Mason: Ownership not 100 percent behind Thrashers
Chris Mason feels for Thrashers fans. The goaltender – and the rest his teammates – are in the same place.
Limbo.
While the Atlanta Spirit and True North Sports and Entertainment continued negotiations Tuesday on a deal that would sell and relocate the Thrashers to Winnipeg, Manitoba, fans and players wait for official word about the team’s future.
“Everybody is feeling different things,” Mason told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution Tuesday. “Everybody is in limbo. I keep getting phone calls [about various news reports]. It’s unnerving. You don’t know what’s going on and you can only wait and see how it all plays out. … You’ve got guys sitting here not know what is going on.
“The people getting shafted are the fans. No matter how much they want to keep the team, they don’t have a say in it.”
Mason said despite lagging attendance, he felt support from Thrashers fans.
“I definitely felt the support,” Mason said. “At games and especially when we were out talking to fans at events. You know there are die-hard hockey fans in Atlanta. It’s hard to maintain the interest when you don’t have success, especially from the casual fan. … One trip to the playoffs is not enough. If you win more people will come. In my opinion, that has a lot to do with the numbers.”
Mason, a Red Deer, Alberta native, said he would like to experience playing in a Canadian market, but not at the expense of Atlanta.
Mason said he did not feel Thrashers ownership was 100 percent behind the franchise. He cites how the team responded at the trade deadline as it made a push for the playoffs.
“I don’t think we were given a legitimate chance,” Mason said. “We made a couple of good moves for [Radek Dvorak] and [Blake Wheeler and Mark Stuart] at the deadline. But it wasn’t enough. We were such a young team. It’s hard to make the playoffs. We believed we could win but sometimes you need someone who can score an extra goal or two or help on the power play. Our management was hampered by budget. It’s still hard to make the playoffs even if you have the money to spend. When you don’t have it, it’s even harder. You see it every year. Good teams don’t make the playoffs. A couple of more pieces and we could have been in.”
Talks between The Atlanta Spirit and True North continued Tuesday but no deal was reached. Winnipeg mayor Sam Katz told the National Post he expects news soon. “We certainly do believe it’s going to happen very shortly within the next couple of days,” Katz said. “We certainly do believe that.”
The two sides opened negotiations this month after Glendale, Ariz., made a commitment to cover up to $25 million in next season’s losses of the Coyotes, who otherwise likely would have moved to Winnipeg. The Atlanta Spirit has been looking for a buyer or investors for the Thrashers for several years. Co-owner Michael Gearon Jr. said in February that there was a sense of urgency to find a solution for the struggling franchise and that relocation was a possibility.
Meanwhile, Thrashers officials continued business as usual Tuesday with scouting meetings held.
Reed: ‘We will get through it’
Mayor Kasim Reed said Tuesday while it will hurt to lose the Thrashers, the city of Atlanta will move on.
Speaking to reporters, Reed said: “I think any time we lose a major sports franchise it is tough. It’s going to hurt the city, but we are going to withstand it just fine. We will get through it. We have a lot of positive things going on in the sports franchise space that I think we will be announcing pretty soon that will offset it a bit.”
Reed said he has tried to help the team find new ownership willing to keep the Thrashers in Atlanta. He has previously stated there would be no public money used in such an effort.
“The Thrashers, as you know, are in an extraordinary position because of the amount of losses that are associated with the team,” Reed said. “So we have not yet seen a path where we can reverse those losses fast enough. If you talk to the Atlanta Spirit ownership, they will share the same thing. It’s not a lack of the city being willing to step up and do something about it. It is a partner with deep enough pockets to be willing to sustain pretty significant losses. We have not yet had any of the individuals in our community who are prepared to take that on. But it has not been for lack of trying, believe you me.”
A plea: Please folks, let’s keep the commenting above board. I have deleted and banned posters for racist and anti-semitic remarks on other blogs. I will do it again to those posters who step over the line. I understand the passion for this issue, but I know you are capable of carrying on civil discussions. Thank you.
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174 comments Add your comment
colga87
May 25th, 2011
3:17 pm
I was thrilled to watch Vancouver win. I have family there. After, I looked forward to seeing the Worm present the trophy. I knew he would not be received in a civil manner. He disappointed me by not showing up with his worthless butt.
audette28
May 25th, 2011
3:49 pm
hawks have a clause that they must play in philips until bond deal is over– that is 2028. Thrashers have no such clause.
Mayor Reed probably did little, but it has little to do with black or white– it’s about green.
