Cool your jets Thrasherville and remember four letters: WWGD
Just as soon as the Glendale City Council voted 5-2 to pony up the $25 million to the NHL to keep the Coyotes there for at least another year, it was clear that Thrasherville was soon to become the new frontrunner in the ongoing relocation saga. Clearly the media, at least the cyber media, was ready to turn its attention to our team once the dust became settled in the Arizona desert.
The “news makers” of the web need traffic and they’ll direct whatever they can however they can, after all.
And sure as hell is hot, it only took about a day before a rumor was posted in the cybersphere that within 24-48 hours it would be announced the team was sold to TNSE and will be moving to Winnipeg for the 2011-12 season. Making people’s reaction to it even that much more interesting is that the “breaking news” came from a source that so many brush aside as “unreliable”…but that didn’t keep some from pointing to it as the sure sign that the end was near.
Of course that period of time came and went with no such announcement being made and NHL commissioner Gary Bettman said the story was purely fiction.
“So people just make this stuff up, right?” Bettman told ESPN.com’s Pierre LeBrun while attending game seven of the Sharks-Red Wings series. “Where’s the accountability from all the people who a month ago were saying that Phoenix was definitely going? Whatever is being written [about Atlanta] is being made up.”
Thus, we are now able to place that fabrication in the same trash bin we have so any other “Relocation Announcement Eminent” rumor.
Now this is in no way, shape, manner or form an attempt to sugarcoat the troubling position Thrasherville finds itself in today with the ownership issues. Nor am I wanting to appear to be “whistling my way past the graveyard” in regards to the fact that the Atlanta Spirit, LLC…our brutally bad owners… may very well be in the process of delivering its final insult and slap to the faces of Thrashers fans.
However, I would simply caution you to not fall prey to some of the stuff being cranked out of the rumor mill while this saga plays out. And don’t allow your emotions to be yanked up and down whenever you read about “impending announcements” from sources that have no names.
In the end, the outcome of this drama will be directed by not the internet pundits or talking heads on sports shows across North America. Nor will the matter be settled by those cyber-warriors who infiltrate blog sites and debate the merits of Atlanta, Phoenix, Winnipeg or [insert name of city here] as an NHL city.
Nope, all one needs to know when it comes to how this is all going to play out are these four letters…WWGD. What Would Gary Do?
In the end I truly believe this all comes down to Gary Bettman and if he intends to make any sort of stand here in protection of an NHL presence in the Atlanta market, or if he and the league lack the stomach for another fight to save the team from relocation and allow the franchise to uproot to move to points north.
There are all sorts of theories and ideas from all sides of the debate attempting justify why Bettman will do “this” or do “that”. To some he simply cannot…could not…would not…turn his back on a market the size of Atlanta, (or Phoenix for that matter), and let it land in one the size of Winnipeg.
To others it matters not the size and potential of the market, but how many fans will pony up the funds to come out and see the team play right now. 17,000 from 750,000 is greater, they would say, then 10,000 from 6 million.
Some will argue…and rightfully so I would add… that Bettman and Co. understands fully the problems in Thrasherville rest squarely on the shoulders of the uncaring, apathetic, dysfunctional ownership cluster flop known as the AS, LLC. Any professional sports franchise would difficulty succeeding given the way the Great Octocluster, (the seven owners and Don Waddell) have run it and the empty seats in Philips Arena are the product of their ineptitude, not a weak fan base.
Others simply see the empty seats and insist new owners are not the answer, a new location is. A new location where fans will show up no matter how much the team under-performs or how badly they are treated by ownership. A place where you’ll never have to see the team president pull out a hand-made sign during an intermission interview on TV that requests fans call and buy tickets.
(Yes…that actually happened here last winter. Why Don Waddell even bothers hiring a sales and marketing staff and doesn’t just go it alone with his brilliant ideas is simply baffling to me.)
