Updated: Talks continue, fans still planning to attend Thrashers’ select-a-seat event
By Chris Vivlamore and Tim Tucker
It may be the 11th hour, but some Atlanta hockey fans are clinging to hope.
With the Atlanta Spirit ownership group deep into negotiations to sell the Thrashers to True North Sports and Entertainment, which would move the franchise to Winnipeg, current and prospective season-ticket holders plan to attend a select-a-seat event here Saturday.
“Our select-a-seat event will take place as planned at Philips Arena,” Thrashers president Don Waddell said Friday.
Team officials and owners declined to comment on the negotiations with the Winnipeg group.
One person familiar with the negotiations, speaking on condition of anonymity because of the fluid and sensitive situation, said no agreement had been reached as of Friday afternoon but that talks and progress continued. The person said complex issues were being hammered out and that it’s difficult to predict when a deal might be completed.
Talks also continued with a prospective buyer willing to keep the team in Atlanta, but indications were that the sale to the Winnipeg group could happen as early as next week.
The Canadian Press reported that Winnipeg Mayor Sam Katz said Friday that although nothing is signed, sealed or delivered yet, there is an understanding the relocation “is going to happen” and it is just “a matter of time” before a deal is announced.
The Thrashers organization continues to operate. In fact, at least one new season ticket was sold Friday. The select-a-seat event will be run by ticket representatives with no team executives, coaches or players in attendance. The event will coincide with a gathering of Thrashers fans at the gulch area outside the arena.
For some, the seat event will be a chance to show support.
“We are going about it like business as usual in hopes there is still a season,” said Charlie Clarke. “It seems like the writing is on the wall, but you look at other situations like in Sacramento with the [NBA’s] Kings. The fan base thought it was over. and something happened to keep the team.
“There is no reason now not to go. I know it’s a bit of a tease, but I’m holding out that .001 percent chance.”
Others see it as an opportunity to walk down memory lane.
“I’ll be going to the event, but I’m treating it at it as if I’m going to a funeral,” said Brett Lang, who described himself as a season-ticket holder since Day One. “I will go sit in the seats that my friends, family, and I enjoyed for the 11 seasons, quietly reflect on the good times, and say farewell just like a funeral.”
For one Thrashers fan, the chances of losing the team were enough to make him change his plans to attend the season- ticket event. Darren Schuster had planned to attend as a show of support.
“When I think about how much I put into this team and how much I got back, it’s pathetic,” Schuster said. “You can’t blame the fans. When the team was spending money and winning, the fans showed up.”
NHL commissioner Gary Bettman was informed of the fan gathering on his weekly call-in radio show, broadcast Thursday night on satellite radio and the Internet, by a Thrashers fan.
“It will be interesting to see how many people show up at the rally on Saturday,” Bettman said.
The caller also told Bettman that the Thrashers drew impressive crowds in their first five seasons and attributed recent attendance problems to ownership that has not put a competitive team on the ice.
“I understand that there may be dissatisfaction there, but demonstrating your dissatisfaction by not going to games is an interesting strategy,” Bettman said. “It’s your absolute right. But if it becomes a turnoff for anybody who might want to buy the franchise, the long-term consequences could be severe.”
Bettman vigorously denied that a deal is done to move the Thrashers. “I can tell you that with certainty,” he said. But he did not rule out the possibility and telegraphed what likely will be the NHL’s position if relocation occurs: that no qualified buyer was willing to own and operate the team in Atlanta.
“The decision as to whether or not to move a club doesn’t come out of looking at two markets and saying, ‘This market would be better than that market,’” Bettman said. “We try to keep our clubs where they are. And if it is ultimately determined that a club has to move, generally the reason . . . is because nobody wants to own a team there anymore, nobody wants to fund the losses.”
The Thrashers’ owners have been seeking a buyer or investors for two years, and have said since February that they face a “sense of urgency” to shed the team’s operating losses, one way or another. The owners have contended in court documents that the team has lost $130 million since 2005.
“The key to this may be, in the final analysis, whether or not somebody wants to own the team in Atlanta,” Bettman said. “In the absence of either the current ownership group continuing to own and operate or somebody stepping forward who wants to buy the club, that becomes the situation that concerns us or any sports league.
“We’ll only leave a market … if we have to,” Bettman said.
