Thread: Balsillie makes offer on Coyotes

Originally Posted by Dana

I don't know if a judge can force the NHL owners to approve Balsillie as the owner.

I can't imagine the city of Glendale being too happy about this development either.

I feel really bad for the Phoenix fans if they move, outside of Colorado (which is really a cold weather town anyway), Phoenix, San Jose and to an extent Atlanta are the only Bettman-Expansion towns that actually "get" hockey.

That being said, I hate how Canada's national sport has been raped over the past 20 years. Picture the NFL if all the teams were in Mexico and Canada and we only had teams left in Washington, New York, Chicago, Pittsburgh, Boston and Dallas, and any effort to expand to any of the other cities would be shot down immediately. Putting a team in Hamilton or Toronto, especially one that has a Canadian pedigree at it's core, would almost certainly have the support of the people and built in rivalries with Buffalo, Toronto, Montreal and Boston.

A bankruptcy court can declare Basille the owner of the assets of the team, but it is a long way from that to the league giving him the approval to move the team to Hamilton. That is going to be near impossible to get from the ownership group. Going into bankruptcy gives the Coyotes the ability to renegotiate their lease and all that and I have little doubt that Glendale would be willing to do so since that building would pretty much stand empty otherwise (I believe the Suns still play downtown at US Air Arena, but I may be wrong).

The NHL covets 2 cities at this point, Kansas City and Las Vegas (and to some extent Seattle now that the Sonics are gone) and they will find a way to be in there within the next 5 years if Bettman has his way. If he gets that, then I can see him letting Balsille take the Coyotes to Hamilton and rebirth the Tigers or something along those lines

Bob Chimes in here:

McKenzie: Situation with Coyotes will be messy

Interesting point in that the NHL may lobby to say that Moyes was no longer in control of the club when he petitioned.

Even if the judge rules that he was, then he has to rule on the contingency in the Balisille offer to move the club. If he rules that they cannot move the team, in comes Jerry Reinsdorf's offer, and he may get to negotiate the termination or restructuring of the Glendale Arena lease.

Top that off with link article about Reinsdorf, who is a successful owner in both Basketball and Baseball, but is a hard liner regarding labor laws:

Originally Posted by Wikipedia

In both sporting endeavors, he has developed a reputation as an anti-labor union hardliner. Since the early 1990s, he has been considered one of the most, if not the most, influential baseball owners. He has been influential in instituting the salary cap and revenue sharing. He has also shaped the modern era of baseball by organizing the lucrative internet arm of baseball.

Its so going to be interesting how this plays out. If the NHL wins, the Yotes stay in Phoenix, with Reinsdorf the owner, the NHL is going to get crushed in the canadian PR arm.

Its a total Kobayashi Maru for Bettman. Any way you slice it, he's going to lose, and hopefully lose big enough to where his ass is shown the door.

Originally Posted by Greg33

The fan's (comments at the bottom) are blaming the team for not icing a better product. It does not sound like a very good sports town.

There is plenty of blame to go around... ownership, coaching (F%^% U Gretz), stadium location, etc... Phx has never been a great sports town, too many transplanted Midwesterners and East Coast fans that will never switch loyalties to their new local teams. Phx is a basketball town, always has been, always will be. One of the biggest obstacles the Yotes have had to overcome is the success of the Suns over the last 5 years. There are plenty of rabid Coyotes fans in AZ, unfortunatly we have far more casual fans... the ones who will only show up when the team is winning.

Im so damn depressed over this entire deal

Buttman is stupid if he tries legal action to prevent a move.

The NFL has been there done that. Davis and Irsay showed them who was boss.

The only shot the team has of staying in Phoenix is if someone that wants to keep it there outbids Balisille in the bankruptcy auction. At least that's what it looks like to me.

Originally Posted by KINGS17

The NFL has been there done that. Davis and Irsay showed them who was boss.

You beat me to it. The precedent is there from a higher court, that sports leagues can't impose where the owners are to locate their teams.

Lots of cards are still to be played, but if the NHL is going to argue that Moyes did not have control of the team- Why did Bill Daly announce that the NHL had only removed Moyes -after it was filed?

Rumor is that Balsillie's offer is 80-100 million more than anyone else was willing to pay before the bankruptcy.

Bettman's screwed!!!!!

Originally Posted by Greg33

You beat me to it. The precedent is there from a higher court, that sports leagues can't impose where the owners are to locate their teams.

Lots of cards are still to be played, but if the NHL is going to argue that Moyes did not have control of the team- Why did Bill Daly announce that the NHL had only removed Moyes -after it was filed?

Rumor is that Balsillie's offer is 80-100 million more than anyone else was willing to pay before the bankruptcy.

Bettman's screwed!!!!!

I gotta believe that he is. Unless the NHL can show that a move to Hamilton will result in damages to the league (they can't), I would think that the bankruptcy court has a duty to the creditors to make them as "whole" as possible.

Unless someone comes in and outbids Balsille in the bankruptcy auction, I think the team is moving.

Originally Posted by Dana

Since bankruptcy court laws are going to make this situation complicated, I'm curious as to how it's going to work because I don't know if a judge can force the NHL owners to approve Balsillie as the owner.

If the NHL is intent on not letting Balsillie own a team, would/could they do something like fold the Coyotes and then set up an expansion franchise for within the next year or two to get back up to 30 teams? Folding the Coyotes and then re-expanding back to 30 would let the NHL put a team in a market like Kansas City or Vegas. They seem intent on not wanting this guy to own a team because they don't like the way he does business and I can't see this move exactly getting him in the good graces of the NHL. That's the one thing I can't figure out about this guy, is how he keeps refusing to play by the NHL's rules and expects them to grant him ownership of a team.

For those that asked, I'm guessing it would mean a move of either Colorado or Vancouver to the Pacific Division, or if they folded them, then down to 4 teams for awhile.

I'm too tired to look, how was the Jobing.com arena funded? Was it publicly or privately financed? I can't imagine the city of Glendale being too happy about this development either.

I am not so sure a bankruptcy judge is going to allow the NHL to deprive creditors of 212.5 million dollars. I do not think the NHL can write rules that contradict rules of the court.

As well, I do not personally know Balsillie but I am told by people that do that RIM is where it is because JB does not take NO for an answer. I think he is saying NO to Bettman, like he always has, and will bring (attempt) a team to Canada. I believe JB will die trying. Will Bettman outlast him?

Cheers.

PS. I think Bettman should have given JB an expansion franchise and then add one in KC to balance the league. The NHL could have then continued to pour money down the drain in AZ. I guess its too late for that now! Kind of how DL is running the Kings with his trades and contracts. LOL

Originally Posted by ydkjs2

I feel sorry for the fans. I would be shattered if this was the Kings.

What fans...fans...fans...fans?

Originally Posted by PowrrrPlay

PS. I think Bettman should have given JB an expansion franchise and then add one in KC to balance the league. The NHL could have then continued to pour money down the drain in AZ. I guess its too late for that now! Kind of how DL is running the Kings with his trades and contracts. LOL

Dude, expansion isn't the solution. Charge them an expansion fee and THEN watch 2 unhealthy teams contract? That's not a solution.

Make nice with Balisille, then allow him to buy a franchise, and charge him a transfer fee to move the team.