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5/19/09 Update: Bankruptcy judge Redfield T. Baum today ordered the NHL and Phoenix owner Jerry Moyes into mediation until the 27th of this May, pretty much making fun of the fact that the NHL could not handle this outside of his courtroom.
This is a good sign for Balsillie, for the fact that the judge didn’t simply (as many expected) side with the NHL. It could be bad news for Balsillie, however, as this delays the possible transfer of the team, especially with prior concerns by the NHL about it interfering with next year’s schedule.
It sounds to us like the judge just hasn’t researched and learned enough about this case to yet make a decision… but we definitely do like his sense of humor:
“To save the suspense, I’m not going to rule from the bench today,” he said.
Hopefully his decision ends up coming from a bench favored by Hamilton.
Gary Bettman might not want a new NHL team in Hamilton, but he might be willing to let a team move back to Winnipeg. Bettman says that Copps Coliseum (where the Hamilton team would play) is over 30 years old and too old, and that only an expansion team would be allowed in Hamilton (which we all know will never happen). Another reason Bettman has given for not allowing the sale/move of Phoenix to Hamilton this year is because it would interfere with the 2009-2010 NHL schedule… which we don’t believe has been released yet. Either way, Jim Balsillie stated over the weekend that he is willing to delay the move of Phoenix to Hamilton until the 2010-2011 season, if scheduling was such a problem.
While all of this goes on and Bettman and the NHL said they have also been in talks with Chicago White Sox owner Jerry Reinsdorf, about buying the team for $130 million and keeping it in Phoenix… the bankruptcy court showdown between Moyes and the NHL should end tomorrow - Tuesday, May 19th - with a ruling expected.
We do like the fact that Bettman has brought up Winnipeg’s name in the move of the Coyotes to a new place… but doubt that he is serious about it at all, and it is more of a PR stunt. Furthermore, why is he trying to prevent a thriving NHL franchise from existing in Hamilton, when one in Winnipeg already failed??! Once again, little Napoleon won’t let his ego out of the way and do what’s best for this league and sport…
This is merely the latest in a long line of lies from Bettman. He’ll never let a team go back to Winnipeg, and he doesn’t want another team in Southern Ontario (or Canada for that matter) because of competition with the other Canadian teams.
Hopefully the judge rules in favour of Balsillie, and the Board of Gov’s see the light and Fire Bettman (and Bill Daly and Colin Campbell). That’s my dream.
If the 3 Stooges (Bettman, Daly, Campbell) are so desperate to keep that money pit in Phoenix, how about if they pay the creditors out of their own pockets, and pay the operating costs to keep it going.
Yes, hopefully this will be the end of Bettman. What will it take for the owners to see that he was rancid upon arrival from the NBA. And do you know who was his biggest supporter to come over from the NBA? The late Billy Wirtz, the same guy who wouldn’t allow home games to be seen in the local market. His son is correcting his mistakes with the Black Hawks, the owners need to fix his biggest mistake. Can we see the headline now “Bettman meets his Waterloo as Ballsillie moves the Coyotes to Waterloo.”
I just seen a report on TSN and Bettman apparently denies he mentioned to anyone from the Coyotes about them going to Manitoba….this just keeps getting wackier by the moment..
Yeah, I love watching Bettman deny and spin information…he’s so funny when he does it.
I don’t even care if Balsillie gets a team (although obviously I support it the idea!)…the most important thing is to see the End of Bettman. Fortunately, both of these events may soon come to pass!
Does Bettman realize that he is more of a fraud when he tries to spin information and deny everything? The media, bloggers, and millions of hockey fans are seeing right through all of the dirty tricks that this little mental midget has pulled off in the last sixteen years running the NHL.
Brian,
Is Bettman denying that he mentioned to anybody from the Coyotes about them moving to Winnipeg? Whether wipe oid is lying or not, nobody should believe any word he says for one second.
Oddy Oh and everyone else,
Let’s hope that the bankruptecy court judge rules against the NHL and hopefully Bill Daly, Colin Campbell, and Gary Bettman are all fired shortly thereafter.
Sens Fan
why do you guys hate non-traditional markets so much. i have watched hockey for years but never realized that according to you i was not allowed to… i do apologize lol lol
I just want the NHL to succeed and be a strong league, in strong markets. Ironically, that’s the same thing Bettman wants, he and I are actually a lot alike…but unlike Bettman, I can actually admit the sky is fucking blue when I look out my window.