Making a deal to sell, let alone relocate, a team is a complex process involving the buyer, the seller and the NHL, each represented by groups of lawyers and financial advisors.
Atlanta Spirit and True North would have to complete a purchase-and-sale agreement. True North and the NHL would have to complete an “undertaking” agreement, spelling out the buyer’s commitments to the league. The parties would have to agree on how much of the money paid by True North would go to the NHL, rather than to the Spirit, as a relocation fee.
It is believed True North would pay as much as $170 million for the team, with $60 million going to the NHL and $110 million to the Spirit.
Ultimately, the NHL Board of Governors, which consists of one representative from each team, would have to vote to ratify a sale and relocation. A 75-percent vote is required to approve a new owner, and a majority vote is required to approve a relocation.
Here’s an indication of the complexities involved: When the Atlanta Spirit bought the Hawks and Thrashers in 2004, each member of the then-new ownership group had to sign his name 372 times on documents that filled six binders, each about six inches thick.
*** Thanks to all the fans who responded to my request and those I talked to but couldn’t fit into the story. I appreciate your help and your passion.
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553 comments Add your comment
Hockey in ATL
May 21st, 2011
1:16 am
It will be interesting to find out how it turns out in Winnipeg, say 5 years from now, especially when they jack up ticket prices to recoup their investment money.
Keep Hockey in Atlanta
May 21st, 2011
2:36 am
Flood the inbox of True North asking them to back out and tell them why hockey in Atlanta is important to you.
HillMan
May 21st, 2011
3:12 am
Chris/Tim,
Here’s an idea to get a last minute hail mary and maybe even a story. What if the 4 large sponsors that are headquarters in the ATL and already sponsor the Thrashers stepped forward now and said (a) each will provide $5M in funding to the owners this year, in addition to what they currently fund, to offset potential loses while they search for a new owner and the (b) also commit to any new owner that they would do the same for at least the first five year. I am sure if a new ownership group knew they could count on $20M to offset start up loses they would come.
I am a STH since day one and believe there are at least 15000 core fans that would become brand loyal for life and spread the word to family and friends. It would be a great PR tool for them, the league and the team. It would allow us to show the league and others that with a fresh start this town would support the team and turn out with more that 15,500 fans on an average night.
HillMan
May 21st, 2011
3:23 am
By the way, if the 4 large sponsors were given that sort of opportunity and turned it down, I’d like to know that as well as I can make a choice on how I spend my dollars.
Will The Last Atlanta Hockey Fan Left Please Turn Out The Lights? This Party Is OVER.
May 21st, 2011
6:02 am
Is it any wonder that Atlanta has a bad image as a hockey town and NHL hockey has a bad rap with Atlanta fans? I mean it’s the SECOND time this city’s fans have been sh!t on by the NHL and owners who have sold our teams to the Great White North for their own selfish reasons. This all has ABSOLUTELY NOTHING to do with how many fans attended games at Philips Arena and everything to do with a bunch of numbnuts who bought a “package deal” of the Hawks, Thrashers & Philips Arena naming rights when they DIDN’T EVEN WANT a friggin hockey team!!
Gary Bettman and the NHL are just as directly RESPONSIBLE for this latest failure of hockey in Atlanta because he APPROVED the sale of the Thrashers to this OctoCluster Group of owners who (court documents have shown) have been trying to sell this team almost since the day they bought them…..But they repeatedly LIED to the press and FANS, denying any and all reports that the team was even for sale for freakin YEARS…..Yes, they’ve publicly LIED to us all for YEARS!!!!
They also blew any chance they ever had to build a contender here. To be sure, there are DOZENS of more things to do in the Atlanta area than in Winnipeg on any given day, especially in the dead of winter. But this ownership group FAILED to invest in TALENT and made some legendary boneheaded moves that resulted in the best players leaving this city/team, draft choices being squandered, expensive player rental trades, etc that did NOTHING to get average Atlantans excited about hockey! There’s really no need to go on here. DON WADDELL is friggin LEGENDARY in his level of incompetence as GM of a hockey enterprise. So what does he get for his asinine management decisions — He gets PROMOTED TO PRESIDENT of the Thrashers organization to the complete dismay of Atlanta hockey fans!
