Anson Carter withdrew interest in Spirit
The following is a statement released by Anson Carter about media reports that circulated Wednesday of his interest in buying the Thrashers.
“ANSON CARTER AND ATLANTA SPORTS AND ENTERTAINMENT WITHDREW INTEREST IN ACQUIRING THE ATLANTA SPIRIT GROUP ASSETS IN EARLY 2011
ATLANTA – (May 26, 2011) – Anson Carter, Principal of Atlanta Sports and Entertainment (ASE), withdrew interest in acquiring the assets of the Atlanta Spirit Group in early 2011. ASE was formed in 2008 with the intent of building a multi-media sports and entertainment company based in Atlanta, with the goal of acquiring the Hawks, Thrashers and Philips Arena as the centerpiece of the company. Preliminary discussions were held in early 2010 with the Raine Group, representatives for the Atlanta Spirit Group and as a result ASE decided not to proceed. However, ASE is now focusing their interest on other markets.”
As you can see, Mr. Carter withdrew his interest well before the Atlanta Spirit publicly stated it’s ’sense of urgency’ to find a buyer/investor for the Thrashers in February. The AJC investigated Mr. Carter as a potential investor/buyer months ago. It should also be reiterated that talks between Mr. Carter and the Atlanta Spirit never moved past the preliminary stage. According to several people familiar situation, Mr. Carter’s interest never moved past the level of his group supplying it’s financial ability to complete such a purchase.
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149 comments Add your comment
William Satterwhite
May 26th, 2011
3:31 pm
“Would you like me to write an article on the person who has sent me 50 emails that he has 500 billion dollars and wants to buy the Thrashers?”
First, I’d just like to say that while I have questioned the AJC’s handling of the reporting of this whole story, I have nothing but respect for the job that you guys have to do and the crap you have to put up. With that being said, a big part of your job is putting up with that crap. If someone is sending you 50 emails about buying the team, do your due diligence and figure out if the person is in any way legitimate and if they are, say, a former NHL player or an investor linked to previous attempts to buy into a sports franchise, report it. Part of the reason why Anson Carter is a big deal now and J.B. Smith was a big deal last week is mostly because we are just now getting the details about those people- details that the AJC says they’ve been privy to for a “long time”. You reference Stephen Rollins as to why you stopped reporting on potential buyers, but here’s the thing- if Stephen Rollins or someone close to him were running around on Twitter talking about his plans no one would take it seriously all because of the reporting done on him. If the AJC had reported on J.B. Smith when you supposedly first knew of him, the “Balkan” stuff probably would have died a long time ago and if you had reported on Anson Carter’s efforts when you (again) claim to have first came upon it, nobody would be talking about him today either.
Again, I greatly respect the job you have to do and for what’s it’s worth, you might be be receiving a lot of punishment for something that’s not even your responsibility as the team beat reporter- I can imagine covering the sale of the team adds a lot to what your responsibilities are supposed to be since that is primarily a business story. But please don’t act like it’s at all out of line for your readers to question why information is coming out now from other sources that you claim to have had access to for a while.
radeksmom
May 26th, 2011
3:36 pm
anson carter buying the thrsshers get real…
radeksmom
May 26th, 2011
3:37 pm
Enter your comments here
Jimbo
May 26th, 2011
3:37 pm
I am from Manitoba, the home province to Winnipeg and we watched lawyers take over the NHL and try for the second or third time to enter large markets in the US. We all grow up on skates here and hockey is very important to us, we play as kids on frozen ponds and have for generations, we sold out the Jets when they were here. Gary Bettman explained that we needed a new rink with more corporate boxes to satisfy the revenues he and his lawyer friends hoped to generate. We built a new arena to their standard, we have a willing owner who happens to be the richest man in Canada and would be the richest individual in any NHL ownership group. We want a team and if the losses are in the 100 millions in Atlanta, I hope as fello capitalists you can understand our frustration in delaying this move.
Jason
May 26th, 2011
3:46 pm
Chris, this discussion would probably be more suited for a Journalism ethics board than this discussion board. Honestly, and I’ve been wrong before, but I believe the AJC would be just fine without a hockey team in Atlanta because it’s a lot better for the bottom line.
