Do the right thing, Atlanta Spirit…for once
This weekend was already expected to be a very busy one for my family and I. Tomorrow my youngest tax exemption’s JROTC academic team will compete for the national championship, Sunday is his graduation baccalaureate and after that is over we’ll motor down to Savannah. We head there for a college campus tour scheduled for Monday, after which we will make our way back home that evening.
He then graduates Thursday morning, so as you can see this is a very busy time in my household.
I tell you this for a couple reasons. 1). This is why I will not be able to join you all tomorrow at the tailgate party put together by my good friend “Kracker” and, 2). Because of the news that broke last night in the Globe and Mail, I wanted to give you forum to discuss this as the story unfolds over the weekend.
As I’m sure you all have read by now, in the latest twist and turn of this roller coaster ride known as The Thrashers Relocation Saga, last night Stephen Brunt of The Globe and Mail reported that the Atlanta Thrashers were indeed moving to Winnipeg. Brunt says this deal was approved by the NHL board of directors months ago.
“…sources in Winnipeg suggest that the Thrashers had in fact been the primary target of potential owners Mark Chipman and David Thomson all along, and that some months back, the NHL board of governors quietly approved the sale and transfer of the team, pending the negotiation of a purchase agreement between Atlanta Spirit LLC, the Thrashers’ owners, and True North.”
As expected, the league and TNSE as well as other sources quickly refuted this story setting in motion yet another round on the ”Thrashers are moving…no they’re not…yes they are…no they’re not…” roller coaster.
But given the timing, and that this news leak doesn’t come from an internet-based site created solely for the distribution of fabricated stories, I have to say I think this one could pass the smell test.
I mentioned timing because this Saturday at Philips Arena is the scheduled Select A Seat event in which fans are invited down to pick out season tickets and/or simply locate where the seats are that they’ve already ordered. Representatives of the Atlanta Spirit sales and marketing department will be on hand to take your orders.
However, with news breaking that the team is quite probably heading to Winnipeg…leaving Thrashers fans out in the cold…it isn’t hard to imagine that there won’t be a lot of people making their way to Philips to fork over money in exchange for tickets to games that may or may not take place.
And I’m quite sure there will be TV cameras on hand to record this to beam back to points north of the border.
See, if in fact the report in the G&M is accurate, then that means the NHL, TNSE and the greatest cluster flop of an ownership group ever to have been planning this relocation for months and this whole tap-dance of sending Don Waddell out to find possible buyers to keep the team in town has been a shame…and they need cover.
Also making the “timing” here interesting to me is the reports and whispers I’ve been hearing that those in charge of such things have already bugun the inventory, bagging and clearing out of all things hockey related down at Philips Area earlier this week.
So, if you were planning on scooting down to the SAS event or the tailgate gathering of fans I would urge you to continue to do so. Go have a great time with friends and fellow fans…looks like the weather will perfect for it.
But go prepared willing to get your face in a camera and politely let the world know what you think of this situation and the Atlanta Spirit, LLC… the Great Octocluster. Make signs if you wish and give the cameramen something worthwhile to put on video.
Don’t be rude…don’t be vulgar…don’t represent Thrasherville in a negative light. But let the hockey community know what you truly feel and who is directly responsible for the possible loss of this team here.
Finally, to the members of the AS, LLC I make this challenge. If the reports are true and you have been plotting and scheming for months to rip this franchise from this community, then cancel the Select A Seat event scheduled for tomorrow. Do not continue this ruse…this deception…this scam …this tease one day longer. Do not accept a single dollar for tickets to games for a season you know will not happen in Atlanta.
In short, do the decent, honorable and upright thing…for once…and let the fans know today the truth of the situation. Don’t give an eager media looking to depict the turnout misrepresent the reality of the situation.
That way, you can at least say you were up-front and honest with us if even just this once in your disastrous seven years as owners…and Saturday afternoon can be a time of support, remembering and good-byes for those who plan on gathering at the Gulch.
