Coyotes Purchase not about saving hockey in Phoenix
Posted 2:27 AM ET | Comments 1
It's been interesting reading all the comments from Canadian hockey fans (I'm one of them) assuming that Bettman has a thing against Canada and continues to ignore us as a relocation market for troubled American teams. The reality is simple - the NHL and the Owners will not give Canadian markets away for free, especially another market in Ontario.
Ontario is the Boardwalk of the NHL's Real Estate portfolio, and it isn't going to give it away for free. At the very least the rights for another team in Ontario will probably sell for a fee close to the worth of the Ottawa Senators as a minimum. 100% of that money goes directly to the NHL and its Owners. Relocating another franchise gains the NHL absolutely nothing. Hockey fans in Ontario are already NHL fans of a team (Leafs, Sabres, Wings, Sens, etc) they buy jersey's, subscribe to hockey on cable, buy Pay Per View games, etc. Another team simply re-allocates this money to a new market but doesnt necessarily create substantially more revenue.
The NHL makes its major money through the franchise fee. 100% of this money goes into the pockets of the NHL owners. Jim Basillie knows this and knows he'll have to pay signficantly more, probably through an auction, if and when the NHL is ready to expand again. This is what has upset the NHL and Owners, he knew the game, he didn't play by the rules and he'll pay the price.
Before everyone starts supporting Rim Jim ask yourself this, if he really wants hockey in Ontario why didn't he play by the rules the NHL has implied? Pay the minium to save the Coyotoes, negotiate a hefty franchise fee for Ontario and move the team later, of course this would probably cost him $400 million when everything is said and done, but how much is a team in Ontario worth?
In the end the NHL doesn't care about Phoenix, it has markets it can relocate too that will have some chance of success. Major markets have a value and will be sold, not given away and you're crazy to think the NHL already hasn't valued markets like Ontario, Kansas City, Portland, Las Vegas, Quebec City, Winnipeg, etc.
Bettman and the NHL's slight against Canada is nothing personal, its business and this is why Bettman has the respect of the Owners and still has a job. I'm sure all the Owners and the NHL Executive would have loved to have seen Phoenix declare bankrupcy and fade away into the desert and they could plan on expansion money if and when the time was right.
Ontario is the Boardwalk of the NHL's Real Estate portfolio, and it isn't going to give it away for free. At the very least the rights for another team in Ontario will probably sell for a fee close to the worth of the Ottawa Senators as a minimum. 100% of that money goes directly to the NHL and its Owners. Relocating another franchise gains the NHL absolutely nothing. Hockey fans in Ontario are already NHL fans of a team (Leafs, Sabres, Wings, Sens, etc) they buy jersey's, subscribe to hockey on cable, buy Pay Per View games, etc. Another team simply re-allocates this money to a new market but doesnt necessarily create substantially more revenue.
The NHL makes its major money through the franchise fee. 100% of this money goes into the pockets of the NHL owners. Jim Basillie knows this and knows he'll have to pay signficantly more, probably through an auction, if and when the NHL is ready to expand again. This is what has upset the NHL and Owners, he knew the game, he didn't play by the rules and he'll pay the price.
Before everyone starts supporting Rim Jim ask yourself this, if he really wants hockey in Ontario why didn't he play by the rules the NHL has implied? Pay the minium to save the Coyotoes, negotiate a hefty franchise fee for Ontario and move the team later, of course this would probably cost him $400 million when everything is said and done, but how much is a team in Ontario worth?
In the end the NHL doesn't care about Phoenix, it has markets it can relocate too that will have some chance of success. Major markets have a value and will be sold, not given away and you're crazy to think the NHL already hasn't valued markets like Ontario, Kansas City, Portland, Las Vegas, Quebec City, Winnipeg, etc.
Bettman and the NHL's slight against Canada is nothing personal, its business and this is why Bettman has the respect of the Owners and still has a job. I'm sure all the Owners and the NHL Executive would have loved to have seen Phoenix declare bankrupcy and fade away into the desert and they could plan on expansion money if and when the time was right.
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