With that being said, we’ve heard that AS, LLC is in negotiations with TNSE but there hasn’t been anything about whether it’s an exclusive negotiating period, much like the one between AS and the former Padres owner in reference to the Hawks and Arena rights. I know you say you’re digging and doing all you can, but when we have to find out from Twitter feeds about Anson Carter’s interest….
There hasn’t been an issue with “unnamed sources” in the negotiations with TNSE and when the sale will happen, but there seems to be an issue when it comes to other potential investors.
I admit to taking an unnecessary swipe earlier, but it’s very frustrating for people who want the team to stay here to find out pieces of news in late morsels as opposed to a large, initial helping.
trevor
May 26th, 2011
4:04 pm
Whitaker – with all due respect, you could take the 600 and it would still be about the same as the number of Winnipeggers who showed up randomly at Portage and Main at an unplanned celebration literally one hour after the Globe and Mail reported the deal was done. but hey, yeah, if you twist the numbers enough you can almost get to 1/70th of the amount of fans that showed up to save the Jets. honestly, I sympathize with Atlanta fans and I don’t think the Thrashers should be the team moving. I think it should be the Coyotes. I fully believe it’s ASG’s fault; I fully believe atlanta can support a team.. but it’s a joke to start trying to compare which city supports their team more.
Ray Ferraro's Bobble Head Doll
May 26th, 2011
4:04 pm
Wait…I don’t get it…you guys are mad because Chris didn’t report on people who DON’T have the finances? Kincade floated the Balkan forever, and it turns out the Balkan is just a big fraud…Chris didn’t report on him for that reason. Are you guys that desperate that you HAVE to know who is interested in buying the teams, even though they DON’T have the money to do it?
Camboni
May 26th, 2011
4:07 pm
Someone tell Anson to buy the Coyotes and move them to Atlanta!
( o )( o )
May 26th, 2011
4:13 pm
“It’s” = it is.
C’mon, really?
I know you’re rushing and all, but honestly. If you make your living with words, basic grammar should be a given.
(or maybe I should say “I know your rushing and all… “)
Sorry to nitpick about 9th grade English. Move along. Nothing to see here.
Chris Vivlamore
May 26th, 2011
4:13 pm
All: After an encouraging e-mail and another phone call from Thrashers fans to this blog, I would like to apologize for some of my comments. I admit the attacks got under my skin, but I shouldn’t have, oh let’s say, lashed out. For that I apologize. I understand the frustration here. I do. Sorry.
Vivlarpeg: I never said I didn’t go on Winnipeg radio. I’ve said many times that I have been asked many times to appear on Canadian radio stations. Save for one NPR interview, never in Atlanta. I’m OK with that. Don’t rip me for talking to a station interested in what’s going on here.
Keep Hockey in Atlanta
May 26th, 2011
4:17 pm
“. Are you guys that desperate that you HAVE to know who is interested in buying the teams, even though they DON’T have the money to do it?”
Or maybe they do have the money but the ASG keeps moving the goal posts.
2mins
May 26th, 2011
4:19 pm
Maybe Carter will buy the Coyotes and move them….
“ASE is now focusing their interest on other markets,” Carter said in a statement on Thursday
http://www.11alive.com/news/article/192249/29/Potential-Thrashers-buyer-dreamed-of-Atlanta-empire
Mark
May 26th, 2011
4:21 pm
“For those who want to question the AJC’s “investigation” of the issue, keep watching the television news.”
A petty childish comment in my opinion. Act like a professional if you want to seen as one.
Ray Ferraro's Bobble Head Doll
May 26th, 2011
4:23 pm
“Or maybe they do have the money but the ASG keeps moving the goal posts.”
But, that’s not the case with Anson Carter nor with JB Smith.
Do you think ASG has a price, and then when buyers meet that price, they refuse to sell to them? If that were true, the prospective buyer would be raising hell. That’s not happening.
T.J.
May 26th, 2011
4:25 pm
Chris, just continue to do your job and pay no mind to the antagonists. People always insist on shooting the messenger in these instances.
It might not be a bad idea to decline any and all future Canadian TV/radio requests, though, for obvious reasons…
ATL2WPG
May 26th, 2011
4:29 pm
Oh I get it, its the reporters fault no one wants to buy a team thats loosing tens of millions annually.
If only Chris had built up these tire kickers in the AJC the public would have embraced them so warmly that surely one of them would have followed his heart instead of his head and signed up to pay the millions in losses each year. Cause thats what billionaires do, bleed money on sports teams to be heroes in the eyes of the rest of us. Really guys???