Somehow, given the history, I’m not holding my breath that the honorable thing will be done by the Atlanta Spirit, LLC, (Lies, Lawsuits and Contempt).
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352 comments Add your comment
The Commish
May 20th, 2011
10:38 am
SouthernFriedHockey …. Lawsuit for what?
There is nothing against the law in having owners that don’t care.
Brian powdertown
May 20th, 2011
10:38 am
3 words CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT we should do it for the lies told to us.
sisu
May 20th, 2011
10:44 am
Thanks for the great blogs over the years rawhide…
EA
May 20th, 2011
10:51 am
Did you all read the new Jeff S. article? Interesting.
SkepticalJetsFan
May 20th, 2011
10:53 am
Ha! I know that the laws are different here from the States and can only imagine what Leafs fans would have done to Harold Ballard in the 80’s had they been allowed to sue.
I agree with The Commish
North of the Border
May 20th, 2011
10:57 am
Notwithstanding the ownership gong show, the root of the problem lies with Bettman. His grand scheme of putting NHL franchises in the southern states was a strategic disaster that he still will not admit. The U.S. is renowned for its world class sports. NBA, NFL, MLB, and NASCAR are well in front of the NHL when it comes to filling the stands with paying fans! Sorry Gary, but when you’re fifth in line for the hard earned dollars of sports fans, there ain’t much left. High school football pulls a bigger crowd than some NHL teams in the south. Canada may have some smaller market risk, but what it does have is that hockey is more than a sport, it’s part of who and what we are. The Leafs, who haven’t won in over 40 years still fill the stands.
To those in Atlanta mourning the imminent departure of your team, you are a special few, who’ve embraced hockey for what everything the game offers…….you should have been born in Canada.
foncused
May 20th, 2011
11:00 am
Even the Winnepeg media understand that this relocation was nothing to do with our fans and everything to do with inept and uncaring ownership.
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/sports/hockey/globe-on-hockey/thrashers-failure-rests-with-owners-and-the-nhl/article2029445/
So for all you hockey trolls out there, the soon-to-be home of Thrashers major media outlet supports all of our contention that this was never about lack of fan support but about the great octo-cluster plus Waddell selling the team down the river.
Congrats and may you get Don Waddell in the package!
thrasherdawg
May 20th, 2011
11:01 am
Class Action Suit against NHL for “Conflict of Interest” this is totally opposite for what the league did for the Coyotes.
Bettman is just trying to make up for his losses in PHX with the money for relocation fees.
The NHL knew for years there was terrible management and did nothing. Given another year they could find a buyer for the team. They (the NHL) have been hands off for a reason. Can you say 60 million dollars.
Wonder if there is any way some tyoe of injuction could be filed to stop the process? Give us one full year…we will find an owner.
ZAvalanche
May 20th, 2011
11:06 am
The “select a seat” event is now a joke and a farce. Do NOT give these clowns any more of your money to the Hawks. Sitting with my significant other during intermission when I heard the announcement on Versus last night, I dropped my Iced Tea and went bleach white. She was wondering why I was so upset – it is because the League I love so much let a very large group of fans down – in a big way. I held out hope for a long time, but we have been lied to. Yes, I will still watch hockey and will attend games – but with a little bit of a bitter taste in my mouth.
I think one of two, or even both, things will happen in the ‘Peg: TNSE will lose a ton of $$ or the team will be gone in 5 years. I hope both happen.
And Mr. Tiller – you know I love the blog and if in fact this team does move I hope you continue to write in some fashion. Oh, and congrats to your tax exemption!
R. Stroz
May 20th, 2011
11:07 am
Dan Bouchard states the ASG doesn’t even want the Thrashers in the arena.
Also take note as to one of the reasons the Flames left town, Tom Cousins wouldn’t go along with the other NHL owners who were pilfering the player’s pension money.
