Are the Thrashers about to play final game in Atlanta?
Here is the start of my story on the Atlanta Spirit ownership with a link to the rest of the article. I wanted you to have a place to comment.
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Is this really it?
When the Thrashers play on Sunday it could be more than the last game of the season; it could be the final one for the franchise.
Ownership is seeking potential buyers or investors to help the financially struggling team. The Atlanta Spirit has stated publicly it would prefer to keep the Thrashers here and is first looking for a buyer who will stay. However, relocation is a serious possibility. Co-owner Michael Gearon Jr. told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution in February that there is a “sense of urgency” to change the financial setup for a franchise that loses millions of dollars per year and suffers with attendance, and has made the playoffs just once in its 11-year history.
“When they announced [a possible move] there were some shock waves through the dressing room, but, to be quite honest, there hasn’t been much talk about it since,” forward Chris Thorburn said. “As far as Atlanta, personally for me and my family, we love it. We made a home here and planted some roots. It would be terrible if the team moved. … To have the threat of moving is disheartening.”
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169 comments Add your comment
Thrashered/Relocationist
April 10th, 2011
4:31 pm
The Thrashers have obviously hired ‘Bagdad Bob’ and he is now going by the name of ‘Jim’.
moreno
April 10th, 2011
4:31 pm
If the team moves, Winnipeg has to take ASG as well. No takebacks.
Uncle Milty
April 10th, 2011
4:39 pm
@Thrashered/Relocationist
I’m thinking AJC board might just also be populated by a Phoenix troll who goes by the name of AYF on the Az Central board and by moriler here.
jebediah
April 10th, 2011
5:25 pm
JIm, remember back in 2009 Dec NHL Hotstove Al Strachon stating final touches of ATL to wpg were being done? The deal is in place ready to go. Money is in Southern markets…. but not for Hockey. That is and has always been the problem. $16 playoff tics for Phx and that’s after 15 years? Gimmee a break. The deal will not take time as it was in place looonnnngggg time ago. You will see very shortly. Thankfully the yotes are playing DET so they will be blown out in first round and will know end of April beg of May.
Thrashered/Relocationist
April 10th, 2011
6:11 pm
I’ve lived in ATL since ‘86. Obviously I like it here even though the only way to really stay in tune with what’s going on in the NHL is to buy the NHL Center Ice package. There’s no sports program better than Hockey Night in Canada. If someone has never been to Manitoba, Alberta or BC…..well, like the man once said…’it’s like tryin’ to tell a stranger about rock n roll.’
ashtray
April 10th, 2011
6:42 pm
unless you can tell us the #1 staple order at the Greasy V, you don’t know jack about Atlanta or Atlanta hockey.
jebediah
April 10th, 2011
7:09 pm
Just posted in Pittsburgh:
“If the Phoenix Coyotes are able to work out their issues and remain in Arizona, Atlanta will move to the top of the list of candidates for relocation.
One Philips Arena employee with Pittsburgh ties said Sunday that ownership has informed the workers that if the Coyotes don’t change cities, the Thrashers almost certainly will.”
What? i’m shocked!
Thrashered/Relocationist
April 10th, 2011
7:14 pm
Uh, I think the qualifier you just stated for knowledge of Atlanta/Atlanta hockey pretty much validated everything negative the people in Winnipeg have said in this forum about Atlanta. Well, at least you can now focus on the NASCAR points standings. Or finishing fifth grade.
Thrashered/Relocationist
April 10th, 2011
7:16 pm
Well, at least the rumor came from a Phillips Arena employee and not Kincade. It has more value if it came for a hotdog vendor than if it came from 680 The Stooge.
jebediah
April 10th, 2011
7:20 pm
Since this NHL fiasco it has been clear to me that all sports journalism know nothing about whats going on… so i’ll trust a street-meat vendor lol
jim
April 10th, 2011
7:34 pm
My only point is I think Atlanta deserves a chance…look at today’s game:
16,000+ for a team with lots of issues.
By the way..who the heck is Baghdad Bob?!!LOL!
