Balsillie's Back

[JohnnyCanuck 0]

Perhaps, but that won't fly at all. I see the only way to avoid the Glendale thing is to move out of Phoenix altogether. The city of Glendale will not allow their tenent to break the lease to move closer DT just to attempt to survive. There would be lawsuits everywhere.

If the team stays, they will be in Glendale, still with bad attendance and bad revenue situation. Until such a time that the team becomes competitive and fans may start to come support their winner, until such a time they are bad, and this situation repeats itself.

The clear thing here is the NHL wants the GTA to be an expansion franchise, and not a relocation, as they could fetch as much as .5 billion in expansion moneys they would not have to share with the PA. Balsillie should just buy the team, then pay the BOG a fee to relocate (Maybe 20-30% of x to Buffalo and 20-30% of x to MLSE and the rest to be split amongst the owners) which would upset the players who are as Bettman likes to put it: "Partners" <_< and subject to a 55% share in "Revenues" but alas... they might not put up much of a fight since they are well aware that putting a team in a Natural Hockey Market by removing a disaster for 12 years Franchise will inevitably mean a higher revenue share long term...

What a mess.

[chippa13 1844]

The NHL hasn't said anything about expansion anytime in the near future that I am aware of. If they had then Balsillie would stop all this end around stuff and just form the expansion group.

[canadian_man_44 0]

And I am well-aware of what a jailbroken iPhone can do. And I know why it has to be done for you to tether. And it violates Apple's warranty (although a full restore before you get the phone serviced will get around that.)

It also is copyright infringement according to the bulletin we got here at Rogers directly from Apple and you can be taken to court about it....not that they ever would, however, it does void the warranty and Apple has a way to tell if the iPhone has ever been jailbroken by using something on the software when we send it back to them. I'm not sure how, but I have talked to a customer who did the restore so they "couldn't tell it had been unlocked". The problem is he got a bill from Apple for the cost of the replacement device after they ran their diagnostics. Some sort of a software log was the explanation they gave him.

[Chadd 916]

Perhaps, but that won't fly at all. I see the only way to avoid the Glendale thing is to move out of Phoenix altogether. The city of Glendale will not allow their tenent to break the lease to move closer DT just to attempt to survive. There would be lawsuits everywhere.

I don't believe they would attempt to do that but I believe it would be more palatable to the league and more effective in addressing the problems of the local market. It is also far more likely that the team would be permitted to end its lease at the arena (it will be renegotiated and the team will get more favorable terms) than it is to expect the court to force the league to move the team to Hamilton. If that precedent is set there is nothing to prevent the Islanders from being sold and moved to Moscow or the Clippers from being moved to Tokyo. Those are the potential ramifications of the court allowing Balsillie to make an end run around the NHL and that will be factored into the decision.

The NHL hasn't said anything about expansion anytime in the near future that I am aware of. If they had then Balsillie would stop all this end around stuff and just form the expansion group.

He knows that the NHL will never grant him the franchise if they have the option, hence this backdoor play.

I think the wild card is that the judge might not allow anyone to attach conditions to their bids. If that is the case, Balsillie could end up as the owner in Phoenix then he could fight a legal battle to move his team, much like Al Davis has done with the Raiders. Can you imagine a Hamilton team in the Western conference with back to back games in Hamilton and San Jose?

[JohnnyCanuck 0]

Can you imagine a Hamilton team in the Western conference with back to back games in Hamilton and San Jose?

You then might end up with a team with a similar travel schedule to the Canucks ;)

[RadioGaGa 162]

Interesting angle talked about on TSN tonight. The NHLPA is not getting involved at this point...but they are watching everything closely. They used Doan as the example. He has a NMC in his clause. The NHLPA could (and may) claim that moving the team is a breach of his contract. He negociated that so that he knew his family would stay in Phoenix...

Not an angle I had considered. Wonder if it could fly as an attempt to block a move, if the court allows JB ownership.

[RadioGaGa 162]

http://tsn.ca/blogs/?id=279569

[JohnnyCanuck 0]

RadioGaGa,

The PA would be in favor of a move to S.O. they have said as much, and support the idea of a second franchise there.

[RadioGaGa 162]

RadioGaGa,

The PA would be in favor of a move to S.O. they have said as much, and support the idea of a second franchise there.