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
@thrasherdawg
May 20th, 2011
11:08 am
You should approach NBC/Versus/Comcast about a lawsuit. I’m sure losing a 5 million person market for their new 10 year/ $1.9 billion deal wasn’t what they expected/hoped.
SkepticalJetsFan
May 20th, 2011
11:08 am
There’s another potential wrench in the gears for Jets fans: ticket and luxury box sales.
TNSE would be outright stupid to not seek long term commitments from the big money guys for boxes and methinks this is an avenue they’ll explore. One thing that has not been answered: how deep are the pockets in Winnipeg?
While I suspect this is a moot point and will be proven quite trivial it still must weigh on the minds of the big heads at TNSE. However, one could argue that they’d be stupid to even enter negotiations with Atlanta without some form of confidence.
Thrasherdawg: sorry, mate, I just don’t see it happening. The only other thing I can see (besides that 11th hour charitable buyer scenario) is what was laid out in the other blog – that the Spirit Group will just say the hell with it and stay on one more year to seek an alternative buyer (IF the NHL is really trying to screw them out of cash)…but I believe this theory to be a little bit heavy on the tinfoil…
Cajun Crap Talker
May 20th, 2011
11:08 am
Will never watch another hockey game again in my life. Done with the Hawks too, until there’s new ownership.
ThrasherTim
May 20th, 2011
11:14 am
Let’s spend a couple of minutes reviewing the short history of the Thrashers, shall we?
* Patrick Stefan, the 1st pick of the organization
* Dany Heatley, poised to partner with Ilya Kovalchuk and Kari Lehotenen to be the face of an up and coming franchise, wrecks his car and kills his good friend.
* Marian Hossa signs a multi-year contract with the Senators, and then gets told he’s traded to Atlanta?
* “Franchise” goalie Kari plays exactly one year healthy, the year the Thrashers make the playoffs.
* What’s that? The Thrashers get swept in the playoffs and start off the next year 0-6?
* Hartley gets fired and Waddell take over and doesn’t hire a new coach to save $$ for the ASG.
* Hossa wants out when his contract ends because he didn’t want to be here in the 1st place.
* Waddell trades Hossa on trade day – we have 2 minor leaguers left from that deal (Esposito, O’ Dell)
* ASG decides to keep payroll the last few years around the floor.
* Ilya Kovalchuk decides he doesn’t want to stay with a franchise with poor ownership. Trade value too confusing to analyze at this point due to trade picks used to pick up guys from Hawks.
* The last 2 years, the Thrashers are in the playoff picture in December, only to falter terribly during the 2nd half (and more) of the season.
Yea, it’s been a great ride [sarcasm dripping]. I am terribly disappointed to know I won’t be able to take my daughters to a game. The 1st day I met my wife, it was with friends at a Thrashers game on Thanksgiving night. My first date with my wife was at a Thrashers game. This team is about to turn around and be solid for years to come with Dudley at the helm and some young talent in tow and we won’t get a chance to enjoy it.
I truly believe if a new singular owner came in, season tickets would spike up dramatically knowing a serious owner was committed to winning. It’s truly a sad day for this fan.
North of the Border
May 20th, 2011
11:15 am
The reason the ‘Yotes are so deep in the red is because the NHL owners with some howling in the desert from Bettman didn’t want Basilliie in their cozy little club, partly because he kept running his mouth off (i.e. announcing the Habs for sale, and slagging Melnyk). He offered 100 million more than they will get at their garage sale.
Hockey fans, including those in Atlanta, Phoenix, or Florida are there for the right reasons….the love of the game. The problem is that the game has been populated with players who want multimillion dollar deals that have driven ownership to the handful of billionairres whose only interest is return on investment. This includes the pension fund that owns MLSE.
Blueland_Rebel
May 20th, 2011
11:19 am
Call me crazy, but something tells me that the select a seat event could turn ugly.
CampbellCanuck
May 20th, 2011
11:19 am
As someone who desperately tried to save my NHL team in 1996, I am surprised at the fact that I feel mainly sadness and sympathy for all of you fans and little happiness at a team coming back to Winnipeg. Reading about the ownership situation and the way in which the expansion team has been handled in Atlanta makes me sad and angry. And I’ve never been invested in the Thrashers.
