Hawks for sale! Thrashers for sale! But only one stands to exit
At least one of the Spirit's teams will be here next year. (AJC photo by Curtis Compton)
According to esteemed colleague Tim Tucker, the Atlanta Spirit — corporate motto: Everything Must Go! — has entered into an exclusive negotiating agreement with outgoing San Diego Padres owners John Moores to buy the Hawks and Philips Arena. This is major news. But here we offer a couple of caveats:
• Exclusive negotiating agreements aren’t all they’re cracked up to be, especially when it concerns the Hawks, the Thrashers and Philips Arena. the Texas car dealer David McDavid had one of those with Time Warner in April 2003, and you see what it got him. (Actually, it got him $281 million from Time Warner after the conglomerate sold the teams and the building to the Spirit instead.)
• That the Spirit has entered into a negotiating agreement with someone who would agree to keep the Hawks in Atlanta — and it’d be pretty hard to uproot Philips Arena and move it to Manitoba — shouldn’t be taken as a sign that the Thrashers’ apparently imminent departure is any less imminent. On the contrary.
The Spirit has now taken the corporate step of separating its teams. So far as we know, there’s no exclusive negotiating agreement in place for anyone regarding the Thrashers. The issue of Atlanta’s hockey club remains as it was 24 hours ago: With no credible buyer willing to take the team and keep it here, the Spirit has begun discussions with True North Sports and Entertainment, which has an arena sitting open in Winnipeg.
The Hawks, as Tucker notes, were never going anywhere: The bonds floated when the arena was being built maintain that the Hawks have to play their home games in Philips until the bonds are paid off — in 2028. There’s no such legal constraint holding the Thrashers here.
Regarding this complicated tale — by now, we should know that anything involving the Spirit will have permutations by the boatload — here’s where we are: The Hawks are staying, though possibly under different ownership, while the Thrashers inch ever closer toward the door.
By Mark Bradley
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198 comments Add your comment
Benjamin
May 17th, 2011
6:53 pm
First. And, re: the Thrashers, perhaps “Angriest” applies, as well…
Woody Paige
May 17th, 2011
6:54 pm
first?
Woody Paige
May 17th, 2011
6:55 pm
grumblegrumblegrumble….
mark louis
May 17th, 2011
6:58 pm
I’ll be sorry to see the Thrashers go, but I’ll be very happy to see ASG go. If the Hawks are sold, there may actually be a chance for success.
rusty
May 17th, 2011
7:01 pm
Worst business decision ever? These chuckleheads decision to buy the Hawks and Thrashers.
Steve
May 17th, 2011
7:02 pm
would be fun to rank the Atlanta Spirit among the worst sports owners in professional sports today or in history. they would have to rank right up there in at least the top 2 or 3
Mark Bradley
May 17th, 2011
7:02 pm
I have to admit: I really liked the idea of the Atlanta Spirit owning the teams, as opposed to David McDavid. What was I thinking?
Steve
May 17th, 2011
7:04 pm
A new owner for the Hawks will be greatly appreciated. I just wish Tom Glavine would get John Smoltz and some of the other former Braves together to keep the Thrashers in Atlanta as well. The Thrashers were like Rambo in one of his movies, they were given a mission that was doom to fail.
Mark Bradley
May 17th, 2011
7:04 pm
And kudos, W. Paige.
Najeh Davenpoop
May 17th, 2011
7:05 pm
Hopefully whoever buys the Hawks actually wants to put a winner on the court.
Steve
May 17th, 2011
7:05 pm
yeah they basically drove the spirit right out of atlanta for the thrashers, and to some extent the Hawks
Atlanta Spirit Sucks
May 17th, 2011
7:13 pm
The time has come for the NBA and the NHL to unite and end the “reign of terror” by the ASG.
The leagues must come together, implement their by-laws, and teach the ASG a lesson.
IceColdATLien
May 17th, 2011
7:14 pm
MB, you thought that they actually cared and had their stuff together. Most of us were wrong about that.
I think the only tried and true ownership is a single owner. Not all single owners are good, but just about all groups and corporations screw it up.
drmondo
May 17th, 2011
7:14 pm
All I can say is…GREAT!!!! Let’s get some competent ownership who makes intelligent decisions and is willing to spend $$ on smart moves and real coaches. I think Woody jr did decently in the playoffs but couldn’t get the players to listen and buy into his system because he had little standing and didn’t ever discipline guys like Josh for consistently making stupid decisions. Teague looked good during the playoffs but didn’t get to play a lot during the regular season. Getting coaches on the cheap doesn’t work. Drafting poorly doesn’t work. Signing contracts that make no sense doesn’t work. The buck stops with the owners.
As far as the Thrashers are concerned, they never had any real support from ASG. They were always a sideshow I love good hockey but it was always hard to get behind the Thrashers.
R. Stroz
May 17th, 2011
7:18 pm
The Spirit Clowns have intentionally placed a road block in front of keeping the Thrashers in Atlanta. I hope these guys become born again virgins in hell for bin Laden.
Summerteeth
May 17th, 2011
7:19 pm
Good riddance, ASG.
Mgibby
May 17th, 2011
7:19 pm
I, like everybody else, was pleading for the ASG to sell the Hawks, but the news is bittersweet. Living in San Diego, John Moores was a extremely cheap owner and if he keeps it up w/ the Hawks, it would probably be worse than the ASG!!
Nate D
May 17th, 2011
7:30 pm
Keep the Hawks all the way we cant let the hawks leave ATL.
ThrasherFan
May 17th, 2011
7:34 pm
So ASG is purposefully making sure the thrash leave town. Is the NHL now going to step up and try to save a local franchise? Would be hilarious I’d they sold the hawks but the NHL wouldn’t sign off on the thrash to Winnipeg deal.
GSU Eagle
May 17th, 2011
7:35 pm
Where is Bettman? He’s selling us out for a $60mm check. He needs it to pay for the mess in AZ.
wxwax
May 17th, 2011
7:40 pm
Mgibby, that’s exactly what we didn’t want to hear.
Gaaaaah! This poor franchise is doomed to have bad ownership.
Gary
May 17th, 2011
7:43 pm
Actually Moores spent very well on the Padres while he was owner. They won several division titles and the NL in 1998. The Padres payroll was middle of the road, but wasn’t bad. He only got cheap because of his divorce in 2008 and had to sell the team to meet his divorces settlements.
I still won’t believe it until the the Ts are crossed and Is dotted and Moores John Henry is listed on the sale contract.
Mark – what about the notion last night that another group has come forward and put in a serious offer on the Thrashers? Doesn’t the NHL mandate that if a possible local owner is serious in their offer, that the Spirit Group must consider it so as to keep the team from relocating? Seems like I have heard that mandate being used before, particularly with Nashville.
sansho1
May 17th, 2011
7:43 pm
Keeping in mind that there are some die-hard hockey fans here, Winnipeg would love its NHL team in a way Atlanta never could or would.
drmaryb (*_-)
May 17th, 2011
7:45 pm
Please keep both teams in Hotlanta so I can see those big, manly MEN in person!!
Quick, somebody hose me off!!!
lies and spin
May 17th, 2011
7:46 pm
I don’t understand why people keep buying into the spin that the ASG and the NHL are spewing. This lie about how there are no potential buyers willing to keep the Thrashers here is a load of bull. Now…maybe those potential buyers aren’t willing to pay what the ASG wants…but they are willing to buy the team and keep them here. If the NHL really wanted a team in Atlanta, they could force the ASG to sell to a buyer that will keep them here, even if it means they have to take a loss (or big loss) to do it…or they can keep them.
Please stop saying that there are no potential buyers willing to keep the team here. That’s just not true.
R. Stroz
May 17th, 2011
7:47 pm
The two leagues, the NBA and NHL must work together to extricate themselves from the ASG. Both franchises should be given an opportunity to succeed to this city with properly capitalized owners, competent GMs, coaches, and scouting.
None of these owners should ever be allowed to participate in a sports franchise again.
kirkinga
May 17th, 2011
7:48 pm
Moores is rich, but not Ted Turner rich. I’d like to see new ownership, but one with very deep pockets used in conjunction with a burning desire to win championships.
"Chef" Tim Dix
May 17th, 2011
7:51 pm
This vagabon set of owners has to answer to wives. Is this news?