We’d be happy to have Chris up here in the peg but my guess is he will stay in ATL, given the responses on this blog i’m not sure why though. He has been talking to our media and for those of us who have heard him, we can hear in is voice that his heart is breaking over the team leaving. We recognize it from 15 years ago when we were going through this same thing.
I know how you feel, we were a city with great hockey fans but no white knight and a team that was loosing money and as fans it was painful to be so powerless to stop it. But to blame Chris for the franchise leaving is nuts. This guy loves hockey and I’m sure ATL, you think he wants this to happen? Get real!
Keep Hockey in Atlanta
May 26th, 2011
4:36 pm
Not to be picky but it’s losing not loosing.
Get Well Stan Mikita
May 26th, 2011
4:38 pm
Obviously there are a lot of frustrated Thrashers fans on here (myself included) and we are venting about the seemingly imminent loss of our team. Two points:
-The Thrashers have been the red-headed step child in the eyes of the Atlanta media since their inception. Understand the source of some of the venom?
-The trolls and other out of town visitors espousing their “facts” about the Atlanta hockey market need to do a little fact-checking when it comes to the departure of the Flames! They did not leave due to lack of fan support.
The hockey fans in this market are about to get screwed for the second time by ownership economics and the lack of consistentcy by the NHL. Don’t expect us to like it.
Keep Hockey in Atlanta
May 26th, 2011
4:41 pm
“Do you think ASG has a price, and then when buyers meet that price, they refuse to sell to them?”
Considering how poorly they ran the franchise I think they should negotiate down to whatever the prospective buyer offers(ASG doesn’t deserve any kind of profit) and yeah I don’t trust them. I still believe they have had no desire to keep the team here.
BigMomma
May 26th, 2011
4:56 pm
Chris, you’ve always done a great job covering the Thrashers. This has just become very emotional for a lot of us because of our love of the team and because we feel like we are being lied to by the owners and the league.
Again, the questions I’d like answered are these:
1. Why did Carter withdraw his interest? And why has every group interested in keeping the team local failed to progress past “initial interest” stage?
2. If AS, LLC did not intend to sell all three entities, why did they enter an exclusive negotiating period for only the Hawks & Phillips at a time when it seemed there were other parties interested in purchasing all 3? And why did that period end abruptly when the remaining interested parties bowed out? Additionally, when exactly did that exclusive negotiating period begin?
3. Most importantly, when exactly did AS, LLC first begin talking to TNSE about buying the Thrashers? And who initiated the negotiating? Has there a “verbal agreement” in place for a while? Was it in place before the other groups who were interested in keeping the team in Atlanta came forward?
Answers to these types of questions would go a long way in quieting some of the vitriol being spewed from Thrashers fans. Because the appearances are that this has been going on for quite some time behind the scenes, with NHL approval, and there were never any intentions of keeping the team here. News reports elsewhere seem to back that up. It would be nice if you could find out some of this for us…make the bitter pill a tad bit easier to swallow if our assumptions are shown to be incorrect.
Again, thanks for your reporting over the years. What will you be assigned to do once the Thrashers leave?
ATL2WPG
May 26th, 2011
4:59 pm
Sorry, the losses are so great I must have added the extra o for emphasis!
Really though all the best to everyone in ATL who is hurting. You guys don’t deserve this, that ownership situation is a mess and in my opinion they alone should be the ones taking the heat for this. Had it been managed properly it could have been a different story. Tampa wasn’t in that different a position just a couple of years ago and look at them now, its amazing what one winning season can do.
( o )( o )
May 26th, 2011
5:21 pm
There never were intentions on keeping the team here. That’s as obvious as the day is long.
Well, maybe not. How about this: the ASG never intended on retaining ownership. I don’t think it mattered to them who bought the franchise, as long as they didn’t own it anymore. So it could have stayed in Atlanta, though that’s always been a long shot at best.
It’s my opinion that ASG has been just biding time – until they could sell.
clark kent
May 26th, 2011
5:23 pm
So Chris we’re about to have a pro franchise leave town in at what could best be described as a mugging, and at worst could be described as an disingenuous and deliberate attempt by an ownership group to devalue an asset in attempt to get rid of it in order to make a profit at the expense of the city. And yet all we’ve gotten are puff pieces about what is happening. Is it any wonder there is animosity here?
