May 23, 2007

Balsillie to purchase Predators : You might want to see if you can transfer carriers for your Blackberry, Barry Trotz.

read story | posted by tommytrump to Hockey at 9:44 PM CDT (13 comments total)

More specs in this Nashville Post article, most relevantly:

There is a way out, however. Because average game attendance for the season recently ended was below 14,000, the team has 60 days from its final hockey game to exercise an exit clause. That move, which would have to happen by mid-June, would trigger a one-year cure period in which the city must bring ticket sales up to 14,000 per game. Otherwise, after the year, the team could leave.

How did none of us call this? It seems so obvious in retrospect.

Comment icon posted by DrJohnEvans at 10:33 PM CDT on May 23

Much better. Buy a team from one of the shitty southern expansion markets and move it to Canada. That's good stuff. Leave the teams in the northeast with the solid fan bases alone, Mr. Baldsilly.

Comment icon posted by fxrival at 11:59 PM CDT on May 23

Bottom line - this is the kind of owner this league needs. Not a committee, or ownership consortium - a fucking billionaire who really likes hockey. Perfect.

I say Winnipeg - but will happily welcome another team in Southern Ontario. Those 'peggers were robbed last time 'round.

You might want to see if you can transfer carriers for your Blackberry, Barry Trotz.

Also - find your neck. My god, you're difficult to look at. I mean, do you actually live under a bridge? How do children taste, Barry?

Comment icon posted by WeedyMcSmokey at 8:01 AM CDT on May 24

I may sound like a homer here, but, this makes alot more sence than moving the Penguins to Canada. This is exactly what hockey needs right now. Nashville is a good team but they are stuck in a city with no fan base. Put them in Winnipeg or Quebec City and put hockey where it belongs.

Comment icon posted by Steel_Town at 9:10 AM CDT on May 24

I'd root for Québec, but in no way expect it. Winnipeg would be nice, yes. A third team in Ontario would be a little much, but anywhere in Canada is an improvement (with apologies to MrFrisby who wouldn't have convenient access to live NHL hockey any longer).

As for Trotz, I can't believe he'll still be around next year. Two playoffs duds in a row? His time is up.

Comment icon posted by qbert72 at 9:12 AM CDT on May 24

Also - find your neck. My god, you're difficult to look at. I mean, do you actually live under a bridge? How do children taste, Barry?

For a man who was crosschecked from behind into the boards, breaking seven (7)! vertebrae, and yet finished the game, I think he looks pretty good.

Comment icon posted by tommytrump at 10:08 AM CDT on May 24

Well, there's always St. Louis. Wait, you said convenient. Yeah, a 3.5 hour drive is not very convenient.

It irks me to see the term, no fan base. Trust me, there is a fan base. Take a trip to Nashville and you will see. It's a nice city with nice people. Fans of other teams don't need to worry about getting punched in the head.

I still haven't figured out why "Rathje sucks" though.

Comment icon posted by MrFrisby at 10:46 AM CDT on May 24

Apparently RIM has purchased 26 acres of land just off the 401.

Comment icon posted by DrJohnEvans at 11:17 AM CDT on May 24

Apparently RIM has purchased 26 acres of land just off the 401.

That'd be a really shitty location for a third Ontario team. If a team would move to southern ontario, then being closer to the Hamilton core -- closer to GO Transit and the 403/QEW -- would be the most logical choice.

Well, other than putting a second team in Toronto. But Bettman (or the Leafs) would never go for that.

Comment icon posted by mkn at 1:49 PM CDT on May 24

I think the location is as close to Toronto as he can get without owing a huge payout to the Maple Leafs. It's close, anyway. It would also function as a central location for Kitchener-Waterloo, London, Hamilton and Toronto, which includes, what, 8 million hockey fans?

Comment icon posted by Mirtle at 1:59 PM CDT on May 24

With the amount of money floating around Southern, and Southwestern Ontario, and the number of hockey fans living in the area, Cambridge is actually pretty ideal as a location. People living in Mississauga, Etobicoke and points west would be able to get to Cambridge as quickly if not faster than they would be able to fight their way to downtown Toronto to the Air Canada Centre. I suspect the Copps Coliseum will be the initial home if the Predators do move to Canada, with a new facility coming on board as quickly as it can be built as Copps has few of the amenities that are required in modern NHL arenas. I know I'm in for a partial season ticket package. Just tell me where to send the deposit. It's just over 1 hour from London to Cambridge, and even less from Mississauga, easy commutes for us hardy Canadians.

Comment icon posted by tommytrump at 4:51 PM CDT on May 24

Send the Predators to Winnipeg, put them in the Northwest Division, then put the Wild in Nashville's old spot in the Central. It will be like old times for Minnesota hockey fans...the old Norris Division mostly reunited. OK, so Columbus would be in place of Toronto, but we'd cope. It would be a lot more fun for Wild fans to play Detroit, St. Louis and Chicago eight times each than to keep having to go up to the Frozen North constantly to try to follow the team.

Oh yeah, this thread was about the Preds...sorry.

Comment icon posted by TheQatarian at 11:40 AM CDT on May 25

Right here. Not a bad spot, really. People make the commute from there to Toronto daily.

Comment icon posted by DrJohnEvans at 5:18 PM CDT on May 25

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