Unfortunately, my dream of a strong NHL cannot work under Gary’s Iron Rule. Backdoor dealings, lies, spins, and shady characters (Del Biaggio) surround Bettman’s every move, but he continues to weave his Web of Power over the Board of Gov’s…dunno why those guys are so clueless.
I’m just glad this is all coming to light now that Bettman is being challenged in court. I hope he will finally be exposed as the fraud he is.
Anyway, I’m letting my passion for the game get the better of me here, so I better stop this now. Passion, something Gary Bettman would never understand.
Im certain TSN said Bettman claimed he never mentioned to anyone in the Coyote organization about favoring a move to Manitoba (for this team). He has come out publicly though about having a team in Winnipeg. One thing though another group is coming forward with one of the minority owners of the Coyotes (forgot his name) but he was supposedly lining up local investers to keep the team there. I find that hard to believe though given the amount that team is losing…that anyone would keep the team there long term. Apparently the Reinsdorf offer would mean Gretz would be gone because he was supposed to make 8 millon and they want to unload to someone that would make 1 million if even that. I also heard with the parking the Coyotes have to pay 2 million a year which is insane.
Here’s an update on the court case:
The bankruptecy court judge in Arizona has ordered the NHL and Jerry Moyes into mediation.
http://www.cbc.ca/sports/hockey/story/2009/05/19/sp-baum-hearing.html
Yikes…I was on Cnn and the story said ‘Tortue the hallmark of Phoneix Kidnappings”..so i obviously had to read it. At the top it said
Story Highlights
Phoenix police investigated 368 kidnappings in 2008, 357 in 2007… i had a more positive image of Phoneix than that. I know it has to do with whats going on in Mexico but this story sure has the wow factor to it!!
http://www.cnn.com/2009/CRIME/05/19/phoenix.drug.kidnappings/index.html
LOL, I love the quotes from the judge…sounds like a real character!
From the TSN article:
“Why are we arguing about who has their hands on the steering wheel of a car that’s going to be sold in 60 days?” Baum said.
Yup, it’s a waste of the court’s time figuring out Bettman’s lies and doublecrosses. Here’s hoping the mediator can make sense of it.
just wondering, would las vegas really be better than arizona in regards to having an NHL team. maybe but i don’t know. i have never been to canada but hope to some day. i’m in the deep south. and hear alot about Hamilton among other places as being the place to go.
OddyOh, i understand your passion for the game. i’m the same way. where i’m from if you don’t like football,baseball, and nascar they pretty much believe your from a different planet. i remember talking to a friend about my LOVE for hockey, and he looked at me like i just farted in church!!!!.
beerbelly wrote:
“just wondering, would las vegas really be better than arizona in regards to having an NHL team. maybe but i don’t know.” To answer your question, a team in Las Vegas wouldn’t be any better than a team in Arizona. Here’s are two reasons why, 1) Las Vegas is the gambling capital of the world. 2) Having said that, there is too much going on in Las Vegas at any given time during the day. In a nutshell, an NHL team in Las Vegas will more than likely be an experiment gone bad.
What I don’t understand is that several months ago Bettman denied that the NHL is giving life support to the Coyotes and even went as far to say that the Coyotes are “doing fine” while being interviewed on CBC. Now when a relocation threat to Canada emerges, Bettman comes out saying that the NHL is supporting the Coyotes financially.
The NHL had better wake up and realize that the league has no business setting up shop in Anaheim, Atlanta, Columbus, Florida, Nashville, Tampa Bay, Phoenix, and Carolina. Heck, they should relocate the New Jersey Devils also since the Devils can never seem to sell out any home game, regular season or post-season (unless the Rangers or Flyers are in town).
i believe all hockey teams in the NHL should be in Canada. let America have some AHL teams. hockey came from us not them. yet they seem to have all the say as to what goes on with our sport. i guess the good news is without us they would have no players!!!!!! let them have football,baseball, basketball. and as for the south, they can have nascar…. or whatever else they like down there. such as marrying your sister!!!! .
