piece of the action.

It would seem to be a bad precedent with respect to its treatment of one of the club members.

``Thanks for joining the club. Remember, if you get into trouble, we'll be there to profit from your misfortune.''

 

[dkehler]

This all seems rather strange to me. As Fugu said, why would the NHL act as the middle man rather than allow the owners in Atlanta a piece of the action.

It would seem to be a bad precedent with respect to its treatment of one of the club members.

``Thanks for joining the club. Remember, if you get into trouble, we'll be there to profit from your misfortune.''

Not to mention artificially inflating the price for your new partner as well.

 

[LT_Canadian]

This all seems rather strange to me. As Fugu said, why would the NHL act as the middle man rather than allow the owners in Atlanta a piece of the action.

It would seem to be a bad precedent with respect to its treatment of one of the club members.

``Thanks for joining the club. Remember, if you get into trouble, we'll be there to profit from your misfortune.''

I'm not sure how the NHL works but I would think that as an owner you own the rights for the market. If you can't sell to another owner and make a profit or break even and you want out, that's when the NHL controls where and who it goes to. I'm sure there is some sort of guildeline when you enter in the leagua as an owner that the NHL will give them X amount.

The Atlanta ownership group had a set amount of time committed to the NHL to make it work...I believe 7 years. Now without a new investor joining the group, they may simply want to get whatever they can.

 

[Briere Up There*]

This would be awesome. Detroit could go back to the East and Canadians get their precious 7th franchise.

 

[Finlandia WOAT]

Which doesn't make a fanbase it = bandwagon gimmick.

Then how does a fanbase grow if any fans gained through winning are deemed "bandwagon"?

 

[edog37]

The NHL is a joke. The NHL has already told Atlanta to get its "stuff" together or they might move the team. So with PHX they will do anything to keep a team there, but Atlanta gets a threat. Every city, every team, every owner, gets different treatment.

The only reason why Phoenix was battled over was due to Balsillie's involvement. It had nothing to do with franchise location or market...

 

[Jesus Christ Horburn]

Winnipeg has become to the NHL what Oklahoma City was for the NBA.

 

[Free Edler]

Winnipeg has become to the NHL what Oklahoma City was for the NBA.

..the difference being, people in Seattle actually cared when their team was stolen and moved. I doubt there will be the same level of outrage in any of the troubled markets currently holding NHL teams should a move happen.

 

[Magnus Fulgur]

If they sell The Thrashers, nobody in Atlanta will trust these owners for The Hawks, expecting them to sell off to St. Louis. It's suicide for them to do it.

 

[Jamin]

The NHL is a joke. The NHL has already told Atlanta to get its "stuff" together or they might move the team. So with PHX they will do anything to keep a team there, but Atlanta gets a threat. Every city, every team, every owner, gets different treatment.

correct me if im wrong but this is atlanta's second time failing as a city whre its phoenix's first

 

[Gnashville]

no no there'll be like 1000 fans that care

Same thing I heard when Baldy was buying the Predators (How did that turn out)

 

[AllByDesign]

If the Thrashers get sold and moved out of town, Atlanta Spirit better start looking for new owners for the Hawks, as Philips Arena (or whatever they'll call it once Philips cancels the naming deal for the arena since the deal required an NBA and NHL team) will be quite empty for Hawks games next season.

I don't think I understand you correctly. Your assertion is that if the Thrashers leave, basketball games will lack attendance. Or is it that if Phillips Corp. exercises it's contractual rite and removes it's name from the arena people won't watch basketball?

Both statements are quite puzzling.

 

[King Woodballs]

dreger is denying anything is a foot
like that is a shock

 

[CC Chiefs*]

correct me if im wrong but this is atlanta's second time failing as a city whre its phoenix's first

Bringing up the past is against the rules because it wasn't the fans fault that happened the first time.

 

[Gnashville]

Bringing up the past is against the rules because it wasn't the fans fault that happened the first time.

