Report says Hawks and Thrashers may both be for sale (UPDATE: Spirit responds with silence)
The Atlanta Spirit has always been one big happy team. OK, maybe notsomuch.
The Atlanta Spirit ownership group has been disputing reports that it is seeking to sell the Thrashers and that the NHL team might be on the move to another city. Now comes a report that the Hawks also might be on the market.
A New York Times story on sports ownership during the recession references both the Hawks and Thrashers as being among franchises that might be for sale. The paragraph in question reads:
Now that the economy seems to be on the mend, owners who held off selling during the downturn are seeking to unload their teams. According to sports bankers, the teams thought to be for sale include the Atlanta Hawks, the Memphis Grizzlies, the Golden State Warriors and the Detroit Pistons in the N.B.A; the [Dallas] Stars, the Atlanta Thrashers and potentially the Columbus Blue Jackets in the N.H.L.; and baseball’s Houston Astros.
E-mails this morning to various club officials seeking comment have not been immediately returned.
(UPDATE: Despite emails and phone requests, the Hawks/Thrashers/Spirit have yet to issue a statement, either confirming or denying the New York Times story. Draw what you will from their silence. For what it’s worth, the Thrashers have been quick to deny past stories of the franchise’s possible sale and/or move.)
There had been no indication in the past that the Spirit is looking to sell the Hawks. However, the potential exit of partner Steve Belkin is expected to prompt the group, led by Michael Gearon and Bruce Levenson, to seek a new partner. Belkin and the other owners have been in litigation for about five years. Both the Hawks and Thrashers are struggling in attendance. The Thrashers rank 28th out of 30 teams in the NHL, averaging 13,397 announced per game. The Hawks rank 21st in the 30-team NBA, averaging 16,092 announced, despite having the third-best record in the Eastern Conference.
NHL commissioner Gary Bettman recently told the Journal-Constitution that the squabbling among owners has affected the Thrashers’ operation and product: “Ultimately, the ownership situation has to be straightened out. It’s difficult to operate a franchise when owners aren’t getting along. It’s even more difficult in a recession climate. A team has to be at its very best. Issues have to be resolved and everybody has to be together so they can interact with fans. But that’s difficult when the owners aren’t together.”
The Times story addresses how devalued pro sports franchises are in today’s economy, and how new owners like Michael Jordan of the Charlotte Bobcats “are facing a future without the near-certainty of making up for any short-term losses by selling their teams for hefty profits later.”
“It used to be you got bailed out when you sold your team even if you lost money year after year,” said Marc Ganis, president of SportsCorp Ltd., a consulting firm. “Now, you’re no longer assured of cashing out to cover your capital costs and losses.”
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227 comments Add your comment
Brendan
March 17th, 2010
11:01 pm
It took a long time to read all these comments. Lots of interesting points. So, here’s mine. I’ve been waiting, and waiting … and waiting for this team (Thrashers) to be sold. It can’t be sold soon enough! Please, for the love of Pete, let an owner arrive on the scene who cares for hockey. And if the Hawks get sold, too, same deal. Let a true basketball aficianado emerge.
I can only hope this story is true. I really want the Thrashers to be sold. I have something close to zero confidence in this group. The fundamental lack of respect they show to their very own consumers … is remarkable. Bruce Levenson should never … speak … to the public. He pushes the bile to the tip of our throats.
Jeff Schultz
March 17th, 2010
11:13 pm
Sean — I don’t hate Don Waddell, or the franchise, or certainly the sport. I’ve followed hockey since my youth. And if you blame me or anybody at the AJC or anybody in the media for the Atlanta Thrashers’ failures, you’re being short-sighted. Teams win, the media reports positive stories. Teams lose, the media reports negative stories. Did the Braves lose before 1991 because of negative stories or because the franchise was poorly constructed? It’s really that simple. You need to take a step back, Sean. No hidden agendas, no conspiracies.
Tired of Being TEASED!!
March 17th, 2010
11:24 pm
The PROBLEM with Atlanta Pro Sports is NOT the Fans…..It’s the poor performance of the teams!
