Update: Thrashers sale not done, still details
After a full day of reporting, there is little new on the sale and relocation of the Thrashers to Winnipeg.
According to multiple sources, the deal between the Atlanta Spirit and True North Sports and Entertainment has not been completed. There are still details to work out. I have also been told by multiple sources that it is “unlikely” a deal will be agreed upon in time for an announcement Thursday.
Of the minor details that still need to be worked out, the sale price is not one of them. The terms remain $170 million with the Atlanta Spirit getting $110 million and the NHL getting $60 million as a relocation fee.
Once the final details are finalized, all that really needs to be done is the official announcement that an agreement of sale has been reached.
I will provide updates if there are any new developments.
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261 comments Add your comment
OHL is "The Return of the Bud"
May 25th, 2011
6:42 pm
Nuff Said
glovesave29
May 25th, 2011
6:43 pm
Sherry – Dany DID kill Dan. YES, it was an accident. No one ever would say it was on purpose. But his irresponsible actions DIRECTLY attributed to the death of another human being. Certainly not a murder – no premeditation or intent – but a killing nonetheless.
I have friends who work for the team. I’ve been told Dany is not the nicest, friendliest or most caring individual. I cannot say for certain or not that he thinks about Dan everyday. I do notice his photo is never in any of the charity events that are held in Dan’s name. He never performed his civic duties as ordered by the court. If ANYONE could have taken #37 – he could have. Personally, he SHOULD have.
Puckface
May 25th, 2011
6:46 pm
Maybe if Thrashers only sell tickets to the side of the arena that the cameras are looking it would look full and encourage people to go. That’s the only hope I think you have. Then they wouldn’t have to give away so many free tickets. Instead of lying that there are 13,500 people at the game you could just put 9000 or so on one side of people who actually pay.
geoff
May 25th, 2011
6:50 pm
Can’t wait for them to leave. One less NHL team posting fake attendance numbers.
OilFan
May 25th, 2011
6:51 pm
OHL.. You are embarrassing us other Canadians. Why do you have to fight them on having additional reasons for losing there team. Have some respect for their loss, and stop posting here.
Very good post ThrasherFan, pretty much sums it up.
glovesave29
May 25th, 2011
6:51 pm
See OHL – ya proved my point again. We are here . We are confronted with this every day. We tell you the facts – you don’t listen and use it against us. We all admit to dwindling attendance. EVERY OTHER MARKET (save Toronto) WOULD HAVE DONE SIMILARLY!!! You questioned someones comment about the sellouts the first season and I GAVE you an answer. Call it Bull. I couldn’t give one flip. Judge us from 1500 miles away. Do you feel superior? Well good for you. Ive tried to be nice and thoughtful towards you. You just don’t let up…now let us comiserate in peace ya troll.
Steve-o
May 25th, 2011
6:52 pm
Hey, did I get blocked for writing something critical of this publication?
Tsk Tsk
G52PlM228
May 25th, 2011
6:52 pm
Any news ftome the Canadian Crap and Mail tabloid? What a hack reporter, I wish that guy would choke on his feces. Canaians cannot be trusted. Go Sun Devils and Yotes.
moriler
May 25th, 2011
6:53 pm
dudes, isn’t it obvious yet that OHL will simply deny anything you put forth as an argument, and then repeat himself? He’s only here to be a dick, just like Sage and stende* always were. He isn’t discussing in good faith, he’s just another troll posting from his mother’s basement who just wants to see how many people will keep responding to him.
He isn’t as obvious as the ones who post GO JETS GO from a nick “Winnipeg Forever”, but he’s close.
G52PlM228
May 25th, 2011
7:01 pm
I got coyote season seats for $10 !!
I bet I could have gotten thrasher tickets for $4
G52PlM228
May 25th, 2011
7:01 pm
… if you still had a team
G52PIM228
May 25th, 2011
7:03 pm
@DarrenDreger
Darren Dreger
Atl-Wpg is not done yet. Sources say it may not get done this week.
G52PIM228
May 25th, 2011
7:03 pm
The Thrashers are going NOWHERE.. The BoG would rather have a team in Kabul than loserpeg..