Why has AS, LLC been trying to sell the hockey part of their assets since after only one year of ownership, as revealed by court documents? Was this their intent from the beginning? Are their purported losses on the hockey side of operations real? Have they given anyone who would keep the team local a fair shot, or are these recent efforts just window dressing for their real motives? Why aren’t city leaders, and the mayor specifically stepping up to question the ownership’s jettisoning of the team?
Why is no one asking these and other real questions that cut to the chase of why hockey is most likely leaving the city?
Acer
May 26th, 2011
5:26 pm
Chris, your reporting around the entire sale from start to finish increased your stock in my mind. You are right up there with Craig Custance as my most favorite AJC reporter. Keep up your work.
Paddy
May 26th, 2011
5:36 pm
It appears to me that c Viv is just doing his job as a responsible journalist.
ThrasherFan
May 26th, 2011
6:18 pm
I don’t think it makes much sense to slam Cviv. However, something je said about what is newsworthy and he decides what to report is more a symptom of a huge problem with the press in general these days. Reporters seem to think they are the guardians of info, when is this day and age, info is easy to find and distribute.
I wouldn’t get so personal with Cviv though as he’s just trying to so his job. However, in general the old news business is dying.
braveslose
May 26th, 2011
6:20 pm
I love the purity of ice hockey as much as any fan possibly can. The beauty of a well executed goal. The breathlessness of a stunning save. The joy of success. The sportsmanship following a hard fought series. I admire players for going full speed ahead despite injuries, dislodged teeth plus a few cracked or broken bones. No other professional athletes are anywhere near as dedicated. I use as an example the oft sore toe of one Matthew Ryan. But I digress. Hockey is an honorable sport. The sport itself. A pity scumballs and lying backstabbers have taken over at management levels. Will I miss the Thrashers? No more than I would miss cancer. Years of utter uncaring ineptitude with nothing but more of the same had they remained. Better to lose the quitters now than later. Will root for Flames plus any team which faces the Thrashers or whatever their new nickname will be. Do I forgive? Maybe with time. Lots of it! Do I forget? Hell no!
stee
May 26th, 2011
6:24 pm
For those of you bashing on Chris, I’ve been surfing the other hockey sites and also have seen not mention of other potential buyers for the Thrashers. So lay off him. We should all be bashing the ASG. They are the cause of this issue.
On another note, the longer this takes, the better it is for us.
Still would like to know what will happen to youth hockey since my son plays.
stee
May 26th, 2011
6:25 pm
Doh!… Should be “no”, not “not”. Fingers think for themselves……
braveslose
May 26th, 2011
6:31 pm
As a sports reporter of decades myself I want to commend you Chris. Well done young man. Enjoy all your columns. Best.
braveslose
May 26th, 2011
6:37 pm
Chris. Always remember that when talking an angry unreasoning mob (disillusioned Thrasher fans pi$$ed off over losing their idols) that no matter how you say something it is going to make someone angry as Hell! I attempted to alert all fans to this months ago. Was called lunatic or worse. No reasoning with mobs. Just hang in there pal.
R. Stroz
May 26th, 2011
6:37 pm
Blame Levenson
Mooseberg
May 26th, 2011
6:43 pm
Wow, C-Viv,….you might as well board that plane the winterpeg now, you definitely are done in this town.
JK Sockey
May 26th, 2011
7:04 pm
Hell those of you who were unaware of Carter’s group should have been following me in 2009…
Chris, don’t listen to these windbags. Keep reporting what you can when you can!
steve
May 26th, 2011
7:05 pm
Enter your comments here
T.J.
May 26th, 2011
7:10 pm
Last time I checked, Chris was not an partner in the A$$hole Sellout Group.
T.J.
May 26th, 2011
7:11 pm
a partner*
Crazy Diamond
May 26th, 2011
7:15 pm
Someone, anyone, please put us out of our misery.
Puck Like A Porn Star
May 26th, 2011
7:33 pm
Until further notice, no news is good news.
