Thrashers, Yotes...what about the Panthers?

[Steve Passless*]

Look how they're doing in an outlet mall off an expressway by the Everglades!

 

[Fire Sweeney]

It could be a good market with all the snowbirds living around the area in the winter but incompetent GMs have completely destroyed the team and any interest : Dudley, Keenan, Martin, Tallon.

 

[Steve Passless*]

Except trying to build a team on road attendance is a horrible model for success.

 

[worstfaceoffmanever]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I thought the Panthers were tied to a significant long term lease.

They're locked into their lease until 2030.

 

[Steve Passless*]

Maybe we'll wake up one day and the owner of the Panthers will be arrested for felony fraud charges. It's the NHL, you can't rule it out! Maybe that could help break the lease.

 

[Melrose Munch]

Miami not Atlanta, is the worst large market.

They buy tickets, and don't go to heat games
Marlins draw 200(!)
Dolphins draw....when they're good....

 

[cbcwpg]

So the ink hasn't even dryed on the paper work for the Thrashers moving to Winnipeg, and we have a thread discussing the dimise of the Panthers.

Based on the lease they have to 2030 ( as another poster said ) I would think its safe to assume they aren't going anywhere.

 

[Melrose Munch]

Good thing the Panthers havent played in Miami since 1997.

The Metropolitan Area is Miami, Pompano and West Palm. That's like saying the Dolphins play in Carol City.

 

[Fish on The Sand]

Ding. Winner.

The Islanders and Devils are in the New York City Metro Area; hence: New York. Not Uniondale or Newark, which are both accurate, but "New York" isn't inaccurate.

The Wild play in St. Paul, but the metro area covers both the Twin Cities.

And of course, by your logic, Phoenix doesn't have a team either, as they're in Glendale.

No one cares WHERE the arena's address is. It's about which TV market they are located in.

The Wild are named after the state of Minnesota, not the city of Minneapolis. A very common mistake I see on these boards.

 

[Pinkfloyd]

According to Forbes, they got a new owner in late 2009. That owner has put in place a three year plan. The team lowered its losses from 14 to 9.6 mil and that is all before tax, depreciation, and amortization. You won't hear anything about the Panthers because the team's not losing money in the 20 million dollar range. They don't have lease concerns as far as I can tell. The Panthers are just a team that needs to put a good product on the ice and that average attendance of 15,000 which a few are complimentary would be 17,000 with more season tickets and less comps. All that would turn a 9.6 mil loss to something a lot closer to breaking even.

However, if they keep losing and keep losing, eventually it will fall out. An organization that fails to put a quality product will inevitably go out of business.

 

[wombat]

Miami not Atlanta, is the worst large market.

They buy tickets, and don't go to heat games
Marlins draw 200(!)
Dolphins draw....when they're good....

That's not even true either. But yes, Miami is by far the worst big sports market in the US, its not just a hockey thing.

 

[Mit Yarrum]

Agreed. Miami/SoFla is a terrible sports market. I think a lot of it has to do with the number of NE transplants.

 

[WingsFan95]

I think with the Panthers they just need some on-ice success.

That said if they stink at the bottom of the league for 5-6 more seasons you may see big concerns.

 

[Melrose Munch]

That's not even true either. But yes, Miami is by far the worst big sports market in the US, its not just a hockey thing.

Agreed. Miami/SoFla is a terrible sports market. I think a lot of it has to do with the number of NE transplants.

Real Sad about the dolphins. Somehow there is lots to do in NY and the Jets fans show up rain or shine.

 

[LadyStanley]

http://twitter.com/PanthersYormark/

Panthers owner responds via Twitter to some of the issues related to his team.

States that his iceplex facility makes money.

And he's allowing GM Tallon to rebuild the team to make it competitive. (They've been out of the playoffs for 10 years - longest current streak.)