I grew up in South Georgia in the 70s/80s and we didn’t even get to watch hockey on the television. It just wasn’t available. For the past 4 years, we’ve taken our young sons to at least a dozen Thrashers home games and have Thrashers gear all around our home that we proudly wear whenever we go out, even when it isn’t to a game. This despite the fact that this HAS to be the absolute sh!ttiest on-ice product that has ever been served to a sun-belt city for a period exceeding a full decade.
THAT’S why there’s so much ANGER from me and other Atlanta hockey fans right now. We’re told we suck every half dozen posts on here….We turn on NHL Live and we’re told we suck….We watch the local news and read the AJC and Mark Bradley and Jeff Schultz tell us we suck….But we STILL BOUGHT TICKETS and we STILL WENT TO GAMES and we SUPPORTED OUR SH!TTY TEAM because they were OUR SH!TTY TEAM!
The Balkan
May 21st, 2011
6:11 am
“Chris/Tim,
Here’s an idea to get a last minute hail mary and maybe even a story. What if the 4 large sponsors that are headquarters in the ATL and already sponsor the Thrashers stepped forward now and said (a) each will provide $5M in funding to the owners this year, in addition to what they currently fund, to offset potential loses while they search for a new owner and the (b) also commit to any new owner that they would do the same for at least the first five year. I am sure if a new ownership group knew they could count on $20M to offset start up loses they would come.”
What a sh…t idea. Yeah lets piss off thousands of shareholders and fork over $5 million to help subsidize the Titanic. If all you people posting here now had shown up to the games we may be singing a different tune instead of looking for handouts.
Video: Pavelec's Dogs Show ATL's Passion
May 21st, 2011
7:47 am
Pavelec’s Dogs say “Come on down to the tailgate today”……..we all could use a laugh at this point:
http://www.keepthethrashers.com/thrasherstailgateglutch.html
Thanks to the NHL for helping the fans in Atlanta!
Atlanta Jets
May 21st, 2011
8:54 am
How will it turn out long term for Winnipeg? See my moniker ^^^
Atlanta awarded Winnipeg Franchise via relocation, 2014. The NHL sure knows how to embitter fans. I still can’t get over the fact that we are supposed to applaud Bettman for sticking the ASG with a higher bill. How does it make any of this less fraudulent? The beautiful city of Atlanta and fans whether they are delusional or not have been screwed since day 1. I’ve lived most of my life on Lake Lanier, Northeast Georgia. If it weren’t for the internet, you would not know there is a NHL team in Georgia and most still don’t know. There is your marketing proof since 99′ ..Atlanta Thrashers. Everyone harps on this being one of the biggest television markets and the coverage on Sportsouth is terrible, not every game is televised, never once has a preseason game been televised, there is no pregame show, they show the same 3 commericials throughout the telcast, am I the only person sick of the Aarons commercials? They repeatedly allowed womens college basketball to bleed into Thrasher games already in progress, give me a break.
R. Stroz
May 21st, 2011
8:54 am
Satan has standards, I’m sure Satan finds the ASG to be beneath him.
PW
May 21st, 2011
9:04 am
We should also criticize the local news media for absolute lack of coverage. There were many nights where we would come home from a game and watch the local news and there would be NO news of a Thrashers game! And road games were almost entirely bypassed, not even a score. Guess they needed to make more room for GEORGIA FOOTBALL and the last kid they drafted and were going to pay a salary to…And I swear one night, no Thrashers coverage but LADY GYM DOGS!!! I am not kidding here, a freaking gymnastics team from a college a hundred miles away!
This is the land of football and round de round Nascar. Hockey and (Formula One too) are too foreign for these morons.
Todb
May 21st, 2011
9:43 am
How many season tickets wer sold in Atl last season?
It's over!!!
May 21st, 2011
9:49 am
Atlanta Jets – I’m with you on those Aaron’s commercials. Nobody beats Aaron’s. Well ASG did.
Stephen
May 21st, 2011
10:21 am
I’m an Islander fan and the only reason why they have not moved is because of the history and plus the lease to stay on Long Island isn’t up until 2015 unless they get a new arena. As for the Thrashers I’ve been to a few games and honestly the times I went the arena was empty. Also from watching the games the only time I see people is if a big time market team is in town and most of those in attendance are for the visiting team. I think that its not right or fair that Atlanta will be losing another hockey team. On the other hand I don’t think its right if everyone does come to this rally to keep them here and then next season no shows up again to support the team. It would be nice to have the Thrashers here though just so I can go see them play the Islanders when they do come.