Just like it wasn't the fans fault in Winnipeg either

 

[Mathradio]

I'm sure Detroit is going.. "sell the team, sell the team ". Nothing would make Detroit happier than to be back in the East. Get back to playing Montreal, Toronto, Boston, and the NYR more.

Who, other than Detroit, would support an eventual sale of the Thrashers to TNSE in the Board of Governors?

EDIT: I'd see Pittsburgh wanting to be back in the Southeast Division if the Thrashers went back to Winnipeg.

 

[StevenintheATL]

I don't think I understand you correctly. Your assertion is that if the Thrashers leave, basketball games will lack attendance. Or is it that if Phillips Corp. exercises it's contractual rite and removes it's name from the arena people won't watch basketball?

Both statements are quite puzzling.

Atlanta Spirit LLC owns the Hawks and the Thrashers. If they sell the Thrashers and the team relocates, that violates the terms of the naming rights agreement with Philips and Philips could chose to end the agreement.

If the Thrashers are sold and relocated, Atlanta Spirit could see a backlash from sports fans in Atlanta as a result and fans could start boycotting the Hawks and not go to games. They could also boycott any event held at the arena (Atlanta Spirit, LLC owns the operating rights to the arena.).

We have an ownership group that in recent days, publicly claimed to be committed to both teams as well as the City of Atlanta and to bring an NBA Championship as well as a Stanley Cup to Atlanta. If they turnaround and sell the Thrashers and they get moved, people will not trust anything the Atlanta Spirit says or does.

 

[CC Chiefs*]

Just like it wasn't the fans fault in Winnipeg either

Winnipeg has one more chance to fail then.

 

[Jeffrey93]

The only reason why Phoenix was battled over was due to Balsillie's involvement. It had nothing to do with franchise location or market...

Pffft....wrong. It had to do with a city that built an arena exclusively for an NHL tenant (foolishly) and then that NHL tenant was going to bail while still under a lease.

It would have made it harder to get arenas built in the future. Although Glendale right now is in so deep letting the team go would have probably looked better financially than what has happened since.

 

[Jeffrey93]

Atlanta Spirit LLC owns the Hawks and the Thrashers. If they sell the Thrashers and the team relocates, that violates the terms of the naming rights agreement with Philips and Philips could chose to end the agreement.

If the Thrashers are sold and relocated, Atlanta Spirit could see a backlash from sports fans in Atlanta as a result and fans could start boycotting the Hawks and not go to games. They could also boycott any event held at the arena (Atlanta Spirit, LLC owns the operating rights to the arena.).

We have an ownership group that in recent days, publicly claimed to be committed to both teams as well as the City of Atlanta and to bring an NBA Championship as well as a Stanley Cup to Atlanta. If they turnaround and sell the Thrashers and they get moved, people will not trust anything the Atlanta Spirit says or does.

This is one of the funniest things I have read in a while.

First of all...if Phillips bails you get another naming rights deal. Sure it won't likely be for as much but you have also removed the Thrashers losses from your books. So you still wind up ahead.

Second...[mod delete] The citizens of Atlanta are going to boycott the Hawks and concerts held at the arena because the Thrashers left?!?! You do realize they are mentioned in relocation talks all the time because their attendance stinks right? It seems not very many people care about the Thrashers....I can't see them suddenly caring so much that they stop going to Hawks games or concerts.

 

[Confucius]

I don't think I understand you correctly. Your assertion is that if the Thrashers leave, basketball games will lack attendance. Or is it that if Phillips Corp. exercises it's contractual rite and removes it's name from the arena people won't watch basketball?

Both statements are quite puzzling.

It seems to me that if the Thrashers left there would be more people available to attend Hawks games. Probably more corporate support for the Hawks as well if they were the only game in town during the winter season.

 

[Fugu]

This is just becoming a rehash of the separate threads on Winnipeg, Phoenix and Atlanta.


Is this "rumor" develops legs, someone send us a PM to re-open.

Nothing to see here as far as I can tell.


Closed.