“The Balkan” is Detroit venture capitalist JB Smith
John Kincade, co-host of the Buck and Kincade Show on the flagship station of the Thrashers 680 The Fan, has finally let the cat out of the bag. The person he has been telling us about who is interested in buying the Thrashers, NBA Hawks and Philips Arena…the person he has referred to as “The Balkan” is non other than Detroit venture capitalist J.B. Smith. Smith is formerly of Equity11, “an independent, private equity firm focused on investment of growth capital and business expertise into scaleable business models” per their website.
Kincade broke this via his twitter account saying, “J.B. Smith has been attempting to put together a deal to purchase the Thrashers, Hawks and Philips Arena since early March” and “J.B. Smith will now get the full ‘media treatment’ and will make his desire to own all 3 entities public knowledge”.
I spoke with Kincade earlier today and asked him about his involvement with J.B. Smith and getting him together with the Atlanta Spirit, LLC
“I was asked to introduce J.B. Smith to the AS, LLC”, he replied. “When I did so, I then got out of the way”.
Kincade also told me that he is only interested in seeing that the Thrashers remain in Atlanta and simply wanted to do whatever he could to make sure that happens.
“I’m not a reporter, but I wanted to get the parties together”.
Last winter Smith was interested in investing in the Pittsburgh Steelers of the NFL.
Stick with the AJC, I’m sure there will be a lot more to this story coming from beat writer Chris Vivlamore.
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273 comments Add your comment
Joe Friday
May 19th, 2011
11:17 pm
http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/breakingnews/Thrashers-sale-report-not-accurate-122268064.html
Sounds like the Tues. press conference will be to announced that TSNE is going to start ticket sales and if they get 10000 or more, then the NHL will sign off on it.
If tickets go on sale there at 9am Tuesday, I expect them to hit the 10k number by noon on Weds.
Twisted Wrister
May 19th, 2011
11:25 pm
If the announcement occurs on Tuesday, I’ll help everyone find the Spirit Clowns and Waddell.
Joe Friday
May 19th, 2011
11:34 pm
“If the announcement occurs on Tuesday, I’ll help everyone find the Spirit Clowns and Waddell.”
I heard Home Depot just placed an emergency rush order on two truckloads of pitchforks and torches . . . Levenson, Gearon, Seydel, Waddell, Kincade, who am I missing?
Sage of Bluesland
May 19th, 2011
11:35 pm
Well, at least some sheep are consistent (i.e. Alanlamb).
How do you like Waddell’s “incremental progress” now?
To you and all the sheep….How silly you must feel being hosed for all these years. GaVa, Ranallo, and Sara….To you all.
I am looking forward to seeing how the franchise morphs in Winnipeg. I’m sure there is no way in Hades Don Waddell will make the move (as real fans will not put up with his incompetence one iota). I think they will transform, with a little love, from the folks in Winnipeg and, of course, from the ownership.
I wish them nothing but the best.
Geddy Lee
May 19th, 2011
11:39 pm
Never more shall I return….. ESCAPE THESE CAVES OF ICE!!!
BIG MONEY GOT NO SOUL!!!!!
I don’t care if Led Zeppelin, The Who, Rush, Pink Floyd, and Triumph were all playing one big show at Phillips.(Zebra and April Wine opening) I wouldn’t give those fu%%s one penny!!!!
Screw the Hawks!!! Screw the ASG!!!
See you guys at the Gladiator games.
Joe Friday
May 19th, 2011
11:59 pm
RealKyper Nick Kypreos
Confirming Brunt story #Winnipeg deal done. Told Thomson/Chipman in full partnership. Hear re-location fee alone for #NHL between 50-60M.
Joe Friday
May 20th, 2011
12:03 am
Atlanta fans, grab the real story here. We know the Spirit Squad blows. We know Waddell was incompetent. But now we know something new. The NHL approved this months ago and threw Atlanta under the bus after they fought for Pittsburgh, Nashville, Tampa, Phoenix. Bettman and the NHL lied to us, this deal was done months ago, that’s a fact. All they’ve been doing is negotiating the contract, which takes months in and of itself, especially when dealing with jokers like Levenson and Co.
So, now knowing what the NHL did here, are you ever going to support this Mickey Mouse league again? That answer is pretty clear to me, fool me once, shame on you . . .
ben
May 20th, 2011
3:07 am
this team will move again in 10 years. what if all this was done just to get ASG out of the nhl? there will be hockey again in the bulb. have faith!