Obviously, I side with those who understand the fact that this city not only can provide rabid support for the NHL franchise, it has done so in the past. In the years leading up to the lockout and just after, attendance was not an issue. Fans came out to watch a team on the rise. Unfortunately after the current ownership took over and it was clear the Thrashers were the ugly, redheaded stepchildren to them, and were being operated at bargain basement levels…many fans simply chose not to return.
“If the Spirit Clowns don’t care enough to invest in the team, why should I?” was the prevailing question from those fans.
You may discuss amongst yourselves whether or not those fans were right to do so…but I can’t argue with their reasoning. The Atlanta Spirit, LLC could not have inflicted more damage upon the future of hockey here if they had intended to do so from the day they took over in 2004.
But while the endless rumors, conjecture and premature prediction of possible relocations continue to cloud the subject, there is one thing for certain to happen here. The Atlanta Thrashers will indeed be sold, either along with the NBA Hawks and Philips Arena or alone. As such, we will once and for all be rid of the most dysfunctional band of [insert appropriate descriptive words for the AS, LLC here] ever to own a professional sports franchise.
The $110 million question is, of course, will the new owner(s) be intent to keep the team here… or will they whisk them away to a venue far, far away?
Whether it is the former or the latter, like I said, that’s up to one man in my opinion… Mr. Bettman. And so all eyes will be upon him in the coming weeks as hockey fans here, in Winnipeg and all across the NHL landscape look to see just what will Gary do.
In the mean time, I would advise that everyone cool their jets and not allow themselves to be jerked around so easily by the relocation rumor de jour crowd.
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215 comments Add your comment
chc4
May 16th, 2011
5:50 pm
Putting all this on the Spirit Group is ridiculous. Sure they are terrbile owners. But I can cite alot of cities with poor ownership. Toronto hasn’t made the playoffs in ages and they sell out every game. Granted that’s a traditonal hockey market but still. Making the playoffs once in 14 years is awul no doubt. But they have been competitive most years. When we were in 1st place earlier this past season there was NOBODY in Philips. If Arthur Blank bought this team I have a hard time believing things would be any different.
Nasty Nester
May 16th, 2011
5:55 pm
So Bettman and the NHL get their $60M relocation fee but are still stuck with Phoenix who is bleeding money worse than the Thrash ever have. The only real potential buyer for the Coyotes, TNS, is now going to buy the Thrash and the NHL will forever be stuck with the steaming pile of crap that is the Coyotes. 4 years from now, the city of Phoenix will want their $25 mil back and the NHL will have blown through the $60 mil relocation fee thus making matters even worse for them. No buyer will be found for the Coyotes and the NHL will ultimately just dump the team off the schedule or replace them with a new team in another market.
So think about this Bettman, you have a buyer VERY interested in the Coyotes. They will relieve you of the $15-25 mil a year burden of the Coyotes but you want to ship Atlanta to that buyer leaving you stranded.
If the NHL were selling their house, this would be like getting a great offer but refusing because your renter doesn’t want to leave yet (you can up his rent by 15% for the year though). You are still upside down in the mortgage but hey, you were able to use your grandparents trust fund to float you for a few years. All in all, you are still stuck in the house, now with no money, no trust fund, and a “renter” who still won’t leave. You are F’d as anyone with a brain would tell you.
hockeysouth
May 16th, 2011
6:10 pm
This is MORE than rumours, etc.– Bettman and Daly have had ample opportunity in the last week to squash this & have not. I’m praying they stay, but I think they’ll be gone within the month– just ahead of the sked release.
hockeymom92
May 16th, 2011
6:13 pm
To the kind folks in Winnipeg – some of us have been through the loss of a NHL team in our city already – as the old saying goes – “we have been there done that and have the t-shirt to prove it”. Though it is kind of you to offer sympathies. Not sure what the odds are that it could happen twice in my lifetime to the same city – but I am sure they are quite large. We of course will probably never know, but I will bet my bottom dollar these negotiations with TNSE have been going on for much, much longer than reported. Absolutely everything for the Thrasher’s future hinged on the Phoenix deal and it appears we will not win this one. Only thing I can say to ASG – is remember karma is a……..
