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
KLS1
May 21st, 2011
7:54 am
Satan is also holding an event auctioning off reserved places in heaven…anyone interested in participating?
Kovy's Agent
May 21st, 2011
8:36 am
I too am disappointed that the mayor, governor and other elected officials haven’t done more to staunch this situation. Although, I’m sure after the official announcement comes we’ll hear how they moved quietly in the background to make something happen, and I’ll call BS on that! There are plenty of deep-pockets in this city to buy this team, but the Octocluster have so poisoned the well of fan support over the years that most of these potential buyers probably have a hard time remembering the early years when we filled the Bulb. They just remember the last few years of a half-filled arena, with filthy bathrooms with most concession stands shuttered and must wonder why waste money on this? Add in having to negotiate with a clearly dishonest and disreputable group that is the Octocluster and I can see why wallets have stayed shut here.
Mitch4404
May 21st, 2011
8:42 am
Just sad with the whole situation I will miss my team the only silve rlining in tis grey cloud is that I will never have to write a check to a ownership group that cares less about the team than I do. Good riddance Atlanta Spirit
R. Stroz
May 21st, 2011
8:44 am
Satan has standards to, I’m sure Satan finds the ASG to be beneath him.
EA
May 21st, 2011
8:49 am
Does anyone think we may have a lame duck season? I hope not.
ZAvalanche
May 21st, 2011
8:52 am
Right on Stroz – I couldn’t agree more.
D. Scotthortly.
May 21st, 2011
8:54 am
http://www.ottawasun.com/2011/05/21/confirmed-thrashers-moving-to-winnipeg
See the above link to a story from The Sun chain of newspapers, pretty much confirming what is already known. The cat is now fully out of the bag, expect official confirmation shortly.
EA
May 21st, 2011
9:00 am
The article is no different than the Globe and Mail. I would be glad if it is done to put us all of our misery sooner than later. I just hope this silly Select-A-Seat is not another CYA for the Atlanta Spirit while they hold up the deal to get the most money and drag us all into a lame duck season.
D. Scotthortly.
May 21st, 2011
9:07 am
Nobody should fork over one dime to the Thrashers today, why give a company free financing when they won’t even be honest with their customers. It’s actually incredibly insulting to ask people to give you their money “in trust” with this sort of news floating around.
EA
May 21st, 2011
9:24 am
Bettman must have told NHL.com to take down there announcement that the Thrashers are Moving. It is gone. Not that it changes anything.
EA
May 21st, 2011
9:28 am
It has been replaced with a Darren Dreggan video.
EA
May 21st, 2011
9:30 am
I meant Dreger–I need coffee!
ZAvalanche
May 21st, 2011
9:31 am
It is hard to believe anything right now – good or bad. If the team is moving all A$$G will do with the money from the ‘pick a seat’ event is make a bit of interest on it before they have to give it back to you.
ZAvalanche
May 21st, 2011
9:34 am
Guess what though, it doesn’t matter as the Mayans say the world will end today. No Team For You!
Scott
May 21st, 2011
9:34 am
So here’s my idea: Sell bonds for the Thrashers. If they sold 22,000 bonds at 5,000 each, they would raise 110m, which is the rumored sale price. Bond holders would receive annual interest (say 10%) in the form of vouchers to be used for tickets – not parking, not team gear, not concessions, just tickets. We would get our money back when the team sold. In the meantime it would be like an almost interest free loan to the Thrashers. Provisions, of course against moving the team.
Obviously, this would have to be an owner / ownership group other than ASG. And new owners would still be on the hook for operating losses.
Not much time I know (maybe no time), but this could greatly expand the list of people willing / able to purchase.
EA
May 21st, 2011
9:41 am
Most successful franchise appears to have a big corporation behind it–Comast, Verizon, Bridgestone. That is what we needed. There are few individuals like the guy in Tampa or the guy that wants to buy the Thrashers. God knows we don’t need another group of business people (I use the term loosely in the case of the ASG) with conflicting interests.
Tom Lysiak
May 21st, 2011
9:52 am
This is all just part of a make-believe pissing contest and posturing between the league and the buffoons. Magically, somehow, an agreement will be reached and the big announcement will happen in Winnipeg on Tuesday, as it was already scheduled. The league is pissed off about the leak, but it ain’t going to change the screenplay that was already written down to the smallest detail. They are all probably trying to do damage control and make sure their scheme cannot be uncovered. None of them are the least bit bothered about the impact on the fans in Atlanta. They just want money.