"Chef" Tim Dix
May 17th, 2011
7:56 pm
Jon Kincade is a pimp. The Dickies can buy into the League at a price of their choosing.
section 104
May 17th, 2011
7:57 pm
CAN I GET MY MONEY BACK SINCE THEY ARE SELLING TEAM …. IN 2011 TO 2012 SEASON ….. STUPID OWNERS…
Paddy
May 17th, 2011
8:01 pm
In a few months, I hope the name ASG is never spoken again in Georgia. What a sad chapter in our sports history. If they do remain owners of the Hawks, I hope no one with any sense buys a ticket. Putting money in these guys pockets is unthinkable!
120 hell raiser
May 17th, 2011
8:02 pm
I have to admit: I really liked the idea of the Atlanta Spirit owning the teams, as opposed to David McDavid. What was I thinking?
Mark, i would not be too hard on yourself on this one. It really never seemed like Mc David knew what he was doing, He had no sports background he seemed short on cash from the beginning, which caused the deal to drag on for months and months. And to top it off he was going to have his “son law” to run the teams. It seemed like Rankin Smith all over again. Given the loses the spirit had I think he would be out of business a lot quicker than even the spirit boys. Frankly Time Warner screwing him over was the best thing that ever happened to the man.
Hey Marcel
May 17th, 2011
8:06 pm
Feel that cool weather………………must be time for a little roundball………..!!
Double Zero Eight
May 17th, 2011
8:09 pm
The sale should have never been approved for ASG.
We would have been much better off with McDavid!
ASG is a bunch of “WANNA BE:” knuckleheads.
steve
May 17th, 2011
8:25 pm
The true irony in all this is that when belkin split after the joe johnson situation, prevailing sentiment seemed to be against him and for the remaining owners to retain control.
Man, talk about wanting a mulligan (and on a couple holes at that).
Bart
May 17th, 2011
8:27 pm
Fair warning to anyone who only buys the Hawks & arena rights while letting the Thrashers leave: I will not support the Hawks or any other event in Philips in that situation, and I’ll boycott the products/services of their sponsors. You’ll be little better than the ASG that ran the teams into the ground if you sit by and idly watch the Thrashers relocate . Buy all three or else find a partner to buy the Thrashers; someone may be willing to work with you to share the arena and its income where they wouldn’t do so with ASG.
Brad McBradley
May 17th, 2011
8:29 pm
The members of the ASG should be run out of town. They touted themselves as a group committed to Atlanta as opposed to McDavid the Texan. Atlanta gets a bad enough rap from ESPN and the national media and now these jokers have run the Thrashers so badly that Atlanta pro sports will be ridiculed once again for losing a second NHL franchise.
jim
May 17th, 2011
8:31 pm
Several have said it already – Glad to see the Hawks sold, even if it means the Thrashers leave. The Spirit group have trampled on both teams and new ownership is more than needed. Short term pain = long term gain for the city and the fans of the Hawks. Maybe even the Thrashers fans – put them out of their misery.
ryan
May 17th, 2011
8:32 pm
Why can’t we get a rich Russian to .
Theron Sapp
May 17th, 2011
8:35 pm
So who’s the pinhead who wrote the lease tying the basketball team to Atlanta, but not the hockey team?
Guffman
May 17th, 2011
8:35 pm
No local group can really buy the Thrashers now on such short notice, especially since they won’t be able to properly negotiate arena rent terms given that the building is up for sale.
The NHL Needs To Be Called Out
May 17th, 2011
8:36 pm
They have done NOTHING to help us keep the Thrashers in Atlanta.
http://www.keepthethrashers.com//videokeepthrashersreally.html
OHL
May 17th, 2011
8:42 pm
Sorry Atlanta but Winnipeg seems to be closer and closer by the minute to getting a team again. You can say that you were doomed to fail due to ownership or anything else but it’s going to come down to where the best hockey market resides. Right now I would say that is Winnipeg and they have an owner willing to spend. Cities like Pittsburgh, Buffalo, Boston and so on will always put you in a negative light when it comes to the US hockey markets, so the team if going to be moved unless you pony up like Glendale which I don’t see happening.
Worm
May 17th, 2011
8:43 pm
The hawks should go back to St. Louis..who cares?
slydog6000
May 17th, 2011
8:45 pm
We should all be wary of John Moores potential ownership of the Hawks. The only reason he no longer owns the Padres is because of his divorce in 2008. This caused the trades of Jake Peavey and Adrien Gonzalez, as well as the current “youth movement” with the team in general. Does the McCourt divorce out in L.A. come to mind? While it was not as messy, we all know how fresh divorces go at first. However, his tight pockets might facilitate getting rid of “THE BAD CONTRACT” and other expensive, non-productive assets. Besides, any ownership other than the smorgasboard of ASG is most welcome.
slydog6000
May 17th, 2011
8:49 pm
Another thing too: the McDavid deal was all about the Braves and a tax write off for Liberty Media Group.
Drama in the Desert & Dixie: NHL retreat from Atlanta far from strategic, CBC’s Friedman suggests Thrashers hurtling towards Manitoba, Whose ready to see a Phoenix/Winnipeg game? | Illegal Curve Hockey
May 17th, 2011
8:49 pm
[...] Atlanta Journal Constitution: Hawks for sale! Thrashers for sale! But only one stands to exit. [...]
Just Me
May 17th, 2011
8:51 pm
WHO cares? ICE will don’t last in the SOUTH and any BRO can play the CHEAP game of Basketball in da hood.
I hate the Hawks
May 17th, 2011
8:51 pm
Can’t we just get rid of the Hawks and keep the Thrashers? Hawks suck!! Please leave Atlanta before 2028 so the world will be a better place?
duh
May 17th, 2011
8:52 pm
zzzzzzzzzzzzzz… where is schultz?
R. Stroz
May 17th, 2011
8:53 pm
Winnipeg needs money already…..
http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/breakingnews/True-North-seeking-debt-help-from-govt-in-NHL-bid-122067534.html?device=mobile&c=y
OHL – Only a few years back, before the owners dropped payroll near the league minimum, the Thrashers attendence was higher than Pittsburgh.
Then again, some Peggers like to ignore all the facts.
R. Stroz
May 17th, 2011
8:54 pm
Hawks fans, John Moores will be as bad as the Rankin Smith family was to the Falcons.
Just Me
May 17th, 2011
8:57 pm
Basketball became a JOKE when the FAB 5 came out with the Shorts to the knees and the rest of Basketball followed.
Basketball should be a game of finesse and skill not BANG’N and DUNK’N.
PALMing is STANDARD and so is Traveling.
OHL
May 17th, 2011
9:06 pm
It’s not just attendance in one year or another that makes City X a better hockey market than City Y. Look at the tv ratings where the home city doesn’t have a rooting interest. When it comes to things like the Olympic Gold Medal game between the US and Canada, ratings exploded in Canada and as well as in cities like Pittsburgh, Buffalo, Boston, Minneapolis, Detroit. They are rock bottom in Atlanta. Look at Winter Classic tv ratings. Look at Stanley Cup Finals ratings where a home city’s team is not in it. Cities like Boston and Buffalo are at the top even though their team is not in it, but Atlanta gets beat out by markets like Oklahoma City and Cincinnati. Those are the facts. The only market in the league that you do better than is Miami and they are right behind you in the expansion talks. If Atlanta is such a great hockey market why don’t people watch the Olympics when your own country is in the Ice Hockey Finals? Why don’t you watch the Winter Classic? How many watch the Stanley Cup Finals? That’s why you will lose your team, people don’t follow hockey in Atlanta like they do in other markets.
KLS1
May 17th, 2011
9:07 pm
ASG Scum needs to be moved to Winnepeg…you are not welcome here.
OHL
May 17th, 2011
9:09 pm
It is not just attendance in one year or another that makes City X a better hockey market than City Y. Look at the tv ratings where the home city doesn’t have a rooting interest. When it comes to things like the Olympic Gold Medal game between the US and Canada, ratings exploded in Canada and as well as in cities like Pittsburgh, Buffalo, Boston, Minneapolis, Detroit. They are rock bottom in Atlanta. Look at Winter Classic tv ratings. Look at Stanley Cup Finals ratings where a home city’s team is not in it. Cities like Boston and Buffalo are at the top even though their team is not in it, but Atlanta gets beat out by markets like Oklahoma City and Cincinnati. Those are the facts. The only market in the league that you do better than is Miami and they are right behind you in the expansion talks. If Atlanta is such a great hockey market why don’t people watch the Olympics when your own country is in the Ice Hockey Finals? Why don’t you watch the Winter Classic? How many watch the Stanley Cup Finals? That’s why you will lose your team, people don’t follow hockey in Atlanta like they do in other markets.