G52PlM228
May 25th, 2011
7:05 pm
then again they keep a team in glendale
i’m so confused
Guffman
May 25th, 2011
7:09 pm
The sad thing is that part of the relo fee will be used to prop up those losers in Glendale. Subsidies from both your government and now Winnipeg… we should be jacking the Coyotes team since they can only survive year to year through handouts.
G52PlM228
May 25th, 2011
7:10 pm
i tried jacking a coyote.. i liked it
Brown164
May 25th, 2011
7:14 pm
As someone who has lived in Atlanta for the entire duration of the Thrashers, I have a couple observations. First, the management of the team ran it into the ground pure and simple. The Thrashers never had any depth, especially on defense. One would think with all those 1st round draft picks, a few would have worked out with the team. Draft picks were always thrown in too early and then dealt when they did not perform. In spite of what many Thrashers fans say, Kovalchuk was a very good player for the team, he was just not a playmaker.
The second point is that Atlanta is not a good PRO sports town. It is a college sports town that happens to have pro teams. On TV and radio (especially radio) during the NHL season, the Bulldogs and Jackets would get tons of airtime along with the Falcons, the Thrashers may get a box score just before a commercial. I hold the “fans” in Atlanta responsible, but I do not hold them at fault. Atlanta is a city of transplanted people. As a result of this, many of these people are fans of the teams they grew up with and subsequently moved away from. I went to a Thrashers/Rangers game last season and it was amazing to see the number of Rangers jerseys as compared to Thrashers, there was a 2 to 1 difference. It was that way when many teams came to town.
Personally, I will be a little sad to see the Thrashers go, but only because I can’t go see the road team.
OHL
May 25th, 2011
7:21 pm
glovesave29,
You say that “EVERY OTHER MARKET (save Toronto) WOULD HAVE DONE SIMILARLY!!! ” But that’s simply not true. COLUMBUS did not do similarly, they did far superior than what you did. You were bottom’s in the league, they had repeated years in the top 12
You say that I “questioned someones comment about the sellouts the first season and I GAVE you an answer.” But your answer never even addressed my question. You said people who had tickets didn’t want to run back and forth from their seats to the suites. My question was how can Philips Arena have a capacity of 18,545 and only have an average attendance of 17,206 when someone claimed they sold out every game? You’re math is off by 2,300+ seats. You never answered that question. People who paid for a seat and are running around the arena doesn’t answer how you are 2,300+ seats short of a sellout for the year’s average.
I’m sorry that the truth bothers you guys so much but I deal in reality.
Pointing the finger
May 25th, 2011
7:27 pm
There is only one entity to blame for the loss of Hockey in Atlanta and that is the Atlanta Spirit. They will tell you that they had to sell because of poor support from fans. Well that poor support from the fans is a the resulto of their putting a pi$$ poor product on display.
The Falcons are successful and that is because they have a single vision…and that vision is winning. The Thrashers (and Hawks for that matter) have no clear vision and zero commitment to winning from the Atlanta Spirit. People support winners…people ignore teams that consistently sell off their best players to save money or hire coches on the cheap all the time.
How do you get increasingly poor ticket sales over a period of years? You remove the positives that fans saw the previous year.
The Atlanta Spirit is just like the evil owner of the Cleveland Indians in Major League…only the Spirit got their way and ran the team first into the ground and then out of town. Kudos Atlanta Spirit…you rich a$$holes represent the biggest problem in professional sports and the reason I quit going to Thrasher’s games.
OHL
May 25th, 2011
7:27 pm
Ooops, 1,300+ is what you were off by. Not 2,300+. Either way, the math just doesn’t add up so there’s no way you could’ve sold out every game your first season.
Just saying
May 25th, 2011
7:39 pm
OHL-go find another hobby other than trolling on Atlanta message boards. Enough.
OHL
May 25th, 2011
7:49 pm
Just saying,
Sorry, but this has actually been very informative for me. Game’s almost starting so I should be good now. Although I can’t promise anything at intermission if Grapes doesn’t have anything good to say.