LOL
May 21st, 2011
9:56 am
I realize that this is a long shot, but if these clowns at the ASG have known for months now just what they were going to do, would they not be committing a FRAUD by continuing to sell season tickets? I do realize that you will supposed ly get your money back, but technically if this has been done for months? I’m just saying.
EA
May 21st, 2011
10:17 am
This whole thing is a fraud from the get go. These ASG guys can’t stoop low enough and Bettman is right there letting it happen. I keep thinking about the players, the staff, their families as well as the fans. Can you imagine how Chris Thorburn feels? He has been such an ambassador for the city of Atlanta. Die hard Braves fan. He is moving to the coldest city in the world. For a guy with a year round tan, I imagine that is tough to swallow. No slight to Winnipeg, but the coldest place in the world is hard to imagine.
steve-o
May 21st, 2011
10:31 am
EA,
Actually Winnipeg is the coldest major city in the world (i.e. a city with a population > 500,000), not the coldest of all cities. But it’s still darn chilly in the winter, I’m sure.
Anyway, I’m disgusted that the charade of the “select a seat” is still going forward. If ASG had any class, it would issue a statement saying that they’ve decided to postpone the event until the ownership issues are resolved (knowing, of course, that the sale is imminent). But, alas, they have no decency.
Red Light
May 21st, 2011
10:51 am
Another interesting read…about the viability of Winnipeg and Quebec City being able to support and NHL team.
http://www.conferenceboard.ca/reports/briefings/bigLeagues/briefing-3.aspx
Red Light
May 21st, 2011
11:25 am
Nice piece by James Mirtle. Scroll to the bottom is you wish…
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/sports/hockey/globe-on-hockey/thrashers-failure-rests-with-owners-and-the-nhl/article2029445/
ZAvalanche
May 21st, 2011
11:31 am
Good read RL, thank you for that.
HillMan
May 21st, 2011
11:32 am
Here’s an idea to get a last minute hail mary. What if the 5 large sponsors that are headquarters in the ATL and already sponsor the Thrashers stepped forward now and said (a) each will provide $4M in funding to the owners this year, in addition to what they currently fund, to offset potential loses while they search for a new owner and the (b) also commit to any new owner that they would do the same for at least the first five year. I am sure if a new ownership group knew they could count on $20M to offset start up loses they would come.
I am a STH since day one and believe there are at least 15000 core fans that would become brand loyal for life and spread the word to family and friends. It would be a great PR tool for them, the league and the team. It would allow us to show the league and others that with a fresh start this town would support the team and turn out with more that 15,500 fans on an average night.
Also, for their sponsorship, each company could also get 100 upper/100 lower bowl season tickets to use fro employees, clients and customers or give to local youth charities. Plus some sort of added season discount (5-10%) for their employees.
HillMan
May 21st, 2011
11:34 am
Sure would give these jerks $4M. The PR alone, not only locally but on ESPN, VERSUS, NBS during the playoffs would be priceless.
ZAvalanche
May 21st, 2011
11:35 am
Today’s game:
I expect Tampa to come back and tie the series after the loss the other night. I am going for a score of 2-1, but it could easily be 6-2. The goalies will decide this series and it doesn’t look good for Tampa as Thomas is playing lights-out. Fantastic TV today with the game and the Preakness.
Red Light
May 21st, 2011
11:35 am
Would you give $4 million to these owners? Nice idea HillMan, but I’m sure each company can find a better use for their money than this.
HillMan
May 21st, 2011
11:38 am
Sure would give these jerks $4M. The PR alone, not only locally but on ESPN, VERSUS, NBS during the playoffs would be priceless.
ZAvalanche
May 21st, 2011
11:44 am
HillMan – I think many of these companies are already hurting and there is no way they will drop the $$ to subsidize A$$G until they find a new owner. I love the idea but I don’t see it happening. In a better economy I could see it working, but nearly everybody is struggling.
And one of the reasons I don’t think they won’t go for it is because they think that A$$G will just take the money and drag their feet. Same thing they have done since 2004.
ZAvalanche
May 21st, 2011
11:48 am
RL – do you have any resources to find out just how much the companies advertising at the game profit from the advertisements or how much they spend on the advertisements?
HillMan
May 21st, 2011
11:50 am
ZA – I actually think the slow economy is in our favor. The flip side could be 15000 fans switching their current buying habits – just saying.
da'boomer
May 21st, 2011
12:59 pm
if this were the hawks you can bet kasim and his buddies would be making calls amd doing all he could. screw atlanta sports period. as a native of 55yrs and an avid sports fan, if the thrashers leave none of them will ever see a nickel from me and i will root against them whole-heartedly…especially the hawks. i am in the process of moving to huntsville and am looking forward to supporting the predators…this is hockey team #2 for me..it is a said day
Red Light
May 21st, 2011
1:14 pm
Sorry ZAvs, no way I can find that out.