G52 is a Coyote BumbNuts Fan
May 25th, 2011
3:51 pm
NEWS: MAY.25th.Arizona Central: Sources: (google it)
G52 – See my posts everywhere on your site – ( a contributor to the AJC Blog) recently stated,from an Arizona blog in LOOSERGLEN ARIZONA, That he will come out of the closet after he continues to attack Atlanta fans after his team the, the Failed Coyotes, being propped up by the NHL’S G Bettman.to the sum of 37 million last year and 25 million this season. He insists Atlanta is a LOOSER TEAM and says” Atlanta Fans lose is the Coyotes Savior, as the CITY of GLENDALE is paying for the teams 15 yrs of losses in the desert.
Although G52 has been reported to suffer mental ilness, he continues to bash Atlanta Fans. To comment on his hockey posts, please vist AZ Central…Glendale / Sports / Coyotes .
D. Morgan
May 25th, 2011
3:52 pm
Is the NFL lockout over yet?
Atlanta Shortsighted $ Grab, LLC
May 25th, 2011
4:02 pm
Enjoy your NBA lockout fools!!
G52PIM228
May 25th, 2011
6:10 pm
I have driven you insane, how funny..
WPG Jets 2011
May 25th, 2011
6:20 pm
To the Winnipeggers making comments about attendace, please look at the situation more closely. Atlanta was getting 13-14000 fans to their games, a solid fan base and more than enough to make a serious go of a franchise there. Phoenix was getting anywhere from 5-8000 most nights and Bettman will fight to the death to keep that franchise, yet Atlanta did not get the same benefit from him or the NHL. I hate to see real fans lose their team, when Phoenix, who has practically no fan base, and from what I can tell no real passion in whatever base they have, get to keep theirs and have the commissioner allow the loss of millions and millions of dollars – when nobody there seems to care about that team. You have to admit, something doesn’t smell right about this. As bad as ownership is with the Thrashers, they got zero assistance from Bettman or the league when you compare to Phoenix.
OHL
May 25th, 2011
6:26 pm
WPG Jets 2011,
The problem with what you said is that Phx was not getting 5-8000 fans per night as you say, rather it was in the same neighborhood of Atlanta of say 14,000 per night. So they had equal fan bases. The next thing that comes up is that Glendale put up $25 million, Atlanta didn’t. Advantage: Phoenix. Now you know why things are happening the way they are with Bettman’s support. Phoenix put up millions of $$ for their team, Atlanta didn’t.
WPG Jets 2011
May 25th, 2011
6:31 pm
OHL
Agreed, but Bettman spent far more time trying to find ownership for Phoenix, and other franchises as well I know that the Atlanta franchise was tied in with the Arena and the Hawks, but there seems to have been no effort on Bettmans part to help this franchise, especially when he talks of how the NHL’s policy is to not have any franchise move. I’m just saying from the outside looking in (I’m in Winnipeg) it doesn’t appear that Bettman gave as much attention to the ownership situation here as he has done in several other cities.
WPG Jets 2011
May 25th, 2011
6:39 pm
OHL
Forgot to address attedence. According to http://www.mynhltraderumors.com/2011/01/19/nhl-attendance-for-each-team-after-20-home-games/ Coyotes had 2010/11 averaged 10.400 (many people agree however that these figures included 2 for 1 and give aways) Atlanta according to same source was 12,400 – so I don’t think there attendance figures are that close at all.
OHL
May 25th, 2011
6:49 pm
WPG Jets 2011,
1) The site you sourced has Phoenix at 10,840, not the 10,400 that you quoted above. I know it’s picky but it shows you are not factually correct when you quote sources.
2) Both 10,400 and 10,840 are far above the 5-8000 that you quoted earlier.
3) Your source is only for 20 games, not the 41 that are played in a full season
3) Phoenix actually averaged 12,188 for the full season which again is far above the 5-8000 number you quoted. My source can be verified right here – http://espn.go.com/nhl/attendance
Please get your facts straight as some others have said. Your numbers are way off. 5-8000 when they were actually over 12,000? That’s just flat out lying, not just being a little off.
WPG Jets 2011
May 25th, 2011
6:57 pm
OHL
Sorry but first, I don’t lie, second your source or mine doesn’t matter, Phoenix’s own media says that half that arena is papered and those attendance figures are not right. Atlanta doesn’t give tickets away. Not sure why you are so enamored with the Phoenix franchise, but they should be in Winnipeg and the Thrashers should be in Atlanta – good talking to you
OHL
May 25th, 2011
6:57 pm
WPG Jets 2011,
Phoenix put up $25 million. The fact is that Bettman should not be looking for a new owner for Phoenix OR Atlanta. He should be looking for a new owner for Columbus. They put up decent numbers the entire time before the strike, repeatedly in the top 12 in NHL attendance. Even this year and 2 years ago, they are in the top 10 tv markets for national hockey events when their team is not involved, things like the Stanley Cup Finals or Winter Classic. Columbus also ranks very high for local tv numbers for Blue Jacket games getting beat out by only the traditional markets like Detroit, Buffalo, Boston, etc.