The 2 COLLEGE teams (GT & UGA) have MORE championships in football since 1980 than all of the Atlanta professional teams combined!! How bizarrely PATHETIC is that? And you want us to pay 60 bucks a seat to sit in the 300s in Philips for a 2-1/2 hour game?
Atlanta Fans should take a bow!
The Thrashers are out of the playoffs again yet 16,000 fans still show up for the weekend games. Swept in 4 games after their only playoff appearance….PATHETIC!!
Last year the Hawks had their first WINNING season since the 98-99 season! They GAVE UP and quit playing against LeBron & Crew and got swept. Joe Johnson turned down $60 Mill basically saying he WON’T BE BACK next year. WOW! I really want to go see that PATHETIC team play….
The Braves teased us with 14 consecutive Division titles and 5 trips to the World Series only to lay egg after egg when it counted and winning only ONE World Series. How do you take the FIRST TWO at the Bronx and then fold like an old suitcase….PATHETIC!!
And “let Blank buy the teams” like he’s performed some miracle with the Falcons. How about drafting Mike Vick and putting the UGLIEST FREAKIN BLACK EYE ON THIS CITY in the history of professional sports. That’s what the Falcons are known for – “They had that Mike Vick fella didn’t they? The one who was electrocuting and hanging dogs on his days off?” Thanks Vick…You’re gone but sadly you’ll NEVER be forgotten! The Falcons, by the slimmest of margins produced back to back winning seasons the past 2 years for the FIRST TIME in the history of the franchise! PATHETIC!!
YOU WANT FANS??? HOW ABOUT GIVING FANS A WINNING FRIGGIN PROFESSIONAL TEAM? YOU KNOW – A CHAMPIONSHIP!!
Dave Justice can lick himself….I stood in the lines for playoff tickets that wrapped all the way around the old Atl Fulco Stadium!! We showed up while it was the BRAVES who didn’t!
Tired of Being TEASED!!
March 17th, 2010
11:33 pm
CORRECTION: Vick was drafted in April 2001, Blank bought the ‘Cons in Dec 2001. Vick was named starting QB for 2002 season after Blank bought them (The Amazing Chris Chandler was starting QB in 2001 season).
go thrash/Hawks
March 18th, 2010
12:11 am
it is personal Jeff….we are not stupid..but nice try
Brendan
March 18th, 2010
12:30 am
Jeff, on the hockey blogs, we’ve been discussing “Can you pinpoint the defining moment of failure of the Thrashers franchise, since inception?” Here are, so far, the choices discussed. Then I’ll reveal my choice. And then ask you for yours.
1. The hiring of Don Waddell in 1998
2. The selection of Dan Marr as Chief of Scouting
3. The 2002 Draft, with the selection of Lehtonen, a goalie who would take 5 years to develop
4. The Heatley Crash/Dan Snyder death
5. The 4 trade deadline moves of 2007
6. Standing pat, after the 2007 playoff sweep
7. Firing Bob Hartley in 2008
8. Failure to re-sign Hossa during the 2007 offseason, leading to the 2008 trade deadline move
9. Failure to retain Kovalchuk this year. (Re-sign him in July, or September, forcing the trade deadline move in 2010.)
10. The re-signing of Don Waddell as GM for two more seasons after an 11-4-1 performance behind the bench in 2008, in immediate relief of Hartley.
Jeff, my choice is #6. I just don’t see HOW … after mortgaging the future with 4 trade deadline moves that resulted in zero playoff wins, that an organization’s response could possibly be … to DO ABSOLUTELY NOTHING. No one was fired. Not Dan Marr. Not Bob Hartley. Not Don Waddell. The result? The 2007 free agent signings included Eric Perrin and Todd White. And perhaps causally, the failure of Marian Hossa to even negotiate with Atlanta, along with the re-signing of GM Waddell for another two seasons. It really is quite staggering. Please weigh in with your choice.
Stone Cold Schultz
March 18th, 2010
1:59 am
Jeff Schultz
March 17th, 2010
11:13 pm
Sean — I don’t hate Don Waddell, or the franchise, or certainly the sport. I’ve followed hockey since my youth. And if you blame me or anybody at the AJC or anybody in the media for the Atlanta Thrashers’ failures, you’re being short-sighted. Teams win, the media reports positive stories.