Mike
May 16th, 2011
6:13 pm
But at the end, you have to blame the A$G for this problem. I dont follow hockey(Hawks fan) but I respect the sport and had a chance to go to a Thrashers game as well.
I think that ASG shouldnt never brought Thrashers, Hawks and Phillps. Improper Management, Improper Ownership, Improper Leadership from top to bottom for Blue Line Crew and Highlight Factory including let go of some very good stars that was homegrown and overpay others that doesnt deserve it. This group of man know as ASG (and Liberty Media too) needs to sell everything and stop runing Atlanta Sports around here.
I am sorry for getting off-line like that, but for the Winnipeg fans, you will get your NHL team back, its very close. For us in Atlanta, it tells the story that how bad NHL is and they probably will never come back here for expansion ever again. ASG has to go!!
Old School
May 16th, 2011
6:16 pm
Na, Na, Na, Nah, Na, Na, Na, Nah – Hey Hey Hey Good BYE!!!!! Won’t Miss them, Won’t grieve over their loss…..Good Riddance!!!!!!!!!
hockeysouth
May 16th, 2011
6:18 pm
Even if you hate ASG & don’t root for the Thrash, at least it was a chance to see NHL action! The best game on the planet!!!
Matt from MN
May 16th, 2011
6:46 pm
@Old School-you are the classic definition of an idiot.
Owners Just Part of the Problem
May 16th, 2011
7:00 pm
Why hasn’t NHL hockey been a viable option in Atlanta?
The Thrashers ranked in the bottom five in payroll/salaries eight times in its last 10 seasons.
27th 2010-11
28th 2009-10
29th 2008-09
26th 2007-08
24th 2006-07
11th 2005-06
26th 2003-04
28th 2002-03
30th 2001-02
29th 2000-01
From 1998 to May 2010, one person was in charge of all personnel matters, regardless of who owned the team.
From 1998 to May 2010, the same person hired all of the scouting staff and all of those employed or contracted in the player personnel dept. To my knowledge, not a single personnel guy hired in Atlanta has taken another position with another team, except for Jack Ferreira and Peter Mahovlich.
Aside from the Thrashers 13 1st-round selections (12 of whom have played in the NHL), 10 second-round picks account for a total of 131 NHL games played (119 by Pavelec), 7 third-round picks account for a total of 62 NHL games played, and 30 fourth- and fifth-round picks account for a total of 375 NHL games played. The positive is that Exelby, Enstrom, Hordichuk and Nurminen (6th-9th round picks) have accumulated 1,346 NHL games.
After the third-ever Thrashers season (2001-02) was completed of the 100 veterans who signed with or who were acquired by the Thrashers, only 13 stayed with the team for three years or longer (Savard, Kozlov, Larsen, Hossa, McCarthy, Hedberg, Boulton, Thorburn, Havelid, Sutton, Hainsey, Holik and Armstrong).
From 1998 to May 2010, the same person hired all of the coaches and of all the coaches hired as a head coach or an assistant coach, only one has an NHL job (McCrimmon) and only three currently have an AHL job (Curt Fraser, who replaced current Thrashers assistant Mike Stothers in Grand Rapids, Todd Nelson and Randy Cunneyworth). The others were George Kingston, Jay Leach, Tim Bothwell, Steve Weeks, and current assistants John Torchetti and Mike Stothers.
It was not only a budget problem
LAC
May 16th, 2011
7:03 pm
I agree Matt, I was hoping a Tornado would level the nascar place in Hampton, no more of that BS.
Or tear up the Univ of Jorjia feetball place and get their DOG… That would be GOOD RIDDANCE.
Who gives a damn about that worthless stuff ? Just a shame, I will no longer be an nhl fan after this.