Brendan
May 21st, 2011
10:27 am
IS this site still taking posts. Twice now, mine has not posted.
G52PIM228
May 21st, 2011
10:28 am
I like men.
cory
May 21st, 2011
10:37 am
welcome to winnipeg
Atlanta Jets
May 21st, 2011
10:39 am
As for the Canadian bitterness, it should be understandable. These trolls come here and attempt to rub it in our faces when they should know what it feels like, even their mayor is gloating and negating the fact that so many people will lose their jobs. People do care about hockey here, (our media doesn’t…Custance was the only noted hockey fan to write for the AJC) HOCKEY is supposed to be for everyone not just the frozen north. I am hoping it turns out to be a monkey’s paw, careful what you wish for type of deal..because if you think an NHL team can’t be taken from you twice, look around, Winnipeg.
Wienerpeg Trolls
May 21st, 2011
10:39 am
“welcome to winnipeg”
The three-word nightmare the Thrasher players have been having nightly for the past 6-9 months….
Brendan
May 21st, 2011
10:47 am
I want to say thank you to all those who had kind words for me, and to reciprocate my appreciation for your posts, through the many years. It’s been fun, in spite of the choppy seas we had to endure with this ownership group.
HillMan
May 21st, 2011
10:52 am
I think some folks are missing that it takes time to build a brand. When the Thrashers first started in Atlanta there was no high school hockey, now there are over 20 schools playing and the level of competition improves each year. This program started to build 5-6 years ago. Now, like my son, there are working adults that wil be looking to buy their own tickets with their friends this year. Youth hockey has boomed in Atlanta and ice rinks have sprung up around town. It takes time for these PeeWees to grow up, and have families of their own.
NHL, even if you believe the low turn out is due to no interest, look at the generation of kids that have had 10 years of exposure to the sport, look at the rinks that are filled with kids at 7 AM practice and understand that group is ready to buy your product.
Vladimir Tretiak
May 21st, 2011
11:09 am
Runnin’ down Winnipeg? Safe bet that none of you folks have ever been there. I’ve been to Atlanta and Winnipeg. All I will say is that Winnipeg is a nice place. Why run down a city anyway? It’s not the buyer’s fault. They’re only buying something that is for sale.
wpgJetsfan
May 21st, 2011
11:30 am
Will there be any live feed for the Thrashers Rally today?
Pegger8
May 21st, 2011
11:33 am
There is probably a lot more to this “the deal has been done for months” than you might think. There are many facts (as well as rumours – but those are just that: “rumours”) that support this theory. One big one being that TNSE had undertaken and now completed a press box expansion of the MTS Centre a number of months ago. The previous press box was more than suitable for the Moose. Why bother with that expansion and the cost if its not necessary, and for an NHL team we may never get? We may never know the truth about how long this deal has been in the works, only ASG, TNSE, and the NHL can answer those questions. I believe TNSE was VERY close to landing the Yotes last season, but sometime between then and now the Thrashers were the primary focus. I don’t believe now that TNSE ever really wanted to take a serious crack at the Yotes this time around. They (and the NHL in particular) just wanted that deal to get done to keep the value of the Thrashers higher and keep relocation fees higher for the owners. If Phoenix moves to Winnipeg this year, the Thrashers value would plummet, as there is no market that is NHL ready enough to take them for next year. Simple supply and demand, and the Thrashers would not be in demand. There are a few sellers out there on the NHL market and next to no buyers. Is this a conspiracy theory? Yes. But definitely one that is a possibility. I’m sure the book will come out in about 25 years or so.
fringe fan
May 21st, 2011
11:37 am
Prior to moving to ATL, I was never around the sport of hockey other than playing the best video game ever made (NHL HOCKEY 94 for SEGA GENESIS). Since moving to ATL in 2003, I have gone to several Thrashers game, trying to go to 2-3 every season. I was privileged enough to go to the first playoff game. The building was absolutely electric that day. Electricity that i have only witnessed with top level college football. It was a better atmosphere than any NBA or NFL game that I have seen. It was infectous and led to me watching more hockey. I grew up playing baseball, basketball, soccer, football, but found that i enjoyed attending the NHL games as much or more than the NBA-NFL-MLB games. I will hate to see it go
Welcome to the No Honor Left
May 21st, 2011
11:38 am
I wish I had the price of a Thrashers season ticket for each and every time Gary Bettman, one of his underlings or a member/spokesperson for the Atlanta Spirit publicly LIED to Thrashers fans over the past 7 years.
