FIRE LUC

[Statue4Deano]

Just a thought as I read this...

IF (and I don;t KNOW this is true but IF) the valuation of the organization is in any way tied to ownership of the building... does the overall value of the franchise necessarily have anything to do with the Kings?

If the Lakers are turned back into a perrenial contender and maintain their position as a global brand does the building they play in not continue to generate value as a platform for advertising and sponsorship?

The building has three regular tennants (Lakers/Sparks/Kings) not to mention concerts, events etc... despite it's age if the Lakers are any good and continue to play there the building maintains it's position as one of the most visible arenas in the world.

If the Dodgers are the blueprint for the Lakers then the building matters quite a bit.

Current Dodgers ownership has invested a more than $300M in radical improvements and modernizations to Dodgers stadium since they took control in 2012. I’d imagine they’d like to do something similar for the Lakers but they’d have to own the arena first. Only problem is Crypto isn’t for sale.

 

[HeadInjury]

This is all very true - except for the last line. Every asset in the AEG portfolio has to at least increase in value while not losing money. AEG is doing the bare minimum to keep this asset viable. If the team was suddenly hemorrhaging money because they weren't performing on the ice AND the fans spoke with their wallets by not putting butts in the seats, the team would suddenly be for sale or looking to move to another city.

This post reminds me of the old days before the salary cap when fans would complain that the Kings wouldn't commit to spend the money that a few of the other teams would and couldn't complete as a result.

Those days are over. We are usually near the cap. The team has a large scouting department. A good practice facility, etc. AEG just dropped $1 billion into arena upgrades. If AEG just thinks about money, they wouldn't be cheap. Winning fills the seats. Just look at the Dodgers' turnaround in this city.

The Kings aren't cheap. McLellan was just about the highest paid coach in the league. Even if you are cynical and think they are all about money, the Kings would want to win because there's more money in winning.

The problem is that the team is run by a bunch of idiots. That's it. That's the whole problem.

 

[DryKing]

If the Dodgers are the blueprint for the Lakers then the building matters quite a bit.

Current Dodgers ownership has invested a more than $300M in radical improvements and modernizations to Dodgers stadium since they took control in 2012. I’d imagine they’d like to do something similar for the Lakers but they’d have to own the arena first. Only problem is Crypto isn’t for sale.

Dunno about that - Cypto is already world's better than Dodger stadium. Dodger stadium is high on nostalgia but the facility itself should have been torn down and rebuilt ages ago.

I went to a World Series game last season and it took me over 45 minutes just to get down the stairs and to the parking lot (and we weren't that high up). In the process, it was pure sardine packaging. That stadium really is one natural disaster away from a tragedy. I would say Dodger ownership has done the bare minimum rather than made any above and beyond updates to that stadium, or the parking lot.

Crytp ownership, on the other hand, has invested over $100 million since 2022 in renovations (on a much newer and much smaller stadium).

 

[MBX5]

This post reminds me of the old days before the salary cap when fans would complain that the Kings wouldn't commit to spend the money that a few of the other teams would and couldn't complete as a result.

Those days are over. We are usually near the cap. The team has a large scouting department. A good practice facility, etc. AEG just dropped $1 billion into arena upgrades. If AEG just thinks about money, they wouldn't be cheap. Winning fills the seats. Just look at the Dodgers' turnaround in this city.

The Kings aren't cheap. McLellan was just about the highest paid coach in the league. Even if you are cynical and think they are all about money, the Kings would want to win because there's more money in winning.

The problem is that the team is run by a bunch of idiots. That's it. That's the whole problem.

Or at least one idiot.

 

[Clif]

This post reminds me of the old days before the salary cap when fans would complain that the Kings wouldn't commit to spend the money that a few of the other teams would and couldn't complete as a result.

Those days are over. We are usually near the cap. The team has a large scouting department. A good practice facility, etc. AEG just dropped $1 billion into arena upgrades. If AEG just thinks about money, they wouldn't be cheap. Winning fills the seats. Just look at the Dodgers' turnaround in this city.

The Kings aren't cheap. McLellan was just about the highest paid coach in the league. Even if you are cynical and think they are all about money, the Kings would want to win because there's more money in winning.

The problem is that the team is run by a bunch of idiots. That's it. That's the whole problem.

I’d like this 10 times if I could. This front office has a list of mistakes a mile long and they still made the playoffs 5 years in a row. Luc is a weapons-grade moron and Blake was either compromised or short sighted or both.