Gordon
May 17th, 2011
9:10 pm
I wish that Navy SEAL team has mistaken Bruce Levenson for Obama bin Laden.
B. Thenet
May 17th, 2011
9:10 pm
All for the sake of appeasing Ted one last time.
OHL
May 17th, 2011
9:11 pm
I said “expansion” but I meant “relocation” above. The only market you do better than in tv ratings is Miami and they are right behind you in relocation talks. Sorry for that term mistake.
OHL
May 17th, 2011
9:17 pm
Seguin will be a star in this league, I hope you also know that right now.
Mr. Obvious
May 17th, 2011
9:24 pm
When it comes to ATLANTA SPIRIT GROUP and Customer Service, it can be said Michael Vick treated his dogs better.
TheAntiMe
May 17th, 2011
9:28 pm
None of those jerkwads from the ASG should be allowed to step inside the State of Georgia without being tried for treason and sentenced to life in prison. In the case of Bruce Levenson, Steve Belkin, J. Michael Gearon Sr. and Michael Gearon Jr. – if any of these four are found anywhere within the State of Georgia they should be drawn and quartered ASAP!
Gordon
May 17th, 2011
9:30 pm
Has anyone actually confirmed Bruce Levenson’s long-form birth certificate?
Winnipeg, Canada
May 17th, 2011
9:31 pm
If they could move the Statue of Liberty from France,
we can move Phillips Arena to Winnipeg.
Robert Barron
May 17th, 2011
9:33 pm
How did Billy Knight get the job as general manager?
The Boston guy was correct to object.
The chance for a championship was right there and all Knight had to do was draft Chris Paul to fill the obvious need at point guard.
Teenage fantasy players could have done it.
Wait a Minute
May 17th, 2011
9:34 pm
When these bone heads gave Joe “Slow” Johnson max type money…we knew they were not right with basic decision making.
hmmmm......
May 17th, 2011
9:35 pm
Would they have done better if they were located somewhere besides the heart of atlanta?
PMC
May 17th, 2011
9:37 pm
These guys have burned this city worse than Sherman.
chasjons
May 17th, 2011
9:37 pm
My question is there something that we have learned about the Atlanta market since the Thrasher’s arrival that we didn’t know prior to their arrival? Is there an assumption that NHL hockey simply isn’t a good fit in our city or did the owners mess up the team beyond the point of no return? Based on the attendance figures I would say there is some strong loyalty for a perennnial losing team. NHL t.v. ratings will always be low in this city, but I wouldn’t think they would be that much different than in other expansion cities. Clearly NHL teams are viable outside of Canada and the Northeast, but I feel like the Thrashers never had a chance with the bufoon owners they were stuck with. It is a real shame that they are were they are…a blue light special being sold my Kmart.
hmmmm......
May 17th, 2011
9:38 pm
traffic and marta suck. arthur blank wants to move the falcons north
TheAntiMe
May 17th, 2011
9:39 pm
The scummy ASG hockey team deserves to be in Winnipeg with the scummy Winnipeg trolls that have all the class of a diarrhea and monkey puss popsicle which is known to be the favorite treat of Winnipeg trolls like OHL who probably has an endorsement deal with the new hockey team soon to be named The Winnipeg Dung Beetles. It seems to be a match made in dung heaven.
PMC
May 17th, 2011
9:40 pm
When you look up Epic Fail in the dictionary… there is a picture of the ASG.
EA
May 17th, 2011
9:42 pm
I would be concerned if I was the guy buying the Hawks. Many people will feel like Bart.
how long until Winnipeg loses the Thrashers?
May 17th, 2011
9:42 pm
Yeah, Winnipeg is a great hockey town. That’s why they’ve already lost a team to Phoenix.
PMC
May 17th, 2011
9:45 pm
OHL, Atlanta is losing their hockey team because the league is getting 60 million in relocation money and another 25 million in blood money from Glendale, AZ so they can keep an even more poorly performing franchise there.
Why oh why are there 3 hockey teams in the greater NYC area if the Islanders are even worse than the Thrashers in attendance????
They have great overall Hockey ratings in NYC I’m sure, so if the Islanders can’t even out draw this pathetic excuse for a hockey team that would be rivaled by many AHL clubs….why do they freaking exist?
Why wouldn’t Winnepeg just take their old team back from awful Arizona? $85 million reasons that have nothing to do with anyone in this market.
YeaSayer28
May 17th, 2011
9:45 pm
Hey Mark, did you at least GOOGLE this guy??? You could have included the fact that he seems like a very CHEAP owner…not to mention the fact that he was a shady businessman as well…This is not the type of owner that the Hawks need!!!
NoDawgsAllowed
May 17th, 2011
9:46 pm
Tarring & feathering ought to come back in style very quickly if any of the ASG group ever dares to show their faces in the state again. Followed immediately by the revival of riding people out of town of a rail.
WAKE UP
May 17th, 2011
9:47 pm
Mark,
Stop perpetuating the lie being told by the ASG and the NHL that there are no prospective buyers willing to keep the team in Atlanta. They’re saying this b/c they want to get maximum dollar for the franchise and the highest bidders are in Winnipeg.
WAKE UP
May 17th, 2011
9:48 pm
Excellent points PMC.
question
May 17th, 2011
9:50 pm
So if Atlanta ponied up 25 million to keep the Thrashers here another year (like Glendale did for the Coyotes), would the NHL take over ownership of the franchise?
bird
May 17th, 2011
9:50 pm
I would definitely buy Hawks season tickets if they had a new owner. Man I hope this Happens!
OHL
May 17th, 2011
9:52 pm
PMC, do you realize that it’s not just about the gate revenue? The Islanders are last in the league or in the bottom 3 but they are PROFITABLE! Atlanta can crawl up to the top 20 and still be losing money. The Isles make more in tv revenue than you can dream of in Atlanta. Now throw in if Wang ever builds his compound or whatever he wants and they can turn things around at the gate as well. That will be taken care of when they get their vote this summer. Please don’t compare your arena to theirs. But know that it’s not just about attendance. They are a hockey market when they get eyeballs on tv sets which they do that.
Mgibby
May 17th, 2011
10:02 pm
Moores was by no means a good owner of the Padres. Whenever they had success, it was due to them lucking up with quick development of their young players(All of which, he let walk when it came time to re-up).
There was talk of the padres trading Adrian Gonzales prior to 08. Sports writers here saw that coming when he hit his first homerun lol!
leave now
May 17th, 2011
10:03 pm
good riddance to the lowly hawks and thrasher–both teams are an embarrassment to the city—which is why everyone calls atl loserville.
PMC
May 17th, 2011
10:04 pm
I’m not comparing arena’s. Hell the Islanders have actually been around long enough to have history and they are in a hockey instead of a college football market.
The idea that they are profitable though is laughable. Hockey has by far the worst TV deal of any major sport in America. The Islanders are in a metropolitan area with over 20 million people and they can’t out draw THE THRASHERS???? The Islanders actually have been to the playoffs in their history and won a game. If they can’t out draw a team in an area that “doesn’t have remotely good hockey ratings” why would they exist? The league needs retraction. They need it in the NBA too. Hell MLB is the same way. There are 3 or 4 teams that are making numbers for everyone in the league.
Southernhockeyfan
May 17th, 2011
10:05 pm
I know they still have to make a living, but I can’t believe the the ticket office is still trying to sell season tickets. Seems a little bit like deceptive advertising to me.
Atlfan
May 17th, 2011
10:05 pm
You can brag about the traditional hockey markets and what they do right now and yes they are better than Atlanta but cities like Detroit, Buffalo, and Pittsburgh are considered traditional hockey markets but the cities are losing population. Guess where they are losing it to. Cities like Atlanta and also to the states of Florida and Arizona, Tennessee, North Carolina and so on. These people don’t stop liking hockey when they move and their is an obvious shift in the population to these non hockey markets and they bring their love with them. Glavine is a great example of this.
Maybe the NHL got ahead of itself with the over expansion but it had the right idea. These are the new and thriving cities in the US and they wanted to put down roots. Slowly but surely they were doing that in Atlanta despite the bs ownership. Short term, Winnipeg looks great but long term it is likely not the best decision.
