[Gdoggy]

Guess who is baaaccckkkkkk.....


from sports illustrated


NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) -- Nashville Predators owner Craig Leipold is selling the team to Canadian billionaire Jim Balsillie, media outlets reported Wednesday.

Balsillie, the co-CEO of Blackberry makers Research in Motion Ltd., has offered an undisclosed amount for the team, Canadian sports network TSN reported. In December Balsillie withdrew his offer to buy the Pittsburgh Penguins for $175 million after it was rejected by owner Mario Lemieux for a higher offer.

Leipold met with NHL officials in New York on Wednesday to discuss the deal, WTVF-TV in Nashville reported.

He was already looking for a local investor to buy a minority share of the team and more local involvement to boost lagging ticket sales.

The Predators stood atop the NHL for several weeks starting in January and stayed there until March 29. They set franchise records with 110 points this season before a third straight first-round exit from the playoffs.

Leipold had the option of asking the city to buy additional tickets to help the team meet attendance goals. If the city declined to do so, the team would have had to pay an exit fee and could have left Nashville after the upcoming season.

Leipold met with team employees in Nashville later Wednesday afternoon to tell them about the sale. Team officials could not be reached for comment.

[mr.x]

Winnipeg?

[Gdoggy]

I guess that depends on if the rumours of him buying land just outside of what is designated to be the Leafs territory are accurate...

probably good timing that the loonie is at 92 cents as well didn't hurt

[GreatTallNorth2]

Winnipeg?

Here we go again:koko:

They will move to St. Jacob's before they move to Winnipeg.

[Calgarian]

Move this team to Kansas City! that city is practically begging for an NHL team, and already has a kick ass arena for them to play in. I'm not sure Winnipeg could support a team right now.

[CCF]

Move this team to Kansas City! that city is practically begging for an NHL team, and already has a kick ass arena for them to play in. I'm not sure Winnipeg could support a team right now.

Now all they need are some fans!

[Waterlooson]

Hamilton here we come.

[borgo100]

turks and caicos islands... lol

[the dude]

please, no more nhl to hamilton rumours. i can't take it.

[Calgarian]

Now all they need are some fans!

I don't think KC is screaming for a hockey team for the hell of it...

[flar]

KC hockey fans can drive to St. Louis. They need 'em.

[WhipperSnapper]

C'mon people - Balsillie intentions have been well publicized - it's Kitchener/Waterloo if the team is moved

[malek]

another thread that should be moved to a subforum.

[CCF]

I don't think KC is screaming for a hockey team for the hell of it...

No, just the Sprint Centre is.

[CCF]

another thread that should be moved to a subforum.

Yeah, should we move it to the Nashville forum?

[brento79]

It is fine right here.

[WaterlooInvestor]

-

[SteelTown]

*Shrugs* Here we go AGAIN, it's like a curse for Hamilton, a big time dream keeps coming up every once in awhile and we get SO close to reaching our dream then WHAM it's dead.

Balsillie agrees to buy Preds
Speculation regarding the team's future location has already started
By Steve Milton and Scott Radley
The Hamilton Spectator
(May 24, 2007)

Well, here we go again.

Last night's news that Waterloo billionaire Jim Balsillie has reached a tentative agreement to by the National Hockey League's Nashville Predators, has reignited speculation that Hamilton might get a major league hockey team.

The Spectator has confirmed rumours, which began circulating in the early evening, that the co-CEO of Research in Motion, the company which makes Blackberry communication units, had bought the financially-troubled team.

According to NHL sources, Balsillie and Predator owner Craig Leipold had signed a "term sheet' which is an agreement to move toward purchase of the team. But in order for Balsillie to get the Predators, the deal -- terms of which were undisclosed -- would first have to be approved by the NHL's executive committee. That committee would then have to refer the matter to the NHL Board of Governors.

However, before anyone in this area gets too excited, be alerted that this approval would only be the first step in what would be a protracted, if not entirely improbable, journey toward the team landing here.

Not only would the Toronto Maple Leafs and Buffalo Sabres have to agree to surrender territorial rights -- surely worth tens of millions of dollars to each of them -- but a deal would have to be struck to place the relocated Predators into Copps Coliseum.

HECFI boss Duncan Gillespie says that the he knew nothing of the proposed Predator purchase before hearing about it from a Spectator columnist last night. He also said that no one has approached him to discuss a lease.

Gillespie said that this situation is different from last fall, when Balsillie made an offer to purchase to the Pittsburgh Penguins for $175 million US. At that time he had a deal with Copps that gave him the exclusive right to bring an NHL team here.

According to that deal was rescinded by Balsillie during the attempted purchase process.

"What he had is gone. History," said Gillespie. "It has no relevance."

That said, the lease HECFI has with the Hamilton Bulldogs gives the American Hockey League team exclusive rights to professional hockey, except for an NHL team that would call the rink home on a full-time basis. That means the Bulldogs could be bumped from their existing lease by an NHL team.

Balsillie eventually said he planned to keep the Penguins in Pittsburgh, before withdrawing his offer to purchase the team. That franchise has since been promised a new arena by the city and state and will remain in Pittsburgh.

