Is NHL abandoning Thrashers, Atlanta after rescuing others? (UPDATED with Bill Daly Q-and-A)
Gary Bettman was high profile in Atlanta prior to the NHL All-Star Game but not much since.
(UPDATED at 4:50 p.m. after my Q-and-A with NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly. Full transcript follows the column.)
This isn’t to absolve the Atlanta Spirit of responsibility for all this because, as we’ve come to learn, stability and agenda of ownership almost always dictate whether or not a sports franchise succeeds — and the Spirit has long had different agendas for the Hawks and Thrashers.
This certainly isn’t to absolve Don Waddell, the Thrashers’ former long-time general manager and current team president, of responsibility because as the only executive who has been on campus from day one, he had the biggest hand in putting an inferior product on the ice for too many seasons.
But where is the NHL in all this?
Has Gary Bettman, the commissioner, stood at a pulpit on the corner of Marietta and Centennial Olympic Park Drive the way he did in the desert outpost of Glendale, Ariz., and screamed for hockey’s existence in Atlanta (especially given this is a top 10 TV market and Phoenix isn’t)?
Is the league coming to the rescue of a franchise in a desperate situation, the way it did in Buffalo and Nashville and Ottawa and Pittsburgh and even Tampa (Atlanta also is bigger than all of them)?
Atlanta seemingly is in the midst of being dumped on and abandoned by the NHL. Again. The first time was in 1980 when Atlanta Flames owner Tom Cousins needed money for his other business ventures, so he sold the team to a Canadian who moved them to Calgary. The NHL did nothing.
Now Winnipeg is circling the Thrashers. This comes after Bettman pleaded with Phoenix Coyotes fans and local business people to step up, and Glendale – destined to become the most bankrupt city in the United States – committed $25 million a year for up to 10 years to keep the team.
What do we get in Atlanta? Mostly silence — and what has been said is not comforting.
Asked Thursday if he could guarantee the Thrashers would play in Atlanta next season, deputy commissioner Bill Daly responded: “Nope. I can’t guarantee that.”
Daly denies reports that an announcement about the team being sold and moved is imminent: “There is nothing that has been done, nothing has been planned and nothing has been scheduled. Certainly, no transaction has been agreed to, not that I’m aware of.”
But the mere fact that he left the door open says all you need to know.
Daly says the league is doing all it can to keep the NHL in Atlanta. Sorry. I need evidence stronger than noncommittal soundbites. There’s a big difference between the NHL saying it wants a franchise in Atlanta and doing something about it. The league has the hammer to prevent franchise moves but hasn’t swung it, at least not publicly.
The Thrashers intersect with relocation rumors more than they do playoff races. But when this stuff circulated last year, Bettman put the kibosh on it. He told me that the league was “committed” to Atlanta, and considered the market “very important.” He said he believed the Thrashers could overcome their off-ice issues and “ultimately the franchise can be successful.”
He said he expected that one day “the franchise will be in a better place.” Then he laughed, realizing that was a poor choice of words given rumors of a move. “What I mean is, the franchise will be in a better situation,” he added.
Bettman said everything an Atlanta sports fan wanted to hear. He even took the extremely unusual step for a sports commissioner of criticizing an ownership group. (Excerpt: “It’s difficult to operate a franchise when owners aren’t getting along.”) He addressed how the league has come to the aid of struggling franchises in the past, and last week he circled back to those warm-and-fuzzy themes when asked about the potential relocation of the Coyotes, which the league had been operating.
When asked by Yahoo why the NHL is fighting for Phoenix, Bettman responded, “Because we fight hard for every city. … Because we have a covenant with our fans, and our fans need to know that we will stand by them as long as possible and that we don’t just run out.”
Great speech. Not sure how much it carries in terms of substance. I’m getting a visual of water running through a colander.
I’ve stated this before: If the Thrashers are moved, it won’t be because Atlanta failed as an NHL market, it will be because ownership and management failed. Fans can’t be expected to run back and support a product after feeling burned and relatively abused for several years. When fans stay away from a team that misses the playoffs in 10 out of 11 seasons, that doesn’t make them difficult, it makes them smart.