Bill
May 17th, 2011
10:08 pm
I’ve read a lot about thrashers, hawks, asg, etc over the last several days. It gets more and more distressing by the minute. The sag is a joke.
PMC
May 17th, 2011
10:10 pm
The irony is that this is a HUGE NBA town. This town pulls enormous numbers for the NBA. The Hawks if they ever had even one superstar that was galvanizing and people believed in could be sold out every other night. They don’t have it. They’ve only had one real superstar in history and they are STILL trading on his name 20 years after they traded him ingloriously.
The south was always going to be College Football dominated because of history and the late arrival of pro teams. The dynamic is different than up north. The Braves are gigantic. They have one of the widest coverage areas of any team in the league. The Falcons don’t have much of a history but Arthur Blank seems to be doing well considering the terrible “relatively speaking” stadium deal. The Hawks save Billy’s bumbling could be owning this city right now….alas…. Joe is a rich man.
Wait a Minute
May 17th, 2011
10:14 pm
Reading all these blogs: I have yet to find one person say anything positive about the members of ASG. These guy must be complete arse holes – just as they appear..
BALI ..
May 17th, 2011
10:16 pm
maybe the thrashers and the hawks will move out of town
Dan
May 17th, 2011
10:18 pm
Atlanta Spirit…what a joke; they we’re in over their heads with daddy’s money to begin with; what a disgrace to the city…shame
OHL
May 17th, 2011
10:25 pm
PMC you are only looking at the NBC and Versus deal. Are you remotely aware that Fox Sports NY pays probably 10x to the Isles than what your local Fox Sports pays to the Thrashers? NESN pays in the same ballpark to the Bruins as what the Celtics get. Do you really think the Timberwolves get more money from their Fox Sports than what the Wild get? National tv deals aren’t the only tv revenue. That’s how the Isles can be profitable and you can’t even though you draw the same at the gate. If you are Budweiser, how much are you going to pay MSG to advertise on a Rangers or Sabres game? Now compare that to what you would pay to your Fox Sports to advertise on a Thrashers game. Night and day difference. That’s why those teams make so much more money than the Thrashers ever will. And as much as some of those cities might be losing population, they kill when it comes to tv ratings while others get killed. Where is Ford going to advertise for local NBC affiliates during the Stanley Cup Finals or Winter Classic? Or should they just go to CBC? It’s about eyeballs on the screens, not just butts in the seats.
Atlanta Spirit Sucks
May 17th, 2011
10:29 pm
Hawks fans, John Moores has consistently operated the San Diego Padres as one of the lowest payroll teams in Major League Baseball for years.
Trust me, this guy is bad news, just like the Spirit Clowns.
Come join the party and RISE UP!
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Atlanta-Georgia/Atlanta-Spirit-Sucks/114671988618038
OHL
May 17th, 2011
10:30 pm
PMC you are only looking at the NBC and Versus deals. What about the local coverage? Do you really think that your Fox Sports station pays as much to the Thrashers as Fox Sports NY pays to the Isles? If you are Budweiser, do you want to pay to advertise on MSG for a Rangers or Sabres game or on your Fox Sports for a Thrashers game? The Isles are profitable for that reason and it’s certainly not laughable. The Bruins can get as much money from NESN as the Celtics get from Fox Sports New England. But that will not happen for the Thrashers. It’s not just about butts in seats but also about eyeballs on tv sets.
Thrasher fan
May 17th, 2011
10:35 pm
Mark if you want to help call out the league. Cviv is off the reservation. His statements of95% chance of relocation and going to Winnipeg press to discredit competing bids have earmarks of auditioning for a beat job in Winnipeg if the team moves. How about an article calling out Bettman. Where is his commitment to Atlanta fans. The league is talking realignment and a schedule including Winnipeg. He is dead silent as local groups show interest. According to sag the team had a cloud preventing it’s sale until December 2010. As such it has only been freely for sale for 4-5 months. It looks like a league sellout for the 60 million relocation fee. If the league has any integrity at all it must slow the process to allow local interest to play out. Bettman needs to be called out for his silence on the apparent sellout of the Atlanta fans. Truth be told new ownership in Atlanta would find tremendous support from Atlanta hockey fans and the sport would succeed
OHL
May 17th, 2011
10:37 pm
Atlfan those cities might be losing some population, but they still kill when it comes to tv ratings. NESN, Fox Sports Pittsburgh and MSG Buffalo will pay double, triple, maybe 10x what your Fox Sports channel pays to the Thrashers. That all gets figured into which markets are better for an NHL team and which have little chance of ever being profitable.
Wendell
May 17th, 2011
10:39 pm
OHL – get lost eh? Go stick your johnson in a snowman or something – it would be more productive than spewing your socialist dribble on this message board. You hypocritical canucks are a joke.
James on Pharr Rd
May 17th, 2011
10:40 pm
Joe Johnson actually makes enough money to get a line of credit and buy the Hawks outright with no group of investors. If necessary, he can get together with Marvin and put up more cash up-front….
PMC
May 17th, 2011
10:42 pm
http://www.forbes.com/lists/2008/31/nhl08_New-York-Islanders_312071.html You might find this small piece from Forbes fairly interesting OHL.
Yes, their media deal is keeping them afloat but barely. Check out the value. Worth LESS than the owner paid for the team just a few years ago. More profitable than exactly 4 clubs. Terrible Phoenix, Nashville, Tampa and Atlanta…and their in a HOCKEY MARKET, they are lucky they are getting what they are getting, and when the ad rates are rescheduled they won’t get that….yet we’re going to kill at Atlanta…yet again, for not being a hockey market. Ok. The league has bigger issues.
PMC
May 17th, 2011
10:45 pm
Sorry, that was 2008. Here is the more current link. The value has improved slightly but they certainly aren’t profitable.
http://www.forbes.com/lists/2010/31/hockey-valuations-10_New-York-Islanders_312071.html
EDIMGIUSAFAD
May 17th, 2011
10:46 pm
The clowns in Minipeg couldn’t make it work with the jets, now they can make it with the thrashers??? Right…………..
PMC
May 17th, 2011
10:48 pm
then, if anyone cares, you can go see that the Thrashers actually made money for a couple of years. Compare that to the horrible waste that is the Coyotes, and Glendale is actually paying money to keep them in town? I guess they are going to send their prisoners to games.
Let me pat our mayor on the back for NOT stepping in and wasting public funds for that kind of stupidity.
Berens
May 17th, 2011
10:50 pm
Vivlamore said today that the long-rumoured deep-pocketed saviour dubbed ‘The Balkan’ outed today as J.B Smith has been involved in previous sports franchise investment talks and has never been able to prove his financing was in place.
“Smith is not a credible person” to be considered as a candidate to buy the Thrashers, Vivlamore said. “He’s previously met with Atlanta Spirit Group (ASG) and when asked to show his financials, he was unable to.”
Vivlamore added that Smith’s only response to the request was to suggest that his money was “in China.”
Smith was allegedly looking to purchase the Thrashers, the NBA’s Atlanta Hawks and the rights to the Philips Arena – the entire sports asset base held by ASG. But Vivlamore confirmed that a group currently has exclusivity in negotiations for the Hawks and the arena as a pair, excluding the Thrashers in the agreement.
A second group reportedly made an offer for the Thrashers, but Vivlamore clarified that they presented a basic “term sheet” which is a one-page document outlining the terms of a possible sale agreement. Vivlamore said the term sheet did not gain traction with ASG.
GO JETS GO
Malcolm Reynolds
May 17th, 2011
10:51 pm
Welcome your San Diego Hawks!
PMC
May 17th, 2011
10:56 pm
All of our money is in china, so to speak.
Thrasher fan
May 17th, 2011
10:57 pm
http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/breakingnews/True-North-seeking-debt-help-from-govt-in-NHL-bid-122067534.html. True north can’t even do deal without Canadian govt help going in.
@edimguisfag
May 17th, 2011
10:57 pm
wake up tool, little late in the game for lame comments like that. How but some more depth? Our owner has so much money he’s probably buying the Hawks too just to add to the sting of the loss. We care even less about basketball than you do about hockey.
@Thrasher fan
May 17th, 2011
10:59 pm
If the money is there why not take it. But I guarantee it will be a lot less than the FIFTY MILLION DOLLARS inbred Mayor Scruggs gave the NHL last week for a LAME DUCK MONEY LOSING FRANCHISE in one of the MOST CONSERVATIVE STATES IN THE COUNTRY WITH ONE OF THE WORST ECONOMIES.