The latest news is both New York State senators sent a letter to the NHL opposing the team move to Hamilton. They say it would hurt the Buffalo economy and say that 20% of the tickets come from across the border….This is interesting isn’t it, if that 20% didn’t exist the sabres probably wouldn’t exist to begin with!. They would have no problem taking a plant from Ontario or jobs from Ontario but would object to another team in Hamilton. We know full well these senators had no idea this bankruptcy thing was even happening until someone in the Sabres organization sent them a letter. This whole thing stinks with the new rules of going across the border (needing passports) and driving that far because you can’t get a ticket to see a NHL game in Toronto. If you are in Hamilton,Kitchener,Burlington,Oakvillle etc why should you have to go through all that hassle to get to Buffalo (especially in winter!) because they cant support the team without Ontario??. To me its like saying you can’t put a Wallmart in Niagara Falls Canada because currently 20% of the shoppers at the Niagara Falls New York location are Canadian!. Is Canada going to get the shaft once again, with 2 senators and 3 other American leagues objecting to this move to Hamilton it sure looks like it.
Brian wrote
“The latest news is both New York State senators sent a letter to the NHL opposing the team move to Hamilton. They say it would hurt the Buffalo economy and say that 20% of the tickets come from across the border… This is interesting isn’t it, if that 20% didn’t exist the sabres probably wouldn’t exist to begin with!”
Last time I checked, Buffalo is a TRUE hockey market. I don’t what those state senators from New York are talking about. If those 20% who go to Sabres games right now don’t travel to HSBC Arena anymore because there is a franchise located in Hamilton, that same 20% of ticket sales lost can be made up for that easy because I am 100% certain that there are a lot of people in Buffalo & Western New York who would want to see Sabres games at the HSBC Arena. I mean, did you see how packed HSBC Arena was inside and outside the building when they played Ottawa during the 2007 Eastern Conference Finals? Having said that, the Sabres will do just fine even with a team in the Hamilton Region.
“Is Canada going to get the shaft once again, with 2 senators and 3 other American leagues objecting to this move to Hamilton it sure looks like it.”
As a matter of fact, if the NHL loses in bankruptecy court and Jim Balsillie’s bid is rejected for a third time… Colin Campbell, Bill Daly, and Gary Bettman must be fired immediately
again i say it . we are going to get nothing from america. as long as bettman is in charge we will be seeing a hockey team in peurto rico!!! before here. what are they afraid of down there. that we might make some money they caint get thier hands on. we need to boycott all nhl games in america. there is nothing there we need. tell me please!!!!!!! what in the world does the usa have to offer!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! high crime, outragious medical bills, rednecks, and republicins. thats all they have. we could do without all of that.
Sens Fan..true Buffalo is a hockey market problem is we all know there is ups and downs and i can see a time when that team doesn’t exist. The Buffalo average ticket price is $36.43 which is $13.23 behind the league average of $49.66..only the Blues have a lower average at $29.94. At 18,000 per game that’s $238,140 per game or close to 10 million per season difference. In the 1994 season the average in Buffalo was $34.63 above the league ave of $33.49. In 15 seasons their ticket ave has gone up $1.80 while the league ave has gone up $16.17. With this passport issue for crossing the border i’m certain some people will not bother if they don’t already have one and it is going to alienate thousands of people who will not bother crossing the border for shopping and that would include some hockey fans. Most of the people in the southern ontario area go to the sabres games because they can’t get a ticket in Toronto (yes there is that core of Buffalo fans in Ontario). I still go my basic argument about Wallmart. Another example is Casinos and when the built Casino Niagara. You can tell by the parking lot there was a fair amount of people from New York state and they obviously brought in millions per year. Is anyone going to tell me Niagara Falls NY doesn’t have the right to put a casino there because Niagara Falls Ont might lose a majority of the american customers??. Last thing the NHL increased it’s line of credit from $70 million to $200 million this week..in case some teams find themselves in trouble (thats hilarious)…well anyway are we to assume that the league is going to take over the team with this money…or loan money to this “so called local group” who doesn’t have enough money in toilet paper. Or is it to settle lawsuits when they try to shaft creditors!
Brian, you raised an interesting point about the passport issue for crossing the border. Yes, some people won’t bother if they don’t have a passport and it might alienate thousands of people who won’t go to Buffalo anymore to see hockey games and do some shopping if a team were to enter Hamilton. That’s a great point about casinos and when Casino Niagara was built. If Niagara Falls on the American side wanted to build a casino and was told “no” on the grounds that Niagara Casino on the Canadian side would lose a majority of there American customers, then that would be bad business. I am sure that the Niagara Casino would get new customers from Toronto, Hamilton, London etc. to replace the American customers that have been lost. Same logic applies with the Buffalo Sabres having more customers from Buffalo, Rochester and the rest of Western New York to replace those Southern Ontario customers lost due to an NHL team in the Hamilton area. As I was saying in a previous post in this thread, I think the Sabres will do just fine and they will remain in the Buffalo market even with a team in the Hamilton area.