Any optimism of a move to Hamilton has to be severely tempered by the fact that most NHL governors have no interest in locating a team here. According to a few NHL insiders, there might be a faint willingness to tap into some of the rich southern Ontario market, but outside of the Leafs' protected territory. That could place the team in the Kitchener-Waterloo area, one of the rumoured destinations for the Penguins when Balsillie's offer to purchase the Penguins was still in play.

Nashville, despite contending for the western conference title all season, has long been considered a vulnerable franchise, due to weak fan support in a non-hockey market. Despite bolstering an already-strong roster this season, the Predators averaged just 13,185 fans per game.

Leipold had been searching for local minority ownership to bolster the team's financial picture. According to Canadian Press, failing to find that, he met with NHL officials in New York Wednesday to discuss the deal.

Leipold also reportedly met with employees of the team in Nashville later in the day, to inform them of the pending sale. Team officials were not available for comment.

Montreal Canadiens' president Pierre Boivin, who attended last night's AHL playoff game at Copps Coliseum said neither he, nor the Canadiens, had any comment on the proposed sale, or the possibility of any NHL team moving into their farm team's market.

"I've heard this kind of thing before," Bulldogs' owner Michael Andlauer told The Spectator. "What would change because the team is different?"

[WaterlooInvestor]

-

[MolsonExport]

Here we go again:koko:

They will move to St. Jacob's before they move to Winnipeg.


Sounds like a great Idea. Call them the "Jacobites"

[MolsonExport]

another thread that should be moved to a subforum.


Why? I would think that the possibility of another NHL franchise in Canada would be significantly interesting to most Canadian forumers.

[malek]

nhl is mostly a city by city thing, and most importantly the move is just a rumour

[FFX-ME]

I see a move to quebec city, winnipeg or hamilton very possible look at this

city population attendance
new york 21,858,830 18200
14176
12886
LA 17516110 16859
Chicago 9750000 12727


bla bla bla in fact the worst attendances are from the largest cities and the best attendances are mostly from the smaller cities like Ottawa, Calgary, Buffalo... So those hockey crazed cities would have no problems hosting a team, plus they all have an arena.

[iamthewalrus]

^
money doesnt come from attendance but mostly from tv
im not sure Quebec is big in off to have a team anymore.....and the canadiens would probably kill them again anyway... are there people in Hamilton who would want a team?...I mean with the Maple leafs, the Sabres and the Wings next door are there any fans left for a new team??? (I dont know...i'm just asking)....I personnaly which it was possible for Quebec, but I doubt it...not right now.....my second choice is Winnipeg, I liked the Jets

[flar]

There are probably enough fans is Southern Ontario, about a quarter of Canada's population lives there.

[FFX-ME]

but they are all leafs fans

[flar]

They aren't all Leafs fans. And the loyalty to the Leafs is starting to wear thin. (finally!)

[SteelTown]

Do you really think a billionaire would waste his millions on trying to bring a franchise to Hamilton if every Hamiltonian is a Leaf fan?

[feepa]

Predators being sold to Canadian billionaire
Associated Press May 24, 2007, 2:48 AM EDT

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) -Nashville Predators owner Craig Leipold tapped into country music star power and catchy marketing slogans. He helped the NHL negotiate a new labor deal friendly to small-market franchises and even traded for Peter Forsberg.

After 10 years, it still wasn't enough.

The Wisconsin businessman, tired of losing money, reached an agreement to sell his team to Canadian billionaire Jim Balsillie, the same man who pulled out of a deal to buy the Pittsburgh franchise in December after the NHL insisted he commit to not moving the Penguins.

Leipold told Predators employees of the sale in a meeting Wednesday in Nashville, according to a person familiar with the sale who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the deal had not been finalized.

Might the sale involve relocation of the franchise? The NHL's Board of Governors must approve any sale, but the Predators have struggled to sell tickets for years and their future in Nashville has been in doubt.

Team officials declined to comment when contacted by The Associated Press. An announcement confirming the deal could come Thursday.

Balsillie, the co-CEO of Blackberry makers Research in Motion Ltd., has offered an undisclosed amount for the team, Canadian sports network TSN reported. An amateur hockey player who was one of Time Magazine's "Time 100" in 2005, Basillie withdrew his $175 million offer for the Penguins last winter.

Cities interested in the Penguins then included Kansas City, Mo.; Houston; Portland, Ore.; and Winnipeg, Manitoba.

Leipold helped bring the NHL to Nashville in the mid-1990s when then-mayor Phil Bredesen, now Tennessee's governor, built an arena and started looking for either an NBA or NHL expansion franchise.

The nontraditional hockey market landed the expansion franchise in June 1997, and the Predators played their first game in October 1998.
Click here to find out more!

But ticket sales lagged after the first couple of seasons when the excitement and novelty wore off, and the team struggled to grow from expansion franchise to playoff contender. The Predators earned their first postseason berth in 2004, only to lose the next season to the lockout.

Leipold helped negotiate the current labor agreement, a deal that included revenue sharing, a salary cap and cash for small-market teams. But those small-market teams must reach certain attendance marks to earn their full shares.

He signed star forward Paul Kariya in 2005, free agent center Jason Arnott last summer, then traded for Forsberg in February to try and boost the Predators' chances for postseason success.

Leipold had been looking for a local investor to buy a minority share of the team, and lobbying publicly the past months for more local involvement to boost lagging ticket sales.