Geddy Lee
May 16th, 2011
7:09 pm
Was it over when the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor? HELL NO! Once again I feel like the last guy on the Titanic holding the bucket. Let’s wait and see…. Of course, I still believe in Santa Clause, the Easter bunny, and Eskimos.
@Zavalanche No hockey tonight? Put on 2112, drink a beer, and clean that house!
Sage of Bluesland
May 16th, 2011
7:34 pm
What a great post, “Owners Just Part of the Problem”. Amen. I can live with rebuilding and patience….but I cannot continue to put dollars into the pocket of a blustering, lisping, little fraud of a GM, whose fraud is offensive to my very being.
I just hope he has to leave the city from which he has taken so much–and given so little.
Too bad the sheep didn’t revolt and force a change much sooner. It could have been done. But, the Sara’s and GaValambs of the world kept making excuses–and many kept buying them…and buying tickets.
Shame, that.
HookyBob
May 16th, 2011
7:42 pm
If the Thrashers move,…the ASG ought to be tarred, feathered, and escorted out of town on a rail.
Blogger D.Scott hit the nail on the head in that we ought to be mad at the ASG. How can you not make a go of it in a potential market of 6 M people? Poor ownership, management, markteting, scouting, bottom of the barrel payroll,….throw in litigation and you understand why the team looses money. They’ve taken the Atlanta fans for a ride,..its time to take them for a ride.
No buyer interested in keeping the Thrashers in Atlanta? Answer me this,..Who would be fool enough to buy them,…. then have to deal with the ASG on the arena?
I hope whoever buys the Thrashers….plays the ASG desparation and offers them bottom $. They have taken a potential moeny making enterprise and run it into the ground. For them to profit from such dealing would be criminal.
J-man
May 16th, 2011
8:38 pm
I think the worst of all possible worlds is going to be the outcome. The Thrashers will be sold and moved. The ASG will retain the Hawks and Philips.
It’s up to Bettman and the Board of Governors and it always has been but we’re really looking at a hail mary play here for the Thrashers to stay in town. I think that in the end money talks and the NHL will grab the relocation fee for the Thrashers and send them on their way.
Bob in Arizona
May 16th, 2011
9:16 pm
Fight for your team Atlanta and ignore the blood thirsty trolls from Canada. They have been perched on our message boards in Arizona for years crying that only they deserve a team, American fans don’t know anything about hockey, blah, blah blah. The NHL does want a team in the 5th largest market, which Phoenix is. Altanta is also more important than Whine-a-peg is to the NHL’s bottem line. They will never understand that they are a minor league city in a minor league country.
Shutterpups
May 16th, 2011
9:18 pm
I just want to address the comments about Winnipeg’s population. Please remember a few things about Canada:
Although we are the 2nd largest country in the world, we have a population only 1/10th that of the United States at just under 35 million people.
The 750 000 citizens of Winnipeg represent 70% of the total population of the province of Manitoba.
750 000 seems like a small number to the people of a city the size of Atlanta, but in a country of only 35 million people, we’re doin’ ok.
Canada is a massive, beautiful country rich in natural resources and culture, but let’s face it folks… a lot of our land mass isn’t exactly hospital to human survival, lol.
ZAvalanche
May 16th, 2011
9:53 pm
Love to see Geddy Lee post, one of my favorite band members, and yes, a Canadian group
I won’t talk too much trash till I hear the final result. I like Canadians and their country very much. I think 100% of the people on this board can agree that it is 100% of management’s fault. There are worse teams out there that are just fine. I am a grown man and I will cry if Thrashy leaves Atl. I love the city, the people and the culture. I cannot say anything about the Peg as I have never been there, but I do know they are passionate about their hockey. PEASE DON’T TAKE OUR TEAM! Atl has a solid base and if A$$G ponied up the cash to put a great product on the ice this wouldn’t even be a discussion. I don’t really care about the final standings – the fans came out for a long while. Lower ratings hit every team in the league at some point. You can disagree with me on this – but the lockout was brutal to hockey, not on a team level but on the fan level. It was good for the league but killed a large part of it’s fan base. Well-defined teams didn’t see the problems but it ruined some of the smaller markets, and by smaller I don’t mean population, I mean less developed markets.