Keep Hockey in Atlanta
May 17th, 2011
10:59 pm
The NHL seriously needs to dump NBC and Versus and go back to ESPN. Tuesday and Thursday night hockey was something to look forward to. Also @ OHL I freaking love Olympic hockey but it sucks that alot of it comes on MSNBC which I don’t get. Winter Classic? It’s on the same day as major college bowls and on a far inferior channel(NBC).
AtlFlamesFan
May 17th, 2011
11:03 pm
I don’t think the govt financing of the building’s debt is a big deal. Philips is backed by bonds tied to the Hawks playing there. The Manitoba govt never financed their arena because there was no team there yet. If the Thrashers move there, then govt financing of the bonds would be just like the Hawks tied to Philips.
Atlfan
May 17th, 2011
11:03 pm
“Atlfan those cities might be losing some population, but they still kill when it comes to tv ratings.”
Of course they do, they’ve been around longer. The point is the population in the US is trending away from those cities and the future of the league will probably be better if they put down roots in the cities where the population is going so they can build a solid base of fans. It doesn’t happen overnight and especially with a product that has been as bad as the Thrashers but given their rapid expansion into these cities its apparent they saw something in these markets that they wanted. The NHL already falls well behind the NFL, and the NBA and MLB in the US. If they don’t find success in these growing markets they could find themselves falling behind the MLS and since all the league’s at the end of the day are businesses they might not like that. Its not just about whats happening today in the NHL but what the future holds for this league.
Coach Dooley
May 17th, 2011
11:07 pm
The best thing that could happen to the Hawks would be new ownership. That knows what they are doing. We have seen this movie before with the Falcons and the Smith family and suffered for years as a result.
4 jacks
May 17th, 2011
11:09 pm
The Atlanta Spirit Group should absolutely be ashamed of what they have done to the average sports fan in Atlanta. These guys are pathetic losers, no if, and, or buts. They have betrayed everything thing associated with sports in this town where the hawks and Thrashers are concerned. Now the sorry pathetic loser are suing King and Spalding trying to recoup some of the money they have lost. Like the spoiled little rich kids that they are they will blame sombody else trying to cover their on azz. I hope everyone of these pukes in up in bankruptcy and are totally humiliated, as that is the best they deserve. Go F off you sorry excuses for owners and thank for effing nothing…you guys suck plain and simple.
boogaloo
May 17th, 2011
11:12 pm
The most inside comment I heard today that I can’t believe didn’t come out earlier is that the Hawks, the Thrashers AND the arena are all for sale but the potential owner has no interest in the Thrashers – so the only way for ownership to keep the Thrashers in Atlanta is to sell the Hawks and the arena and then rent or least 50 or so dates a year from the new owners putting them in an even worse position with no revenue from concessions and relying solely on TV and Gate revenue.
NEVER GOING TO HAPPEN.
And while it may be unseemly that Winnipeg is now asking for government assistance to purchase the Thrashers, you have to know that because that fact has never leaked before that they held that VERY close to the vest – the very fact that they even asked the question of the Manitoba government shows that a deal is all but done.
Unless Mayor Sruggs gets elected in Atlanta in the next 48 hours, Thrashers and their stank record are on their way north.
Coach Dooley
May 17th, 2011
11:13 pm
They are nothing but jock sniffers that know nothing about how to build and run an NBA team.
Keep Hockey in Atlanta
May 17th, 2011
11:15 pm
If the Winnipeggers are already asking for bailout money then that should throw up a red flag right there.
Fred
May 17th, 2011
11:18 pm
Its a sad day when you lose a major team from your city. Would love for Thrasher to stay.
Yesssssssssssssssssssss Please sell the Hawks to someone who cares! I hate the Spirits group, what a joke for owners.
Berens
May 17th, 2011
11:22 pm
its not ‘bailout’ money, its a low interest government loan. And tough to take any criticism from a country that has subsidized 15 of the 20 billion dollars spent on sports stadiums in the United states since 1980. Many facilities, not just sports facilities, receive government backing because of the contribution their success makes to the economy.
Gordon
May 17th, 2011
11:23 pm
Hell isn’t hot enough for Bruce Levenson and Michael Gearon, JR.
However, it’ll do.
Keep Hockey in Atlanta
May 17th, 2011
11:26 pm
Where’s SEAL Team Six when ya need them?
Just Me
May 17th, 2011
11:29 pm
How may guys are on a Hockey team?
So 20 or so white guys without a job? Sounds just like everybody else.
Basketball has what 15 players?
So, another 15 blacks over paid workers without a job? Sounds like what needs to happen most Government workers.
Lets get a Soccer team! Hire 20 something Illegal Hispanics to do a Job nobody wants and get paid less than they are worth. Sounds like most of America.
Atlanta Spirit Sucks
May 17th, 2011
11:31 pm
Smith wants to buy the whole thing. The Spirit Clowns are trying to block that sale with the “exclusive negotiations” with Moores.
Moores is a cheap ass, just like the Spirit Clowns. Moores can’t afford all three, Hawks, Thrashers, and the Arena. That’s the problem.
Jay Clemons has already resigned his Sports Illustrated job to join Reign Sports.
Too many people are writing off Smith and Reign Sports.
Goick
May 17th, 2011
11:32 pm
If the team can’t stay in Georgia, it must go to Winnipeg, and there appears to be, according to pretty much every report out there, no way for the team to maintain its current address. Oddly enough, it’s basically the same scenario in which Winnipeg lost the Jets to Phoenix. Barry Shenkarow wanted out, there was no one willing to own the team in the Manitoba capital and the city had no interest in investing millions in the hockey club.
In the end, there was no longer anything tethering the team to Winnipeg, and that’s pretty much where we are with the Thrashers, apparently. The best that can be said if this happens is that the Thrashers lasted longer in the Deep South (11 years) than did their NHL ancestors, the Flames (eight years).
Still, while all of this might seem to add up to Winnipeg having a new NHL club soon, let’s wait on that, just to be on the safe side. It would take something along the lines of the silly politicians in Donkeytown (alias Glendale) ponying up $25 million annually to support the Phoenix Coyotes to save the Thrashers now, but Bettman and his people are resourceful and smart and you know that given their druthers, they’d surely prefer this franchise in Atlanta than Manitoba.
The other possibility would be that talks between the Atlanta Spirit ownership group and True North Sports and Entertainment in Winnipeg fall apart. Maybe Bruce Levensen and his group will ask too much for their failed hockey club. Perhaps Chipman and Thomson will object to a relocation fee, or to paying upwards of $170 million for a team that most estimate really is only worth something in the neighborhood of $60 million. ( not a typo, only 60 million)
No deal was in place on Monday. President Don Waddell said the team is “exploring all options with respect to the future of the Thrashers.”
Some are suggesting there will be a sale agreement by Friday, but then, we should all know from the Phoenix gong show that these stories have a way of generating false deadlines. Still, the NHL has a schedule to put out by June 15, so time is short and reports are suggesting the math on including Winnipeg in the mix is being computed.
There is great debate in here as to whether the city failed the Thrashers or the Thrashers, through incompetence, failed the city. That distinction matters in Atlanta, but probably nowhere else.
The larger perspective is that while the 1997 expansion plan that added Nashville, Columbus, Minnesota and Atlanta to the league might not be a total failure, it certainly didn’t strengthen the league at all. All four clubs lose money, and only the Blue Jackets have the same owner as they started with.
It was a rash, foolhardy and greed driven attempt to bloat the league to 30 teams, and it has ended up being a negative, not to mention a drain on league coffers through revenue sharing.
Moreover, not a single new market has opened up its doors to the league since, unless you count Kansas City. For three decades, the NHL governors could always count on there being new cities out there willing to build arenas and pay expansion fees, but that well has run dry.
Growing to 30 teams from 21, meanwhile, has yielded a profitable franchise in San Jose and a team in Ottawa that had to be rescued from bankruptcy before becoming stable.
ALL OF THE ABOVE EQUALS BETTMAN INCOMPETENCE AT THE BEHEST OF GREEDY, INCOMPETENT OWNERS WHO COULD GIVE A CRAP ABOUT HOCKEY.