Tired of all this
May 25th, 2011
7:53 pm
OHL, obviously Glove is talking about the ASG puposefully ruining the Atlanta market and not making any effort to put a good product on the ice. The Blue Jackets, although have similar lack of success are not comparable because they are trying to build a winner, the team has not been secretly for sale for 7 years, and they do not have any other competition in that market for pro sports. Now let us all move on.
Getthepuckouttahere
May 25th, 2011
7:56 pm
Days and days keep going by and all I continue to see is Blame Management, it’s all their fault. Give me a break. All the other southern markets aren’t looking at relocation…for the second time. Why can’t the fans, what few of them there are accept the fact there isn’t enough of you to sustain a franchise. You all keep writing here like the few of you that are flooding this thread represent the masses, you don’t, you represent the few who can’t come to grips that ownership can’t be expected to carry a team out of their pocket when there’s little or no revenue coming in from ticket sales. Sure YOU bought tickets, but YOU are not buying out the entire stadium, you’re buying one seat. I see the same people here, so if you do represent the fandom the writing on the wall should be crystal clear – IT was a mistake to even put this team here, sorry but it’s not going to be here next season, you had 9 years to give them support and once they stopped winning out the door the masses went and here comes the putting of blame on the owners. They might not be the best owners at all, but Business 101, if there’s no money coming in then you can’t keep putting money out. If you had a broken down car how long would you keep pouring money into it before you came to the conclusion it might be time for a new one and junk the old? (Oh wait, I forgot where I am)
Do people here even know how much it costs to operate a hockey club? This isn’t basketball folks, hockey is a costly investment, equipment is expensive, maintaining the ice, transporting a team etc, it’s all costly, but since the owners didn’t fork over enough to buy a Stanley Cup team for you in 9 years it’s their fault, hell you went to the playoffs in a winning season but they still lost $20 million…what a joke. Look at how many teams fill arenas all season, year after year and have loyal fans and they haven’t won anything in years, but they show up, not here, you expect to win, and now…what a load. Get over yourselves. Oh wait, you can’t, you’re too busy blaming the whole world on the Thrashers leaving, but won’t take an ounce of the responsibility for why they’re heading north of the border…boo hoo!
IRNWKR
May 25th, 2011
8:04 pm
Let me start by saying I’m from Winnipeg. I have been watching this story unfold for some time now. Like most people here I’ve been cautiously optamistic, but every day it seems like we are getting a team. Sadly it sounds as if it’s at the expence of some truly great fans. The posts that i have read from the people of Atlanta (for the most part) show the true spirit of hockey fans, true hockey fans, world wide.
Some of the comments made by a few of my fellow Winnipegers have been truly awful. I will not apologize for them because in my eyes those idiots do not deserve anyone to try and defend them.
Basically what I’m trying to say is fight to the bitter end. That’s what I would do, as a true hockey fan.
Good luck.
Wolfman Chris
May 25th, 2011
8:09 pm
As a former Atlanta Flame season ticker holder all I can say is that this is a sad day for Atlanta sports but not the end of the world. At least it’s not the Braves or Falcons leaving. Unfortunately we’ll still be stuck with Atlanta Spirit as the Hawks owners. Hopefully someone will come buy them before they’re run into the ground. The Winnipeg Thashers/Jets/ whatevers will probably fold within 5 years time as will the Phoenix Coyotes, Florida Panthers, Columbus Blue Jackets and NY Islanders before it’s all said and done. If the Atlanta Spirit was the worst run ownership then the NHL is the worst run professional sports league. Half the teams are tottering on backruptcey, way too many playoffs teams, a stupid way of keeping the standings where an overtime loss is awarded a point. Maybe the NHL will collapse and we can start all over again with a new version of the WHA….
G52PlM228
May 25th, 2011
8:11 pm
IRNWKR: I thought you were rewarded the Atlanta team on Tuesday by a Canadian writer who obviously worked himself into a frenzy and shot his load. You all relax and let the US take care of its own business. Clean the cream out of the Canada media’s drawers while you are it. You’ll know soone enough.
G52PlM228
May 25th, 2011
8:13 pm
Coyote tixs cost $10. That will sustain this team. Atlanta needs a new airport.
Sir Hat Trick
May 25th, 2011
8:15 pm
When was Time Warner, or AOL Time Warner, ever an “Atlanta-based” Fortune 500 company?