The NHL appears on the verge of making a huge mistake. If other teams feel bad about the Thrashers possibly moving to Winnipeg, they’re not saying.
Maybe they all like the fact the league would get a $60 million relocation fee out of the deal. For $60 million, you can buy a new conscience.
♦
Here’s my Q-and-A with NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly on Thursday:
Q: Where do we stand with the Thrashers?
A: “That’s more a question for [part-owner] Bruce [Levenson} than it is for me. He’s the one working on trying to find new ownership for the franchise. We’ve been working with him closely for a number of years in efforts to sell the franchise. Those efforts are ongoing. But there is nothing that has made sense to this point.”
Q: Can you guarantee the team will be in Atlanta next season?
A: “Nope. I can’t guarantee that.”
Q: So what are the chances of the Thrashers being relocated?
A: “I’m not into handicapping. I’m usually wrong.”
Q: Can you address rumors that a franchise sale and a move to Winnipeg is pretty much done and that an announcement is imminent?
A: “There is nothing that has been done, nothing has been planned and nothing has been scheduled. Certainly, no transaction has been agreed to, not that I’m aware of.”
Q: Have the Thrashers had negotiations with True North?
A: “I wouldn’t comment on that. That’s something you would have to ask the Thrashers about.”
Q: That’s not exactly a denial.
A: “But I would say the same thing even if I knew for a fact that they had not spoken to somebody. It’s not my role to publicly talk to the media about who Bruce Levenson might or might not be talking to.” [Note: Levenson told the AJC on Wednesday: “We are continuing to seek solutions for the Thrashers. I will not comment on any speculation.”]
Q: You and commissioner Gary Bettman both made frequent trips to Phoenix to speak publicly about the Coyotes staying there, but there has been no similar efforts in Atlanta. Why not?
A: “The situations are very different from a host of perspectives, not the least of which are the bankruptcy issues we had [in Phoenix], the fight in bankruptcy court and the league having to purchase the club. There were a unique set of circumstances that required the league’s presence in Glendale. The bottom line is, we owned that club.”
Q: I understand that. But does that preclude you or Gary from coming to Atlanta to show support for the franchise and help the process?
A: “No, of course not. If there was some reasonable sense that a public appeal would move the process along, then something would be done. But we’re not at that point.”
Q: Can you understand why Atlanta hockey fans might feel like the NHL is abandoning them, especially given the league’s silence?
A: “Again, what that opinion lacks is any real information as to what we have been doing over a number of years. There have been efforts to sell the club. We feel it is best that franchises not be relocated and we’ve made a commitment to keep franchises in the marketplace. Everything we’ve done with the Thrashers is consistent with that.”
Q: But not to the point of guaranteeing that they will remain in Atlanta?
A: “Correct.”
Q: You don’t find that response in conflict with Gary saying that the NHL is committed to cities and has a covenant with fans?
A: “No, because as I just tried to explain, nobody really knows exactly what we’ve been doing. But over a course of years, what we’ve done for the Thrashers franchise has been very consistent with what we’ve done for other franchises.”
By Jeff Schultz
♦
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407 comments Add your comment
ATLFlamesFan
May 13th, 2011
9:04 am
Jeff,
I have heard that an offer was made to ASG to purchase and not relocate the Thrashers, and it was rejected. Can this be investigated?
Also, would the NHL get involved with the process to the extent of telling ASG “You had a legitimate offer and refused it; we will not allow you move the franchise.”?
One concern is that due to the way the NHL has subsidized the operation in Phoenix (and kept Winnipeg in the buyer’s market for immediate relocation), the NHL has created an artificially high seller’s market for ASG to relocate the Thrashers, making them less likely to negotiate.
Papahockey
May 13th, 2011
9:07 am
Amen to almost every post here – I hope I can meet Wadell in the street one day and accidentally vomit on him. All I know is that I bought my season tickets for next year and I want them to Transfer to whomever gets our team…that way I can ebay my $20 seats for $150 a pop to idiot Canadians.
Sage of Bluesland
May 13th, 2011
9:20 am
How foolish do some of you feel for subsidizing the utter incompetence for so many years?
Never let it be said that some didn’t warn you. Many times.
