11/21/24
August 26, 2009
NHL places bid to buy Coyotes out of Bankruptcy: "In the event the League's bid proceeds forward and ultimately is the one approved by the Court, we intend to conduct an orderly sale process to a third party buyer outside of bankruptcy."
They are looking worse and worse through this, the owners and the Count, that is. The onloy explanation is they have done a cost-benefit analysis and the money they throw down the black hole of the Coyotes will be more than made up by anticipated (and maybe promised) expansion fees for a team in southern Ontario and maybe other places. Which is stupid-ass short-termism considering how many teams are scraping by and the general suckiness of the economy not to mention the talent pool in hockey. Idiots.
And the mud they throw at Balsillie who is actually one of Canada's more respected businessmen and not an asshole by all other accounts will come back to stick on their own faces, I suspect.
posted by rumple at 11:05 AM on August 26, 2009
Bettman continues his orderly process of destroying the NHL and alienating it's fans.
It would seem to me the league would be better off having teams playing in cities that would have a fan base. Throwing money at a team to keep it in a city where nobody cares about it is only avoiding admitting failure.
Doesn't it make sense to have 5,000 extra bodies in the seats rather than 5,000 seats paid for but empty?
posted by cixelsyd at 11:50 AM on August 26, 2009
Doesn't it make sense to have 5,000 extra bodies in the seats rather than 5,000 seats paid for but empty?
You're underestimating the size of this man's ego. He'd rather own the team and watch it fail than admit that maybe expanding into the desert was a terrible idea.
posted by dfleming at 05:29 PM on August 26, 2009
Maybe the contract of Alex Rios was the REAL cause of Jerry Reinsdorf pulling out. Am I crazy?
posted by DrJohnEvans at 09:55 PM on August 26, 2009
My understanding is that the NHL simply doesn't want another team in Canada because, while that will insure greater gate receipts, it won't increase the audience for hockey on TV, since all the people in Hamilton already watch hockey, and the Canadian TV deal covers the whole country. Essentially, it's contraction from their perspective.
Of course, it's not like the league has a US TV deal worth anything. But if you are planning long-term, a team in Arizona is worth more than one in Hamilton.
Not that any of this really smacks of common sense.
posted by WeedyMcSmokey at 10:19 PM on August 26, 2009
While the NHL as represented by Bettman are running ramshackle over U.S. Bankruptcy law and scaring off one of the better prospective owners (Jerry Reinsdorf) of this squad the fate of the Coyote Franchise lingers in purgatory. It's not only the Canadian TV Contract but ownership groups in Toronto and Montreal that dread the possibility of having real competition in Ontario. Than "business as usual" would have to change and the Faithful in Toronto might actually stop supporting a system that has delivered nothing but heart ache decade after decade.
It's really more League thumb nosing at the real "Hockey Fans" who've about had it with our sports kow towing to the casual American fans who don't really understand the game and demand we dismantle its structure so they can watch it on ESPN. I say screw them anyway but supposedly the league thinks they are worth the league shytting on all the tradition that makes Hockey the Amazing Sport it is.
The very best thing that could happen for "Real Hockey" fans is for this franchise to end up in Hamilton. End of Rant!
As a side note: I ran away with the Spofi Roto Fantasy Hockey title 2 years ago. Last year that league didn't happen and I was deprived of the ability to defend my Championship. This League had a long and storied history on SportsFilter. I challenge each and everyone of you (especially former Champions) to a rematch and a rebirth of the Spofi Roto Hockey League. I deserve the right to defend my Championship if my run away victory scared you off I'll ease up (not!) I would gladly do whatever it takes to bring that league back this season. How about it gang, anybody think they can take my crown? All The Best Paul
posted by skydivedad at 12:45 PM on August 29, 2009
I'm starting to think that the Commish and the owners don't like RimJim.