Mr. Balsillie tables $212 million offer for Phoenix

[joe w bags]

Balsillie Bid for Phoenix

 

Edit: Website to promote Seventh Canadian team Make It Seven

 

Jim Balsillie has put in an offer on the Phoenix Coyotes.

 

According to a media release, the Blackberry billionaire's offer of $212.5 million (U.S.) for the team is conditional on the franchise relocating to Southern Ontario.

 

"The current team ownership asked that I table an offer to purchase the Coyotes and significant discussions resulted in an offer that is in the best interests of the franchise, the NHL, and the great hockey fans of Canada and Southern Ontario," Balsillie said in the release.

 

- how quick will this be quashed

[Two or less]

Very interesting. The NHL needs to get them out of Phoenix. I'd almost say at any cost, but not sure moving them to Southern Ontario will fly. But, Phoenix is a disaster area right now. No money. No fans.

[apuszczalowski]

Very interesting. The NHL needs to get them out of Phoenix. I'd almost say at any cost, but not sure moving them to Southern Ontario will fly. But, Phoenix is a disaster area right now. No money. No fans.

Just read the comments from any canadian hockey fan on TSN's website on an article about an american team struggling and they will all tell you that Winnipeg, Quebec City, and Hamilon will all be huge successes.

 

Winnipeg and Quebec lost teams for a reason, as for Hamilton, thats close to "Leafs Country" so like Buffalo, if the tickets are cheaper then Toronto, they will have no trouble selling out those games, but the current arena is not an NHL Caliber arena and is too small without huge upgrades. Basillie needs to get to work building a stadium in Kitchener/Waterloo if he is serious about moving a team to Southern Ontario

[Two or less]

Just read the comments from any canadian hockey fan on TSN's website on an article about an american team struggling and they will all tell you that Winnipeg, Quebec City, and Hamilon will all be huge successes.

 

Winnipeg and Quebec lost teams for a reason, as for Hamilton, thats close to "Leafs Country" so like Buffalo, if the tickets are cheaper then Toronto, they will have no trouble selling out those games, but the current arena is not an NHL Caliber arena and is too small without huge upgrades. Basillie needs to get to work building a stadium in Kitchener/Waterloo if he is serious about moving a team to Southern Ontario

 

Sorry, i didn't put that in good terms. I hope they move, and if i do hope it's in Canada, but i don't feel like a club in Southern Ontario will fly with the NHL... because it is so near of Toronto and Buffalo. He will want to move them to Hamilton. Play somewhere for the time being while he fixes up their arena.

[darksabre]

Wha-lers! Wha-lers! Wha-lers!

[Chief Enabler]

Wha-lers! Wha-lers! Wha-lers!

I do doubt Hartford would ever get back in the game. In retrospect, how did they ever get a franchise to start with, right?

 

Anyhow, I dont have a problem with a Hamilton team. Under my conditions, they go into Detroit's divison, and send St Louis or Minnesota out west. To me, whats the difference between Toronto dual teams and the LA Kings/Anaheim Ducks or 3 teams in NYC area?

[darksabre]

I do doubt Hartford would ever get back in the game. In retrospect, how did they ever get a franchise to start with, right?

 

Anyhow, I dont have a problem with a Hamilton team. Under my conditions, they go into Detroit's divison, and send St Louis or Minnesota out west. To me, whats the difference between Toronto dual teams and the LA Kings/Anaheim Ducks or 3 teams in NYC area?

 

I would imagine the collective population has a lot to do with it. I can't imagine the Buffalo-Toronto-Detroit area even comes close.

[joe w bags]

It would be great news for southern ontario hockey fans if this could come to fruition. Toronto has its Leafs and for many generations many hockey loving folk have been out of luck regarding hockey tickets, the corporate types filling most of the Leaf seats. Having Gretzky come home, (his birth city of Brantford), the cities of Guelph, London, Kitchener/Waterloo, Hamilton, more working people places , it would be great (my bias). Got to wonder though if commissioner will find a way again to stop Balsillie, given the past hard to feel optimistic Mr. Balsillie's bid will succeed.