Relocationist
May 21st, 2011
1:23 pm
I was going to the Thrashers select a seat today, but I have to be in Montreal for the Expos select a seat event.
steve-o
May 21st, 2011
1:33 pm
Relocationist
May 21st, 2011
1:23 pm
I was going to the Thrashers select a seat today, but I have to be in Montreal for the Expos select a seat event
———————————————-
That’s hilarious, and it sums up this whole fiasco.
Winnipeg = Poverty
May 21st, 2011
1:43 pm
@ Relocationist You can wait for the future Winnipeg NHL select a seat and the Winnipeg city rally to keep the franchise alive in 2016.
SkepticalJetsFan
May 21st, 2011
2:19 pm
More than the number predicted here, but still a very low turnout.
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/story/2011/05/21/mb-thrashers-atlanta-110521.html
Badger Bob
May 21st, 2011
2:30 pm
Unbelievable! At least I have family near the Peg so I can have somewhere to send my box of Thrashers jerseys, hats, Tshirts, bobbleheads and pucks. I will seek all you fine fans out at the Glads games – the only thing sweetening this bitter day is remembering how much my family enjoyed Glads games during the strike season and knowing how many great fans and friends there are out there ready to rally around ECHL/AHL or any other form of hockey not tied to the Absolutely Sinister Gang.
Survival of a team in Winnipeg is not much different than survival here – if it has success on ice, it will do fine financially. If it falters like the Sens and Oilers, then Mr. Thompson will be in serious subsidizing mode. Enjoy what Mr. Dudley has managed to built, Jets fans. And never forget your hatred of Bettman.
Kuos to all the classy and insightful posts – JF, Brendan, RL and others – and a huge thanks to our blogmaster, the best in ATL sports and possibly the best in hockey.
Badger Bob
May 21st, 2011
2:44 pm
SJF,
Understand the turnout for the SAS event. I am one who bought season tix when many were calling for boycott due to A$G lies and incompetence, yet I refused to go today. Refusing to go does not mean I or my fellow Atlantans are not passionate about hockey – born and raised in Calgary I assure you it remains my number one passion despite the considerable number of sporting options down here.
The fact is there are more hockey fans here now than 11 years ago (when the building would sell out) – some of them being the 2 million northerneastern US and Canadian transplants, some of them being southerners who loved the sport from the first live viewing (I converted at least 20 such folks over the past 3 years alone).
Another fact is that you can always find someone here to say something stupid about hockey. That report only makes the reporter look stupid. If they interviewed an aunt of mine in Calgary she’d say even stupider things – that doesn’t mean Calgary doesn’t know or care about hockey.
Thanks for your class in past posts – please keep it that way. Tell all you neighbors (or neighbours)that Atlanta is a city where hockey thrives (with fans discerning enough to tell when the ownership detests their own team) and I’ll keep telling mine that Winnipeg deserves an NHL team (just not ours).
SkepticalJetsFan
May 21st, 2011
2:58 pm
Badger Bob,
My clipped comment on the story was not in any way indicative of my views on the passion of Atlanta fans. And any idiot can tell you that they might be scared of getting winged with a puck or that a rink might be cold – biased reporting on the behalf of the CBC is nothing new to me.
When franchaises first started being awarded to more sunny climes there were quite a few fabricated news pieces akin to Rick Mercer’s “Talking to Americans” that tried to show how ignorant “fans” in those locales were. I only need to go to my Mom’s place to get the same sort of answers to the same questions – she’s just not a hockey person and would likely tell you that her two greatest fears would be getting nailed with a puck and freezing her bum.
Not a slight in any way towards you folks – or my Mom.
Relocationist
May 21st, 2011
3:57 pm
All of my usual sarcasm aside, NHL hockey could work in in Atlanta. It would only take two things. 1. Competent ownership 2. An arena on the north side of town. I would buy tickets. Heck, I bought tickets to Kansas City Scout games over 30 years ago. I thought that was a fiasco of maximum proportions until this Thrasher situation came up.
LAC
May 21st, 2011
4:17 pm
Interesting comment by relocationist, I love The Kemper Arena, Great location, but what puzzles
me is they have The Sprint Center, they keep claiming they are “looking” for an anchor
team. Basketball would NOT work in KC, because, The Sprint Center should be called The Big 12 Arena… KU and MU would kill nba stuff.