He announced a new, multiyear naming rights deal for the arena last Friday that he called a big statement for the team's future in Nashville.

"These are the kinds of things we need to have happen," Leipold said then. "Without a naming rights partner, without ticket sales, without corporate sponsors, that's when we get hurt. This is a great step. It sends the great message, and hopefully it'll get other companies calling as well."

A telephone message left at the home Brian Whitfield, the managing partner for the Sommet Group, which bought the naming rights, was not immediately returned Wednesday night.

The Predators are coming off their best season yet with a franchise record 110 points and a third-place finish in the league standings. But they lost in the opening round of the playoffs for a third straight season.

The team averaged only 13,815 fans per game this season, which gives Leipold - or the new owner - a chance to exercise a clause in the contract with the city of Nashville to ask for a "cure" season.

That would force Nashville to buy enough tickets to boost attendance to 14,000. If the city declined, the team could leave by paying an exit fee following the upcoming season.

http://www.nhl.com/nhl/app?articleid=310746&page=NewsPage&service=page

[feepa]

another thread that should be moved to a subforum.

just another troll that should be banned.

[MolsonExport]

Nashville...Hockey.
Hockey...Nashville.
Nashville...Hockey.
Hockey...Nashville.
Nashville...Hockey.
Hockey...Nashville.
Nashville...Hockey.
Hockey...Nashville.
Nashville...Hockey.
Hockey...Nashville.
...

No matter how many times I say it over, the twain shall never meet. Another fine example of Bettmanism.

[malek]

just another troll that should be banned.

here i'm quoting you king troll:


To everyone that has stirred shit up in this thread - GFY - and watch out if you ever decide to try do something constructive on this forum and post your own thread - I will derail it just like you did mine

you are a mean troll, yes you are, a troll, a mean one:jester:

[GreatTallNorth2]

A LRT system and now an NHL team.

Don't tell the folks in Winnipeg. They will have to take the bus to watch AHL while people in KW ride the train to the NHL.

[FFX-ME]

the city will definetly not be in waterloo, the guy works there but his eye is on Hamilton snce they already have a 19000 people arena and they have a larger population, waterloo was never in the question

[christopherj]

^
money doesnt come from attendance but mostly from tv


FWIW...

The NHL is a gate driven league - 75% of revenues are from attendance at games/revenues associated with attendance (i.e. rink advertising, concessions, etc).

TV makes up around 20% - and that is mostly national TV deals (i.e. CBC, TSN).

[WHISTLERINMUSKOKA]

the city will definetly not be in waterloo, the guy works there but his eye is on Hamilton snce they already have a 19000 people arena and they have a larger population, waterloo was never in the question

Agreed, and anytime Toronto or Buffalo play there the arena will be sold out for sure, even if the Hamilton team sucked or had a low fan turn out which I doubt would happen (not the sucking part, could happen).

[flar]

the city will definetly not be in waterloo, the guy works there but his eye is on Hamilton snce they already have a 19000 people arena and they have a larger population, waterloo was never in the question

I don't think the team will end in Waterloo Region either, but it's only 40 minutes from Hamilton so the available population is the similar. I don't think it will end up in Hamilton either, because the NHL doesn't like Hamilton. In fact, if the team moves, history suggests it will go somewhere in the US (hopefully not KC).

[SteelTown]

Nashville Predators Close To Selling Team
May 24, 2007 11:57 a.m. EST

Christopher Cornell - AHN Sports Reporter

Nashville, TN (AHN) - Jim Balsillie tried to buy an NHL franchise last year when he put up a $175 million offer for the Pittsburgh Penguins. When that deal fell through due to the team's tenuous relationship with the city, Balsillie re-grouped and wasn't willing to give up.

On Wednesday, it was revealed that Balsillie, the Co-CEO of Research in Motion, the company which produces the Blackberry e-mail device, is bidding for another NHL team.

According to reports, Balsillie has reached an agreement with Nashville Predators owner Craig Leipold to buy the franchise for $220 million.

The Associated Press and Bloomberg both cited anonymous sources with knowledge of the deal as leaking the information.

Team officials refused to confirm or deny the report.

An announcement of the deal could come as early as Thursday afternoon.

The NHL has to approve any pending sale of any of its teams.

Leipold paid an $80 million expansion fee to get the Predators into the NHL in 1997.

This past season, the Predators finished fourth in the Western Conference with a 51-23 record before being knocked out of the first round of the playoffs by the San Jose Sharks.

Despite their solid record, Nashville had the eighth-lowest average attendance figures amongst the NHL's 30 teams at 15,260.

[SteelTown]

Remember it was the NHL that killed Balsillie chance to buy the Penguins because Buttman didn't want it relocated, especially hearing Balsillie wanted it moved to Hamilton.

Now will the NHL approve this deal? I certainlly hope so.

[christopherj]

Remember it was the NHL that killed Balsillie chance to buy the Penguins because Buttman didn't want it relocated, especially hearing Balsillie wanted it moved to Hamilton.

Now will the NHL approve this deal? I certainlly hope so.

No, it was Mario Lemieux who insisted that the deal include a clause that the team doesn't move that killed the deal.

[SteelTown]

Oh yea either way it had to do something with Balsillie intention to relocate the team that killed the deal, suggesting that Balsillie wants to move it to Hamilton.