Falafal House
May 17th, 2011
11:33 pm
Guys… about that article about TNSE wanting financial assistance from the city of wpg. Relax, it is smart business… winnipeg has elections coming up this year and Greg Selinger wants to win so he is looking to cash in on “bringing the jets back to wpg” TNSE sees this and will have him pay his way into being part of this group and bringing back NHL to the city. Selinger just bought and won the election. Think it was just a coincidence that this article comes out now? TNSE are one tight smart crew. Go jets!
Atlanta Spirit Sucks
May 17th, 2011
11:33 pm
Berens – Most Thrashers would like to see Winnipeg get a team….via expansion, not poaching.
Falafal House
May 17th, 2011
11:36 pm
too many teams needing to be bailed out… NHL will not expand.
@Atlanta spirit
May 17th, 2011
11:37 pm
Its not poaching, its saving. If you ever want to cheer for the Thrashers again it will have to be in Winnipeg. If the sale to Winnipeg doesn’t happen your group of owners are just going to leave the keys on the floor on their way out and say to Bettman, ‘fine, you run it’.
The would lose less money walking away than running it another year.
money talks
May 17th, 2011
11:39 pm
the city of atlanta needs to kick in big money to save the hawks and thrashers. the owners are losing big money and it’s up to the city to pay whatever it takes to keep both teams—it’s good for the economy so the city can just raise taxes to pay all the money needed.
Bo
May 17th, 2011
11:40 pm
OHL
May 17th, 2011
9:11 pm
Miami and they are right behind you in relocation talks. Sorry for that term mistake.
———–
Actually not true. Panthers are tied to the arena deal, they can’t move for several years and the team makes money owning rights to all events that come to the arena.
P. Bull Terrier
May 17th, 2011
11:51 pm
Steve @ 8:25 hit the nail on the head. We all thought Steve Belkin was the bad guy, but it turns out he was the only ASG owner who had a clue. Too bad the court ruling went against him.
At this point, I would be willing to sacrifice the Thrashers if it meant getting a real owner for the Hawks. Moores may or may not be an improvement over the ASG, but I can’t imagine how he could be worse.
Atlanta Spirit Sucks
May 17th, 2011
11:52 pm
What most of you Peggers fail to comprehend is the manner in which the Spirit “enhance” the loses of the Hawks and Thrashers.
The ASG uses the “Arena Operations” unit to charge a “management fee” for each home game.
The ASG are the most disingenuous owners in the NHL. With a ownership change, Atlanta fans would flock back. Check the attendence numbers for the Thrashers since inception. When the general manager, Don Waddell, continued to get caught lying to the fans and the owners called the STHs “Smart Asses” at Towne Hall Meetings, attendence dwindled.
Give this a listen and you will understand the problem.
http://www.tsn.ca/window/podcastcentre.aspx?xmlURL=http%3A%2F%2Fwww2.tsn.ca%2Fpodcasts%2Ftsnpodcast.xml&mp3URL=http%3A%2F%2Fpodcast.tsn.ca%2Ftsnradio%2Fbouchard_051611.mp3
Most Thrasher fans have tried to be patient with the Peggers. We understand you “got hosed” before. We are hopeful, once you understand the underlying problem, that you would actually hope we can find good owners so we can once again sell out every home game again.
Ducks Fan
May 17th, 2011
11:55 pm
Mark, it takes a big man to admit when he’s wrong. And you, sir, are a giant among men much of the time.
Atlanta Spirit Sucks
May 17th, 2011
11:58 pm
P. Bull Terrier – Several years ago, the Thrashers drew more attendence than the Hawks. No one advocated sacrificing the Hawks. Both fan bases need to work together. I attend both.
Visit the Padres blogs and ask what they think of Moores, then tell me you’d rather have Moores.
Crazy Diamond
May 18th, 2011
12:03 am
Bill Gates or Warren Buffett and all their $$ money would not make hockey successful in Atlanta. Atlanta is not a hockey town. Period. No matter who owns the NHL franchise in Atlanta – it will fail. Might as well own a men’s field hockey team in Atlanta.
One can only hope that new ownership for the Hawks will make a difference. Pay a successful coach to manage your multi-million dollar player payroll and let’s go Hawks.
OHL
May 18th, 2011
12:13 am
PMC you still need to look at the whole picture. The Isles are barely profitable but they have the 2nd oldest rink in the league. They get barely any money from things like suites. If they can make as much money as they have on just what they’ve been getting, what happens when the vote comes this summer to give them a new arena. One with PUBLIC funding for all those making cracks about Winnipeg needing govt money. So once he gets that, look for that value to skyrocket. I would also ask if any public money went into Philips Arena, Turner Field or if the Falcons owner wants public money for a new Georgia Dome.
Chop Chop
May 18th, 2011
12:22 am
Shove off, you Crazy Diamond.
Hockey would do just fine in this town if an owner gave a damn about producing a good product. I like the young talent on this Thrashers squad, but the ownership has made little effort here. They are unwilling to spend money in order to bring playoff hockey to Atlanta on a regular basis. The only excuse for that is that these guys don’t give a damn about winning. They’ve only seen this team as an asset that must be sold. Fans of any sport should never abide that kind of mess.
Winnipeg Will Fail Again
May 18th, 2011
12:25 am
If Winnipeg gets another team, they will fail again. Coyotes players were already stating publically that they didn’t want to play there. Truth North is already begging for government assistance. It’s just a matter of time before payroll drops, top tier UFAs avoid the city, and the product sucks.
OHL
May 18th, 2011
12:28 am
PMC once Wang gets the vote this summer he will get an arena that has suites and all the other major revenue producers. What will that do to the Isles value then? For all the cracks about Winnipeg getting govt money, did Philips Arena get any govt money in the form of bonds? Does the owner of the Atlanta Falcons want the govt to build a new Georgia Dome? Was Turner Field built with any govt money from the Olympics? If Atlanta truly is a hockey town, we will see how many people in the market tune in to the Stanley Cup Finals. History says not many at all.
Atlanta Spirit Sucks
May 18th, 2011
12:39 am
Peggers listen to this to get a good taste of Team President Don Waddell and the Spirit Clowns
http://www.tsn.ca/window/podcastcentre.aspx?xmlURL=http%3A%2F%2Fwww2.tsn.ca%2Fpodcasts%2Ftsnpodcast.xml&mp3URL=http%3A%2F%2Fpodcast.tsn.ca%2Ftsnradio%2Fbouchard_051611.mp3
Just Me
May 18th, 2011
12:41 am
Look at ALL the seat wearing White T-Shirt in that photo. I guess we know the problem with teams playing in Phillips Arena. NOBODY CARES. All white boys on Ice or all black boys on Wood playing too many games in downtown Atlanta in the middle of the week. Who wants to go see that and risk their lives? NOBODY.
Atlanta Spirit Sucks
May 18th, 2011
12:41 am
If a plane, only containing the seven Spirit Clowns, were to crash, who would you hope survives?
The people on the ground.
Jo-Bu
May 18th, 2011
12:50 am
NHL: Hmmm…. let’s see, sell Thrashers and move them to Winnie, make $60 Million. I think it’s a no brianer. It’s the NHL that will be making big money off of this move and I think that’s why GB is not saying anything about saving the Thrashers.
As far as Atlanta not being a hockeytown. We packed the the house to the rafters when we made the post the first time. There’s a market here if we can get ownership that really cares about the game.
Summerteeth
May 18th, 2011
1:24 am
Georgia will support a good team. But the fact is, all these stadiums and arenas are in horrible locations. Turner Field is in the freakin ghetto for cryin out loud! Probably the biggest dump of a stadium in professional sports. And people wonder why attendance is so bad.
TV ratings are huge for the Braves, Falcons and Hawks. We just need to relocate these stadiums like Arthur Blank is trying to do.
Downtown Atlanta is a horrible place for a pro arena/stadium.
litz
May 18th, 2011
1:48 am
“How may guys are on a Hockey team?
So 20 or so white guys without a job?”
Obviously Just Me hasn’t bothered to actually LOOK at the Thrashers lineup …
Come on people, either think and then type … or don’t bother.
KevinM
May 18th, 2011
3:30 am
So people are actually thinking there is a worse owner than the ASG? I find that hard to imagine, but I guess its possible. What the ASG has done here is just alienate a majority of the fans who follow the Thrashers and Hawks religiously.
I don’t see a win-win in either situation; If the Hawks don’t improve, and they won’t without major management changes, then you might see Dominique looking for work as well. These negotiations takes him out of the ownership team as well.
Seems like the Moores are coming in at a good time if you want to buy a pro team that where the union is trying to lower player’s salaries drastically. Getting the cap down from 70M to 45M can only improve the bottom line, no?