The NHL (Bettman) increased it’s line of credit from $70 million to $200 million this week. In the event some teams “find themselves in trouble.” Wow! Are Bettman and his cronies stupid or what? Seriously. Bettman, Daly, Campbell, and any other league cronies must be sued and/or brought to criminal trials if it’s found that loans to a “so called local group” who don’t have enough money in toilet paper or worse, to settle lawsuits when Bettman and his cronies attempt to screw creditors out of their money. More of Bettman’s B.S. will be exposed by the media and it is hopefully a matter of time before Bettman and his cronies are gone… and gone soon.
america SUCKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!.
Hopefully all his illegal underhanded dealings come out with this. Its about time that little cockroach was stomped on and replaced with a president who knows and loves the game, has the legal and business knowledge, as well as the respect of players and owners, my nomination: Ken Dryden.
If Hamitlon can’t get it, bring the team to Quebec City Jim! We are selling out our arena for Junior Hockey for God’s sake.
Bettman is an idiot.
Nordiques4ever, welcome aboard man!
Even though personally I don’t think Quebec City will get another NHL team, is there construction going on for a new building or is there something in the planning stages for a new arena in the Quebec City area? I don’t know about the arena situation in Quebec City so if there’s some information you know, please feel free to let us know on this site.
I don’t think Bettman understands that every word which comes out of his mouth from here on out is 100% horsecrap. The longer he keeps this BS up, NHL board of governors hopefully will finally see the light and get rid of the three bozo clowns: Daly, Campbell, and the all time worst commissioner in sports… Gary Bettman.
Stan the man, as a Canadian who has lived in the US for almost 14 yrs now, I think you need to stop your anti-USA tirades. This website is owned by Americans for 1 thing. We are all here because we want the NHL owners to wake up and FIRE BETTMAN. Yes a Canadian commissioner would be nice as far as we would get someone getting the job because he wants the job instead of a consolation prize as it is for Bettman. This website is all against Bettman, do not make it a Canada vs USA thing. There are many Americans who can’t stand Bettman. I worked at a place in the Detroit area where 2 of my fellow workers were LEAF fans. And they’ve lived here all their lives. A couple of the guys on 1 of the Detroit sports stations a couple of years ago even said that there is probably someone in a Tim Horton’s in Canada right now who would do a better job than Bettman. In short, ALL hockey fans know Bettman has to go. It’s a bunch of NHL owners who still don’t get it.
stan the man, you seem to be a little upset with america. i understand sometimes i get that way to. i am a season ticket holder with the preds. i know you may not believe it but i would love for you to come down here to nashville and see a game with me. you can be a guest of me and my familys. we have an extra seat that you could sit in and it will not cost you a thing. even more than that i will gladly take you to one of the best BBQ places in nashville called JACKS.. my treat. i promise you will treated with the utmost southern hospitality. i give you my word. i have been a hockey fan for a long time. i hope someday to make it to canada to show my little girl the hall of fame.
take care…
predneck, you have got to be kidding!!! there is no way i”ll ever go to the south. and watch a hockey game down there!! do you have anyone on your team that can even play. LOL LOL. i mean you guys are the worst team in the league, and thats saying something!! if you ever want to kill your hockey career just go to TRASHVILLE!!!!!. as for bringing you and your little girl to the hall of fame DONT!!. stay in tennessee. no need to come here. there aint no nascar or rebel flags flying around here!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! hopefullly in another year or so you want have a team any way. why dont you take her to see the redneck hall of fame LOL LOL LOL.. i’m sure that will be something you both would understand!!. go back to your trailer court LOL LOL..
What a sicko you are stan the man. man? yeah right. What a disgrace to the great nation of Canada. Its prix like you that keep Canada from getting more NHL teams. There are people in the states that love this game more than you ever will u piece of crap. Keep the hate to yourself. This site is about improving the game we all love. Do not reply here nobody will read it.
Stan, the only reply I have for you is a quote from Mark Twain.
Better to keep your mouth shut and be thought a fool than to open it and remove all doubt.
Predneck, I myself have been one who questioned putting a team in Nashville, but I would certainly accept your generous invitation if my travels ever took me to Nashville.