[cornholio]

You people do realize that the NHL has the finaly say in where a team gets relocated to and you all do realize that there is no market in Canada that can be tempting enough for the NHL to move in to that already doesnt have a team. I truly wish Hamilton, Winipeg and Quebec could get teams but not to rain on your parades...it aint hapening, in all probably it aint hapening in any of our lifetimes and im saying that at a time that the chance of it hapening would be at its highest ever..if there ever was a chance.

Anyways if there are going to be any NHL temas moved the place they will move to would be Houston, Kansas City or Portland...maybe Vegas but it seems nobody wants to take that gambel.

[IntotheWest]

^You'd have to be on some pretty potent glue to think Houston, KC, or Portland - or god-forbid, Vegas - would do better than two proven Canadian hockey markets in Winnipeg or QC....and I believe Hamilton could pull it off as well. Most folks out west were Leafs or Canadiens fans 30 years ago (I know I was), and in Canada, that changes when you get a local team - so, I don't buy the arguments that Leafs fans won't go to Hamilton games.

Good for Hamilton if they do get a team...I'd rather see anywhere in Canada get a relocated team over anywhere, USA.

[trueviking]

i cannot believe that anyone would spend $220 million dollars for an NHL hockey team...is he nuts?...how can it be worth that?...forbes claims they are valued at $130m.

i wonder if it includes the arena in nashville.

if he buys this team for $220, builds an arena in kitchener for $200 and then pays the leafs off, he could easily be running half a billion dollars for this team.....either the profits in the NHL are way higher than they claim or this guy is a sucker.

too bad winnipeg's billionaires arent suckers too....winnipeggers can forget the dream of an NHL return if franchise values are anywhere near a quarter of a billion dollars.

[WZ1]

Us Hamiltonians are glad the guys in Winnipeg are not suckers.. did you ever stop and think that 220 million is chump change to the guy who invented Blackberry?

[SteelTown]

Typically RIM makes about $150 million in each quarter from Blackberry so yearly RIM's profit is about $600 million.

[kool maudit]

im not sure Quebec is big in off to have a team anymore


quebec is larger than it has ever been, and is growing rapidly - as is the economy.

why do canadians always assume this province is withering away?

[trueviking]

Us Hamiltonians are glad the guys in Winnipeg are not suckers.. did you ever stop and think that 220 million is chump change to the guy who invented Blackberry?

not sure what you mean by the first comment....

as for the second one, i think you should stop and think for a second.....last time i checked RIM wasnt buying the team...balsillie was...and his net worth of $1.6 billion makes an investment of a quarter billion far from chump change.

of course its great for kitchener, its his own money...as i said i wish our billionairres didnt care about throwing their money away like that....paying double the value of a franchise in a dying league with no television contract is crazy.

[SteelTown]

Jim Balsillie is Co-Chief Executive of RIM. So when RIM makes money obviously Balsillie's bank account gets fatter. It may not be RIM that's buying the team but it's financing Balsillie's bank account.

Do you think Balsillie is going to rename Copps Coliseum to Balsillie's Coliseum? No more likely RIM Coliseum.

[trueviking]

^RIM is a publically traded company....to suggest that he makes $600 million a year is ridiculous....their profits do not go to his pocket...he makes money on his shares like everyone else.

he is worth $1.6 billion and is the 25th richest man in the country....and on that basis, an investment of $250-500 million for a team is substantial.....

i would also be surprised if he didnt build new...Copps is ancient now.

[raisethehammer]

bring em to the Hammer. Not a slab of land somewhere outside of Waterloo.

[SteelTown]

I never said Balsillie makes $600 million a year I said RIM makes $600 million a year.

Back when Balsillie wanted to buy the Penguins he had a contract with the City of Hamilton to take over Copps for his NHL team. So obviously a few months ago he didn't have a problem with Copps. It's probably going to need about $35 million to renovate the place (a lot cheaper than to rebuild) and raise the roof of Copps to fit in more corporate box and seats. Copps was designed to be able to expand in the future.

[Marc B.]

I wish him the best of luck. Hopefully this is the start of three or four teams leaving the south and relocating up here.

[iamthewalrus]

quebec is larger than it has ever been, and is growing rapidly - as is the economy.

why do canadians always assume this province is withering away?

well I was talking about Quebec city....I know the economy is doing very good in Quebec city but in terms of population its smaller than Ottawa...I remember going to games in Quebec in the early 90's and the arena wasnt full....are things going to be different now....

[jeremy_haak]

^^ It seems that the thing going for Waterloo is that it is outside of the exclusion zone for Toronto and Buffalo and so he wouldn't have to pay a penalty to the Leafs or Buffalo. Obviously it's quite a bit smaller than Hamilton though.

[Gdoggy]

if he buys this team for $220, builds an arena in kitchener for $200 and then pays the leafs off, he could easily be running half a billion dollars for this team....

Thats the point, if he builds it in Kitchener/Waterloo he wouldn't have to pay the Leafs a dime !!

[the dude]

Back when Balsillie wanted to buy the Penguins he had a contract with the City of Hamilton to take over Copps for his NHL team. So obviously a few months ago he didn't have a problem with Copps. It's probably going to need about $35 million to renovate the place (a lot cheaper than to rebuild) and raise the roof of Copps to fit in more corporate box and seats. Copps was designed to be able to expand in the future.