Now, the issues going forward will be moving the contract of one Joe Johnson, saving millions in future payouts. If the Moores are cheap as many are saying, then expect the Hawks to take a cost reduction in the near future.
I wouldn’t be buying real estate in Atlanta if I was tied to the Hawks.
jerrymcneil39
May 18th, 2011
3:41 am
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The American Dream
May 18th, 2011
4:00 am
The Spirit Group should be celebrated for their management of the Thrashers. I have attended every Thrashers home game since they came to Atlanta. The games are way more entertaining than the Braves. I think this whole situation is the fan’s fault. When the Thrashers have put a decent product on the ice, the fans continued to ignore the team. Overall, I think this is just another piece of evidence that demonstrates that the ATL is still a backwater town filled with rednecks and ignorant people. Hockey is just too sophisticated for the ATL.
Cesare Maniago
May 18th, 2011
6:27 am
The issue of “fan support” involves attendance at games….for ALL Atlanta teams.
I have said before…and will say today….the location of the facilities and their surrounding areas are a primary reason for the poor attendance or “fan support”. Philips Arena is a PITA to get to….especially for a 700pm game. Worse for the Dome. And the neighborhood around The Ted is nothing short of….and has been since the days of A-FC Stadium.
Even when winning, “fan support” in ATL has not been what is experienced in other cities. Only in the ATL can you have playoff games with more visiting team fans attending than the home team fans…remember the Falcons/Packers playoff game last fall? Even the Fox announcers commented about it during the game!
The Falcons and the Hawks all tried to move their facilities to the north side closer to the center of the metro population base. Political pressure and the lure of tax incentives kept them in town. Not only are the ASG owners greedy, but the leaders of ATL have been as well.
Yeah, the fault lies with ASG with the Hawks…and especially the Thrashers….but the root of the problem lies with the City of Atlanta and it’s leaders.
csmny63
May 18th, 2011
6:36 am
In the matter of the Thrashers, I have no opinion.
But as far as ASG spending money to field a winning team, can someone please name a player turning free agent the team let go to save money? Payroll is what, like, seventh highest in the league? Except for the low salary paid to Larry Drew, where has ownership gone to the cheap?
If the question is, why didn’t we go for LeBron, Carmelo, etc. etc…They weren’t coming here no matter how much we were going to spend. And an open checkbook isn’t a guarantee of anything – see the Knicks.
Bumbling and sometimes graceless but I just don’t see that ASG didn’t spend money to field a winner.
DHD
May 18th, 2011
6:38 am
“ATL is still a backwater town filled with rednecks and ignorant people.” Really? Atlanta? The #1 city for the black entrepreneur? The city with a black mayor? The #2 city for gays? When did you do your survey? Wow.
Youalreadyknow
May 18th, 2011
7:02 am
Atlanta do not deserve any sport teams, fans only support them when it’s the place to be seen for that day, or when they are winning, or big teams in town. The Falcons fans are just as bad, when they were losing you could not give away tickets, now it’s the place to be only because they are winning. I say SELL EM ALL…
sports fan
May 18th, 2011
7:19 am
Bradley, you know nothing about the business of sports, and your uninformed sniping over the years has done nothing but cause harm to our teams. I guess it makes you feel big that you can influence readers, but it’s a sad testament to Atlantans that they actually believe the crap that you spew and have no brains of thier own. Compare the Hawks success over the last five years with the Falcons. Hawks have a higher payroll relative to the other teams in their league, and the Hawks have done better on the court, including playoff wins. Why aren’t you complaining about the Falcons’ low payroll, crappy stadium, and terrible on-field performance (not to mention that the team doesn’t have one bona fide star). I get so tired of the “we love Arthur Blank and hate the Spirit” crap when it is not backed up by facts. Hockey is gone, as well it should be. It doesn’t work in the south. Period.
reebok
May 18th, 2011
7:23 am
darn…when i saw that headline, for one brief shining moment i thought we were on the verge of having the thrashers AND the hawks put out of our misery…
bob from account emps
May 18th, 2011
7:35 am
a bunch of little boys with big-boy toys that they can not afford. they showed off to their friends but must now hang their heads. their pockets are empty just like thier words. i feel sorry for the operations people. another round of wondering if they will be outsourced.
new owners
May 18th, 2011
7:40 am
Altanta is an African-American city—hopefully, the new owners are minorities and will make efforts to get more African-Americans to the games by cutting ticket prices. The city should step up and offer the new owners money to make a big profit so they can an African-American ownership group to buy the team—maybe Magic Johnson.
Steve
May 18th, 2011
7:40 am
Quite frankly I would prefer the Hawks to go and the Thrashers to stay. The Thrashers attendance was nearly as good as the Hawks despite a lack of wins which says to me it can outpace the Hawks easily. Get rid of the Hawks who will never win anything and at least give another sport a chance.
The Hawks have spent money and wasted picks for over three decades. Meanwhile the Thrashers are still what you have to consider a fledgling franchise that hasn’t had an owner willing to really make it happen.
If one has to go from a fans perspective, it should be the Hawks, a team of continual ‘mediocrity at best’.
jhfth
May 18th, 2011
7:41 am
jusr me@12:41 – check the thrasher line up – i think there are a couple of non-white guys on the team and as for the hawks, they have their nba required 2 white guys.
Steve
May 18th, 2011
7:44 am
new owners – they can’t cut the ticket prices and pay the salaries needed to put a winning team on the floor.
And no .. I do not want my tax-payer money being doled out to already rich owners in an effort to make the Hawks a more ‘minority’ team.
That is ridiculous given that we don’t have the money to hire more teachers, improve schools, hire police or firefighters, improve our infrastructure and a whole ton of other things. If the Hawks can’t lure minority owners to Atlanta without a tax-payer bailout, then the Hawks can go bye bye. No one would miss them judging by the rampant fan apathy for 90% of the season.
ken
May 18th, 2011
7:53 am
the last thing magic johnson bought in atlanta went bankrupt
The Real JC
May 18th, 2011
7:56 am
Probably too late to get a Bradley comment, but do you know what kind of owner Moores is? Will he actually dip into the luxury tax to field a winning Hawks team?
Renee
May 18th, 2011
7:57 am
I hear a group headed by former LSU basketball player Bernard Woodside has an offer on the table for 500M for the hawks and thrashers and is committed to keeping them both in Atlanta. Woodside has family and business ties to Atlanta and runs a hedge fund and swiss asset management firm.
ASG = JERKS
May 18th, 2011
8:00 am
Someone give me your best explanation that the ASG is a good ownership – anyone?
Atlanta Hawks also for sale? – Yahoo! Sports | Free NBA Videos
May 18th, 2011
8:05 am
[...] Atlanta Journal Constitution (blog) [...]
K T
May 18th, 2011
8:13 am
It takes more than a group of fans with strong local connections and some money to manage a professional sports franchise. This group has sent Atlanta basketball and hockey back a decade.
KT
Thomas Magnum
May 18th, 2011
8:23 am
KEEP THE THRASHERS IN ATLANTA!
Seek the truth
May 18th, 2011
8:39 am
The AJC needs to dig up what is really going on.
Gearon has no interest in keeping thrashers in Atlanta. They are chilling any offer along with a thought out plan to isolate thrashers therefore making it unattractive for an owner. They kept Waddell on because he was doing a great job devaluing it here in Atlanta.
Mike and Bruce are worth over a billion combined. Do you really think they would keep a poor performer in their private businesses? I do not think so!
There is more to this and it’s time to call Gearon out…..this is a blow to Atlanta and this guy walks away with making money ( that he does not need) while the fans and children lose.
SWAT Native
May 18th, 2011
8:52 am
I hope everything works out, but I have to wonder about the business judgement of someone that would buy an NBA team at this moment with an expiring collective bargaining agreement and a pending lockout or strike.
StungByAYellowJacket
May 18th, 2011
8:54 am
“Everything Must Go’!!!!!! Kind of sounds like a furniture or car commercial…. lol
John
May 18th, 2011
9:02 am
Is hockey still considered a major sport? I cannot understand why people actually care that the thrashers will leave town! Bye bye… go play in Canada where Canadians actually appreciate the sport!
the truth...
May 18th, 2011
9:04 am
WHO CARES !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Jerry West
May 18th, 2011
9:07 am
new owners,
Who cares if the new owner is a minority. I just want him/ them to have loads of money to spend on the Hawks, they keep the team in town, and the hire front office people that make good decisions and field and a hard-playing competitive team.