..the plans for the upgrades to Copps came out and it will be one of the top 5 arenas in the league…so why is Bettman still fighting this…
wow Bettman was talking about the cap, saying it might fall 5% but he also said this “Believes the Penguins were in “worse shape” when they went through bankruptcy in the late 1990s than Phoenix is today, and that the Coyotes were “never in jeopardy” of failing financially. He added that “no club is in jeopardy” because of shaky finances and that “we believe all of our franchises can be successful where they’re currently located.”
Read more: “Bettman says cap could fall 5 percent” - http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/09151/974015-61.stm#ixzz0H5Xn59QD&A
Coyotes were “never in jeopardy” of failing financially…after all this he is saying that??…he also said “The team was never in jeopardy. It was literally 20 minutes away from being fixed in a way that we thought was going to work quite well, and it’s our view, my view, that the Coyotes should not be in bankruptcy. Then why hasn’t an offer been submitted…did i miss something..there was an official suitable offer besides Basillie…
Bettman is such a pathological liar if he told me the sky was blue I wouldn’t believe him. Now he is trying to say it isn’t personal between him a Ballsille and that the NHL doesn’t run out on its fans, OK Gary, you tell the people of Winnipeg, Quebec and Hartford that, as well as Minnesota (remember the North Stars?). Trying to compare Phoenix to Pittsburgh, the Penguins never had a problem with lack of fan support, the Coyotes are lucky to get 8,000 to a game. Bettman and Daly are good at throwing money down the drain when it isn’t their money, I’d like to see these two clowns personally take responsibility for the debts, see how long it take them to realize it isn’t working then. They’ve tried , it hasn’t worked, time to pack up the tent and move on.
So now the Coyotes were “never in jeopardy” of failing financially and he thinks that the Penguins were in “worse shape” when they went through bankruptecy in the late 90’s than the Coyotes are today? How many people believe the horseshit that comes from this pathological liar?
Bettman has no business whatsoever comparing the Phoenix market to Pittsburgh.
Not only would I like to see Bettman & Daly take responsibility for their shady business practices, I would like to see both of these bozos pay the price by being fired. Which could be happening soon if the NHL loses in bankruptecy court and Balsillie’s bid is rejected for a third time because Gary’s ego gets in the way and he ruins Balsillie’s bid.
Heard about the new movie? The Truth : Bend it Like Bettman
SENSFAN
Yes there is a serious project for the construction of a new arena in Quebec City. There is a website, its in french, but you can take a look if you want right here :
www.jaimaplace.com
I hope I won’t get banned because I post links lol
They already pre-sold all corporate salons to local business.
There is also a Quebec City band that made a song for the return, you can listen to it at www.nakedgun.ca (song is called Je Me Souviens). It was on local radios a couple months ago. People are talking about the return of the NHL a lot up here. Hockey is in our blood.
STAN THE MAN
Please stop with the anti-US bullshit. Its not the Americans fault if Bettman doesn’t know what a hockey market is.
Nordiques4ever
Thanks for the link man! I still don’t think that Quebec City will get an NHL team but with an arena comparable to the Bell Centre in Montreal and a seat capacity of 20,014 anything is possible! I think that Hamilton & Winnipeg will have NHL teams in their cities within the next three years and as for Quebec City, I can only hope that I am proven wrong!
Personnaly I think we are an even better hockey market than Winnipeg, but I wish them the best too!
We had the greatest sport rivalry and I’m sure it would come back! (Nords VS Habs) That’s what the NHL needs!
Winnipeg has a better arena but its pretty small (I think its MAX 15,500 seats). Quebec’s projected arena is 18 000 seats.
do you know Medvedev, the Russian billionnaire that is president of the Russian hockey league? Quebec is his number one choice if he can get a franchise. ;P
Last year the hockey championship has been a big success on all fronts, players loved the city and the organisation made millions. That got some people interested.
To see the Nordiques vs Habs rivalry come back would be pretty awesome and maybe it will come back soon!
Winnipeg does have a capacity of 15,015 seats though however two things are true: 1) MTS Centre could do some renovations to add anywhere between 1,000 and 2,500 seats. 2) Even if there are no renovations to add more seats, a team in Winnipeg would draw just as much gate revenue as both the Flames & Oilers.
Yes, I have heard of Medvedev and I saw that piece on CBC News. The hockey championship last year was a success and that’s good that the players loved the city and the tournament made millions. If the interest from the tournament translates into an NHL franchise for Quebec City, that would be awesome.