To those of you that are running down Winnipeg as a choice, there are a number of differences between now and when the Jets left 15 years ago.
1. The team will get the revenue from the facility. Previously, the Jets got $0 for anything after the ticket was paid for.
2. Winnipeg is in a much different place financially now that 15 years ago. Add to that the facts that the revenue dollar is no longer only worth .67c of their expense dollar, the league has a much better TV revenue stream and revenue sharing exists, and the financial prospects look much better.
3. The provincial government will allow the team to use revenues from a sports bar which includes gambling machines to contribute to the arena improvements and debt servicing. No such contributions were allowed 15 years ago.
Maybe you’ll get to keep the Thrashers and we’ll get another franchise. Win / Win.
Good luck to all the Thrashers fans. Make some noise, do what you can. Its small consolation if your team does leave (from personal experience) but at least you can say you did your part in trying.
SkepticalJetsFan
May 20th, 2011
11:20 am
Here’s a pretty decent article, one I happen to agree with even if it is from Toronto Centric Global Fail:
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/sports/hockey/globe-on-hockey/thrashers-failure-rests-with-owners-and-the-nhl/article2029445/
Balsille is a bad fit for the NHL, full stop.
Kayley
May 20th, 2011
11:22 am
this may be a little far fetched to say this… but being naive and hopeful im just going to interject that i seriously hope people have the decency, die-hard fans or not, to atleast show up to this “rally” that wasn’t even supposed to be a rally. even if you could care less about the team, theres people who do… imagine if you were one of those people who could potentially lose the most important thing to you. i mean, i wear 2-3 thrashers things daily. that team is my world. regardless that most people don’t feel as strongly as i do, you have to admit it isn’t a boring sport. the team is an excellent asset to atlanta. the games are fairly inexpensive, and it never fails to entertain. i mean, to harp on their biggest point.. “we’re in atlanta” so, what do you do when its not baseball/ football season. or when the hawks are away. even if you arent a die hard… most people have been to atleast one game.. i remember when asg gave away tickets like candy. i cant tell you the amount of times i was approached with vouchers just for wearing my gear out and about… i just seriously hope that people have a big enough heart to support not only the team, but the city… if we don’t have a decent turnout… i’ll end up being severely depressed…. lets hope the non-believers in blueland let down their guard and help out those who truly care….
Billsen
May 20th, 2011
11:26 am
For those who suggest that we should give up, and stay at home tomorrow, I think this quote by Lloyd Jones speaks volumes:
“The men who try to do something and fail are infinitely better than those who try to do nothing and succeed.”
Think about that. And then I’ll see you tomorrow in the Gulch.
EA
May 20th, 2011
11:28 am
Campbell Canuck–hopefully your post will convince a few of your fellow Canadien citizens. Thanks. ZAvalanche–I was dozing off to sleep with the playoff game in the back ground when I heard the news. Bill Patrick’s voice was like a nightmare. Sad thing is it was for real. After that I couldn’t sleep so I spent the next several hours blogging. I wish I could pull myself away from this story. The good thing is that school is out today for many of our Atlanta kids so the focus switches to summer vacation. It will really hurt in September.
SomaAtl95
May 20th, 2011
11:29 am
A few things
1.) I can’t thank 99% of you fellow posters enough for your grace, dignity and sportsmanship in sharing the love of the Thrashers and Hockey in general. While the antics of the A$G, NHL and various Canucklehead Trolls who seem to take joy in our pain have been a real pain in the arse to deal with, I’m not done with the game. Its too fun. I almost want to learn to play street hockey and try to get into playing with some of you in the future. If anyone is interested in still hanging out or puck talk please look me up on Twitter (same name) or ask Bill for my email. Its cool with me.