Trevor
May 20th, 2011
7:09 am
NYR fan here:
Really pulling for you guys to beat the odds and stay put. It really is hard to believe that it was just four years ago when we had our playoff series. I’d like nothing more than for our teams to go at it again at some point in the years to come. The atmosphere in both arenas during those four games was absolutely electric and it’d be an absolute shame for the NHL to vacate a top ten media market that was methodically poisoned by massive failure, stupidity and incompetence from your ownership and management the levels of which couldn’t possibly be duplicated in any sport. Hoping you guys can weather this storm and see brighter days ahead. Good luck.
hockeymom92
May 20th, 2011
8:11 am
Have really known in my heart of hearts this deal was done at least as far back as February if not earlier. Too many rumors around the hockey rink world with folks that are closely related to the situation and I do mean close, as in live in the same house, that the team was gone after this season (this was in early March). Everything else I know is finally making sense, but there are people I do not wish to throw under the bus. The team was pretty much sold earlier on and the rest of this mess is a sham to cover their tracks. The hardest part for me is that I care so much – in a way I wish I did not.
Bo
May 20th, 2011
8:14 am
Why did Atlanta EVER have a hockey team ? Hillbillys + hockey don’t mix ya’ll. Take the ice way, way back up north princess. Dawgs always rule!!
Tom Lysiak
May 20th, 2011
8:36 am
Hmmm…..a back room deal, done months ago, lies and cover-ups. Now that doesn’t seem like something the ASG would EVER be part of does it??????
Joe Friday
May 20th, 2011
8:40 am
“The team was pretty much sold earlier on and the rest of this mess is a sham to cover their tracks.”
Yep, this is exactly what happened. Which means the NHL is just as culpable as the Spirit and Waddell. If we all have any sense we’ll never support the NHL again, never. Mickey. Mouse. League.
DWTOO
May 20th, 2011
8:44 am
Ok Knights fans – remember when Ubriaco and the Utah coach started throwing punches over the glass after the fight on the ice? Same game the Knight player started tossing the Utah players gloves into the crowd rather than pick them up.
Although I find JF a little too negative sometimes I have to agree with him and GS29 – the Knights were FAR MORE entertaining than the Thrashers and more competetive also. And add me to the list of those that were at the Turner Cup game against Ft. Wayne. It was an awesome night. Heeeeeeeeeeee’s the Captain – STAN DRULIA!
Joe Friday
May 20th, 2011
8:51 am
“Although I find JF a little too negative sometimes”
Gee, I wonder why I was negative . . . rose colored glasses are off everyone and can you now also see the incompetence of Waddell and the hopeless situation we’ve been in for years? Reality sucks, doesn’t it?
DWTOO
May 20th, 2011
8:54 am
The ideas of a well run A-League team is really appealing. Good hockey and affordable tickets. Used to spend more on parking than tickets and the Knights drew really well. One question – how many of you were at the last Knight’s game?
Joe Friday
May 20th, 2011
8:55 am
“Knights were FAR MORE entertaining than the Thrashers and more competetive also.”
Now that we’re at the end, it’s ridiculous to think of my memories of both clubs. The only good memories I’ll carry from the Thrashers are the friends I made from people I met at the games. And lots of negative memories of the team, incompetent defense, incompetent goaltending, incompetent coaches, incompetent GM, incompetent owners, disinterested players.
But tons of great memories from the Knights. Every time I heard Golden Earrrings “Twilight Zone” played I smile and think of the boys skating around and picking up LiPuma and/or Jason Ruff’s gloves . . . every time I hear “Hard to Handle” I smile and think of the boys skating over to Greenlay and congratulating him on another win. And all done at a fraction of the cost, twice the fun, and half the travel times to the games.
Joe Friday
May 20th, 2011
8:56 am
“how many of you were at the last Knight’s game?”
Yep
DWTOO
May 20th, 2011
9:00 am
No JF – not rose colored glasses and I agree with you whole heartedly regarding DW and the whole ASG management – not a bigger pack of spincters in sports. Was at TJ’s when Tim E. gave us all his take a couple years ago and really wasn’t surprised and Danny B’s interview confirmed it. Actually, it’s amazing how we lasted so long. However, I’m just going to wait and see how it plays out and hope for the best.
hockeymom92
May 20th, 2011
9:02 am
Wish I had been at Knights games, but honestly was raisin’ babies at that time. Now that son is off to college in the fall and I am technically no longer a hockey mom (sniffle sniffle), I would definitely love to have some good, inexpensive (still job searching) hockey games to attend. With ownership that actually gives a ten cent darn. Is that too much to ask????
Tom Lysiak
May 20th, 2011
9:02 am
We used to love when the Knights came onto the ice to “Twilight Zone”. Between the music and the crowd, it was deafening.
Rawhide
May 20th, 2011
9:09 am
Given the news from The Globe and Mail last night, I have but once request of the Atlanta Spirit, LLC.
Do the right thing…for once.
Tom Lysiak
May 20th, 2011
9:20 am
Love seeing Levenson on Fox-5 just now, in a recent interview saying “My job is to try to find a buyer that will buy the team and keep it here in Atlanta. And, that’s what I have been working on.” to Ken Rodriguez. Now the reports are saying this deal was done months ago. If proven, I hope the news media exposes every detail and throws these sound bytes in all their faces. Bettman too.