Geddy Lee
May 16th, 2011
9:54 pm
TAKE OFF SHUTTERPUPS AND ALL YOU WINNIPEG SCOUNDRELS!!!!
THE TEAM STAYS HERE!!!!
IT”S NOT OVER!!!!!
REPEAT!!!
IT”S NOT OVER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
ZAvalanche
May 16th, 2011
10:02 pm
Tom Sawyer (Geddy Lee), I agree and I sure hope it is not over.
Brendan
May 16th, 2011
10:11 pm
Suomi says “nij” to Sweden, thus far. About 7 mins left in regulation, of the IIHF World Championships. Ex-Thrasher Niko Kapanen with the third Finnish goal. Sweden scored first, but Finland has scored three unanswered goals since then. The turning point? On the PP, with 7 seconds left in the 2nd period, Finland scored on a perfect shot.
MPS had the goal for Sweden, to begin the scoring.
War Eagle Hockey
May 16th, 2011
10:24 pm
I am not a marketing rep, but I just can’t see NBC shelling out $2 billion for TV rights and then loose
The 8th largest market in the USA. I know they won’t like the NHL moving a team from the 8th largest TV market in the USA to the 8th TV market in Canada.
NBC’s ad revenue is based on “butts in front of TV’s”. How can 700,000 – 750,000 equal 5.2 – 5.5 million. They care about lead up audience, game audience, and followup audience.
For them its the Atlanta market of 5+ million they care about. Surely those at 30 Rock, will not be please if the Thrashers become the Winnipeg Wantabees!
WWGD – He will sure as hell work hard to keep the Atlanta market. The NHL just recovered from loosing ESPN coverage to get back to the NBC deal. He may be an idiot but he is not stupid.
Given the current economy, if he screws up the league again, NBC will ask for a refund or dump the contract, Gary is out, and the NHL will truly become a 5th rate league, again.
I am a season ticket holder. I have signed up for next season. I AM SUPPORTING THE TEAM IN EVERY WAY I CAN!!!!
Atlanta Hockey fans – YOU HAD BETTER SUPPORT HOCKEY!!! SNOOZE YOU LOOSE!!
Brendan
May 16th, 2011
10:52 pm
Sage, let me ask you, in total sincerity, wouldn’t it be better, in your view, that the team be owned by someone who CARES, even if that someone moves the team out of Atlanta, than to continue on like this? Even marriage counselors would step in to say, “Call your divorce attorney. There’s nothing salvageable here.” I certainly don’t want another year under the “Heptacluser,” (TM, all rights reserved, U.S. Library of Congress, 2010-11) uhh, ‘for the sake of the kids.’ No, I want new ownership. And I want the team to stay. I want custody of the house and the children. They can have the cars, the stocks, the jewelry, the burial plots, the fine China, and even the Christmas ornaments. But the team, the draft picks, and the existing contracts are ours, plus at least a percentage of the operating revenues of Philips Arena.
I had hoped that this team would be cultivated properly. That won’t happen under this regime. The only entity that, perhaps, ever CARED for the Thrashers … was Ted Turner. At last check, he wasn’t interested in reacquiring the Thrashers. At least Turner would endeavor to put people in charge who might get the job done.
My love for hockey will never change. If this team leaves, I’ll be disappointed, but I’ll go to Gladiators game. I’ll buy Center Ice, every year. And I’ll wish the Thrashers well, or whatever name they might have, and always know that they deserved a better fate than to be owned by an uncaring corporation and disinterested NBA enthusiasts.
