Thread: Winnipeg in talks to acquire Thrashers

A.J. Perez and Brain Stubits, CBS Sports (5/16/11)

It appears Atlanta is close to losing its second NHL team.

The Thrashers owner Atlanta Spirit are in negotiations on a deal with True North Sports and Entertainment, , The Atlanta Journal-Constitution’s Chris Vivlamore reports citing a person familiar with the process. The deal would include relocation to Winnipeg, which lost out on the Phoenix Coyotes after Glendale (Ariz.) agreed to pay the NHL as much as $25 million to cover expenses for the 2011-12 season.
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True North is expected to have to pay as much as a $60 million relocation fee.

But this may not be over. Expect the league to do whatever it can to keep the Thrashers in Atlanta much like it did in Phoenix. The league just signed a 20-year deal with NBC/Comcast worth $2 billion and NBC/Comcast won’t be thrilled to lose a top-10 TV market to Canada.

Reports: Winnipeg group in talks with Thrashers

In before Bettman demands Jokinen as part of the deal and kills it.

The league just signed a 20-year deal with NBC/Comcast worth $2 billion and NBC/Comcast won’t be thrilled to lose a top-10 TV market to Canada.

Like there's a snowball's chance in hell NBC would show a game that involved Atlanta.

Originally Posted by Bogey

Like there's a snowball's chance in hell NBC would show a game that involved Atlanta.

Or a snowball's chance in hell anyone in Atlanta would watch it. . .

Originally Posted by Noble Savage

Or a snowball's chance in hell anyone in Atlanta would watch it. . .

Bottom 4
Team RSN Average No. of Households

Columbus FS Ohio 10,000
Phoenix FS Arizona 9,000
Atlanta Sport South / FS South 6,000
Florida FS Florida 3,000

Beaten convincingly by Phoenix, ouch.

Atlanta is one of the WORST sports cities in the country. They only show up when teams are winning and even then they don't sell out Braves playoff games. (All those years of playoff chokes)

Sorry, Iron Duke. :(

Winnipeg Thrashers. Cool.

Originally Posted by adgy-san

Sorry, Iron Duke. :(

If Kings fans want to really get a sense of bad ownership, this is exhibit A. ASG never really wanted the team in the first place (was a throw-in to the Hawks/Arena purchase), they've refused to spend money on the team at any real point in its history, have tied up resources in suing each other, and now it comes out that there may be potential local buyers for the Thrashers, but ASG doesn't even want the team as a tenant, so is pursuing outside buyers instead.

Sure, support for the team isn't high, but the pure amount of **** that has surrounded the franchise has been plenty to alienate even the most diehard of STHs. This is not the same situation as Phoenix, there is certainly a viable and sustainable market in Atlanta given an owner that cares even the slightest bit about the team and the sport.

On another note, how much is Byfuglien regretting that 5-year extension? While there's an interesting core there, how will this affect the upcoming contracts of players like Ladd, Wheeler, Bogosian, and even Kane (next season)?