I support NHL expansion in the US, I just see that the Columbus market is far superior than the Atlanta, Phoenix or Miami market for that matter.
OHL
May 25th, 2011
7:08 pm
WPG Jets 2011,
You say that “Atlanta doesn’t give tickets away” but a number of people have referred to Atlanta having BOGO tickets. Now I could be wrong and that can refer to some promotion done by/with/for Zach Bogosian. But in the context that it was said, I think BOGO means Buy One Get One. That meaning buy one get one FREE. Thus, Atlanta was giving many tickets away for free.
While not on these blogs, I have seen many reports in other outlets that Atlanta leads the league in free tickets, followed by #2 Dallas. That would then only be more evidence that Atlanta certianly does give away free tickets.
WPG Jets 2011
May 25th, 2011
7:11 pm
OHL
I agree with a lot of what you say, but I don’t think Atlanta belongs with Phoenix or Miami – Atlanta has had s**t management for 11 years, yet they still get a decent crowd – give them some good owners that at least try to put a competitive product on the ice, and that franchise is fine. Phoenix had 99 points this year and still struggling at the gate and has lost millions of dollars for 15 years. Miami I have not followed. But Atlanta has a lot of passionate fans, Phoenix doesn’t have even knowledgeable fans.
OHL
May 25th, 2011
7:33 pm
WPG Jets 2011,
The reason I point out Atlanta so much is when I look at them compared to Columbus. I had no idea Columbus was so supportive. But it’s a great apples to apples look. Thus, I say find Columbus a new owner, not Atlanta.
Phoenix just got $25 million, so that makes it apples to oranges when looking at Atlanta. To me that’s what it all comes down to. $25 million can help one team break even for a few years while another keeps losing $$.
Now Miami, if you want to make the argument that they should be moved to Winnipeg and not Miami, I won’t stand in your way. The fact that they have owners might, but I won’t.
OHL
May 25th, 2011
7:45 pm
eh, I meant if you want to make the argument that Miami should be moved to Winnipeg and not Atlanta that I won’t stand in your way. The fact that the Panthers have owners might, but I probably won’t if you can make a rational argument.
Det känns helt öppet | NHL och stjärnorna
May 26th, 2011
2:15 am
[...] Atlantas målvakt Chris Mason har inte känt ett 100-procentigt stöd från klubbens ägare >> [...]
WPG Jets 2011
May 26th, 2011
2:17 am
OHL
I would take either team, but I don’t feel too good about taking somebody else’s team if they really didn’t get a chance to succeed like Atlanta. The team I wanted was Phoenix because that is the Winnipeg Jets franchise and I want our original franchise with all the history back, it doesn’t belong in Phoenix anymore – they’ve had 15 years and the people don’t care about that team.
mike w
May 27th, 2011
11:54 am
your city, like a couple others, should have never been granted a franchise in the first place.
WPG Jets 2011
May 27th, 2011
6:12 pm
If its gonna just fail again, then maybe it shouldn’t have.
jon
May 28th, 2011
2:07 pm
hate to say it but atlanta has what? 5 million people living there? all of 12000 of that 5 million show up to games? i think what your mayor is doing is speaking for the majority of atlantans who dont give 2 craps about the thrashers.
Douglas
May 29th, 2011
12:55 am
announcement that will ease the pain? I know Arthur Blank and Atlanta own the rights to an MLS franchise, and that’s the only sport we don’t have (well that and lacrosse). But that’s not going to fill that void (the cross over between Hockey and Soccer fans is very minimal).
Perhaps funding for a new Football stadium. Talk about waste of money, no significant expansion in seating numbers, no sound advantage (a dome is the only way to gain an advantage over opponents, the north has weather, and our humidity will only affect pre-season games), and all studies show that there is no long-term or short-term benefits to state/city-funded sports venues.
Yeah we’ll get over it (obviously the world doesn’t end when a team moves), but its still going to suck and there is virtually no chance we’ll ever get another shot short of buying a franchise and moving them here (if the NHL ever expands to an modified NFL divisional format (4 divisions w/4 teams each, division winners make the playoffs along with 4 wildcard teams) and add 2 teams, they’re gonna be in Canada and Seattle). Once you hit 32 the only other viable option without unbalanced divisions is 36 (3 divisions w/ 6 teams) then 40 (4 divisions w/ 5 teams, this is why the NFL will likely never grow (try naming 8 cities where an NFL franchise would actually be viable, with a maximum of 2 being in California)
tj
May 29th, 2011
11:54 am
who cares if winnipeg is the homicide capital of canada? rich athletes wont be exposed to that. and besides its canada, where there is 10 times less crime so being the worst isnt as bad. im sad atlanta isnt given a proper owner/chance…but i do think the nhl should not be in glendale and fort lauderdale.