I want to say something else, or it’ll bother me if I don’t. Don Waddell isn’t the worst human being who ever lived, by any stretch. He’s personable. He tried hard. He never meant to ruin hockey in Atlanta. But the simple truth is, and dang it, he’ll have to OWN IT and live with it, he failed to grow the sport in the region. In fact, under his Administration, interest in hockey demonstrably declined, from the Inaugural Season, in which the Thrashers set an NHL attendance record. He can’t pin that on the Tooth Fairy, the Abominable Snowman, or the Seven Dwarves.
If I so much as hear Don Waddell say ANYTHING like, “it really wasn’t my fault,” … or “honestly, we did a really good job, all things considered,” I’m just gonna hurl. Why on Earth the media gives Waddell a pass … I’ll never know. The guy had two (2) 1st overall selections, two (2) 2nd overall picks, a 3rd overall, a 4th overall, a couple of 8ths, a 10th, and on and on it goes. That players wouldn’t re-sign here ought to have told Waddell what players thought of the job he was doing. To my knowledge, no AJC columnist ever called for Waddell’s head in the morning paper.
David
May 16th, 2011
11:11 pm
If the ASG sells to Winnipeg, I say the hockey fans and I mean all of them, then boycott all of ASG properties the Hawks and Phillips Arena. The only thing these idiots understand is $, so hit em where they hurt.
Sage of Bluesland
May 16th, 2011
11:22 pm
Yes, Brendan, it actually would be better FOR THE TEAM to be in an environment they deserve, as well. No one deserves what we have been through for over a decade now; cursed with uncaring owners both times…and given no chance by a bumbling little fraud of a GM.
The league is not blameless, either. To not properly vet these idiotic clowns is also borderline criminal.
It really is a shame–but that’s life. At least some of the sheep who kept buying into this abomination can reminisce over their wittle “Legends of Blueland” and of Don Waddell’s blusterings…Just think, if a concerted effort of ‘tough love’ was applied earlier, things could have been so much different.
But, it’s not to be…It is what it is…Where is Sara and her spweadsheets when we need them most?
Badger Bob
May 16th, 2011
11:33 pm
David, that’s one boycott I’ll support.
chc4, Canatrolls are not welcome here. Shutterpups can stay. You can “cite a lot of cities with poor ownership”? Then why do you stop at one, and the most ridiculous comparison wrt hockey? Here’s your homework if you want redemption for that useless comment: find a worse ownership group than ASG in all of North American professional sports. Please cite the number of lawsuits filed and outright lies told to support your case. I expect it on my desk in the morning.
Sage Up Late?
May 16th, 2011
11:33 pm
Headline on NHL.com today … “Wholesale transformation makes Lightning winners”
Headline we wish we had seen at some point in time since 1998: “Waddell Steps Down.”
Sage Up Late?
May 16th, 2011
11:46 pm
Harvey Schiller, father of Braves executive Derek Schiller, hired Waddell after one year as an assistant GM in Detroit, when he could have had Brian Burke. One wonders how things might have been altered? Harvey may have known how to fly a plane during his 30 years as a pilot, but his hockey radar must have been broken during the decision in 1998 to hire Captain Queeg.
Archie
May 17th, 2011
12:34 am
This is ABSOLUTELY the worst case scenario. We don’t just lose the Thrashers, but now I also cannot watch the Hawks in good conscience as long as these sellouts own the team. Simply put, the owners are broke, nobody disputes that fact. So from their perspective, it’s either sell the Thrashers (which they’ve wanted to do all along), or keep hemorrhaging money for another few years and be forced to sell all three. So they’re selling out in the worst way. They’re throwing the Thrashers and all the fans under the bus to save their interests with the Hawks. The pitiful part is that they’re gonna lose the Hawks and arena anyway. The Hawks are not profitable either, their expenses are WAY higher than the Thrashers. Any cash from the Thrashers sale isn’t going to change the fact that they’re upside down on the financing from the original purchase. They bought two teams and not one, and one of those two teams is worth way less now than at the time. Also, they’ve lost more money operating the Thrashers than they’re going to make, so they won’t pay their expenses back, and they won’t pay their purchase price back. So now they’re stuck with one team that has to pay the losses on a second team, pay the bonds on the arena all by themselves instead of with a partner franchise (a roommate so to speak), with an ownership that is now without its wealthiest and largest percentage shareholder. So it’s inevitable, it’s a matter of time before they lose the Hawks too, but if they would only sell all three now (or at least a majority interest in all three), then they could have a chance to be successful with all three. Cutting bait on the Thrashers is a death blow to both teams though. It’s a crying shame!