But they had mario lemeuix come to KC a few years back, he looked at the arena and said the Pens might move there, ploy only. But the ownwers of The Sprint Center have called for an NHL team… Where are THEY NOW ? I would MUCH RATHER see the Thrashers go to KC, than worthless canada… But not one peep about the Thrashers nothing. Even the Esteemed Jack Harry on KSHB 41, who knows everything about KC sports happenings, has said nothing.
There is the Missouri Mavericks who play at The Independence Events Center, in Independence.
They are a Central Hockey League team. They sellout EVERY GAME at 6,500 people, I mean EVERY GAME, snow cost a few this past season. But where are people who would at the very least keep the team in The States, rather than a wasteland like winnipeg ? Just amazing !
Remember asg, you will ALL be in HELL one day for your lies, including you too waddell !
ZAvalanche
May 21st, 2011
4:20 pm
I’ve said it before and I will say it again – Tampa has some of the best, quickest sniper forwards in the league. Nice work Floridians.
Former Hawk Fan
May 21st, 2011
4:32 pm
No way will I be able to pull for the Hawks again….from now on it’s Braves, Falcons and CELTICS.
Thrashers: Terrible name, uniforms, broadcasters (remember Scott Farrell?), management, ownership…you name it, they screwed it up.
How did the NHL manage to blow it here twice?
Winnpeg, you are about to recieve the worst possible foundation for a franchise. Good luck. If I lived in your city, I wouldn’t buy a tickety unless they change the team’s name and allow the THRASHERS brand to perpetually symbolize utter failure.
Eileen
May 21st, 2011
4:48 pm
We are the easy target to let fail twice. Did any of the other cities that are having financial troubles have hockey teams before? The NHL will point to us and say “we gave them TWO chances”. Bettman and Co. have done nothing to save us from this current ownership group. Perhaps the litigation these clowns were involved in for so long made it impossible to do much. I am sure you all have your ideas about what could have been done. However, nothing was done. Period.
Way to go Tampa Bay! The southeast division was well represented today. Imagine that?
SomaAtl95
May 21st, 2011
4:51 pm
90 degree heat and we all went there with our sweaters on! Now I am sunburnt to a crisp!
JfromWPG
May 21st, 2011
5:26 pm
Hey JW
Why the hate for Winnipeg, I mean show a bit of class. We lost our team to Phoenix and when that happened nobody here blamed Phoenix. If you want to blame somebody, there is plenty to go around in ATL – lame ownership, Gary the crook Bettman and whether or not you want to admit it the lack of fan support. I mean this is the 2nd NHL franchise that you guys have pissed away. But I guess thats WInnipeg’s fault right?
Wienerpeg Trolls
May 21st, 2011
5:52 pm
Does the hate for Wienerpeg bother you? Go to your own blogs then. What do you expect on an Atlanta blog, considering the situation?
R. Stroz
May 21st, 2011
6:02 pm
After reading many posts from individuals from Winnipeg, Winnipeg citizens can be placed in two groups, the fine citizens of Winnipeg and Winnipricks.
I’m blessed not to have so much time on my hands that I TROLL other teams pages.
To the fine citizens of Winnipeg, I would have prefered that you procured your original team that fell victim to the same type of disinterested ownership that the Thrashers had in Atlanta.
Bettman and Stern should never have approved the sale of either the Thrashers or the Hawks to eight clowns, who collectively, could only put a ten percent down payment on both teams. This should have been a RED FLAG that they had no business in the sports franchise business.
JfromWPG
May 21st, 2011
6:07 pm
Winnipeg = Poverty
Hey thanks for giving us until 2016, damn nice of you. But Atlanta’s average annual salary is only 45 thou and Winnipeg’s is 70 thou – you remember, Les Habitant mentioned that to you and backed it up with facts. So because of this I think you should change your name to a more accurate reflection of this whole situation… hmm, what could the new name be – hey I know how about ATLANTA=POVERTY=AND IS FULL OF CRIME=AND LOST 2 NHL TEAMS=CAN’T FACE THE TRUTH THAT THEY SUCK=NO CITY PRO OR OTHERWISE ON PLANET EARTH HAS LOST 2 TEAMS=THEY ONLY MAKE 45 grand= ………………. Thanks for playing and Thanks for the team – they will be enjoyed very much by all of Canada where they belong not in the Southern US of all places. Have fun with your crime riddled city. You can always catch the Winnipeg Jets on TV, just get Center Ice.