Smoothie
May 25th, 2011
8:20 pm
For the love of God people stop wasting your time arguing with all of these trolls who only care about trying to make us look bad. Focus your energy and anger towards the shady deal that is taking place right under our city’s nose. If sources continue to come out like the one who is supporting Anson Carter’s GOOD FAITH attempt to buy the teams, then perhaps we can continue to pressure all media interests in Atlanta to keep digging for proof of A$G’s duplicity and fraudulent handling of this sale. While Bettman seems complicit in helping A$G sell off our Thrashers, perhaps he feels painted into a corner by the PHX situation and the fact A$G has/had no intention of running the hockey team. If enough evidence was unearthed to shed more light on A$G’s dirty dealings and lack of forthright dealings in trying to find a LOCAL prospective buyer, then perhaps the move can be blocked at least for another year.
Even if you don’t agree, just stop wasting your time arguing with Peggers who, by and large, will not ever concede a point or understand our Atlanta POV. They weren’t here for 11 years and don’t know the reality that is sports business in this town.
Sage of Bluesland
May 25th, 2011
8:21 pm
OHL believes that attendance figures–alone–are enough to draw a sweeping conclusion. There are many factors and variables, both qualitative and quantitative, to be considered…and to compare Columbus to Atlanta on one factor alone is statistically haphazard and completely indefensible.
So, when OHL and his superior intellect can lay out even a representative portion of the equation, I will listen. Otherwise, I will disregard his bleatings and consider them for what they are….mathematically invalid and thus wholly unreliable.
Getthepuckouttahere
May 25th, 2011
8:22 pm
@Smoothie…you’re right, all this last minute support and rumors of other buyers will put the current deal to bed. Why can’t you understand that only a legitimate buyer with cash is going to be let in the door and where were all of these buyers and support before the current group made thier move? Too little too late, they’re knee high in the required paperwork, these owners see an out and they’re going to take it. I bet you believe in Santa, the Easter Bunny and Tooth Fairy as well.
Getthepuckouttahere
May 25th, 2011
8:27 pm
@Sage of Blueland…in other words if YOU can’t dazzle us with brilliance you’ll baffle us with BS right? Say goodbye BLUELAND. Whatever the hell that’s supposed to mean.
rustynail
May 25th, 2011
8:28 pm
Great post Thrashersfan. But in all honestly I hope Atlanta is never given another oppurtunity to have a NHL Hockey franchise. Mostly because we can’t find an owner who is willing to sacrifice the good years and bad years. An or owners who will pour out the money to make Atlanta the best in the NHL. If the Thrashers would have won the Cup this year would the Spirit still be whinning and crying for a sale?PROBABLY FOR 100 % CERTAIN Goodbye Thrashers Thanks for the ride and the memories.
Mark
May 25th, 2011
8:29 pm
Spirit sux…my shadow will not enter Phillips…may it fall in…
G52PIM228
May 25th, 2011
8:29 pm
NHL commissioner Gary Bettman went into fire-fighting mode again today with some cold-water words for those convinced the league has received a finalized deal to move the Atlanta Thrashers to Winnipeg.
Appearing on Tampa, Fla., radio station WDAE this morning, Bettman was served the Atlanta-Winnipeg question with a little too much certainty for his liking.
“I think you’re being a tad presumptuous on what’s going on in Atlanta,” Bettman said. “Nobody’s announced anything and frankly if there is something going on nothing is going to happen until it actually happens, which means it may not happen.
“So I think people need to take a deep breath and pause.”
Pointing the finger
May 25th, 2011
8:30 pm
Getthepuckouttahere…This is a chicken and egg argument but clearly the ownership failed to create a quality product. Using “Business 101″, I think, is your attempt at condescention. Try this…Remedial Business Class: IF YOU DON’T CREATE A PRODUCT PEOPLE WANT, YOU WILL FAIL.
The Atlanta Spirit has been totally disfunctional for years and now it has cost great fans in a god city a Hockey team.
Why would you defend these people?
Pointing the finger
May 25th, 2011
8:31 pm
Err…good city not god city.