$35M sounds a little low. take a stroll around the arena. its deficits are pretty obvious and profound. i wouldn't be surprised if renovations pushed into 9 digit territory. still less than rebuilding, though.

[trueviking]

Thats the point, if he builds it in Kitchener/Waterloo he wouldn't have to pay the Leafs a dime !!

by the rules, maybe, but i wouldnt count on it...the leafs are a powerful organization...

it doesnt really matter...a new building and a team is still running a half billion...if he is willing to swallow that to bring a team, a payoff to the leafs would be no problem

[trueviking]

well I was talking about Quebec city....I know the economy is doing very good in Quebec city but in terms of population its smaller than Ottawa...I remember going to games in Quebec in the early 90's and the arena wasnt full....are things going to be different now....

the nordiques averaged less than 1000 empty seats per game (92-94% capacity) in every NHL season but one.....and they finished dead last 5 years in a row.

[WhipperSnapper]

a new building and a team is still running a half billion

maybe but it most definitely won't all be coming out of his pocket

[HAMRetrofit]

The Canadian economy is a bull.

GTA/KW/Hamilton are all fast growing and could easily support a second NHL team.

The dollar is at 92 cents US and expected to continue to grow.

If the NHL is not interested to expand in the Canadian market something is clearly wrong with their business agenda.

[trueviking]

maybe but it most definitely won't all be coming out of his pocket

where will it come from?....i guess government would help with the arena....



^HAM...i agree.

[rrskylar]

Cities the Predator's won't be coming to soon: Winnipeg, Hamilton, Quebec City, Kansas City, Oklahoma City, Las Vegas, Portland, Seattle.....


Cities the Predator's will be coming to in 2008: Kitchener, Waterloo

[rousseau]

For goodness sakes, this is pathetic. Even I know that there isn't a snowball's chance in hell that Canada will get another NHL team, and I'm someone who hates hockey and doesn't pay attention to it in the slightest.

Everybody knows that the team will either stay in that city or go to another American city. Give it a rest, already.

[Waterlooson]

First came the parade, then rain man rousseau showed up.

[cornholio]

Again there is no future market potential in Canada, the NHL has the entire market covered, infact it would be profitabel for them to probably remove two more Canadian teams such as Edmonton or Calgary and Ottawa. In America on the other hand the market potential is huge, a tema in Portland would have the potential of adding 20 or so million fans(2/3's of the population of Canada when you take Washington, Oregon and some of the states in the east). A team in Houston would be entering one of the bigest tv markets in America(thats another probably 10-20million posibly added), Kansas City is alot smaller but it would still have more long term potential then any other Canadian market. See no one cares about hocvkey in the states so the only way for the NHL to break in to new markets there and get the people on board and watching hockey and buying nhl merchandise is by ploping teams in the big markets. In Canada on the other hand the NHL already has the entire population of the country on board, there is no future potential and people who dont have NHL teams in their cities will still watch NHL hockey and buy NHL products. Infact I would say that a city in Mexico has a better chance of geting a expansion team, or Europe which has been closely looked at by the NHL for a while(though I dont see that hapening unless a whole new league is created).

In any case Hamilton is not geting a team, Kitchener is not geting a team, and no offence but Winipeg and Quebec city are most deffenitly not geting teams. Its not happening, the NHL will not allow it, infact the if you realy want a team in Hamilton then stop suporting other NHL teams and maybe in a couple decades or more you might stand a chance. Infact the last Canadian team added was Ottawa and they were lucky as hell and their bigest advantage was being the capital of Canada otherwise in all probability they wouldent of gooten a team while most other small market Canadian teams came over from the WHL except for the Nordicks who actualy moved to Quebec city which was realy odd move.

[Calalb]

The local media stated today that Balsillie recently purchased 26 acres of land in Cambridge,Ontario so I could see him moving the team to Hamilton until a new arena is built in Cambridge.

[iamthewalrus]

the nordiques averaged less than 1000 empty seats per game (92-94% capacity) in every NHL season but one.....and they finished dead last 5 years in a row.

yes but the arena had only 15,750 seats....94% of 15 750 means only represents 14 805 people at games..... thats pretty low

anyway, I dont wanna sound like the guy who doesnt want a team to go to Quebec city....but they are other city's who are getting a team before....

and the most important we have to get rid of Bettman....that guy is an ass....

bring the : Hurricanes, Coyotes, Predators and Panthers back North

[WaterlooInvestor]

-

[WaterlooInvestor]

-

[Dalreg]

Give the guy credit he won't give up till he owns an NHL team.

See you all in six months time when he makes a bid for the next team located (insert name) here. Only a few more to go.

[WaterlooInvestor]

-

[WaterlooInvestor]

-

[jeremy_haak]

Hamilton was the overwhelming favourite for a new team in the 1992 expansion, but apparently the TMLs put up roadblocks that basically paved the way for Ottawa, with a very weak bid, to be chosen instead. Also, I know Bettman is by no means fond of Canada wrt the NHL, but apparently the NHL's revenue is mainly driven by attendance at games, and Canadian teams produce far more revenue then their share (33% of the NHL's revenue). I find it highly unlikely that any Canadian team will be moved in the near future barring any financial troubles. Of the Canadian teams, only Calgary and Edmonton are still vulnerable to financial problems, but I think that both, especially Edmonton, have too much history that Bettman would likely approach the situation similarly to the way he did with Pittsburgh, regardless of the fact that they are Canadian.