2.) I’m sure that 95% of the people in Winnipeg awful for the minority of “Fans” in their town that are taking supreme joy in our pain. They felt shafted by losing the Jets yet feel no pain in us fans in Atlanta losing a SECOND franchise. Since they don’t know just how awful the A$G was they will relentlessly mock us. If they only knew things like the only advertising the Thrashers had was DURING Thrashers games they would know part of the problem. The A$G took a steaming dump on our dinner plates and we are called horrible fans because we refuse to eat it. How fair is that? Mark our words Winnipeg, if you end up with a cursed franchise they will be leaving within a decade. What happened to Winnipeg in the 90’s was not fair. What is happening to Atlanta for a second time is downright criminal.
3.) Bill, thank you for all you have done. For the first time in my life I actually felt like a part of something and your blog here on the AJC was a big part of that.If this is indeed the end of Thrasherville I seriously doubt the AJC will cover the Glads at all. If you choose to keep writing on hockey (or anything in general) please let your dedicated followers know. It has been a joy to know you and to finally be able to say I got to shake your hand this past season.
4.) Finally, if this is the end of the line for the Thrashers, I want to end it with this – Sage I am so grateful that I will NEVER have to read your broken record thoughts ever again. Losing the Thrashers will hurt, never having to subsidize your arrogance and outright hatred for anyone and everyone that disagrees with you is the one extremely bright ray of sunshine throughout all of this. Hopefully you decide to start your next one man army campaign against whatever subdivision let D-Wad in. It should give your life more purpose. If you were ever truly a fan of Atlanta Hockey this should be a bad day for you but youre still here, calling everyone names and wishing Winnipeg well is the lowest thing I have ever seen you do. Do yourself and all of us a favor, relocate with the Thrashers to Winnipeg or start insulting hawks fans. They may not take as kindly to someone repeatedly disrespecting them.
I will see you all tomorrow at the gulch.
SkepticalJetsFan
May 20th, 2011
11:46 am
I am not going to lie to you, I do feel extreme joy at the prospect of having a team back in the ‘Peg. However, I do feel for all Thrasher fans, there is no way this doesn’t suck for you.
R. Stroz
May 20th, 2011
11:47 am
ASG = Ass Sucking Group
SomaAtl95
May 20th, 2011
11:47 am
**edit** I’m sure that 95% of the people in Winnipeg feel awful for the minority of “Fans” in their town that are taking supreme joy in our pain.
To you ‘Peggers who have been respectful, thank you very much.
ViewfromtheNorth
May 20th, 2011
11:49 am
SomAtl95, as someone who was in Winnipeg when the Jets left, I (and probably a vast majority of fans there) do NOT “take joy in (Atlanta’s)pain”. Believe me. We know what it’s like. Bad owners, an indifferent league executive… ya, we have been there and own the t-shirts.
Far from dissing Atlanta fans, We are just excited to see another NHL team in Canada. The wrong of 1996 righted, sort of. And yes the new MTS Center is a beautiful facility. And yes the last time I checked Winnipeg’s population is a whole lot larger than Macon’s. And finally, with winter around here for 8 months of the year, we love hockey. I mean, we REALLY REALLY love hockey. So… If that excitement and joy we have at the thought of an NHL team in Winnipeg is a pain in your ass, you’ll just have to get past it. Just don’t confuse it with disrespect for your loss. We have none of that.
SkepticalJetsFan
May 20th, 2011
11:53 am
http://calgary.ctv.ca/servlet/an/local/CTVNews/20110520/thrashers-moving-to-winnipeg-110520/20110520/?hub=CalgaryHome
CTV now reporting that minimum 10,000 season tickets will be a must and that folks will be asked to make a three year commitment to them – no surprise there.
The latest projected ticket prices on http://www.jetsowner.com are between $45 and $140 at the door. Or $1540 to $5500 for season tix.