I’ve never heard so many outright LIES come from the mouths of grown men who solicit large sums of money from hard-working individuals….And they aren’t even politicians running for office!
This day the NHL has taken on a new meaning, redefining itself by the words, actions and empty promises of its League Office and Atlanta Spirit, LLC:
No Honor Left
The fish always rots from the head down. Backroom deals, extortion money, public lies being peddled as truth, multi-million dollar payoffs —- This is what the No Honor Left has become.
Outsiders see this as just another hockey team failing in Atlanta…..But the keen observer sees it for what it is, plain and simple: The operations of a crime syndicate run by a mobster who will always get his way or Rocko will be coming to break your kneecaps tomorrow.
Goodbye No Honor Left…..You aren’t even wanted in Atlanta anymore. We deserve better…..
Some honor left
May 21st, 2011
11:43 am
What kind of food will we have at the rally?
can i have seconds?
May 21st, 2011
11:51 am
It’s being catered by Philips Arena. So plenty of stale popcorn to go around. Oh, and it’s not a “rally” anymore. It’s a FUNERAL. Didn’t you get the memo?
LOL
May 21st, 2011
11:55 am
If this deal has been “done” for months then all of these season ticket sales have been a “FRAUD” somebody downtown needs to step up and threaten to charge these clowns with a crime, then let’s see what happens. Also what would happen to this “deal” if every player on the team would inform management that they will be asking to be traded the moment the deal is done. I know they don’t have to trade them, but I would not want to be in that clubhouse.
wpgJetsfan
May 21st, 2011
12:34 pm
Breaking News out of St Johns Newfoundland. The AHL Manitoba Moose are being relocated to St John. Press Release Friday. The Manitoba Moose will also be the new farm team for the new NHL team in Winnipeg.
Some honor left
May 21st, 2011
12:37 pm
I’m betting the Balkan will be at the rally. The Balkan’s got this whole thing looked after. No worries.
ex hawk fan since Nique was traded
May 21st, 2011
12:56 pm
now i’m an ex Thrasher fan since I was robbed by the ass clowns, Don Wadell and Gary Bettman
Atlanta Jets
May 21st, 2011
1:07 pm
I wish ATL players would speak out like the Coyote players did. The overwhelming majority of Yote players were vehement in voicing their displeasure of not only having to possibly “play” in Winnipeg, but having to go there period. So far we’ve had Chris Mason and his happy go lucky attitude of being a worthless backup goalie talk to TSN…and plenty of rumors that during the last trading deadline players with NTC chose Atlanta and Phoenix due to one or both possibly being relocated to..Winnipeg. It saddens me that none of our players are really speaking out even though it could obviously hurt their relationship with their new bosses and fans who took a giant dookie on us, the meager but few Thrasher fans who stuck by them through plenty of losing seasons.
John Ferguson
May 21st, 2011
1:13 pm
Atlanta Jets:
2 (TWO) Phoenix players made comments about Winnipeg.
John Ferguson
May 21st, 2011
1:19 pm
Professional athletes are generally asked to not comment to the media about that kind of stuff. Most people thought Bryzgalov was an idiot for making the comments he did especially after barfing all over the goal crease during the 4 games in which his team was swept.
John Ferguson
May 21st, 2011
1:25 pm
I head Mason’s interview – he said nothing wrong at all. Nothing. He did not say that he wanted to go to Winnipeg just that he would be okay with it. Your players deserve more respect from your city. It’s not Mason’s decision that this deal is going down.
John Ferguson
May 21st, 2011
1:27 pm
I HEARD Mason’s interview
Some honor left
May 21st, 2011
1:36 pm
I am just packing my stuff for the rally. I have a very practical question for anybody who can answer.
Why did we choose the day the world ends to hold this rally?