scottbravesfan
May 17th, 2011
3:35 am
It’s official the ASG do not want the Thrashers in the market. They do not want any competition for the Hawks for the winter sports fan dollar. Basically for the Thrashers to stay in Atlanta they will have to build a new arena for them. I guess the Gwinnett Center is too small for a NHL team to play in.
Spud Webb
May 17th, 2011
8:12 am
chc4, you been watching over the last 11 years??? “competitive”? hahahahahahahha woooooooo, not sure what you consider competitive? What do you mean you can’t put all the blame on the ASG? Who should I blame for being one of the WORST franchises in the history of franchises??? They’ve been trying to sell the team for 4 to 6 years depending on who you talk to. I love the tone of the fans are to blame…LOOK IT UP…1 year in the playoffs out of 11 years….2 home playoff games, 2 sell outs, END OF STORY.
Ownwers just part of the problem, great post!
What I need is someone like Red light to get rich and get all of his buddies to buy this team. Now THAT is something folks would pay to see, I GUARANTEE we’d have a winner here and a team for that matter.
JPVJ
May 17th, 2011
8:17 am
Question is: Why does the “cup” guy remain in silence ?? Vive la feuille d’étain !!!!
JT from Columbus
May 17th, 2011
8:18 am
Does the other shoe drop today?
h
May 17th, 2011
8:31 am
http://www.bizjournals.com/atlanta/morning_call/2011/05/lil-jon-bruckheimer-thrashers-owners.html?s=newsletter&ed=2011-05-17&ana=e_atl_rdup
EA
May 17th, 2011
8:40 am
Brendan, I really enjoyed your post. A divorce is what it feels like. Unfortunately, there is not a mate waiting in the wings. I have been thinking about this. The Thrashers were never marketed in the community. Bryan Little has made mention of this in different ways about the southeast teams in general. However, on an individual basis, I was thinking about Tampa. Vinny Lecavalier is so invested in that community that he helped build a wing of a children’s hospital. This ship has been run so poorly from the get go. Is there actually a marketing department? While I admire the Thrashers doing their part in the community for disadvantaged kids, they were never out marketing themselves to a person who would actually buy tickets on a regular basis. The kids of this community don’t even know who they are unlike Chipper Jones or now Matt Ryan. Also, I agree with you Don Waddell is a nice man, but did he save his own job a few times by firing coaches or did he follow through on the player’s demand for a “nicer” coach. Bob Hartley was the only tough coach as well as the only one who acheived a marginal amount of success. The nice guy always finishes last.
Fan from Carolina
May 17th, 2011
8:57 am
EA, excellent post. What Lecavalier has done in Tampa is amazing. We are talking millions of dollars. Nothing in Thrasherland comes close.
Rhythmpenguin
May 17th, 2011
9:21 am
Finally something that isn’t negative! Thanks h!
Michael
May 17th, 2011
9:30 am
Isn’t Glendale City where the failed Winnipeg franchise moved to 15 years ago? And now Winnipeg wants to bring the failed Thrashers franchise to Winnipeg? Like the NBA, the NHL just needs to cut loose some loser franchises.
SportsFan
May 17th, 2011
9:31 am
Bruckheimer is not buying the Thrashers – why does he want to lose money (and not just a little bit of money, 32M last year alone!). The guy makes moves and has interests in Vegas, not ATL.