 

[Statue4Deano]

I’d like this 10 times if I could. This front office has a list of mistakes a mile long and they still made the playoffs 5 years in a row. Luc is a weapons-grade moron and Blake was either compromised or short sighted or both.

Blake unexpectedly quitting to leave Luc holding the bag was the perfect cherry on top of his GM career.

 

[Clif]

Blake unexpectedly quitting to leave Luc holding the bag was the perfect cherry on top of his GM career.

Bailing was his most consistent quality as a King to the end.

 

[PSP]

The problem is that the team is run by a bunch of idiots.

We can all agree on this

 

[ICE24]

This post reminds me of the old days before the salary cap when fans would complain that the Kings wouldn't commit to spend the money that a few of the other teams would and couldn't complete as a result.

Those days are over. We are usually near the cap. The team has a large scouting department. A good practice facility, etc. AEG just dropped $1 billion into arena upgrades. If AEG just thinks about money, they wouldn't be cheap. Winning fills the seats. Just look at the Dodgers' turnaround in this city.

The Kings aren't cheap. McLellan was just about the highest paid coach in the league. Even if you are cynical and think they are all about money, the Kings would want to win because there's more money in winning.

The problem is that the team is run by a bunch of idiots. That's it. That's the whole problem.

I agree, I just don't believe LA can attract top tier UFA's anymore. A reason for Panarin wanting to sign in LA is probably his wife and her being a model and fashion or interior designer. She is leaving NY, so this seems to be the most logical spot to continue both of their careers. Not all these players will have a wife that is a model, so coming to LA is not a big draw anymore, especially with the baggage that comes with it.

I lived in the south bay for six years. Probably the best time of my younger-single life. For a veteran hockey player purchasing a 3-bedroom 1800sq ft house that is 2.8- 3.5 million dollars a few blocks from the beach is nice, but it's a bit crowded. Yes, there are other places to live, however, just the traffic alone may make a player stay away, yet alone the tax implications and other stuff that comes with it. Most of us say, that doesn't matter to players that make a lot of money, apparently it just might.

If I am a top UFA, it seems that most have a young family at that point, do I really want to take my family to LA. To me, it's not the same anymore and maybe that is a factor in who the Kings can attract? The players that are drafted by LA, that's a different story. I look at a player like Mitch Marner, he tells Toronto to do a sign and trade deal with Vegas, or you lose me for nothing. He chose Vegas over LA? Yes, they have a better organization, but your wife and young child are still living in Vegas. That's a different world compared to where he was living. I am sure he leaves after the season and goes back to Canada for the summer.
Then again, it might be Luc and AEG that are stopping top UFA's from signing in LA.

 

[Moog]

There has never been a doubt that AEG spends $$$.

Does that mean they care about winning and that’s why they spend? NO!

Uncle Phil has PLENTY of coin. His NHL team is appreciating in value year over year as (most) top tier sports teams do. He’s happy so long as this continues AND fans keep throwing their wallets at the team with reckless abandon.

Why are the Kings a horrible organization for over 10 years then?

The inmates are running the asylum.
It’s a nepotism clown show of inept management.

Why doesn’t Danny B do anything about it?
Because the fans keep spending their money on a garbage product. The money keeps coming in. So long as fans are lemmings with their money, corporations will continue to spend and sponsor.

AEG only wants your money. PERIOD.
They have shown you this for over 10 years.
They do not care about winning and they have lowered the bar so far from where they were with Timmy and Deano…..and the fans spend as if that is “ok”.

Fans have shown they don’t care about winning and so has AEG.

Winning is hard.
For Danny B to make changes to the FO that will lead to competent management that can win takes a TON of work. Danny B is spread thin, so it’s MUCH easier to keep the same old same old so long as fans fill the arena and buy merch.

The Kings reputation in the league has gone from a culture of winning to a culture of not winning is acceptable, and as a player you can come here to LA, be anonymous, live in the sunshine at the beach, and not worry about your “boss” breathing down your neck to perform at your best.

The ownership does not care.
Why should the fans?

 

[LAKingSteve]

I've got a bad gut feeling that Luc isn't going anywhere.

 

[Clif]

There has never been a doubt that AEG spends $$$.

Does that mean they care about winning and that’s why they spend? NO!

Uncle Phil has PLENTY of coin. His NHL team is appreciating in value year over year as (most) top tier sports teams do. He’s happy so long as this continues AND fans keep throwing their wallets at the team with reckless abandon.

Why are the Kings a horrible organization for over 10 years then?