It was more of TSN just asking the question of what coudl happen than an actual comment from the PA...I just thought it was interesting that they might consider moving the team an infringement on a players No Movement Clause

[jds 20]

Check out the plans for old Copps Coliseum released by Balsillie camp 30 minutes ago:

http://smr.newswire.ca/en/jim-balsillie/ji...-copps-coliseum

[KryptOng 9]

looks good, i hope this goes through cause hamilton needs a top notch facility like this for their downtown core.

[RadioGaGa 162]

If that is indeed the plan...I hope they plan to do something with the area AROUND the arena too...that's gonna look damn funny surrenounded by what is currently in the Main/Bay/King area.

[K9 Unit 1]

to me that just looks like every other stadium...if they're really gonna do this i think they need something special defining that stadium...like the new arizona nfl stadium

[RadioGaGa 162]

Another thing about that plan...for all the purists....that building won't be called Victor K. Copps Coliseum for long. The amount of money needed to do all that will likely bring corporate naming...something the city has stayed away from for years.

Oh, and if that doesn't come through...I'm sure Jim will just slap RIM Centre...or maybe Blackberry Coliseum on it...which would make it Hamilton's largest crack house.

[RadioGaGa 162]

http://www.hamiltonbulldogs.com/article/a-...ichael-andlauer

He was quite annoyed when the Mayor made the "...bring hockey to Hamilton..." comment publicly.

[chippa13 1844]

Good for him. He should stand up for himself when someone basically sets out to put him out of business.

[RadioGaGa 162]

Good for him. He should stand up for himself when someone basically sets out to put him out of business.

But, even in that...he's still showing support for the cause of an NHL team. Playing both sides of the fence amazingly.

[s Greens 0]

Balsillie is having a Q&A at the business school I attend tomorrow morning. Any pressing questions anyone wants me to ask? :P

[RadioGaGa 162]

Balsillie is having a Q&A at the business school I attend tomorrow morning. Any pressing questions anyone wants me to ask? :P

Anything we want answers to will get "...no comment" or "I await the courts decision" as an answer.

[crazylegs_9 0]

With the relocation hearing supposedly being today, how do you all think this will go?

[RadioGaGa 162]

With the relocation hearing supposedly being today, how do you all think this will go?

I think the court will rule that Ballzy has the best offer and should righfully be allowed to own the team...but will defer to the League on whether or not he can re-locate it. The League will say no...and JB will withdraw his offer.

Whoever is next in line (money wise) and willing to stay in Phoenix will get the team.

[RecLeagueHero 0]

If the NHL site is to be believed it seems they've come up with a few serious buyers that actually could put something better on the table. End of the day, the NHL seems to feel Canada can handle 6 teams and they've got 6 clubs so that's that. They won't allow the relocation, and if you believe the NHL website they have several serious buyers that could actually put a better offer on the table and have no issues with keeping the team in Phoenix.

[top 1974 0]

Interesting that the judge delayed his ruling until the end of this week. One has to wonder if this is because:

a) Needs more time (this would be strange as it was the judge himself who moved the timetable forward to June 9th)

B) Does not want to distract from the Stanley Cup Final

c) Is awaiting the next "chapter" in the Supreme Court challenge brought by the Indiana State Pension Fund regarding Chrysler's sale. (Unsecured creditors getting a better deal than secured creditors, as orchestrated by the Obama administration)

My guess is C. If the most powerfull office in the world is not above bankrupcy law, "NHL policies" wouldnt be either. Anyways if Balsille wins this fight, he'll have to win the appeal by the NHL. If he wins the appeal, he'll have to take on MLSE who run the Leafs. They have publicly stated they will sue the NHL and all 28 teams that play the "Hamilton Team" should Balsille relocate them. I see this team in Phoenix next year, followed by contraction, then expansion.

[RecLeagueHero 0]

Or the judge wants to wait and see if one of the other potential buyers puts something with more zero's on the table and then it becomes moot.

[Chadd 916]

If the NHL site is to be believed it seems they've come up with a few serious buyers that actually could put something better on the table.

Make it a $100M relocation fee and say $50M to Buffalo and $25M to Toronto for infringing on their territorial rights and the other bids don't take nearly as much cash to beat Balsillie's offer.