OHL
May 26th, 2011
7:51 pm
Mr. Vivlamore,
I just heard up in my neck of the woods that it was actually Anson WILLIAMS that was interested in buying the Thrashers and keeping them in Atlanta. You can see his reaction to hockey in Atlanta right here – http://digilander.libero.it/happydays/riconoscimenti/anson_williams_big.jpg
He is putting together an ownership group that can be verified right here – http://image.qpicture.com/image/a/artist-anson-williams/anson-williams-357881.jpg
You need to investigate this now.
done and done
May 26th, 2011
8:46 pm
If this were the HAWKS up for sale, the AJC would set up an entire section just for that. Sad that 11Alive and Fox5 have run rings around the AJC for “suburbia’s team”
It is a valid question to ask why and when was the exclusivity period signed for just the Hawks and arena. Did the AJC ever go question Mr. Moores about his interest in the arena and Hawks? They should have.
Make Levenson say that this team is heading out of town. If no one else is negotiating, what happened to the Montreal businessman? Anyone ask him about ASG?
WHY HASN’T ANYONE TALKED TO ANY OF THE ATLANTA FLAMES????? CANADA DID. They live here and can give LOTS of info on Don Waddell and ASG and their total neglect of the sport in this city.
Come one, quit pandering to Canada on the radio and do some of your work around here for the people that pay your salary through readership. Serve the people of ATLANTA by asking the tough questions…..or ask the easy ones of Bernie Mullen (Why did you leave the Thrashers) Dan Bouchard, John Anderson, Bob Hartley, Ilya Kovalchuk, Marian Hossa, Dany Heatley, Tim Ecclestone, Eric Vail…… David McDavid……. the list is endless.
BernieMarcus
May 26th, 2011
9:03 pm
should be called immediately!!! Recent issue of ATLANTA magazine said it was his goal to give away all of his $1.9 billion. Why can’t he use $120million of that to save the Thrashers?!?!
Keep Hockey in Atlanta
May 26th, 2011
9:33 pm
So Gearon admits he knows nothing about hockey. NHL……….Atlanta on line 1 a little help please?
Thrashers27
May 26th, 2011
9:45 pm
Sorry, CViv. I’ve tried to be understanding and patient with your work for the last couple of years. I hate to join the doglpile, but now your sad excuses for journalism and lame attempts at justifying your actions are as much as I can take. I feel the fans and our hockey team deserve better.
I sincerely wish you the best in your endeavors after the expected demise of NHL hockey in Atlanta and I hope you can find your true calling once Ole Yellar has finally been tied to the tree.
Long live The Thrashers!
simon hawkley
May 26th, 2011
9:47 pm
Dear Americans,
Winnipeg. not Winnepeg. Winnipeg. Doesn’t your computers have spell check?
I have absolutely no sympathy for a city that does not support their Hockey team and a media that could care less about hockey. THE FACTS ARE THERE. READ THEM
– 10-1 ratio on Canadian coverage vs American coverage on this issue
– Adlanta (I spelled it wrong on purpose, how you like that?) losing millions of Dollars a year
– Atlanda third worst in the league in attendance with 72.6 % capacity
– 200 people showing up to the pathetic save the Thrashers rally while (in 1996) 35,000 showed up in Winnipeg for their rally
– A idiotic ownership group in Atlanta Spirit while True North has the 17th wealthiest man in the world in David Thompson.
– Alanda couldn’t keep interest in Hockey back in the seventies with the flames
THERE IS NO ARGUMENT – ATLANTA DOES NOT DESERVE A HOCKEY TEAM AND WINNIPEG DOES. PERIOD
Keep Hockey in Atlanta
May 26th, 2011
9:49 pm
“– Alanda couldn’t keep interest in Hockey back in the seventies with the flames”
Sorry but the Flames moving had nothing to do with fan interest.
simon hawkley
May 26th, 2011
10:04 pm
Nice retort. I knew someone would pick on my (admittedly) weakest argument. What about all the other facts? huh? I wouldn’t suggest getting into a battle of wits with a gentleman from a country with five times the education funding (and five times the hockey knowledge).
simon hawkley
May 26th, 2011
10:07 pm
can of worms opening in 5…4..3…2…1
Thrashers27
May 26th, 2011
10:07 pm
Simon, my spell check is working just fine, I checked…it keeps telling me “Winnepig” is the correct spelling. Also acceptable, “Land of one Douchebag who uses the internet handle of “Simon Hawkley”".
Keep Hockey in Atlanta
May 26th, 2011
10:08 pm
The “rally” wasn’t really a rally and I have no problem with you calling the ASG idiotic(that’s probably putting it nicely).