OK Schultz – I’m calling you out! You’ve written much about the Thrashers lately. Kindly point me to the most recent POSITIVE piece you’ve penned about the Thrashers. (Sorry, but the thing earlier today about them possibly being sold and leaving town doesn’t count.)
Perhaps it was during the unlikely 6-game point streak after Kovalchuk was fired that began Feb 6th when the team collected 10 out of a possible 12 pts? Nah, didn’t think so.
Maybe it was when the team had to bus out of the blizzard in DC to VA, taking about 4 hrs and including an accident on the icy highway to fly into Hartsfield and literally race to Philips Arena, change into their uni’s and BEAT the Panthers 4-2 before a raucous crowd of nearly 17,000 rabid Thrasher fans. Nah, didn’t think so.
Maybe it was about how the ASG owners should be commended for making Kovalchuk the highest $$$ offer in the history of the NHL to try and keep him here for the rest of his career, since he frequently stated to the press (you guys) that he wanted to end his career as a Thrasher. Nah, didn’t think so.
Perhaps it was knowing when to cut bait with Kovalchuk and Waddell/Dudley picking New Jersey’s young talent dry for just a 20-something game RENTAL of a player that was practically unmoveable because he just turned down more money to play ice hockey than half the countries in the world’s GDPs! Nah, didn’t think so.
Maybe it was when they played a very good Phoenix team Sun into a shootout, then followed that up with a full 60-min (winning) effort against the #3 team in the East – Buffalo – Tues nt, chasing the Olympic MVP Goalie in just the first 5 min of the game with 3 goals in 5 shots? Nah, that’s when you reported that the team is possibly up for sale and may leave town.
Really Mr. Schultz…..Please point us to the last article/blog you wrote about the Thrashers that was POSITIVE. I’d like to see how you felt about them then and what in the world happened to turn you against them. I’ll go out on a limb and say there are a few of us who read your stuff who would like the answer……I honestly can’t remember when you wrote something good about the Thrashers.
sam'l
March 18th, 2010
4:49 am
The Hawks have broken their fans hearts for 50 years now. Look at tonight’s game with the Raptors. Impossible to lose, but the Hawks did it. (sigh) I said two weeks ago on another blog that Woodson has to go NOW, because Joe gonna go, the team gonna go if they don’t bring in a tactician to move these guys where they should be, a couple of games behind Cleveland……and deep intot the playoffs. Really, Sund’s logical move, to let Woody run out his contract will lead to the departure of this team.
.
sam lee
March 18th, 2010
5:05 am
if u taking atlanta hawks out take all sports out braves thrashers falcons and all college football or basketball garbage take atlanta out of the sports games lets depend on home depot coca cola aquarium or worlds busiest airport thank you
Jeff Schultz
March 18th, 2010
8:46 am
Stone Cold Schultz — Yeah, it’s been a while since I’ve written a positive piece. But seriously, a column on a team having a brief point/winning streak after the Kovalchuk trade is no more relevant than doing a column on the six-game losing streak that followed. Like I said, take a step back. Big picture never changed. If team’s point/winning streak had continued for an extended period, positive things would’ve been written. Otherwise, it’s an aberration. Hey look, you and Sean and anybody can believe anything you want. That’s fine. You’re fans. But don’t assume I have some agenda just because we disagree.
RenegadesRugby
March 18th, 2010
10:05 am
This is in reference to an earlier post about the implications of the US possibly hosting the 2018 World Cup Soccer Tournament. I don’t believe that this would enable the Falcons to get a new stadium. The GA Dome successfully hosted two major soccer matches this past summer and I believe that was done as a trial to determine if it could host a World Cup match.
Furthermore, the president of FIFA has said that it would be preferable if the US did not bid for 2018, and instead bid for 2022. The Falcons lease is up in 2020, I think. And a decision will probably be made around 2016 whether they are staying or leaving.
Back to the original question. It is good that we can watch the Thrashers on SportsSouth, but the NHL as a whole needs to work on a deal with CBS, Fox, ABC or NBC instead of playing on VS. I personally think that the economy is affecting the Hawks revenue. People would spend more to see a team in the top 4 of the conference, even if the East is weak. It may not sell out, but there would be more butts in seats.