Winnipeg = Poverty
May 21st, 2011
1:36 pm
@ John Ferguson Bryzgalov was just speaking the truth of what kind of nightmare existence it is for NHL players to be forced to play in Winnipeg. His comments happen to very refreshing and honest and is what almost what every other player thinks about Winnipeg. Mason is just being diplomatic and I bet behind the scenes he’s looking what his next career move if this franchise is exiled to Winnipeg.
Sullys dad
May 21st, 2011
1:37 pm
2 phoenix players said they would not come to Winnipeg. Actually the 2 players that said that are losers. Doan 15 years and has done nothing and Bryz folds under pressure.
Big Buff has publicaly stated he is excited about a move to Winnipeg. His family doe not live far from here. Brian little teewted that he laid in bed on Thursday night dreaming about jumping onto the ice at the first home game in Winnipeg with 15,500 rabid fans cheering away. And Chris mason has said to Leah hextall on Friday that he is excited about playing in Canada for the first time in his professional career.
Sullys dad
May 21st, 2011
1:39 pm
Leah Hextall is the sportcaster on CTV sports in Winnipeg
JhonP
May 21st, 2011
1:43 pm
Wow my 1st post ever on AJC…I’m excited! Glad to see G52 and GlovalView are her in atlanta. Both are diehard Coyotes fans and have been fighting with the Winnipeg trolls for ooooh years on thier site in Glendale Arizona. You 2 are troopers man…That’s the only reason I am posting on this board. Hope the Yotes keep thier team, other than this has been a NHL TNSE plan for over a year. Yotes stay,Atlanta..a great hockey town…moves. It’s biusness. You yote fans keep up the fight..You haven’t quit in yrs. Atlanta Keep fighting..Although I don’t think the NHL is listening.
braveslose
May 21st, 2011
1:48 pm
Why do I say good riddance to bad rubbish when it comes to Thrashers? Simple. Players never gave a darn. If they actually competed 50 percent of the time it was an unexpected miracle. Forget talent! I am talking about effort. All the talent in the world is wasted without effort. Just look at that washout flop Alex O in Washington. Talented players can coast without looking obvious. When untalented players coast it looks, uh, well, like the Thrashers. I am not sorry in the least to see these underachievers go! Will cheer lustily against these quitters whenever I see em on television. Flames and Knights left everything on ice. Will always miss them. Thrashers who?
Big Daddy (formerly waffleboy)
May 21st, 2011
1:51 pm
Sully’s Dad – A) It’s Bryan Little, not Brian and B) Bryan Little doesn’t have a twitter account. What are you talking about?
John Ferguson
May 21st, 2011
1:54 pm
Hey JhonP (great moniker by the way – very catchy)
I’m no Winnipegger – nice city though. Keep paying your taxes – keep shovelling those devalued dollars into the fire. Quebec’s arena will be ready soon to rescue your barely above depression state and all its unemployed people from that money pit in Glendale.
kar413
May 21st, 2011
1:54 pm
Per a Darren Dreger tweet:
“For what it’s worth, the Manitoba Moose say they have no agreement with St John’s and no plan for an announcement on Friday.”
braveslose
May 21st, 2011
1:59 pm
Knights into oblivion. Flames on life support in Calgary. Press up north always griping about em. Come back home fellas! Please. Be nice to see some hockey players who actually care!
Excellent Jhon F...
May 21st, 2011
2:00 pm
Enter your comments here
braveslose
May 21st, 2011
2:02 pm
Either Lightning or Sharks! Prefer Southern Lightning. Not looking good this second though. No big Shark fan but utterly despise those obnoxious Canucks and their followers! Keep cup of Lord Stanley in United States. That will show those coceded Canada Eskimos!
braveslose
May 21st, 2011
2:06 pm
Conceded. Thanks Winnipeg. Your landfill just got fuller! Got enough trash in Georgia as it is. @ ^ @
JhonP
May 21st, 2011
2:09 pm
Mr Ferguson..thank You ..Quebec is a wonderfull province and I intend to visit again when you re-aquire a team.
I am from can so your comments are confusing? GlenFail? Yes I agree…It is difficult for the US town,USA…..to many issues to keep them alive…oh yes I was at the Wpg gathering at p & Main..at the other day. Pls explain your commets. Quebec..2015..just trying to figure when the arena will be completed.