My bank account has thanked me ever since I recognized Don Waddell and the ownership for the frauds they ultimately were.
Oh well, never forget who told you so. Many times. Enjoying likely the last bits of sheep-ignorance, which makes me sad, in a way. But, I’ll never forget the laughs at Gavasheep; Alanlamb; Smoothie; et. al.
To the tin-foil hat gang, I salute you!
Jack Edwards
May 13th, 2011
9:22 am
Cry Baby
PMC
May 13th, 2011
9:27 am
What is being paid for this disfunctional sorry mess?
Can they be forced to take the ownership and the Hawks with them?
I’m not sure I ever want to attend another concert or event at that arena for fear of putting money in any of the pockets of the Spirit. Especially when there are plenty of other quality venues in the area.
For the record Guerin is ok by me because he at least made attempts to explain the goings on and admit that the failure gets to him too.
But that said, everyone of the people responsible that has ever had thier hand in this franchice will go to thier graves with the stench of failure.
steelerboy
May 13th, 2011
9:39 am
WADDELL YOU SUCK
steelerboy
May 13th, 2011
9:42 am
“I think everybody needs to take a step back because I think there’s been a fair amount of speculation, supposition and even hysteria in the media, which has been largely fabricated,” Bettman said during the “NHL Hour With Commissioner Gary Bettman.”. “I wish I had a dollar for all of the reports a month ago that said the Coyotes were definitely moving and it was going to happen in a matter of days.
Fron NHL.com Gary Bettman on radio last night.
“I mean, people who are reporting on this stuff are simply making it up, and that’s unfortunate for our fans. It’s unfortunate for the fans who have a club they don’t want to lose, and it’s unfortunate for building up expectations in other places.
Thomas Magnum
May 13th, 2011
9:47 am
I’m sure its been mentioned in one of the 7 pages already but I can’t believe how they keep acting like they’ve been trying to find a solution to this for a number of years. I know that it recently came out that they have been wanting to dump the team for years but how is it possible the NHL has been involved in it for that long? From what I understand, during the lawsuit amongst owners that went on for years and was recently settled, the team could not be sold or moved or anything like that so how in the hell have they been trying to find a solution for years?
Tom Lysiak
May 13th, 2011
9:48 am
Well, it seems fairly obvious what is going on here. An announcement was made that 5 different entities had signed non-disclosure agreements. Supposedly, at least two of them were interested in all three assets. The others were Thrashers only, but still keeping the team here. Yet Daly stated that none of the scenarios/offers made sense. According to Jay Clemons, one specific party wants all three assets and has had discussions with the ASG, but they go nowhere. Yet reading Levenson’s quotes, they stand ready to sell all three. So, they just can’t agree on a price? Or do they really want to sell all three assets? Or, do they want to sell the Thrash for the highest offer to outside buyers (which will also make the league $60 million) and pump that money into the Hawks?
And, what kind of jackass says when asked what he would say to fans “well, if they know anyone interested, have them contact us….”???? Pretty much sums up their attitude towards the fans.
Virtual iced reality
May 13th, 2011
9:49 am
@Sage ” . . . . But, I’ll never forget the laughs at Gavasheep; Alanlamb; Smoothie; et. al. ” = more pearls of wisdom for those that have eyes to see, ears to hear, words to read. They marched cheerfully out of obscurity and into the dream (baa – baa – baa)
doc
May 13th, 2011
9:53 am
jeff it is about the askg. the nhl is giving them a vote of no confidence.
perry
May 13th, 2011
9:59 am
There are no local buyers for the Thrashers because they lose a lot of money; every year. Like many southern markets, hockey just doesn’t make sense in Atlanta. If the team had any financial potential in Atlanta, lots of potential buyers would step up. Pointing to Phoenix/Glendale as an example and saying that the NHL should do something similar in Atlanta makes absolutely no sense. Two wrongs don’t make a right. The only reason that a team still remains in Phoenix is because the City of Glendale has foolishly agreed to fund operating losses; $25 million last year and another $25 million for the upcoming year. Plus, paying $200 million to build an arena in the first place. That is insane. I’m sure glad I don’t live and pay taxes in Glendale, Arizona. That city will be bankrupt soon enough at the rate they’re going. Let the team move to Winnipeg already. At least Winnipeg has private owners who are prepared to pay good money to buy the team and fans who are really interested in paying good money to watch hockey. Hockey is a marginal sport in many cities, especially the American ones. Maybe if a few franchises failed, there would be league contraction and players’ salaries would fall back to more economic levels. If prices in the NHL were half of what they are today, maybe more fans would go to games and teams wouldn’t be losing money by the millions in many markets.
Bobby G
May 13th, 2011
10:18 am
My question is did we loose money when we won the division? Even my mom went to a game when they were good that season…you can’t just say here is a team so cheer for them…they have to win and pay there dues (not financially but from hard work and winning) before people are going to get attached. The unfortunate part is that ASG wanted to be the face franchise and on the billboard not one of the players…
Bill Gullion
May 13th, 2011
10:19 am
I have always felt the fact the Thrashers (and Flames), the Hawks, the Braves and the Falsons play downtown is a detriment to all four organizations. It’s extemely difficult to drive to and then find a place to park at Phillips, the ball park and the dome. There is no direct access off the interstate system to any of these venues. Marta helps some but most of its lines are from lower income neighborhoods. Why these franchises don’t move out into the suburbs where the income base needed to support these teams lives is beyond me — someplace off I-75 in Cobb, off 400 in North Fulton County or I-85 in Gwinnett County. To tell the truth, at the moment, I believe the Thrashers would be better off playing at the Gwinnett Arena and not Philllps.
Michael F.
May 13th, 2011
10:30 am
Hockey can work in Atlanta, it is just bad business by the ASG.
1. There is no reason to block off the 400 level seats. Sell those tickets day of game, starting 1.5 hours before the game starts. If you sell out those seats and people are there, they will ask for next cheapest,they won’t go home. The money made in concessions, souveniers, parking, etc. is more than leaving those seats empty.
2. Understand and acknowledge that hockey will play a back seat to other sports in this town. Don’t take that as a negative, just market your sport accordingly. More discounts early in the season when people are still watching college football, pro football and waiting for you to prove they won’t fade in the second half and then reap the rewards when the team is the main sport in town (winter time) and they are still doing well. ASG owns the Hawks too, so there should be more cross marketing (buy a hawks ticket, get 50% off a thrashers ticket, etc).
3. Pre season games should be free. Get people in the arena. Get the money from parking, concessions and souveniers and foster interest in the club early on. No one wants to pay for pre-season tickets so you have to get people in there for free. Start giving out tickets 3 hours before game time and have a “fan festival” outside during those 3 hours. Perfect for kids and adults.
4. Be more open with season ticket holders. Season ticket holders have to understand that when a team is struggling they will see a lot of discounts out there in hopes of getting others in the building. This causes STH to think the tickets aren’t worth it. Convince them they are worth it with other perks (meet and greet opportunities, autographed items…the list can go on) and when the team gets good and tickets are hard to come by, increase the incentives to the STH because they were with you when times were tough.
5. Don Waddell needs to go. I know the man is respected in hockey circles (Team USA, etc.) but perception fuels consumer sentiment. As long as he is around, people will associate the franchise with failure. Even though Dudley has set this team up nicely going forward, people will still hold a grudge against the organization as long as DW is around.
The bottom line is the players deserve to play in front of a packed house and we can get there if everyone works together. I firmly believe we can be like Chicago and Pittsburgh are now, but it is going to take effort from everyone.
ASG…do a better job of marketing the team, securing players and make the necessary changes in the front office. If you all love Atlanta so much and believe in your hometown, get the Team in the hands of someone who will keep the team here even if you don’t make millions on the sale. Stop being greedy and do what is right. Remember, you fail with the Thrashers you other businesses will most likey suffer due to fan backlash.
Fans…go to the games. Give the players a packed house to play in front of. Let them know we are there.
Players…110% every night. Yes, there will be some bad games once and awhile, but show the great effort you showed many times last season EVERY NIGHT!
City of Atlanta…help get local business leaders involved. If hockey can work in Nashville, it can certainly work here.
Good Riddance
May 13th, 2011
10:32 am
Bye Bye Thrashers. Don’t let the door hit you on the way out!
Delbert D.
May 13th, 2011
10:46 am
When I lived in the Philadelphia area in the ’70s, street hockey was very popular, especially with city kids. For me growing up in small town Georgia, it was all about touch football and baseball for pickup games. Different cultures.
Big G
May 13th, 2011
10:48 am
FIRE BETTMAN AND DALY!!!!!! for ruining hockey
j nes
May 13th, 2011
10:57 am
Hey Atlanta Spirit Group: As a devoted Thrashers fan, I would just like to say how happy I am to see the Hawks eliminated from the playoffs. If you morons would have given the Thrashers a payroll better than 27th out of 30 teams you could have sold out playoff games easily like in 2007. You couldn’t even sell out your Hawks games, and 40% of the fans that did come were cheering for the other team. Hope you dips enjoyed that.
Megan
May 13th, 2011
11:06 am
Hey dont blame the fans… blame the teams! EVERYBODY rallied around the Braves in 1991 and what did we get????? 14 years of postseason but only ONE World Series Championship???? Up until now, the Falcons could never make the playoffs 2 years in a row and suffered through the Michael Vick humiliation and Bobby Petrino leaving in the middle of the night to go call the Hogs? The Hawks? remember the year they promised us the playoffs???? And the Thrashers just aren’t good… we dont attend because we do not support losers!
FedUp
May 13th, 2011
11:18 am
This team has sucked since Hartley was fired. Waddell should have been fired and the only head coach to lead the team to the playoffs should have stayed.
fitzgerald
May 13th, 2011
11:43 am
It seems that I am a dollar short and a day late commenting on this situation, but here goes. Atlanta is not alone in the south with franchises that are in trouble. The Dallas Stars are pretty much the same with bad ownership, low attendance, and a team that is, at best, in the middle of the pack. I recall that Pittsburg almost lost their team a few years back. There are very few teams that are doing well financially and with attendance. I am sorry that Atlanta might lose the Thrashers that move to Winnepeg and become the Jets (as they used to be), but life goes on. Expansion is not the answer. Hockey is to Canada and the northern cities that have had hockey for many years as football is to us in the USA.
steelerboy
May 13th, 2011
11:50 am
I thought Bill Daly was a basketball player. WADDELL SUCKS
Jerry Landfill
May 13th, 2011
12:00 pm
Go Gladiators!!
Jeffrey93
May 13th, 2011
12:47 pm
Who gives a crap if it is a Top 10 TV market? When you h ave 2,000 viewers for games the size of the entire market doesn’t really make much of a difference.
PensFan
May 13th, 2011
1:14 pm
illputitoncspan , even if the NHL owns the Coyotes, wouldn’t potential Canadian owners have to pay the relocation 60M fees anyway if they decide to move the Coyotes to Canada? Because it’s not like the NHL moves the team to another city from Glendale and then decide to sell it. Whether it’s the Coyotes or the Thrashers, a relocation fee would still have to be paid by the buyer, not the seller.
Will someone investigate how the Panthers are somehow not bankrupting their owners? Their TV ratings are worse, their concessions and parking revenue is lower, and their attendance is terrible too.
Chris
May 13th, 2011
1:15 pm
Thrasher fans, be not afraid due to Bettman’s silence. Remember that the NHL is nothing but an association of team owners, and Bettman is their employee. The 28 owners took a huge dislike to the guy that wanted to move the Coyotes out of Phoenix (due to their past dealings with him and the fact that he tried to use bankruptcy court to avoid getting their approval to buy and move the team), so Bettman went to war against the move on the owners’ behalf. It wasn’t that Bettman loved Phoenix or hated Ontario, he just did what the owners wanted.
In Atlanta, you have an owner that is still in negotiations to sell the team for the best price possible. Publicity distracts from these negotiations, so on his bosses’ instructions, Bettman says nothing. What happens to the Thrashers depends on who the current owner wants to sell to, and whether the other 28 owners agree. Bettman will go along with whatever they want.
ATLFlamesFan
May 13th, 2011
1:26 pm
Chris,
I agree with most of what you wrote. However, True North was ready to buy the Coyotes and bring them to Winnipeg. Bettmen and the NHL interferred with that. As a result, True North is about to buy our Thrashers. If it wasn’t for Bettmen’s efforts to keep the Yotes in Phoenix (I have to figure he did it to save his ego), then there would be no immediate relocation buyer available for the Thrashers. If ASG was that desperate to sell them, they would be forced to make a package deal with the Hawks/Philips/ and the Thrashers. With True North in the picture, ASG can seperate the Thrashers and maximize their profit.
Phil
May 13th, 2011
1:26 pm
Hey, if Atlanta can lose an NHL franchise TWICE,then there’s hope for Montreal. Bring back the Expos!
ATLFlamesFan
May 13th, 2011
1:27 pm
gbettman@nhl.com
Congratulations Gary,
Congratulations for saving the Coyotes fans for now.
Congratulations for saving your reputation that you stuck your neck so far into the sand.
Congratulations for recovering the NHL’s expenses for operating the Yotes by getting a $60M relocation fee from Atlanta.
Congratulations for artificially manipulating the free market by keeping a relocation buyer for the Thrashers on the Market.
Congratulations for making it easy for ASG to separate the Thrashers from the Hawks and Philips Arena. If it wasn’t for your actions to save Phoenix, and if ASG was really that desperate, they might have taken a lower offer for all 3 entities. Instead, they will be able to maximize their profit by separating the 3.
I will apologize to you if the Thrashers do end up staying in Atlanta, but I do not see that happening.
ATLFlamesFan
May 13th, 2011
1:41 pm
Glendale has a population of 226721. Divide $25M by that and you get $110 for every man, woman and child living there. If they go the max of 11 years, that’s $1200 per person.
John
May 13th, 2011
1:48 pm
Sad situation in the ATL regarding the NHL. Too bad we can’t clone Jeff Vinik and Steve Yzerman and give Atlanta a new owner and GM. They have done such wonders in revitalizing the Tampa Bay Lightning through a smart and enthusiastic young coach, Guy Boucher and smart trades getting Eric Brewer and Dwayne Roloson.
As someone who’s old enough to remember the Atlanta Flames, all I can do is read about the Atlanta Spirit Group. If it’s as bad up there as I’ve read, it’s sad it’s looking like they’re apparently going to cost Atlanta it’s second and likely last shot at the NHL. There was no reason the league should have let the Flames leave. A whole generation of Atlantans grew up without seeing the NHL and guys like Gretzky, Messier, and Lemieux in their primes. To this sense the league is sacrificing Atlanta, can it be not ownership, but geography is a reason the league has gone hand over foot to keep Phoenix in the fold given the lack of NHL teams in the Western US? No Seattle, Portland, San Diego or Houston. It will be sad to see a Southeast Division without Atlanta, the hub of the Southeast. And ask the players in Tampa, Sunrise and Raleigh if they would rather jet one or two hours to Atlanta three times a season, versus one or two trips to Winnipeg or Quebec? And with reports of Tom Glavine trying to put a group together to save the Thrashers, the NHL should do it in a heartbeat for Atlanta hockey. Look what happened when Nolan Ryan’s group was approved by Major League Baseball to buy the Texas Rangers. It made Dallas-Ft. Worth a viable baseball market. The NHL can thrive in Atlanta with a new ownership group and be a model Sunbelt franchise, like the Lightning are now, and places like Dallas, Anaheim, Denver, non traditional markets that have been successful.
Here We Go Again
May 13th, 2011
2:03 pm
Moving to the south in 1971, I came as a hockey fan. The first year down here I used to listen to KMOX out of St Louis to the Blues games, with Dan Kelly calling the play by play and watch whatever national games were on TV.
Then in 1972, Atlanta received an NHL franchise and the Flames were born. We had hockey up until the 1979/ 80 season, when Tom Cousins sold the franchise to Calgary.
In 1992, Atlanta again had hockey when the IHL (International Hockey League) expanded and the Knights franchise started play. In year two, they won the IHL championship. When Atlanta was preparing for the Olympics and the Omni was torn down, the Knights moved to Quebec.
Starting in 1999, the NHL’s Thrashers started playing here. Now twelve years later the team is about to leave for Winnipeg. We will be the only major sports franchise (with the exception of Los Angeles and the NFL) that has lost 2 teams in the same sport.
So, where is the blame? Part of the issue is the NHL is the only one of the “big four” (NBA, NFL, NHL and MLB) sports that does not have a lucrative TV contract. Ticket sales are not the revenue producers, the TV money is. The second thing is ownership that has no commitment to the city. The Atlanta Braves were the worst team in baseball for the 70’s and 80’s, only drawing 4,000 people to many games but Ted Turner committed to keeping them here. The Falcons were terrible for most of their existence but the ownership never moved the franchise.
I know many blame poor attendance, but the Flames in the 70’s outdrew the Hawks and the Thrashers averaged 15,000 per game in 2000/ 2001 season and 13,000 this last year. Hockey fans are few, but they aren’t casual ones. They are loyal and will go to the games.
So here we are, the mayor not willing to pony up and help (I wonder would he if it was the Hawks or Falcons?) and ownership looking to sell. Winnipeg is the only viable offer out there, so expect the sale to happen within a week.
Gwinnett Gladiators, you are all we have left!
EA
May 13th, 2011
2:04 pm
Jeff, Kevin Allen, USA Today, is asking the same question as you today. Is the league doing enough to save the Thrashers?
joemoedee
May 13th, 2011
2:06 pm
“Comish Bettman is PRO Canada. When there is an opportunity to get a franchise “back” to Canada, he’s going to work hard to make it happen.”
Wait, what? He encouraged a ton of teams to move out of Canada and into the great hotbed of hockey, the Southern US.
The facts are, not many people show up to games, and even less watch the games on TV. It appears that the Shake-Weight infomercial gets better ratings that an average Thrashers game. Granted, Atlanta is a much larger market than say, Winnipeg, but it all comes down to fan interest. If only say, 30k people out of 5.2 million are interested in Atlanta, advertising the huge population really doesn’t matter vs a rabid hockey base in say, Winnipeg.
Another factor that spurred moves in the past was how weak the Canadian dollar was versus American, and guys were being paid in American dollars. It’s evened out, and some times, the Canadian dollar is stronger.
ATLFlamesFan
May 13th, 2011
2:11 pm
Here is the Allen/USA Today story link: http://www.usatoday.com/sports/hockey/columnist/allen/2011-05-13-nhl-thrashers_N.htm
Sage of Arseland
May 13th, 2011
2:14 pm
SAGE, of all people YOU have no right to say ANYTHING about the Thrashers! You haven’t bought a ticket or attended a game for 10 friggin years…..You just sit at your PC and try to convince others to NOT support the team. You are a TRUE ANTI-HERO.
Well, our family saw our FIRST NHL hockey game right here at Philips. We’ve seen some truly GREAT games and some horrible games…..But the difference between you and us is WE BOUGHT TICKETS and went to games and generally enjoyed the experience….We took our kids to practices in Duluth where players gladly signed autographs for them. If the Thrashers do leave ATL, then we will always have fond memories of the hockey games we attended.
You just cry into your pillow each night because Don Waddell never responded to a couple of your e-mails 10 years ago……You crave worship from those on this board…..You sir are truly a PATHETIC individual and you have no redeeming value.
Enjoy your loneliness once the AJC Thrashers boards disappear…..You will soon be forgotten. Just another bad memory that quickly fades away.
ATLFlamesFan
May 13th, 2011
2:14 pm
I think Allen’s ending comments hit the nail on the head:
“… If you are an Atlanta fan, what should worry you is the fact that the Phoenix situation could affect the decision on the Thrashers. The NHL would like to recoup its losses from taking over the Coyotes. The City of Glendale has ponied up $25 million to give the league for last season and has agreed to give another $25 million to cover this season.
But if the Thrashers are moved to Winnipeg, a lucrative transfer fee would come back to the league. Hopefully that isn’t a primary consideration in deciding what’s best for the Atlanta Thrashers.”
tommyt
May 13th, 2011
2:19 pm
Jeff,
Thanks for your reporting, and interest in the Thrashers. You don’t deserve the ignorant potshots you have to endure on here any more than people from Canada deserve general shots at their country or city. By way of background, I am a STH and have been since the beginning. I lost my hometown Whalers when I was away at college and I truly fear that I am about to lose my favorite team for the 2nd time in my life. At some point it really doesn’t matter whether the main reason for this is the ownership group (which is truly awful), the Atlanta sports market (which is indeed a fickle bunch for anything other than CFB), the on-ice performance (which speaks for itself), the lack of NHL support (which is both curious and frustrating) or the fact that the arena is not conveniently located for some (which is just painful to read about and a silly point). Let it simply be said that I would be one of the group of diehard fans who would dearly miss having the team here to care about. At this point, I am reluctant to renew my seats as I don’t trust the ASG enough that they would even return my cash if the team gets sold. Just an awful situation. Will be hoping for a way that the Thrash are on Philips ice this fall.
JoeFan
May 13th, 2011
2:21 pm
Professional sport teams are not owned by the fans and exist for entertainment value only. The fans have the right not to support a terrible product. Likewise a team has the right to move. Professional sports is nothing but a business and anyone that invests more than the price of admission needs to get a reality check.
ATLFlamesFan
May 13th, 2011
2:27 pm
Teams’s right to move are usually restricted to rules by the respective leagues. The NHL does indeed have the right to prevent a team from moving, which the NHL has done numerous times in the past. For some reason(s), the NHL does not seem to want to act in this case. The $60M relocation fee covering the NHL’s loses may certainly explain this.
Clay
May 13th, 2011
2:29 pm
Maybe we could have a bake sale to help raise money to help keep the Thrashers here? I’m thinking that people would buy up Bettman Brownies, Daly Ding Dongs and Waddell Waffles in droves — who’s with me on this?
perry
May 13th, 2011
2:50 pm
Can someone please explain to me why the NHL would get a $60 million relocation fee if the Thrashers move to Winnipeg? For what? I understand that the NHL can set general terms and conditions that have to be taken into account for a franchise relocation, but how can that add up to something in the range of one-third of the total selling price (at $170 to $180 million). Whatever happened to anti-trust legislation that gave owners the right to relocate to a city of their choice. Can any lawyers out there explain how this situation works?
Get outta here
May 13th, 2011
2:58 pm
Who really gives a flying flip about NHL hockey in ATL?!? Anyone? This is a college football town. Take the hockey back up north (you know, where it’s actually cold enough for ice to naturally form) and let us concentrate on college football, and to a lesser extent pro baseball and football. I wont miss ‘em one bit.
Winnipeg, Canada
May 13th, 2011
3:00 pm
Why would Winnipeg desire such a poor product as the Thrashers?
The Thrashers Aren't Leaving.
May 13th, 2011
3:23 pm
If you’re tired of reading all of these rumors about if and when the Thrashers will leave the ATL, just refer to the link below. Quick, easy, and accurate:
http://www.DidTheThrashersMoveToWinnipegYet.com/
Will
May 13th, 2011
3:56 pm
Jeff:
You might want to take a look at the Winnipeg newspaper. The Deputy Commissioner has trashed your story, claiming that there were quotes taken out of context and misquotes attributed to him.
Please try to listen more carefully when interviewing someone. It’s not too much to ask that a journalist (even a sports journalist) report accurately.
Brendan
May 13th, 2011
4:07 pm
Maybe Winnipeg will get the Thrashers and we’ll get the Coyotes! Either way, we wind up with a historically unsuccessful club.
BringBackTheWhale
May 13th, 2011
4:46 pm
Don’t believe a word of what Bettman says – he did ABSOLUTELY NOTHING to help us fans out here in Hartford when our beloved team was bought and moved by a carpetbagging owner. The NHL did ZILCH to help keep the Whalers in Hartford – he willfully stepped all over the fans here and allowed the move to happen. Hopefully the situation works out better in Atlanta than it did in Hartford.
Video: Pessimistic Thrashers owner asks fans to find buyer | | sportsport
May 13th, 2011
8:44 pm
[...] Commissioner Gary Bettman and NHL Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly have offered the League’s reaction to rampant speculation that the Atlanta Thrashers are [...]