RenegadesRugby
March 18th, 2010
10:07 am
to clarify, I meant whether the Falcons are staying in the Dome or moving to a new stadium. I did not mean for anyone to think that I am speculating that the Falcons might leave Atlanta.
Hopeless
March 18th, 2010
11:28 am
Have arthur blank buy the hawks or thrashers? funny stuff!! What has he done with the falcons? Nothing, except waste money on overrated talent and produce mediocrity.
Stone Cold Schultz
March 18th, 2010
11:49 am
The point is, when you take a step back, things HAVE changed with the Thrashers because the “franchise player” is gone. So if your big picture is to pen things about the team post-Kovalchuk – which is what us “fans” buy tickets to go see – then there have been several instances where something positive could’ve been written…Even if it would’ve been an “OK, so the Thrashers have moved into the #8 playoff spot but will it last?” story.
In contrast, here’s what we see you’ve written recently about the UGA BB Team:
♦ No miracles for Georgia, but direction is established
♦ We’re LIVE and Thompkins says, ‘We want to win it all’
♦ These Dogs are tired of talking about 2008 Dogs
♦ Georgia drills Arkansas — and could it happen again?
♦ We’re live from Nashville: Is it miracle time for Georgia?
Clearly a POSITIVE tone, even in defeat. The “big picture” never changed. They were the SAME TEAM that finished at the bottom of the SEC East with a .313 Conf winning % and an 0-8 Conf road record. See how you found OPTIMISM in that “big picture”?
You were clearly GAGA over the Braves in FLA. You sounded like their new PR Guy.
You’re giving GT BB the benefit of the doubt “if Shumpert gets the point”. This is in the face of an embattled, underachieving coach who has grown roots at the school and after having an entire season of working with possibly the most talented players in the ACC, they ended the reg season with another losing Conf record, a 1-7 Conf road record and their two biggest challenges remain 1) the inbounds pass and 2) trying to keep unforced turnovers at under 20 per game. This “big picture” hasn’t changed in 5 years. Same coach, talented recruits, underachieving performance….But you’re “cautiously optimistic” entering the Big Dance.
Now here are your recent Thrashers headlines:
Trade deadline passes, no help on the way for Thrashers
Lehtonen trade is another blemish on Thrashers’ draft history
Bettman wants Thrashers’ owners to get their act together
Kovalchuk dealt to New Jersey in sad, expected ending
Thrashers blow it with Kovalchuk, as with everything else
You looked at UGA BB and pulled out optimism. You looked at GT BB and pulled out optimism. You looked at the Braves and could find no wrong. You even looked at Tiger Woods and found praise for him.
With the Thrashers, you went to Commish Bettman (publicly) before the Olympic break to stir things up and add pressure to a situation that could obviously USE a little optimism. Now you call it “unprofessional” when they won’t respond to your latest inquiries. See how things don’t quite add up? See how your readers can easily believe you have some agenda, even if you don’t?
Obviously you can continue to deny it and if there actually is something going on behind the scenes – which you still deny – then it probably isn’t fit to print anyway. But Thrashers Fans suffer enough already and it would be nice if you could dig deep, suck it up and find a silver lining every once in awhile when writing about what is still “our” team at this time. Your loyal readers deserve it.
CrazyDiamond
March 18th, 2010
3:07 pm
Hey Stone Cold – Maybe yopu should cut the pills in half before you post again.
If you don’t like what the AJC prints about the sorry state of the Thrashers try reading about them somewhere else. If the AJC wrote glowing praise about this poorly run franchise you would be happy but nobody else would believe it. This team would still stink if Schultzie never wrote another blog.
Brendan – I love your “Top Ten Reasons the Thrashers Have Gone Nowhere” list above. My pick: All of the above. I would add just one that captures the sad state of the clueless ownership mess.
Stone Cold Schultz
March 18th, 2010
3:52 pm
CrazyDiamond, nobody asked you.
Brendan
March 18th, 2010
4:19 pm
Thanks Crazy Diamond. I was hoping to get a response from Schultz. Oh well. At this point, too much time has passed, and he’s inked 2-3 more blogs already.