[darksabre]

They should put it in Guelph and call em "The Jocks"...

[cilevel]

Very interesting. The NHL needs to get them out of Phoenix. I'd almost say at any cost, but not sure moving them to Southern Ontario will fly. But, Phoenix is a disaster area right now. No money. No fans.

 

For obvious reasons I don't want to see them go. That said, building a fan base for a sport that has not been played by the local population for generations in its most basic setting (pond hockey in the dead of winter) requires a winning team to get people in the seats. There is a lot working against the team and it starts right there - they needed a couple of successive winning seasons/trips to the playoffs. Hard to sell a "new" sport without that.

 

Today is a pretty sad day for me as I make it to several games throughout the season and now will be lucky to catch 1 by flying back east at some point.

[carpandean]

Move it to Halifax. While Halifax, itself, is only a midsize city, comparable to Buffalo, Nova Scotia has the highest population density in Canada of any area not currently served by an NHL team (i.e., outside of Vancouver, the Edmonton/Calgary belt and the Toronto/Ottawa/Montreal belt); higher even than Winnipeg or Quebec City.

 

Perhaps -- and forgive the Baseball theft -- the Halifax Mariners:

 

 

(Logo is from their flag.)

 

 

Edit: Apparently, the Halifax Mariners is already a women's hockey team.

[darksabre]

Hey, no more blue and gold teams, we're already fighting with the Blues (who have undeniably better main jerseys.)

 

I do like the idea of giving Nova Scotia a team though, that'd be kinda neat.

 

edit: sup laaaadies.

[matter2003]

Why does the NHL insist on trying to bash their heads into a wall to try and force non-hockey markets to become hockey markets, causing their owners to lose millions upon millions of dollars every year, while other markets that love and want hockey are ignored? I mean really, is Bettman under some type of illusion that Phoenix is willing to support their hockey team better than a city in Canada? I highly doubt it, which is why I don't understand why they are so against what Balsillie is trying to do...

 

Same thing in Long island---that team is a money sieve, and Charles Wang, their owner said he would nver have bought the team if he had to do it all over again...

 

The NHL needs to start following smart business principles...if a team is in a market for a long enough period of time and they continuously show they are not able to earn a profit, why continue to think they will someday flip a switch and start profiting? It just isn't going to happen...move the team to a new location...

[2ForTripping]

I do doubt Hartford would ever get back in the game. In retrospect, how did they ever get a franchise to start with, right?

 

Anyhow, I dont have a problem with a Hamilton team. Under my conditions, they go into Detroit's divison, and send St Louis or Minnesota out west. To me, whats the difference between Toronto dual teams and the LA Kings/Anaheim Ducks or 3 teams in NYC area?

The Blues and Wild already are in the west

[bottlecap]

Hockey doesn't have alot of investors and boosters like Balsille. I'm starting to see that a Hamilton franchise is going to be inevitable. This guy never stops trying. I wish he could be the Sabres owner and then be prevented from leaving Buffalo, but I think that's too much of a temptation. Bettman has no feel for hockey and should leave the game.

[Spudz]

I've got to ask, what do you think this means for Buffalo?

 

I'd love another close rival, but how close is too close and now are we worried about the Sabres survival. I don't know all that much about their draw from the southern Ontario market but this can be a negative from Buffalo's point of view and even Toronto.

[joe w bags]

I agree its inevitable a second franchise will be in Southern Ontario. But this second franchise will be in Toronto. Listening and reading all the hand wringing regarding Mr. Balsillie purchasing a team and bringing it to Southern Ontario, where just last week the same people had their pom poms out cheering on a second team option for Toronto as no brainer is enough to make me want to throw radio through the window. I think is sad for Ontario people , but much more powerful people are behind a second team in Toronto thus in end the second team will reside there and effectively keep out millions of small town hard working non corporate folk , for who it would be a dream to have a team of their own to cheer for and follow.