 

[crobro]

According to Forbes, they got a new owner in late 2009. That owner has put in place a three year plan. The team lowered its losses from 14 to 9.6 mil and that is all before tax, depreciation, and amortization. You won't hear anything about the Panthers because the team's not losing money in the 20 million dollar range. They don't have lease concerns as far as I can tell. The Panthers are just a team that needs to put a good product on the ice and that average attendance of 15,000 which a few are complimentary would be 17,000 with more season tickets and less comps. All that would turn a 9.6 mil loss to something a lot closer to breaking even.

However, if they keep losing and keep losing, eventually it will fall out. An organization that fails to put a quality product will inevitably go out of business.

According to Forbes, they got a new owner in late 2009. That owner has put in place a three year plan. The team lowered its losses from 14 to 9.6 mil and that is all before tax, depreciation, and amortization.

wow the team saved 4.4 million by dumping keith ballard.

 

[TheMoreYouKnow]

Well, the Marlins are still there, too..in spite of constantly being near the bottom in attendance and everything, too. Must be something in the water down there.

 

[Firestorm]

According to Forbes, they got a new owner in late 2009. That owner has put in place a three year plan. The team lowered its losses from 14 to 9.6 mil and that is all before tax, depreciation, and amortization.

wow the team saved 4.4 million by dumping keith ballard.

 

[GSC2k2*]

http://twitter.com/PanthersYormark/

Panthers owner responds via Twitter to some of the issues related to his team.

States that his iceplex facility makes money.

And he's allowing GM Tallon to rebuild the team to make it competitive. (They've been out of the playoffs for 10 years - longest current streak.)

Just to add to that a few items that he disclosed:

1. Panther sponsorship revenue is in the top 1/3 of the NHL.

2. Bankatlantic Centre is the 4th ranked facility in America for concerts and shows.

3. Panthers were NOT in the top 1/3 in the NHL in comp tickets this season.

4. Panthers sold over 90% of their premium seating inventory, including club seats and 72suites.

 

[GKJ]

Well, the Marlins are still there, too..in spite of constantly being near the bottom in attendance and everything, too. Must be something in the water down there.

It's Jeffrey Loria in the water. The Marlins absolutely should have been the team that moved to Washington, not the Expos.

 

[Pinkfloyd]

wow the team saved 4.4 million by dumping keith ballard.

Oversimplifying much? They did take back Steve Bernier in that deal which only saved them two mil of salary. Either way you look at it, if you stink on the ice, the best course of action is to not spend so much and build it from the ground up. That's what this ownership group is attempting to do.

 

[JohnLennon]

The Panthers will be fine. They are part of a long-term lease and their owner can cushion the losses. They have a new owner, GM and coach, meaning they will deal with their players differently. They have one of, if not the best prospect pools in the league and their future looks bright. Management is much smarter now than it has been for a long time, and once this team gets good the fans will come in droves, mark my words.

Just to add to that a few items that he disclosed:

1. Panther sponsorship revenue is in the top 1/3 of the NHL.

2. Bankatlantic Centre is the 4th ranked facility in America for concerts and shows.

3. Panthers were NOT in the top 1/3 in the NHL in comp tickets this season.

4. Panthers sold over 90% of their premium seating inventory, including club seats and 72suites.

Beautiful.

 

[TheMoreYouKnow]

The Panthers will be fine. They are part of a long-term lease and their owner can cushion the losses. They have a new owner, GM and coach, meaning they will deal with their players differently. They have one of, if not the best prospect pools in the league and their future looks bright. Management is much smarter now than it has been for a long time, and once this team gets good the fans will come in droves, mark my words.

Well, let's hope that happens, the league doesn't need embarrassments who keep stinking up the joint but nothing is done about it because "the owner can cushion the losses".

 

[JohnLennon]

Well, let's hope that happens, the league doesn't need embarrassments who keep stinking up the joint but nothing is done about it because "the owner can cushion the losses".

He has owned the team for a little over a year. What evidence do you have to suggest the Panthers will have a bad future? History tells us that when the team is competitive the fans show up rather quickly, and there is no reason not to assume the team won't improve in the near future with a prospect pool like that, and new management that has proven themselves in the past.

 

[TheMoreYouKnow]

Well, there's a track record of failure for the franchise so until the turnaround actually happens, hope is the best we got, isn't it?