Jeff Schultz
March 18th, 2010
5:45 pm
Brendan — That’s a very difficult call. Obviously DW has failed to build a winning franchise, develop players, grow the sport or cultivate a large fan base in Atlanta. So I guess it starts with him. … From there you could go with early personnel decisions (Damian Rhodes as your stabilizing influence in goal behind an expansion roster) or philosophy (trying to have an open attacking style right away with slow, less-talented players.) The Minnesota route (better coach, better system) would’ve created more early success. …
I never thought Hossa was going to re-sign here. If they had foreseen that, they might’ve gotten more in a trade if they moved him earlier.
2) As for Dan Marr (a great guy, by the way), Don ultimately makes the decisions so I don’t put it on Dan.
3) Kari Lehtonen — definitely a problem because he was expected to be first franchise goalie;
4) Heatley/Snyder — obviously a huge setback but remember they got a good player in return (Hossa) and made the playoffs, so issues thereafter weren’t really because of the accident;
5) Obviously the Coburn trade was a crusher. I didn’t criticize Don much for that because he believed (and I believed) they HAD to make trades to get into the playoffs, and they did. The bigger problem was that because of poor previous decisions, he had to make desperate trades.
6) Significant. Very significant. Part of a long-term problem of believing every young player on the roster was going to be better the following year and every older player would be just as good. This gets back to building.
7) I’ve said it enough times: Bob got jobbed. Do I think he had lost the locker room? Yes, absolutely. But that’s more a statement on the players in the room than Bob.
9) Kovalchuk — Obviously a step back. Once again, failed to read the tea leaves. Ended up getting too little for him.
10) I think you know my stand on that one.
If I had to pick one thing, you have to go back to the beginning. No. 1. DW is the only one who’s been here from the outset. Not everything is his fault, obviously. Hands are somewhat tied now by ownership. But if his blueprint worked from the outset, the franchise would’ve been more successful and the current owners would not have put limitations on him. Remember, when the Atlanta Spirit first took over, they allowed Don to spend money.
Brendan
March 18th, 2010
6:19 pm
Thank you, Jeff. There were a lot of votes at Rawhide’s site for choice #1, “the hiring of Don Waddell.” I guess I can’t really argue it. Much of the blame has to fall on him. Though, clearly, not ALL of it. But somehow, I guess the ‘wishful thinker’ in me, kept believing that if the organization had just fired Wadell and everyone he hired, back in 2007, that the roster could essentially be redone over the next 2-3 years. Who knows, maybe a “home” for Bobby Holik could have been found, too.
I can’t really argue anything you wrote, Jeff. I sit here agreeing with you on your points. If I could split hairs on something, it would be this: In 2007, I think Waddell should have been FORCED to coach this team into the playoffs, and not make HALF of those moves. Get Dupuis for Alex Bourret and the Rangers 3rd round pick. Yes, I’d still do that. I’d even still do Belanger for Vitaly Vishnevski. And if Alexei Zhitnik had to be had, try to offer Atlanta’s 2nd and 3rd round picks in lieu of Coburn. And if not, don’t do the trade. Make Waddell, the architect of the team, coach the team HE, ALONE, assembled into the playoffs. If it doesn’t work, you fire everyone. And, in the process, you still have Coburn. You still have your 1st round pick in 2007. (But you’re out the 2nd round pick in 2007, and the 3rd round pick in 2007 for Zhitnik, the hypothetical trade.)
I totally agree that Hossa was never re-signing here. Barring a Cup win, that is. Kovy, I don’t think, wanted to stay so long as Waddell and the Spirit, LLC were in charge. Different ownership, different GM, maybe yes, he would stay. I think Bob Hartley did a good job here. But he had lost the room, I believe.
Jeff, if you’re still reading this blog, chime-in on this one. I think Waddell’s “player friendly” style of management … hurt the team. Do you agree or disagree? Bobby Cox may be able to “get away with it” and still be somewhat successful. But Don Waddell can’t. He can’t be their buddy and confidant, while also running the team, making hard and necessary decisions about said players. I think the inmates started to run the asylum. And that’s never good. While I don’t really want a situation where players report, and are scared to death they’ll be traded at a moment’s notice, the “entitlement mentality” is something that has to go, in Atlanta. Kari Lehtonen felt “annointed.” Kovy was in charge, at the end, influencing the roster decisions. Bobby Holik was a loose cannon. That’s how I saw it, anyway.