 

 

Hockey doesn't have alot of investors and boosters like Balsille. I'm starting to see that a Hamilton franchise is going to be inevitable. This guy never stops trying. I wish he could be the Sabres owner and then be prevented from leaving Buffalo, but I think that's too much of a temptation. Bettman has no feel for hockey and should leave the game.

[Eleven]

I've got to ask, what do you think this means for Buffalo?

 

I'd love another close rival, but how close is too close and now are we worried about the Sabres survival. I don't know all that much about their draw from the southern Ontario market but this can be a negative from Buffalo's point of view and even Toronto.

 

I don't think it means a thing for Buffalo. When did we become worried about the team's survival?

[Spudz]

I don't think it means a thing for Buffalo. When did we become worried about the team's survival?

 

 

It wasn't too long ago this team was bankrupt and this year rumors of Tommy G possibly selling. If anything hurts this market I worry about a buffalo franchise. I don't think it is a ridiculous question.

[spndnchz]

It wasn't too long ago this team was bankrupt and this year rumors of Tommy G possibly selling. If anything hurts this market I worry about a buffalo franchise. I don't think it is a ridiculous question.

Seems the NHL got a bit blindsided by this one http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=421608

 

NEW YORK - National Hockey League Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly issued the following statement regarding the Phoenix Coyotes:

 

"We have just become aware of today's Bankruptcy Court filing purportedly made on behalf of the Phoenix Coyotes. We are investigating the circumstances surrounding the petition, including the propriety of its filing. We have removed Jerry Moyes from all positions of authority to act for or on behalf of the Club. The League will appear and proceed before the Bankruptcy Court in the best interests of all of the Club's constituencies, including its fans in Arizona and the League's 29 other Member Clubs."

[frisky]

I don't think comparing dual Southern California teams is a good analogy. First, the Kings don't have fans and I'm amazed they're still here. Anaheim has a small bunch of fans that fill the building as long as they're winners. And, it's not like you can't get tickets for either. They practically try to give Kings tickets away. And, there isn't a third team close by to effect. They don't even effect each other. This is not hockey country it's fake boob country. I would be a little worried as I thought the team mentioned that 20% of there tickets are from Southern Ontario residents.

 

As for the Balsillie thing, I knew he'd be in the picture. I thought we'd hear his name way sooner. Sounds like a back alley conspiracy to sell the team to him by attempting to circumvent the NHL. He didn't get rich by not knowing how to play games I'm sure. By going through bankruptcy court maybe he's attempting to ram himself down their throat. I'm not sure. But sounds like it's a new tactic since the Predators one didn't work so well. Wonder when the Hamilton season ticket thing will start up. The north side Toronto team I also thought was him but never saw his name mentioned. But perhaps that's a second best alternative.

[stenbaro]

Let the guy buy a Team and just get it over with..Worse case is at least we might have a chance of watching playoff hockey live and in person..Seeing how the Sabres nor the Leafs can get it right maybe third teams the charm!!!

[nfreeman]

Balsillie is trying to muscle his way in, even more so than previously. I don't see this is as a wise move -- Bettman and the owners are not the kind of guys who react well to this kind of tactic.

 

Bottom line is that the owners will have to change the operating philosophy that's guided them for 20 years -- i.e. that a greater US presence is the key to economic success -- in order for a team to relocate to Canada. While this could happen, there is no indication that it will.

 

I'd be very surprised if Balsillie gets a team anytime soon.

[Chief Enabler]

The Blues and Wild already are in the west

i guess I meant the west as in the time zones (pacific/calif divison) <_<

[repster]

Larry Quinn comments on the situation this afternoon, and also talks generally about the decision to keep Lindy and Darcy and what direction they plan to take over the summer.

 

http://sabres.nhl.tv/team/console.jsp?catid=23&id=41503