Balsillie Contacts Golisano

[Bmwolf21]

I've been saying for awhile Golisano would sell the team eventually. It's a no-brainer. He's a great businessman, everyone says. He's not known as the Great Ranch Dressing Packet Thief for nothin'.

 

Anyway, I went to sleep after the Ice Bowl and didn't awake until just now. Beautiful day stirred me. I have my playoff beard, but why isn't anyone talking about the playoffs? Don't tell me the Sabres went from Presidents' Trophy-winners to missing the postseason...

I thought you were lost forever in the Great SabreSpace Crash of '08...

 

:worthy:

[tom webster]

The NFL owners approve any new ownership. And cross ownership between leagues has long been discouraged. The idea being they are in competition for the sports market and TV contracts and the like.

 

 

Cross ownership is allowed provided your other sports franchise is not in a city that already has an NFL franchise.

[matter2003]

I know you can write, but can you read? What are those weevils living in your head doing?

 

I am pretty neutral on this whole story. Because a guy picks up a phone to talk to a fellow billionaire, I should think what?

 

All I really think about all this is that if a Billionaire were to call me, the courteous thing to do would be to say hello and answer his questions. No need to piss the guy off. He will have a second NHL team in Ontario someday.

 

Yeah pretty much my thoughts---this is a total non-story that is being made into something that is way way way more than it is.

 

He called to see if there was any interest in tom selling the team, Tom said its not for sale unless you want to keep it in Buffalo, probably already knowing Balsillie's intentions, and that he would go search for another team. Big deal.

[Bmwolf21]

I've been saying for awhile Golisano would sell the team eventually. It's a no-brainer. He's a great businessman, everyone says. He's not known as the Great Ranch Dressing Packet Thief for nothin'.

 

Anyway, I went to sleep after the Ice Bowl and didn't awake until just now. Beautiful day stirred me. I have my playoff beard, but why isn't anyone talking about the playoffs? Don't tell me the Sabres went from Presidents' Trophy-winners to missing the postseason...

So what was this, a drive-by Stan Lee-esque cameo appearance? We need more PA - especially in the Briere 31-page thread. Let's get it going, Mr. brooding superstar...

[Stoner]

So what was this, a drive-by Stan Lee-esque cameo appearance? We need more PA - especially in the Briere 31-page thread. Let's get it going, Mr. brooding superstar...

 

Give me a chance to warm up, coach. I need a nap.

[Bmwolf21]

Give me a chance to warm up, coach. I need a nap.

Alright, ease into it. Don't want to lose you on your first day back.

 

It might take you a while to read and digest all the nuances and angles of the 32+ page Briere debate, so order a pizza, grab your notepad, and start digging in.

[Hawerchuk]

Maybe Balsillie would be willing to throw more cash out there for players instead of Tom? Sabres have been cheap for years!

[tom webster]

Some interesting comments from Gary Green, NHL Network analyst.

 

http://wgr.everyzing.com/viewMedia.jsp?res...ilter=0&x=0

[Chief Enabler]

Some interesting comments from Gary Green, NHL Network analyst.

 

http://wgr.everyzing.com/viewMedia.jsp?res...ilter=0&x=0

A good yarn. thanks. :thumbsup:

 

A nice thought of Buffalo being Southern Ontarios playground, economically bringing restaurant and hotel revenue. I am sure there would be plenty of downside; perhaps rising ticket prices, and even worse, turning into the Maple Leafs squared! Maybe we would sign the Forsbergs and Hossa's at the trade deadlines.

[shrader]

Anyone care to summarize?

[Chief Enabler]

Anyone care to summarize?

Baldsilly buys sabres and hsbc arena, keeps in buffalo because of fan base, fairly new arena, prospects of expansion of the southern ontario market. Spends to the cap consistently to win. Brings that southern ontario corporate dollar down for events. The difference with NSH is they had no fanbase, and Pitt had a crappy arena.

[tom webster]

Anyone care to summarize?

 

 

I am assuming that means you couldn't open the link. All Green said was that he could see it happening although he has no inside info and that Balsillie and Buffalo would be a perfect fit because of Buffalo's proximity to his hometown. He also said that unlike his impression of TG, Balsillie is a passionate hockey fan who has been known to fly half way around the world in order ot get back to play in his pick up hockey game.

Two things should be noted;

Green implied he is close to Balsillie, referring to him as Jimmy

Green spends his summers in Wilson, NY on Lake Ontario

[nfreeman]

I am assuming that means you couldn't open the link. All Green said was that he could see it happening although he has no inside info and that Balsillie and Buffalo would be a perfect fit because of Buffalo's proximity to his hometown. He also said that unlike his impression of TG, Balsillie is a passionate hockey fan who has been known to fly half way around the world in order ot get back to play in his pick up hockey game.

Two things should be noted;

Green implied he is close to Balsillie, referring to him as Jimmy

Green spends his summers in Wilson, NY on Lake Ontario

 

Thanks Tom -- that interview was a good listen. I'd recommend it to anyone (it's on the WGR audio vault if the link doesn't work).

 

Just to add to the summaries already provided (which are accurate) -- Green said he thinks (i) Balsillie buying the Sabres is a very realistic possibility and (ii) if he does buy the team, there is no way they would move out of Buffalo. He said Buffalo has a great arena and it's only 90 minutes from where Balsillie lives (unlike Pittsburgh, Nashville, Phoenix, etc). More importantly, he said Balsillie wouldn't get any public funding for a new arena in Kitchener, so a new arena there probably wouldn't happen, and that Balsillie would be crazy to move the team out of Buffalo, where there is a great arena that is consistently sold out when the team is doing well. He said Balsillie buying the Sabres would be great for the Sabres due to his passion for the game and his willingness to spend.