Jeff Schultz
March 18th, 2010
6:28 pm
Brendan– You may be on to something with the player friendly thing. But I’ve seen Don also be pretty cold in some personnel decisions too. More likely to think it’s just bad judgment. But your observations are pretty spot on.
Stone Cold Schultz
March 18th, 2010
10:24 pm
If you guys would simply stop sitting around and patting each other on the back for reliving things that have gone wrong with this franchise over the past 10 years, you’d find there’s some really GREAT HOCKEY being played at Philips these days.
WHO CARES about the past when the team is STILL IN THE PLAYOFF HUNT? You call yourselves hockey fans? Doesn’t anything the Thrashers are doing even EXCITE YOU?
Yeah Schultz….You’ve “followed hockey since your youth”. I smell a poser…..
Brendan
March 18th, 2010
10:41 pm
Want something exciting? Here, there’s a boxscore for tonight’s win big, 6-3, over Ottawa. http://www.nhl.com/ice/boxscore.htm?id=2009021045
Brendan
March 18th, 2010
10:44 pm
Jeff, I found, through the years, that Waddell rarely calls a player out in the media. It does happen. But it’s rare. I guess, maybe, I perceive that as being “player friendly.” After the 2007 playoff loss, I would have called out Hossa. Waddell went after Belanger and Kozlov. I was surprised, after hearing it, that he’d then re-ink Kozlov to a 3-year deal that offseason.
MrHughes
March 19th, 2010
1:10 pm
I agree with Stone Cold Schultz. Some tremendous hockey is being played at Philips these days. It’s a shame folks are missing out on it because of conjecture from some random analyst who happened to pick up the phone in a “news” article. The Thrashers rumors have been flying since the RIM dude attempted to relocate any NHL team to Canada.
Bettman has gone on record several times saying that he is committed to keeping a team in Atlanta. The Southeast Division is important to the future health of the NHL. Carolina and Tampa have won cups in the last 10 years, so it’s only a matter of time before the Thrashers go deep into what is argubly the most exciting postseason in professional sports. Add that to the Philips Arena naming rights deal and it’s clear that the Thrashers are not going anywhere.
If the Thrashers make the playoffs, then they will sellout Philips for those games. And, they will finally win their first playoff game. That’s good news for me. Glad they got rid of Kovy. I used to love him, but there’s no room for folks that don’t want to wear the colors of Blueland.
If the Thrashers and Hawks make noise in the playoffs this year there is something positive to be said for Spirit management. I have no qualms about how the Hawks have been managed. I’d rather a loss like the Hawks had in Toronto, than a meltdown in the playoffs. All teams need moments like that to wake them up from time to time. Add all that to the impending removal of Belkin from the ownership group and I don’t think their tenure has been all bad.
I think they do care about hockey and basketball and I find Michael Gearon Jr to be a very respectful and thoughtful voice for the other owners.
FYI: For those calling for David McDavid. He’s Steve Belkin in wool. There’s a reason he’s been unsucessful at securing a franchise this many times.
J
March 25th, 2010
7:58 am
Nick,
Braves also have 85 odd home games to sell, so they need that $3 price to get a body in the seat. Also, a seat at Philips Arena for $10 is much, much, much closer than a seat for $3 per game for the Braves. Of course, what do i know, i only attend games. Another lame excuse, if you ask me.
Lehnerd
March 28th, 2010
3:11 am
Well we all hope Home depot buys thrashers n arena keep and i wonder if arthur blank can own 2 teams….i sure want own hawks so who left to buy them…..Like i said if not don waddell can kiss his job gone if thrashers Moved to winnipeg.But Hawks 21st shows are crowd base…they make a great play n the crowd is still like at a church meetin.they make noise n jump if cleveland (who will choke again) and that James fellows come a callin he be a knick anyway. Maybe hawks can sign Labron James for here bet crowds be bigger!
Hawks and Thrashers for Sale? « NBA in the eyes of a high school bench player
May 17th, 2010
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