Given that this is a site run by a fan and not in any way affiliated with TNSE I see these numbers as being quite generous to fans. TNSE will NEED to make money off of this venture, they are not simply bringing hockey back to Winnipeg to right some sort of wrong – they’re businessman. And I am sure almost anyone in Thrasherland would agree right now that not all businessmen have fans thoughts and dreams at the forefront.
I hope I am not seen as twisting a dagger here, just trying to keep informed, and inform others at the same time.
Does a city of +/- 700K have enough deep pockets to support these, and possibly higher – maybe much higher, numbers?
Tom Lysiak
May 20th, 2011
11:54 am
Bettman should come out right now and clear this mess up, if he can. If the deal was not done months ago, he needs to make that clear. If the Board of Governors did not previously approve this, he needs to clear that up as well. Otherwise, the league looks just as bad as these dirty owners. And, maybe they actually are. I only hope they sue each other endlessly over the whole deal and that the ASG takes it in the shorts eventually.
SkepticalJetsFan
May 20th, 2011
12:00 pm
If you read the CTV article I linked in my last post you’ll see where Bettman and the NHL have done just that. Bettman and Daly have said they know of nothing being done and TNSE has said the same. They didn’t say there wasn’t something being worked on, either.
Difference here from last year is that they (the NHL) certainly are not as vocal…
SomaAtl95
May 20th, 2011
12:01 pm
ViewfromtheNorth – We’ve all been supportive of expansion to 32, giving the Peg and QC teams back. It just sucks for years to be treated like second class citizens. We love the game in Atlanta, we do. Years of being told we don’t “deserve” a team because we are in the south really makes a person trigger happy with the insults. Canada is a great country, I have loved my brief visits in the past. When it comes to Hockey though we have always been treated with extreme disrespect. Its like starting a baseball game with 2 strikes already against you before going to bat, it sucks.
To be thrown under the Zamboni a second time by the league is downright criminal. The Flames would have prospered here, as would the Thrashers had, if ownership had actually cared about Hockey.
We here feel like “Major League” is a metaphor for all pro teams in Atlanta. It took 40 years before idiot ownership sold the Falcons to someone who cared. Nobody enjoys being a laughing stock or easy target.
JB
May 20th, 2011
12:07 pm
Well played Bill ! Michelle and I have enjoyed getting to know you and your family the last 3 seasons.
ViewfromtheNorth
May 20th, 2011
12:09 pm
SomaAtl95- Fair comments. I’m with you on the “thrown under the Zamboni a second time ” thing– it absolutely sucks. And truly the disrespect never came from anyone I know. If you’re a fan it doesn’t matter where you’re a fan.
R. Stroz
May 20th, 2011
12:18 pm
OMG, CHECK OUT THIS INFO, I corrected the link.
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Atlanta-Georgia/Atlanta-Spirit-Sucks/114671988618038
Report: The Atlanta Spirit are still selling tickets to Atlanta Thrashers games | ProHockeyTalk
May 20th, 2011
12:23 pm
[...] runs a regular “Ice Man” column that provides a fan’s perspective via Ben Tiller, who wrote this about the team continuing to run their regular “Select-a-Seat” promotion …. Finally, to the members of the AS, LLC I make this challenge. If the reports are true and you have [...]
ThrasherDOA
May 20th, 2011
12:27 pm
Thanks Don Wadell! You have single handedly killed hockey in Atlanta. Please keep this idiot away from the Gladiators.
The AS are a piece work as well. You all hired Don and then promoted him to VP??????
Maybe we can score an AHL team? Go Away DW shoo shoo go away, no hockey for you
Stan Drulia
May 20th, 2011
12:27 pm
Right on Soma. I hope that Sage finds a new team or group to repeat the same hatefull sentences to over and over and over again. Dude hasn’t stated a new thought in four years. I guess he wins… he stopped subsidizing and now they are leaving… hope this finally makes him shut up. He is a miserable guy – and he and his lapdog LAC should go far, far away together… Maybe they can ride one of LAC’s trains?