 

I must admit that while I previously viewed the Balsillie rumors with a mixture of dread and deep skepticism, this interview alleviated a good part of the dread and got me kind of psyched at the thought of a hard-driving, passionate, deep-pocketed hockey fan running the team. You might not like Mark Cuban, but he's turned his NBA franchise into a perennial contender AND into a highly desired destination for free agents. Hmmmmm...

[shrader]

I'll throw it right back to my initial idea that if this were to ever happen, his ideal situation would be to eventually get our AHL affiliate to the Kitchener/Hamilton area.

[BetweenThePipes00]

Thanks Tom -- that interview was a good listen. I'd recommend it to anyone (it's on the WGR audio vault if the link doesn't work).

 

Just to add to the summaries already provided (which are accurate) -- Green said he thinks (i) Balsillie buying the Sabres is a very realistic possibility and (ii) if he does buy the team, there is no way they would move out of Buffalo. He said Buffalo has a great arena and it's only 90 minutes from where Balsillie lives (unlike Pittsburgh, Nashville, Phoenix, etc). More importantly, he said Balsillie wouldn't get any public funding for a new arena in Kitchener, so a new arena there probably wouldn't happen, and that Balsillie would be crazy to move the team out of Buffalo, where there is a great arena that is consistently sold out when the team is doing well. He said Balsillie buying the Sabres would be great for the Sabres due to his passion for the game and his willingness to spend.

 

I must admit that while I previously viewed the Balsillie rumors with a mixture of dread and deep skepticism, this interview alleviated a good part of the dread and got me kind of psyched at the thought of a hard-driving, passionate, deep-pocketed hockey fan running the team. You might not like Mark Cuban, but he's turned his NBA franchise into a perennial contender AND into a highly desired destination for free agents. Hmmmmm...

As long as he keeps the team in Buffalo, and is committed to being the Sabres owner and not just getting his foot in the door with the league, I am all for having the Crazy Rich Do Whatever It Takes To Try To Win Guy own the team ... as long as he is not Crazy Rich Because He's A Crook And Soon To Be In Jail Guy ... we've been down that road ... come to think of it, so have the Kings (McNall) ....

[apuszczalowski]

Thanks Tom -- that interview was a good listen. I'd recommend it to anyone (it's on the WGR audio vault if the link doesn't work).

 

Just to add to the summaries already provided (which are accurate) -- Green said he thinks (i) Balsillie buying the Sabres is a very realistic possibility and (ii) if he does buy the team, there is no way they would move out of Buffalo. He said Buffalo has a great arena and it's only 90 minutes from where Balsillie lives (unlike Pittsburgh, Nashville, Phoenix, etc). More importantly, he said Balsillie wouldn't get any public funding for a new arena in Kitchener, so a new arena there probably wouldn't happen, and that Balsillie would be crazy to move the team out of Buffalo, where there is a great arena that is consistently sold out when the team is doing well. He said Balsillie buying the Sabres would be great for the Sabres due to his passion for the game and his willingness to spend.

 

I must admit that while I previously viewed the Balsillie rumors with a mixture of dread and deep skepticism, this interview alleviated a good part of the dread and got me kind of psyched at the thought of a hard-driving, passionate, deep-pocketed hockey fan running the team. You might not like Mark Cuban, but he's turned his NBA franchise into a perennial contender AND into a highly desired destination for free agents. Hmmmmm...

Does Green know Basillie personally and is speaking on what he knows as fact or is he just basing it off his beliefs?

 

I don't know if I would accept Basillie with open arms as an owner of this team. I would be sceptical of him and his plans for the future. his goal is to have a team in his home town of kitchener/waterloo (hamilton is just a stop over til he has an arena, which I'm not 100% sure he has ever said he would want government funding for) It may be possible that he would be happy owning a team in Buffalo and keeping them there longterm, but I just get this weird feeling that it is not his ultimate goal, and that he will find some way to convince the rest of the league that he could bring in more revenue elsewhere and relocate the team.

 

Its atleast an hour and a half drive between buffalo and Kitchener/Waterloo, which is about the same as Buffalo to Toronto

 

I'm not saying that theres anything wrong with Basillie, or that he wouldn't be a good owner, he seems like a very good guy, and very generous, but I am a little leary on his intentions. He is a guy looking to give back to his community that helped build his fortune (the guy had Van Halen and the Tragically hip play a private show at ACC for his employees as a thank you in December), I don't think his main intention is to just own a hockey team because he likes hockey. Although if he did buy them and move them, I could see him buying an AHL team to be their affiliate to play in Buffalo, Kind of a "Sorry for stealing your team away from you, so heres the next best thing" typ deal. Although he would have to be a great talker/salesperson to convince the NHL and the other owners that he could bring in bigger profits in Kitchener/Waterloo instead of Buffalo

[spndnchz]

As long as he keeps the team in Buffalo, and is committed to being the Sabres owner and not just getting his foot in the door with the league, I am all for having the Crazy Rich Do Whatever It Takes To Try To Win Guy own the team ... as long as he is not Crazy Rich Because He's A Crook And Soon To Be In Jail Guy ... we've been down that road ... come to think of it, so have the Kings (McNall) ....

I'd agree. But.

If the Sabres move out of Buffalo it would give me a big reason to move myself. For real. I like the arts, theatre, Bills (a bit), and the seasons, but without hockey season in my town... okay I show my girl side.... I'd cry like a girl. :cry:

[Hawk]

We need an owner that will give us the tools to finish the job and maybe build a 100 floor corporate headquarters next to HSBC Arena. :wacko: :wacko: