If the Thrashers leave, it won’t be because Atlanta failed them
Are the lights about to dim on ice hockey in Atlanta? (AJC photo by Jessica McGowan)
The endgame has surely begun. It’s sad, yes. Given the way this franchise has been run, it’s also inevitable.
In the three months since Michael Gearon Jr., one of the team’s many owners, said the Thrashers were for sale, no credible buyer has emerged who’s willing to throw away money to keep the team in Atlanta. And now, reports esteemed colleague Chris Vivlamore, the Atlanta Spirit has begun negotiations with True North Sports and Entertainment, which very much wants a hockey club for Winnipeg.
Some continue to hold out hope, thinking an Atlanta knight will appear to save the Thrashers. But here we need ask: Does this franchise merit saving?
Atlanta is on the cusp of becoming the first American city to lose two NHL teams, but this failure is more pronounced. The old Flames actually did well on the ice, making the playoffs six times in eight years. The Thrashers have been a continuing dud: One playoff appearance, no playoff victories. They’ve seen their two best players leave because they wanted to make more money but also because they wanted to win.
As convenient as it is to lay all blame on the ham-handed Spirit, these owners weren’t the ones who hired Don Waddell as franchise architect. Time Warner did that. Where the Spirit failed was in its basic commitment to hockey.
The Spirit was made up of businessmen from three cities, most of whom preferred basketball. In the Spirit’s corporate eye, the Thrashers were always going to be the Hawks’ little brothers. Had the hockey club been well-run, that might have been OK. But the hockey club was adrift, and ownership didn’t much care. Indeed, it kept rewarding Waddell for the rousing achievement of coming in under budget.
We now know that the Spirit sought to dump the Thrashers almost from the start, but the sideshow with Steve Belkin lasted so long the team lost its novelty. This stopped being Our New Hockey Club and became just another serial loser. Worse, it was a loser working hard not to spend money. Why should anyone subsidize such a half-hearted enterprise?
Not many among us did. The Thrashers’ attendance cratered, and even the hope inherent in last year’s makeover – new GM, new coach, many imported Chicago Blackhawks – came too late. The Thrashers wilted after New Year’s, and yet another season ended with the 82nd game.
It’s hard to miss the NHL playoffs, which include more than half the league’s teams, 10 times in 11 tries. The Thrashers have managed it. They haven’t found a goaltender or played much defense. They went five years too long with Waddell. They’ve given the bulk of the audience no reason to keep watching.
As cruel as it sounds, they’ve had their chance. Of the four teams that entered the NHL in the latest round of expansion, the Minnesota Wild has made the playoffs three times, reaching the conference finals in 2003; the Nashville Predators have qualified for postseason play six of the past seven seasons and just won a series. Only the Columbus Blue Jackets — one playoff appearance, zero victories — keep the Thrashers from being alone at the bottom.
Not since 2007-2008 have the Thrashers averaged more than 15,000 at Philips Arena. Over the past three seasons, they’ve outdrawn only the Islanders, who are the third team in the New York metropolitan area, and the Phoenix Coyotes, who were in line for export to Manitoba before voters stepped in last week. When you go three seasons and average 13,901 per home date, is there really an audience to desert?
There is, sort of. The same cluster of fans who loved the Thrashers when they arrived in 1999 love them still, but the franchise has had 12 years to attract a bigger audience and failed. For the zealots, separation would come as a blow. For the rest of us, it would mean little. Because the Thrashers have never sold themselves to us. They haven’t won big enough. They’ve been part of Atlanta, but they’ve never become part of the Atlanta conversation.
They’ve had 11 seasons, three more than the Flames did. They set up shop in a new arena and rode a wave of good will. They capitalized on none of it. If/when they leave, it won’t be because Atlanta failed the Thrashers. It will be because the Thrashers failed Atlanta.
By Mark Bradley
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263 comments Add your comment
Albert Einstein
May 21st, 2011
9:20 pm
Where is the governor? Where are our elected officials? They needed to be leading the rally today. If they had we would have had 30 thousand fans in the gulch. A fan and a facebook page launched today’s event and although a nice gathering (I was there), its not representative of the deep support Atlanta hockey fans have for this team. We need our elected officials to step up and provide leadership so the NHL and potential investors know we care and can support a team.
lost money
May 21st, 2011
10:01 pm
all the incompetent and rude people in the thrashers organization—this is your payoff. I tried to warn you the last few times down, but you wouldn’t listen and were as arrogant as ever. see ya!
bye y'all
May 21st, 2011
10:20 pm
Good bye to hockey in the south. Good bye Flames. Good bye Thrashers. Hockey just doesn’t belong down here as it’s a tough go for a sport that has very little youth following. All the northern transplants who want GA to be just like where ever they came from might conisder this a puzzling and disappointing fact but here in the south its FOOTBALL and BASEBALL and BASKETBALL and CAR RACING and …. THAT’S IT.
Not a Hockey Fan
May 21st, 2011
10:37 pm
Good-bye, Thrashers. You won’t be missed except by your 250 fans who ought to be given a moving allowance so that they can accompany you on the trip north.
Georgia Peach
May 21st, 2011
11:12 pm
Honestly – all Atlanta sports teams are horrible.
This city is a stepping stone for many people includin athletes. Whether it’s the Hawks, Thrashers, Braves or Falcons – when it comes to the playoffs – or winning a game when it counts – they all seem to come up short!
Look at the Falcons – first place all year and then they got their butts handed to them in the playoffs. The Braves?? Same thing EVERY year! The Hawks – waste of money for the owners and fans….The Thrashers – Whatever….
Atlanta is NOT a sports town for true athletes…..point blank.
matthew
May 21st, 2011
11:22 pm
love the falcons but dissapointed in their playoff loss and showing against green bay.. thank goodness for Arthur blanks he is determined to get a championship here..but the thrashers another story..if Atlanta loses this team its on the road to being another Detroit..quickly going down hill
rc35
May 21st, 2011
11:38 pm
The Thrashers lacked something the Flames had, and that was “BOOM-BOOM Geoffrion.” He was the face of the Flames back in the 70’s, and was a real enthusiast for hockey. He made it impossible to ignore Atlanta hockey. All the headlines then were about the sport; the headlines for the Thrashers have been about ownership squabbles and vehicular homicide. When tycoons and lawyers get more headlines than the players, it’s a bad sign. THAT is what hurt the Thrashers.
PaulieOldSchool
May 22nd, 2011
12:44 am
I hate to say it, but I’ve feared this day for the last 7 years, at least. You have to spend money to win, and you can’t expect people to support you if you continually lose. Yet the fans HAVE supported the team, since Day 1. It’s a replay of the Flames, except the Flames were a much superior team. And they never had to deal with a huge butt munch like Don (Stick With Me, We’ll Win One Day) Waddell. Very sad day for the City and its true fans.
Kevin
May 22nd, 2011
6:43 am
One cause Don (teflon) Waddell is blame owners who rather fight in court for years they have never been in arena see the hockey team play at all shows it…Also day we Hire waddell from detroit was day all Redwing fans laugh at Us they won cup after he left there see me point!Waddell could not stand when Hired the best coach who led the then then Quebec who moved to colorado in 1996 when stanley cup…waddell Fired him cause he was upset of waddell crap of gettin rid of players who were gellin now.I sure was hopin we get local press coverge too so far nothin either channel 2 are fox5 are 11 not alive no even have story at all shows how are main media cares and the crappy 680 the fan on radio ha ha they so sorry in coverge off air at dark so we can’t even hear games to….Prices may be high like 300.oo so be it it far higher in detroit n Ny too and they sell out anyway n chicago is hockey too just when owners were doin a atlanta sprit idea too.they woke up n won cup last year.Beside if folks not know if winnipeg gets a NHL team they can’t use Jets name cause Phoenix team owns the rights so can’t use it…Just knew when waddell main goal make team so bad i use this 5year plan on the folks here we lose this team we never be able get a NHL team again oh u folks in Gwinnett that has the echl gladitors if they move u lose the hockey club too remember that too.
Kevin
May 22nd, 2011
7:10 am
why yes JC Tampa fans should be proud they have owners n a Great GM there that care not here we have a waddell n the three stooges here…great see u in finals u tied now at 2-2 with Boston now as i write this NBC renewed tv contract for 10 years plus show more games now next season….I hope they stay too in atlanta see them as for why thrashers not been on tv on NBC simple they not like it to they hate atlanta the Ny media n stations n networks…and like about the atlanta Knights yes i know they won Turner cup in 94 best ever see if we had any local tv coverge on see it….are first title beside the 68 atlanta chiefs too won a championship too in soccer..Bad is if we lose are local NBC station may not even show any hockey here if we Gone too..Oh if Tampa bay lightin win Cup again like did in 2004…if beat bruins n Vancouver be another yes a southern team can win it!
CSGthrasher
May 22nd, 2011
7:21 am
I’ve got a 5 year plan to get rid of all my Thrasher memorabilia!
JB
May 22nd, 2011
8:27 am
When the all-star game was here, there was zero marketing. Also, with so many northern transplants and so many wealthy private schools ITP, there are no rinks that could have supported youth hockey and adult leagues.
74Viking
May 22nd, 2011
9:05 am
I am a diehard islanders fan living here in the Atlanta area. I made two trips a year to Phillips to see the Thrashers and Islanders. Great experience everytime. The Atlanta fans were great and love their team. As a fan of a team that once won 4 cups and 19 playoff series in a row to becoming a basement dweller, I have learned that having a bad owner is a death sentence for your team. The fans of Atlanta do not deserve this. The city government has been incrdibly quiet about this and that is disturbing. This is sneaky and underhanded an once again proves that the average fan always gets screwed in the end. I’m certain that Quebec (who had their eyes on the Thrashers) will now aim to land the Islanders. God help me.