Red Light
May 17th, 2011
9:51 am
The $32 million loss is fictional. They ran this team on a shoestring budget, had $71 million in reported revenues ending Dec. 2010, so there is no way with salaries in the low $40 millions that they spent as a total of $105 million on this team. With three entities, they can move figures on a balance sheet like Ramsay does forwards.
Alan R.
May 17th, 2011
9:58 am
SportsFan – Atlanta *maybe* lost $8M this past season. Sorry to burst your bubble.
Joe Friday
May 17th, 2011
10:14 am
“Atlanta *maybe* lost $8M this past season.”
Where do I sign up?!
Here’s what disgusts me in all this. The deafening silence from Bettman? WWGD? Run and hide, apparently. Not once has he said he’s keeping the Thrashers in Atlanta. Every time another franchise was in trouble he spoke up and came out in support of the city and it’s fans, every time, except ours.
That tells you all you need to know, right there. Pray for the white knight to come or they’re gone, and Bettman’s ok with that–that’s what disgusts me about this Mickey Mouse league.
Red Light
May 17th, 2011
10:15 am
Joe Friday: See what happens when you serve free pork at the 2008 All-Star Game?
Fan from Carolina
May 17th, 2011
10:26 am
BTW, there is a good game on tonight.
Red Light
May 17th, 2011
10:32 am
Fan…
Tampa Bay won eight straight playoff games in 2004 en route to their Cup win. Currently, their win streak stands at eight games again, and they have won six straight games on the road. In addition, Roloson could break Jacques Plante’s playoff record for consecutive wins by a goalie over the age of 40. I think we can all expect the Bruins best effort tonight and while it should be close for 3o to 45 minutes, the B’s will win tonight!
Your thoughts?
h
May 17th, 2011
10:42 am
Certainly any decent businessman can see that the Octocluster are horrible business people, so why wouldn’t someone want to buy it with the plans of running the business properly. Keep in mind that revenues go up with the new TV deal so that helps the bottom line. I doubt anyone would go into this thinking they’d run it as poorly as the current morons.
R. Stroz
May 17th, 2011
10:43 am
THIS IS A MUST LISTEN
Evidence that Don Waddell is a real douche bag.
Favorite Quote: Don Waddell saying “Goaltending is a myth.”
http://www.tsn.ca/window/podcastcentre.aspx?xmlURL=http%3A%2F%2Fwww2.tsn.ca%2Fpodcasts%2Ftsnpodcast.xml&mp3URL=http%3A%2F%2Fpodcast.tsn.ca%2Ftsnradio%2Fbouchard_051611.mp3
R. Stroz
May 17th, 2011
10:43 am
I’ve said this a million times.
All the ASG has to do to create a “franchise loss” is have “Arena Operations” charge the “Thrashers” an exhorbitant management fee for “hosting” the games.
WAKE UP PEOPLE
ZAvalanche
May 17th, 2011
10:47 am
Brendan – I’m a bit late but 2 hours behind. Nice post. I, of course, don’t even live in Atl anymore but have a huge love for the team and this does feel like a divorce (unfortunately I know how that feels). I as well will always watch the NHL because it is one of the few things on TV that I enjoy (NFL and House are a couple more). There is simply not a better and more exciting sport. I do enjoy the World Cup but that doesn’t come around much. I think everybody here can agree that the NHL playoffs are mesmerizing and our significant others can’t wait till they are over. I seriously had withdrawal last night with no games on so I opted for the 2nd best solution – cooking and Lost episodes followed by some pool at a local bar.
I really hope this doesn’t happen but it seems imminent. If only I could win the lottery and buy Thrashy…..
R. Stroz
May 17th, 2011
10:55 am
After listening to the Bouchard interview, it’s time to resume something:
FIRE WADDELL
ZAvalanche
May 17th, 2011
11:00 am
I am not 100% sure that DW is problem as I he hasn’t been given the means to put together a fantastic team.