Thrashers27
May 20th, 2011
12:38 pm
F#^*!!!…just F#^*, F#^*, F#^*, F#^*, F#^*, F#^*, F#^*, F#^*, F#^*!!! Sh!+!!!
I don’t know about anyone else, but between this and the looming end of the world, this crap is just ruining my week.
@ViewFromtheNorth
May 20th, 2011
12:40 pm
I still do not see how Winnipeg can support this team. Doing some research, I see that your biggest companies are Shaw Cablesystems, Manitoba Telecom Services, Ipsos Reid, Palliser Furniture, Great-West Life Assurance, Motor Coach Industries, New Flyer Industries, Boeing Canada Technology, Bristol Aerospace, Nygård International, Canad Inns and Investors Group.
Other than Boeing, who are any of these companies? Are they going to be able to buy out your luxury suites for the next 20 years (there are 46 of them + 2 party suites)? How about provide major corporate sponsorships for the team?
The average player salary has increase over 3 times since the last time you all had an NHL team up to $2 million a player from just below $600k. That’s significantly more. I don’t see the increase in attendance from the old building to the new covering for the huge uptick in salary nor the revenue sharing making up enough of the difference. There are franchises that struggle to turn profits now (a good example would be the Minnesota Wild in a STRONG hockey market).
What happens when the revenue dollar comes back down. I’m not saying that it’ll go back to 67 cents per dollar again but it could. You never know. Would you all be able to survive those heavy losses?
I also see that Winnipeg is growing at a 2.2% population rate vs. the rest of Canada at a 5.6% population rate. That’s showing me that Winnipeg is NOT a destination that people are rushing out to move to. Not to mention why would NHL players want to live there where they will be scrutinized for every move.
I realize your fans are passionate. The games will sell out in the seats, but besides the owner (who will get tired of taking losses – they all do), is there anyone else out there that can significantly support this team? Revenue from concessions and profit sharing do help but probably won’t make your balance sheets come out in the black.
I see very little chance for this franchise to survive past 5 -10 years. Good luck though!
Mrs. Zoomo
May 20th, 2011
12:42 pm
bill, thanks as always for a great blog and congrats to your son!
As this possibility slowly starts to sink in I am glad the big announcement is scheduled for Tuesday and not Monday which is little Zoomo’s 9th birthday. I showed him where Winnepeg was on the map and he asked if we were going to move there with Thrashers.
Alan R.
May 20th, 2011
12:44 pm
Bettman should come out right now and clear this mess up, if he can. If the deal was not done months ago, he needs to make that clear. If the Board of Governors did not previously approve this, he needs to clear that up as well.
At this point, who’s going to believe a word Bettman says?
Brent
May 20th, 2011
12:52 pm
So, the NHL loses a Top 10 TV market in a HUGE metropolitan market in a hard-fought division where the local fans WILL turn out as long as the team they’re paying their hard-earned money to see acts in good faith by actually trying to build a successful (or at least competitive) product?
And they get to keep a taxpayer-subsidized puppet organization in the Arizona desert while gaining a prairie town in Canada that makes Green Bay, WI look like New York City.
And people wonder why the NHL is the biggest joke in North American professional sports. We had a good thing going with the Atlanta Knights…not sure why we had to sully ourselves with these buffoons.
Joe Friday
May 20th, 2011
12:56 pm
“Select-a-seat, a comfortable one at that, in front of your own HDTV at 1:30 and watch Game 4 of the Bruins and Lightning series.”
You’re still going to support this league, after what they did to us? You’re a lot more forgiving, or addicted to hockey, than I. I. Am. Done.
“the AHL isn’t coming here either. Reports suggest the Moose will relocate to Thunder Bay or St. John, Newfoundland. Better than select a seat in Gwinnett than to waste your time this weekend.”
AHL won’t be here next year, but they will, there’s going to be a huge void here and a smart businessman will take advantage, the AHL is a very sustainable and profitable model.
Joe Friday
May 20th, 2011
1:02 pm
“Think about that. And then I’ll see you tomorrow in the Gulch.”