Getthepuckouttahere
May 25th, 2011
8:33 pm
@Pointing the finger…didn’t you make the playoffs? Wasn’t that a good team? Yet they were supposed to pour more money into a playoff team when they lost $20 million dollars that season? Remind me to never let you do my books, I’ll be broke in the first qtr.
Ward
May 25th, 2011
8:38 pm
Hey Chris, Just read a recent Hockey News release(6:50pm) which said the usual stuff about the sale coming along soon but then had mention of Carters’ group and 350 million for all three ASG holdings. Would Board of Governors delay a deal to give the Carter story time to work out? It isn’t too farfetched to think even Winnepeg might get frustrated with ASG………………
Getthepuckouttahere
May 25th, 2011
8:40 pm
A true hockey fan is supportive, goes to the game for the love of the game not just for a championship team. But in Atlanta they’re different, you have to win a Stanley Cup in 9 seasons or less or the so-called fans walk away. It’s sad when a city of this size can’t find 18,000 loyal fans, but you’re going to sit there and blame manageement. You really DON’T deserve a team and sure as hell shouldn’t be calling yourself a fan of the game. You’re probably one of the many who have never even played the game let alone donned a pair of skates. Fairweather fans, who needs them. A city that’s going to lose it’s second franchise and it’s only managens fault. You and the rest of those crying on here really are narrow-minded and in denial.
goose
May 25th, 2011
8:41 pm
OHL-to answer your question with the sellouts for the first season I believe there were 38 sellouts leaving 3 games that were not sold out.
Getthepuckouttahere
May 25th, 2011
8:42 pm
Typo (new laptop)
Fairweather fans, who needs them. A city that’s going to lose it’s second franchise and it’s only managements fault.
Old Time
May 25th, 2011
8:42 pm
@ Getthepuckouttahere – Your right, Basketball cost way more, just look at how much NBA guys are making. The Hawks payroll was $70,927,923 and the Thrashers payroll was $46,113,333 that is a difference of $24,814,590 so that means basketball cost more.
Oh, and if you think that the Hawks attendance is way better than the Thrashers because of the difference in payroll, think again. The Hawks attendance was 15,648 (22 in NBA) and the Thrashers was 13,469 (28 in NHL) that is 2,179, not the chasm that the payroll difference between the two teams is.
It is obvious where A$G priorities are at. Oh, OHL Columbus was 27th in attendance, 13,658, just 189 a game better than the Thrashers; get those moving vans to Quebec ready. I just took your guys arguments and “Threw them on the Ground!”
Big Daddy Dave
May 25th, 2011
8:44 pm
It’s over gang, Hate to say it, but it’s the cold hard fact. Nothing’s gonna save them. No Knight in shining armor to swoop in. If there were, it would have happened by now. Final blame rests with the Atlanta business community, period.
FrustratedThrasherFan
May 25th, 2011
8:46 pm
Why does the Winnipeg ownership need to have a ticket drive once the deal goes through?
All we’ve heard from the Winnipegers is how much they love Hockey and that they’ll fill their arena every night.
soonahockeywidow
May 25th, 2011
8:47 pm
Ward: although I appreciate yor hopefulness…..do you think we here in winnipeg would get frustrated ASG..and walk away…..time is all we have. But hold on to hope (not being sarcatic honest ATL fans) when all you have is hope you hold on..we would too!
Although some Peggers should be posting under the name ’summer’s eve” some of us do get your frustrations…been there!!
Getthepuckouttahere
May 25th, 2011
8:48 pm
Again, the operating costs of a hockey team, along with salary is still more than a basketball team. It’s no secret that hockey players are generally underpaid. What was the salary of this team when they went to the playoffs with Kovy and Hossa? It’s not going to matter, this isnt’ a hockey town, you know it and I know it…say goodbye!
:)
May 25th, 2011
8:48 pm
I gotta go, My Bruins are up 2-1 over TB and I’ve been a Boston fan since I was playing squirts in Charlestown. That’s Bunker Hill for ya’ll that have never been to Boston. See ya!!!
HillMan
May 25th, 2011
8:52 pm
All I think there may be a last minute angle here if Anson Carter truely had the backing and is still willing to make the same offer. Jesse Jackson would probably love to help us.