Thesawch
April 10th, 2011
8:02 pm
Good crowd. What do tickets go for.
whiney pegboy
April 10th, 2011
9:30 pm
“Just posted in Pittsburgh:
“If the Phoenix Coyotes are able to work out their issues and remain in Arizona, Atlanta will move to the top of the list of candidates for relocation.
One Philips Arena employee with Pittsburgh ties said Sunday that ownership has informed the workers that if the Coyotes don’t change cities, the Thrashers almost certainly will.”
What? i’m shocked!”
One Philips Arena employee = hot dog vendor.
DekeTretiak
April 10th, 2011
10:30 pm
Top 10 Excuses of No-Show Fans of Failing NHL Teams
(Read with a whiney voice)
1. I don’t like the owner(s).
2. I don’t like the General Manager.
3. I don’t like the Coach.
4. I don’t like the player(s).
5. I don’t like the arena.
6. I don’t like the in-game entertainment at the arena.
7. I don’t like the food at the arena.
8. The food and drink at the arena is too expensive.
9. The parking is too expensive at the arena.
10. The team doesn’t win enough.
NEWSFLASH: You’ll never, ever, ever, get a perfect storm where everything is to your satisfaction. Some aspect will always be lacking. So using any of the above as an excuse to stay away from a game until they correct it to your satisfaction is dooming your team to failure. The NHL is a gate-driven league. Your team needs butts in the seats. Without those butts in the seats, your team doesn’t have the capital to get better players, a better arena, better coaches, better management, etc ad infiteum. ad nauseum. It comes down to this, do you want to go watch a hockey game or not. If enough of you says “not”, then the team folds up its tent and moves on to the next town.
whiney pegboy
April 10th, 2011
10:44 pm
Try living in a town with one championship in 40+years.
Then, THEN, see if you like paying money to see ill-managed teams crash and burn.
But before you do that, please STFU.
BSBishop
April 11th, 2011
6:53 am
Another poster (Sully) is right. The obvious problem here isn’t the fans. It’s the lack of fans. They have to make money and it’s not happening.
I don’t go to every Thrasher’s game but I go to probably a dozen or so a year. I enjoy them. I don’t want to spend $100 on a ticket but I’ll get the cheaper seats and take my daughters. When I go there’s usually plenty of empty seats, even in the cheap sections. That’s not good.
It’s a business and if they were a profitable business the original owner wouldn’t want to sell or, if he did, there would be people lining up to try to buy the property.
Now you can say, “The owners mismanaged the team!,” which may be true but teams with a decent fan base still head to the games during the off years. They may not fill the stands but it won’t be as desolate as it is now.
The current owner, from what I’ve read, has lost $150mil since the franchise came here. Imagine it from his side. He’s paid $150mil to keep Thrasher’s fans entertained. That has to be pretty rough.
Anyway, while I hope/wish they’d stay, the business side of it sounds like it’s not the smartest move to do so.
It’s not the fans’ fault. It’s just not a good market for them.
Winnipeg Jet
April 11th, 2011
9:56 am
Flight 2011-12 TharsherJet, you are cleared for landing at YWG.
Don waddell
April 11th, 2011
12:21 pm
Hi can’t wait till 2012 to mess up team fire Ramsey soon coach so u fools can watch us lose….This is what happens when u Hire me to lose thanks u atlanta for Me…dummy don here for u Buy u season Tickets
Emma
April 12th, 2011
4:56 pm
Guess what? A move couldn’t happen as quickly as next season. It just won’t. It’s really irresponsible journalism that no one from the AJC has even bothered to look at the NHL Constitution or the bylaws governing the movement of franchises, considering the problems with the Phoenix Coyotes. It’s a shame that the only place discussing these important things was Examiner.
http://www.examiner.com/atlanta-thrashers-in-atlanta/sorry-canada-beware-of-reports-of-imminent-relocation-of-thrashers-to-winnipeg
It even has links to the NHL Constitution and appropriate bylaws.
It’s just not going to happen as soon as this article, and the AJC’s general “the sky is falling” tone of Thrashers coverage, spins it–if it even happens at all. You all should be ashamed of yourselves for spinning it like this and not bothering to look at the facts.
Believe in Blueland.