If Balsillie is committed to moving the team to a Canadian market, he'll find a way and I'm sure it's possible despite Bettman's wishes. It's hardly definite that Balsillie will be moving the team to Canada yet though, so I'm not placing any bets.

Again there is no future market potential in Canada, the NHL has the entire market covered, infact it would be profitabel for them to probably remove two more Canadian teams such as Edmonton or Calgary and Ottawa. In America on the other hand the market potential is huge, a tema in Portland would have the potential of adding 20 or so million fans(2/3's of the population of Canada when you take Washington, Oregon and some of the states in the east). A team in Houston would be entering one of the bigest tv markets in America(thats another probably 10-20million posibly added), Kansas City is alot smaller but it would still have more long term potential then any other Canadian market. See no one cares about hocvkey in the states so the only way for the NHL to break in to new markets there and get the people on board and watching hockey and buying nhl merchandise is by ploping teams in the big markets. In Canada on the other hand the NHL already has the entire population of the country on board, there is no future potential and people who dont have NHL teams in their cities will still watch NHL hockey and buy NHL products. Infact I would say that a city in Mexico has a better chance of geting a expansion team, or Europe which has been closely looked at by the NHL for a while(though I dont see that hapening unless a whole new league is created).

In any case Hamilton is not geting a team, Kitchener is not geting a team, and no offence but Winipeg and Quebec city are most deffenitly not geting teams. Its not happening, the NHL will not allow it, infact the if you realy want a team in Hamilton then stop suporting other NHL teams and maybe in a couple decades or more you might stand a chance. Infact the last Canadian team added was Ottawa and they were lucky as hell and their bigest advantage was being the capital of Canada otherwise in all probability they wouldent of gooten a team while most other small market Canadian teams came over from the WHL except for the Nordicks who actualy moved to Quebec city which was realy odd move.

[Only The Lonely..]

From today's Winnipeg Free Press:


Another NHL team for Canada?
Billionaire Balsillie swings deal; Preds may end up north of border

Fri May 25 2007

By Sean Fitz-Gerald



TORONTO -- Hope for another NHL team in Canada was renewed on Thursday when it was confirmed that Canadian billionaire Jim Balsillie had reached an agreement to purchase the Nashville Predators, a deal that seems destined to end with the club leaving its non-traditional hockey market.
Predators owner Craig Leipold signed a letter of intent to sell the 10-year-old franchise for US$220 million, and complained during a media conference Thursday of low attendance and indifference from the local business community. The closing date is June 30, and the transaction still requires approval from the NHL's board of governors.

Balsillie, a co-chief executive of Research In Motion, the Waterloo, Ont.-based company behind the ubiquitous BlackBerry e-mail device, had offered US$175 million for the Pittsburgh Penguins last year. He withdrew after the league placed more than 20 conditions on the sale, including one clause that forbade him from moving the franchise for seven years.

Leipold said that clause would be included again in the sale of the Predators, but there was a loophole, which allowed speculation about potential new homes for the team to spread quickly. Kitchener-Waterloo, Hamilton and Winnipeg have all been mentioned as possible destinations.

Kansas City has also been sniffing around for a new franchise to play in its new US$250-million arena. The Anschutz Entertainment Group was reportedly in the bidding for the Predators, but fell short against Balsillie.

"If he chose to have it in Kitchener, we are prepared to assist in finding an appropriate site and doing what we can to make sure it gets here," said Kitchener Mayor Carl Zehr, who spoke with Balsillie on Thursday morning. "He's not at that stage yet. There are many things to be done before you'd even be at that stage."

Balsillie did not respond to interview requests.

"Having been through a sale process previously, I am respectful of and aware of the due diligence required and board of governors' approval before this deal can close," he said in a release. "This is still Craig Leipold's franchise until the deal is completed, so for me to comment at this time on any number of topics relative to the franchise would not be appropriate."

NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly said the Canadian businessman had not mentioned any intention of relocating the franchise. And Leipold said the Predators could still remain in Nashville if fans provide an outpouring of support this season.


The team has the option of triggering a clause in its lease that would allow for relocation if it averages fewer than 14,000 in paid attendance during the following campaign. The Predators could then escape from their lease -- while reportedly paying the city an US$18-million "exit fee."

According to the Tennessean newspaper, the City of Nashville could opt to buy enough tickets to ensure the team reaches its minimum and remain in place. It is unclear whether that avenue would be pursued.

Since the option has to be exercised by June 19, it will be Leipold's decision to make. The fate of the team, he said, rests in the hands of the fans.

"Jim Balsillie is buying this team, in Nashville, as the Nashville Predators," he said. "There is a lease that's in effect, it's in force, and as long as that lease is in force, he's going to stay here. And he knows that, he's agreeable to that. So if the fans support the team and continue at a 14,000 paid-attendance level, we'll have hockey here for a long time." Leipold said Nashville's average paid attendance was just over 13,500 last season, which was a 24 per cent increase over the previous year.


But as Leipold spoke, the city's lack of interest in its hockey team was illustrated by the fact no Nashville television affiliate was carrying his news conference locally -- even as it was being broadcast live in Canada.