The inmates are running the asylum.
It’s a nepotism clown show of inept management.

Why doesn’t Danny B do anything about it?
Because the fans keep spending their money on a garbage product. The money keeps coming in. So long as fans are lemmings with their money, corporations will continue to spend and sponsor.

AEG only wants your money. PERIOD.
They have shown you this for over 10 years.
They do not care about winning and they have lowered the bar so far from where they were with Timmy and Deano…..and the fans spend as if that is “ok”.

Fans have shown they don’t care about winning and so has AEG.

Winning is hard.
For Danny B to make changes to the FO that will lead to competent management that can win takes a TON of work. Danny B is spread thin, so it’s MUCH easier to keep the same old same old so long as fans fill the arena and buy merch.

The Kings reputation in the league has gone from a culture of winning to a culture of not winning is acceptable, and as a player you can come here to LA, be anonymous, live in the sunshine at the beach, and not worry about your “boss” breathing down your neck to perform at your best.

The ownership does not care.
Why should the fans?

I always enjoy your writing style. So your premise is they spend to the cap, spend a ton of money on players (players consistently talk about how well they are treated) including investing in nutrition, massage therapists, state of the art gym, etc. which arguably shows a lot of care. But they don’t care about actual winning, so Luc, who absolutely cares about winning but is too stupid to achieve it, gets a free pass. Because AEG doesn’t actually cars about winning.

I’ll say this. Not ideal ownership. It’d be way cooler to have the guy from Utah going around high fiving fans outside the arena. Having a multinational corporation owned by a crackpot billionaire in his 80s is lame. But that same ownership group is also hands-off enough that competent people can do what they need to do. It’s why Dean achieved what he did.

At least it’s not TOR where the owner is interfering with actual hockey trades using ChatGPT.

 

[Statue4Deano]

I've got a bad gut feeling that Luc isn't going anywhere.

We just have to accept that he’s completely untouchable. Results mean nothing. Fan support means nothing. The only constant is Luc.

 

[aaron]

I'm sure ownership wants to win the Cup. They don't need to.
Management does not have a free hand to do what it thinks is best in the long term. The team must be competitive every year. Until that changes, it's pre-2010 forever.

 

[Moog]

I always enjoy your writing style. So your premise is they spend to the cap, spend a ton of money on players (players consistently talk about how well they are treated) including investing in nutrition, massage therapists, state of the art gym, etc. which arguably shows a lot of care. But they don’t care about actual winning, so Luc, who absolutely cares about winning but is too stupid to achieve it, gets a free pass. Because AEG doesn’t actually cars about winning.

I’ll say this. Not ideal ownership. It’d be way cooler to have the guy from Utah going around high fiving fans outside the arena. Having a multinational corporation owned by a crackpot billionaire in his 80s is lame. But that same ownership group is also hands-off enough that competent people can do what they need to do. It’s why Dean achieved what he did.

At least it’s not TOR where the owner is interfering with actual hockey trades using ChatGPT.

My opinion:
Winning is not Luc's number 1 priority. It's somewhere down the line.
He's a company man, so his priorities are AEG's priorities: $$$$

If anyone thinks Luc's priority is winning, then they have not been paying attention to the last decade.

If anyone thinks my opinion of how the AEG operates the Kings is "inaccurate", well then I'd say they might be correct, however I will tell you they are DEAD WRONG. Why? Because AEG has a track record of not just running the Kings this way, they run the Galaxy this way as well. Since Timmy left, under Danny B. it's their MO for running sports teams.

Example: (Last season the Galaxy went on a HISTORIC 16 consecutive games without a win....16........and the manager was not fired, and he is still managing the team as of this day) Plenty of excuses galore however....and get this: They signed this manager 2 seasons ago to the highest paid manager's contract in the league)

AEG does not have a spending problem, they have an inept management problem.

...and you are correct, AEG is not ideal ownership.

 

[Moog]

We just have to accept that he’s completely untouchable. Results mean nothing. Fan support means nothing. The only constant is Luc.

Here is where you are wrong IMHO. Fan support to AEG means EVERYTHING.
Kings had 96% attendance capacity for this past season.

Kings fans are telling AEG with their wallets that the Kings results don't matter to them at all.
How do we know this: 96% attendance capacity for games in the past season.

Kings fans keep showing up to watch the on ice garbage product and spending plenty of $$ to support it.
For some "reason" Kings fans keep spending money on a club that continues to lose season over season.

The fans are supporting the way AEG operates the Kings for over a decade now.
AEG has taken note.