And black people can’t afford to go to the games? Really?
they're not losing money people
May 18th, 2011
9:26 am
It’s so disgusting that this ownership group can bleed a franchise to death and then pawn it off to the highest bidder to recoup their “losses”. I put losses in quotes there b/c they didn’t actually lose money on the team. They just moved it over to the Hawks side of the house. However, they could only keep that up for so long and now they’re having to sell.
This also explains why they’re now having to sell the Hawks. They won’t have the “Thrashers money” to fund their Hawks expenses.
timthebrave
May 18th, 2011
9:27 am
Please keep the Thrashers in Atlanta
kb
May 18th, 2011
9:30 am
And now the chickens are coming home to roost. I hope that Steve Belkin is still insterested in buying the Hawks. The ASG mgt team made some horrible decisions (giving J. Johnson all that money, picked Acie Law and then getting rid of him, drafting M. Williams, and the lot.) Belkin would not made these foolish decisons. As for the Thrashers, let them go to a town is committed to hockey. Atlanta should never be allowed to buy another NHL team. There are too many fair weather fans here. I would go down to Philips and watch the team. I just knew deep in my heart that this ownership team wasn’t the right type for this team. They hired that crumb bum Waddell as a their GM who ran most of the talent off the team (Remember when this team first got hear they were near the surface the playoffs. They gone down hill ever since.) Let ASG go away (especially the Geasons) and never be heared again.
Pete
May 18th, 2011
9:38 am
The Hawks will stay in Atlanta ??
For what purpose ??
There are 5 or 6 truly competitive NBA teams who have a legitimate shot at the championship every year. The rest of the boring bunch are nothing but wanna-bees who do nothing but pretend and take cash out of fans pockets.
Wake up…………….and bid the Hawks good riddance.
and another thing...
May 18th, 2011
9:38 am
It’s comical to me how this ownership group has the nerve to complain about empty seats but yet ticket prices for both teams are very expensive. It’s simple supply and demand you morons! If you’re not selling tickets, lower the prices!
Arthur Blank understands this. That’s why he lowered ticket prices when he bought the Falcons. He wanted the stadium full. Then…when you build your franchise and sustain some success, you can get away with raising the prices a little bit.
Dr. Warren
May 18th, 2011
10:00 am
Let’s figure out more about this ex-Padre owner before we celebrate. Heard much from the Padres in the past 15 years? Yes, I’d love to see the ASG go. But least the ASG, for all their annoyances, eventually provided us a regular playoff qualifier.
Dave
May 18th, 2011
10:34 am
I’m sorry to see the Thrashers go. But, in my mind, Atlanta is not, and never has been, a hockey town.
HEY BRADLEY
May 18th, 2011
10:40 am
MARK BRADLEY — Could you possibly look more smug in your picture up there? You are laughable. You should be writing for the Winnipeg Free Press.
Bulldog Blackout
May 18th, 2011
10:45 am
Thrashers, don’t let the door hit you and please take Jon Kincade with you.
JASon
May 18th, 2011
11:05 am
Kudos to the spirit group for doing the $119 million Joe Johnson deal and then selling the team the very next year. Makes a lot of sense.
BulldogBen
May 18th, 2011
11:09 am
There is only one way to bring in casual fans to a sport in a region where there has never been any history nor any hockey culture at all. You’ve got to win.
I don’t buy that hockey can’t succeed down here. Look at the Hurricanes and the Lightning. Non-traditional hockey towns with really passionate fan bases. What do they have in common? Both have won Stanley Cups in their first 20 years in existence AND have had several deep playoff runs. The Thrashers have ONE playoff appearance and ZERO wins in the playoffs.
Why should people invest their time and money in a bad product? The ASG didnt even invest in it.
Win and they will come. Keep the Thrashers, dump the ASG.
Bail Out!
May 18th, 2011
11:15 am
The city of atlanta and state of ga needs to pump big money into the thrashers and hawks to keep them both in Atl, ASAP! These owners are losing big money and the only way they will keep the teams in town is a ton of new money from the city and state. It will be worth it since the teams generate a lot of sales tax revenue. Just pay the owners what they want.
nique
May 18th, 2011
11:35 am
If the outgoing Padres owner buys the Hawks does that mean he’ll want to run them on a shoestring budget too?
SAL
May 18th, 2011
11:53 am
Let the Hawks go! Atlanta’s a football town!!!
Atlanta Spirit joke
May 18th, 2011
12:06 pm
Can those assclowns GET OUT OF MY TOWN NOW, PLSKTHXBYE?!
Good grief, what a bunch of idiotic tools! Go sit in a corner somewhere, count your money, pull each others dongs, and stay out of the public eye.
ChippersLoveChild
May 18th, 2011
12:08 pm
Luckily for Thrasher fans, Mark Bradley’s predictions are always wrong.
Reddy
May 18th, 2011
12:44 pm
This group has been a bunch of losers from the start! The best thing that can happen is the the Thrashers and Hawks are both sold and both leave Atlanta. Then they would own an arena with nothing to open the doors for! I don’t know about any of the rest of you but I am just ready for the drama to end and this point I don’t care if we have hockey and basketball in Atlanta ever again!
gunga din
May 18th, 2011
1:37 pm
don’t think anyone can make a profit with the Thrashers. let’s face it , hockey is a northern cold weather sport and there are just are not enough yankees and canuck transplants to draw a crowd.
MB Guy
May 18th, 2011
1:39 pm
First off, let me say I live in Manitoba, and am also a 30 year+ die hard Atlanta Falcon fan…so I have some interest in an Atlanta sports scene thread.
Second, as much as I’d like an NHL team back in the Wpg, this is not the way I want it to happen. (Getting the Jets back from the desert was – but Glendale apparently has $25m to toss away, talk about ridiculous management!). I understand what it’s like to have awful owners, piss-poor managers, another city circling like a vulture over your team, and the NHL fiddling their thumbs and looking the other way.
I suppose my point in this is that not all Jets fans are happy about this situation either – we know what the other end of the equation feels like, and it’s helpless kick in the gut. Hopefully the Thrashers stay in Atlanta with new owners that have a clue, and Wpg can reclaim the Coyotes next year.
dre
May 18th, 2011
1:42 pm
What a laughingstock the Spirit has become. Inbreeding can have consequences. “Oh Ruthafohd, how could you! Daddy is just broken up about this.” “Uh Beau, frankly, I don’t give a damn about you any moh.” “Mike Jr, son, after all that money I gave you and after all those years letting you sit in my courtside seat while I wear my loafers without socks, you do this to me?”
bull
May 18th, 2011
2:29 pm
saying that hockey is nothern sport is bull… it’s all about management and how thrashers are advertised in local media. whenever you get to walmart or target you’ll find bunch of goods with hawks, bulldogs and nothing about thrashers. only rarely can hear about thrashers on radio and tv. For the last year or so, it looks like Atlanta Spirit purposely were removing thrashers from atlanta’s life, so less people would be worried when franchise will leave the city.
Keep Hockey in Atlanta
May 18th, 2011
2:57 pm
“don’t think anyone can make a profit with the Thrashers. let’s face it , hockey is a northern cold weather sport and there are just are not enough yankees and canuck transplants to draw a crowd.”
The Flames and Knights both drew very well and were regularly in the playoff hunt. So no don’t sit there and say hockey is a northern cold weather sport when it’s been proven that people will show up for hockey in the ATL.
bye now
May 18th, 2011
3:00 pm
good riddance to this loser franchise—take the owners and terrible players and get out of town!
HEY BRADLEY
May 18th, 2011
3:06 pm
@ bye now — you’re pathetic. Whether you know what you’re talking about or not is irrelevant. They’re our team. They play with ATLANTA on their shirts. If you can’t get behind them then get the hell out of the city. Oh wait — you’re probably from like kennesaw and think we care what you think.
LETS GO THRASH
Keep Hockey in Atlanta
May 18th, 2011
3:27 pm
Fan support wasn’t the reason why the Flames or Knights left. Both enjoyed great support from the fans.
Keep Hockey in Atlanta
May 18th, 2011
3:44 pm
Hockey history in Atlanta suggests than fans will support hockey in the ATL. Fan support was not the reason why the Flames or Knights left. Both teams were highly competitive and the Knights won the Turner Cup in their 2nd season.