The Predators finished fourth in the Western Conference this season with a franchise-record 110 points. They acquired star forward Peter Forsberg in February and seemed primed to make a run deep into the post-season until they ran into the San Jose Sharks in the first round and were eliminated in five games.

Nashville lost US$15 million this season despite money from the league's revenue-sharing program. Leipold said the franchise had lost US$70 million since it first opened its doors.

"I have come to the conclusion that I cannot make it work here," he said.

-- CanWest News Service


What a total joke the NHL is today. The fact that the local news didn't even bother show up to the press conference shows what a strong following hockey has down south.

[WaterlooInvestor]

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[GreatTallNorth2]

Yes folks, it is hard to imagine the city of Kitchener having an NHL franchise, but there is no way in the world that he is going to buy the team to move them somewhere in the U.S. His intention HAS to be either Waterloo or Hamilton and I am betting on Waterloo area.

People from outside Ontario, mainly west of Ontario have NO CLUE about the demographics of Southern Ontario. You could put a team anywhere in the Waterloo/Mississauga/Hamilton area and sell out every single game, not to mention the huge corporate support the team would receive. Drive one hour in any direction of K/W and you have millions of people. Those millions of people, for the most part, cannot get tickets to the Leafs and they resent paying the top dollar to watch mediocraty year after year. This area is the hockey capital of the world and could support two more teams.

If Jim Basaille brings this team to K/W, it will certainly put it on the map and make it an incredibly attractive place to live.

Sorry Winnipeg, but why would a guy who co-owns a company in Waterloo, want to put a team anywhere else than where he lives?

[WaterlooInvestor]

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[kirjtc2]

I went to some of the Nashville TV stations' websites last night. Granted, they did have it as one of their top stories, but watching the accompanying videos you could tell there wasn't much interest. The anchors kept on reiterating that yes, the Predators are a hockey team.

There's a municipal election going on down there and one of the stations asked each of the candidates what they thought of the situation. All "we'll do whatever we can" political babble, but even most of them didn't sound too committed.

[WaterlooInvestor]

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[WaterlooInvestor]

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[Mille Sabords]

Predators prowling north?
National Post
Winnipeg would also be the smallest market in the NHL, behind Canadian brethren in Edmonton and Ottawa as well as smaller U.S. markets in Buffalo and Carolina.

:yuck: you mean, Edmonton, Calgary and Ottawa. People often forget that Calgary is smaller than Ottawa, in metro population.

[MolsonExport]

Never say never. Anything can happen in the future, however unlikely. 30 years ago, would anyone have predicted teams in Nashville, North Carolina, and Columbus?

[BlackRedGold]

Again there is no future market potential in Canada, the NHL has the entire market covered, infact it would be profitabel for them to probably remove two more Canadian teams such as Edmonton or Calgary and Ottawa.

This is absolutely idiotic. The Canadian teams are all in the top half of the league when it comes to revenue. There isn't a Canadian franchise that receives money from revenue sharing but they contribute most of the money that goes to revenue sharing.

Infact the last Canadian team added was Ottawa and they were lucky as hell and their bigest advantage was being the capital of Canada otherwise in all probability they wouldent of gooten a team while most other small market Canadian teams came over from the WHL except for the Nordicks who actualy moved to Quebec city which was realy odd move.

Were you drunk when you wrote this?

[the dude]

i think both hamilton and k-w will get a team. hamilton will play host until an arena is built in k-w. i'd really like to see an arena built in a more urban area as opposed to somewhere out in cambridge along the 401. otherwise, i'm resigned to the fact that we won't get a team here in the hammer...ever!!!!

^ i can't believe how many people confuse the WHL with the WHA. anyway, i can't make head or tail of that post.

[trueviking]

Predators prowling north?

Also working against Hamilton is the fact that the AHL Bulldogs cannot seem to attract fans to their minor-league games, despite being one game away from the Calder Cup final. When the Penguins and Sabres played an NHL exhibition game in Hamilton last year, about 7,000 people attended.

"The AHL Bulldogs are in the middle of a playoff run right now and they've expressed some concern over fan support," said Gillespie. "We're talking about a team that's doing a tremendous job -- they're up 3-0 in the series -- and last night they had about 3,000 people in the building."


this is a terribly weak argument against a team in hamilton.

[MolsonExport]

i think both hamilton and k-w will get a team.

Not only that, but surely London, Woodstock, Brantford, and Strathroy will also get teams! :cool:

[shreddog]

Not only that, but surely London, Woodstock, Brantford, and Strathroy will also get teams! :cool:
Don't forget North Haverbrook!

[salvius]

^ but what of Paris and New Hamburg? They'll be mad!!

[SteelTown]

I think what he meant is that Hamilton and KW will both get a chance to have an NHL team. Well building an arena at KW they'll play in Hamilton for 2 to 3 years perhaps.

If that's the case I would implore against that idea. Hamilton would have to kick out the Hamilton Bulldogs an AHL team to let an NHL team play at Copps and then once there gone Hamilton will be left with no AHL and NHL team. Not good.

Hamilton either gets an NHL franchise for Copps or no NHL franchise.

[the dude]

balsillie's had a deal with the city of hamilton to place a team at copps for a while now [should the need arise]. the understanding seems to be that it would merely be temporary until an arena is built elsewhere. that's what i'm getting at...sarcastic dicks.