Billsen, I appreciate the passion. But please understand that this is a fait accompli, it has been for quite some time.
If you guys and gals are intent on going, please understand that you need to get at least 1000 or more there or the pictures of the 79 of you that show up are going to be postered all over Canadian papers Sunday morning and help up for ridicule as the reason hockey failed here, and it won’t be further from the truth.
I’ll ask you again, don’t show up. Not one single person. Have some dignity and do the right thing. Don’t give them the ammunition that Bettman and the Spirit Squad want, to hold up the pictures of the 12 of you that pick out seats on Saturday and the 79 at the tailgate as the reason they left. They left a long time ago, don’t let your dignity leave with them on Saturday.
If you are intent on doing it, then for the sake of your dignity and our reputation then please at least get 1000 or more there and get loud and get rowdy and make a scene. Go inside and chant and have signs and make sure that gets plastered all over the media.
But if they do take the wide angle shots from the upper deck of the 79 of you over in the corner tailgating in a big empty parking lot next to the train tracks, then take the anger from that embarrassment and let’s all band together going forward and take it out of their hides by going after their businesses, their reputations, and organizing boycotts against the Hawks and Philips Arena . . .
Joe Friday
May 20th, 2011
1:07 pm
“And people wonder why the NHL is the biggest joke in North American professional sports. We had a good thing going with the Atlanta Knights…not sure why we had to sully ourselves with these buffoons.”
Amen, brother. True words. It’s a Mickey Mouse League, has been for a long time.
hip czech
May 20th, 2011
1:12 pm
You’re still going to support this league, after what they did to us? You’re a lot more forgiving, or addicted to hockey, than I.
That is a tough choice…I do love hockey and despite Bettman et al love the NHL game. But, it is going to be awful hard to watch/support a league that royally screwed us.
Maybe time will heal the wound. Maybe a trip or two to Nashville each season is in the works. We’ll see.
bdotblot
May 20th, 2011
1:12 pm
Seriously, if Winnipeg wouldn’t of had a WHL team that merged with the NHL way back when, would they even be in the discussion for an NHL team right now?
Any sane person outside of Winnipeg would say no. Even in Canada.
Disgusted STH - of nothing
May 20th, 2011
1:16 pm
Not sure what “reputation” you’re talking about Joe Friday…..a poor showing at the Gulch will just add fuel to the fire that Atlanta is not a pro sports team town and not a hockey town. At least you’re doing your part to help curb that attendance. Rock on dude, and enjoy the ECHL.
Winnipeg = Poverty
May 20th, 2011
1:17 pm
Winnipeg won’t survive long with what is financially demanded of each ownership, they will soon come cup in hand to other real NHL teams in real cities looking for welfare to prop up this incredible silly idea of NHL hockey returning to very poor Winnipeg. This may just another long line of NHL mistakes when it comes to ownerships like the criminals who they actually negotiated with to purchase past clubs such as in Long Island and Nashville.
Sage of Bluesland
May 20th, 2011
1:22 pm
“…I’ll ask you again, don’t show up. Not one single person. Have some dignity and do the right thing….”
Joe-Bob-Revisionist-Historian FINALLY gets it. Unfortunately, too many of the sheep don’t; never did, either.
“…and organizing boycotts against the Hawks and Philips Arena . . .”
Yep, that’s what I’ve been trying to say all along….I wonder why my message never got through? Maybe your “Waddell-glasses” were finally thrown away?
It’s about time.
It is what it is–and it’s time for some to grow up and get a real life. In the big scheme of things, this is a joke. Stop embarrassing yourselves–but, I do know how hard it is for some of you ‘regulars’…
Disgusted STH - of nothing
May 20th, 2011
1:22 pm
sage….so angry and so misguided….I know what we should do…..let’s boycott all Atlanta pro sports and send owners a message that we just don’t care about having a pro team in this town…..yeah…that’ll show ‘em….it worked REALLY well with the Thrashers…..oh wait….