from Amazon
Wednesday, May 06, 2009
Gary Bettman
Says:
Referring to past economic troubles facing franchises in Pittsburgh, Buffalo and Ottawa, Mr. Bettman said, “We fix the problems. We don’t run out on cities.”
I think he means American cities, and not Winnipeg or Ville de Quebec. This comes on the heels on the third time the CEO of Canada’s RIMM (Blackberry) tries to buy a team and (eventually) move it to Southern Ontario. Which team is he trying to buy? The Chapter 11 Phoenix Coyotes (formerly the Winnipeg Jets).
Bettman called the Chapter 11 filing and Balsillie bid a “tactic” and “a challenge to league rules” as opposed to “the economic condition of the club, which we believe can, with new ownership and with the accomodations the city of Glendale is prepared to make, we think can succeed.”
He has apparently suspended the owner of the team, pending the NHL’s review of whether they could block his move. As for that second team near Toronto, Pierre Lebrun, a top hockey reporter, has this to say:
And that’s where I think you’ll see the real power game between Bettman and Balsillie. I do believe we’ll have a second team in the Toronto area one day, but I don’t think it’ll be under Balsillie’s watch. Bettman will make sure of that.
Balsillie would be a solid NHL owner. He has loads of cash, loves the game (how many owners actually love the game?) and could bring so much to the table in terms of marketing opportunities through his BlackBerry kingdom. But here’s why I wholeheartedly agree with you, Mr. Burnside—Balsillie has shown once again through his backdoor attempt to buy the bankrupt Coyotes that he isn’t willing to follow the league’s etiquette in these matters.
Hollywood mogul Jerry Bruckheimer also desperately would love to own an NHL team. In fact, someone who knows him well reiterated that to me Tuesday night. But you don’t see him going around trying to buy teams and move them. He’s waiting, patiently, for his chance. And he’ll get it.
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