[Mille Sabords]

Good ol' Damien Cox. Never misses a chance to show the world how big a sore loser he is.

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It's all about saying nothing
Balsillie now knows how to please NHL

May 25, 2007 04:30 AM
Damien Cox

You can bet Jim Balsillie learned a lot through his last attempt to buy a seat at the NHL's round table.

Specifically, don't expect the Research in Motion czar to divulge even the tiniest detail of his intentions towards the struggling Nashville Predators, at least not until his agreement to buy the team closes June 30.

And when Balsillie is grilled by league commissioner Gary Bettman and various owners, insiders guess his approach will be different than when he was trying to buy the Pittsburgh Penguins.

"He'll have to lie through his teeth," said one NHL source.

That's because most believe the NHL won't take kindly to Balsillie boldly outlining plans to get the Preds out of Music City as soon as possible, even though many NHL governors undoubtedly won't miss a team that has been drinking deeply from the league's revenue-sharing trough the past two seasons.

What the NHL will want to hear is that Balsillie will do everything he can to make hockey work in Tennessee, and leave the rest – that the team has no chance of staying at current levels of fan and corporate support – unsaid.

So, having already clashed once with Bettman over the Pens, you can assume Balsillie will be a lot less forthcoming about his ultimate dreams this time around. Even yesterday, neither RIM nor its public relations arm was commenting on a Cambridge Times report that the company had quietly purchased a 25.7-acre parcel of land in Cambridge without announcing the purpose of the transaction.

Hmm. Now what could you build on a piece of land that size?

There are intriguing similarities between Balsillie's pursuit of an NHL franchise and that of Peter Karmanos, current owner of the Carolina Hurricanes.

In 1990, Karmanos was left sputtering with rage after his bid to put an NHL expansion franchise in St. Petersburg lost out to a rival bid in Tampa, headed by Phil Esposito. Espo's team, the Lightning, ended up playing out of the dome in St. Pete and took years to acquire the stability that Karmanos would have guaranteed immediately.

Four years later, Karmanos' anger had dissipated and he bought the Hartford Whalers, publicly promising to keep that team in Connecticut. Three seasons later, the Whalers were gone and the trek that team made to Raleigh, N.C., via Greensboro would appear to be no more treacherous than if Balsillie's ultimate plan is to take the Predators to Kitchener-Waterloo via Hamilton. Or London, which some believe would be a much better option for two to three years.

Just as the NHL knew Karmanos would be a valuable member of the lodge, surely Bettman's administration knows the same about the billionaire Balsillie. Moreover, allowing Craig Leipold to sell the Preds for a cool $220 million (all figures U.S.) helps Leipold gets his money out of the team after being a strong supporter of Bettman over the past decade.

Sure, Leipold lost big money over the past five years. But remember the franchise fee was $80 million, and the city of Nashville paid about 30 per cent of that fee.

So Leipold gets paid, Balsillie gets his team and Nashville gets one last chance next season to show up at the arena in strong enough numbers to prevent the team from being able to escape its lease and flee the city.

But if the fans didn't support this year's excellent team, and if no local investor has shown any real interest in buying into the Preds over the past five years, it seems wholly unlikely sufficient customer and corporate support will appear out of the woodwork next season to save the franchise.

Beyond that, if you can have a successful franchise in the wilds of Kanata, Ont., how much different would a satellite team in the K-W region be? (uh, I dunno... maybe because Kanata happens to be a tiny part of a metro area of 1.3 million people? and K-W doesn't even crack half a million? but who's counting anyway.) And if NBC was willing to embarrass the league by bolting an OT playoff game for the Preakness pre-race show last weekend, do you think any network pressure will be brought to bear to keep a team in tiny Nashville?

So Balsillie just has to be patient, stay quiet and let Nashville shrug itself out of the NHL.

[Waterlooson]

RIM owner buying Preds
Fri, May 25, 2007
The BlackBerry maker co-CEO has long dreamed of the deal.


Under NHL by-laws, a team cannot move within 80 kilometres of another city's corporate limits. Kitchener-Waterloo is just about on the border of the Maple Leafs' territory. [/B]



Actually - after some very accurate measurements - K-W & Cambridge are all well beyond the 80 km distance from the City of Toronto's border. :banana:

[samne]

I wouldnt call it a sure fire success, but KW could do better than some NHL cities. Force the Leafs to compete.

Also, lose the name "Predators".

[Waterlooson]

The Waterloo Researchers in Motion?

[SteelTown]

The Hamilton Hammerhead!

[kirjtc2]

Call em the Steelheads.

(Anyone else remember Power Play?)

[ctown.myth]

:yuck: you mean, Edmonton, Calgary and Ottawa. People often forget that Calgary is smaller than Ottawa, in metro population.

Oh, we'll be ahead of you soon :D.

[WaterlooInvestor]

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[Dalreg]

balsillie's had a deal with the city of hamilton to place a team at copps for a while now [should the need arise]. the understanding seems to be that it would merely be temporary until an arena is built elsewhere. that's what i'm getting at...sarcastic dicks.

Actually he had a deal with the arena which he let lapse. So right now if he were to try and bring a team even temporary into Hamilton he would have to negotiate a new deal.

Maybe not an easy thing to do if the city knows it is temporary.