RealGM

After a failed bid to purchase the Pittsburgh Penguins, sources tell TSN the co-chief and executive officer of Research In Motion is negotiating to purchase the Nashville Predators.

http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/news_story/?ID=208661&hubname=nhl

I know the article says that he's just negotiating, but I'm hearing rumours through Hockeybuzz (from the Nashville media to be exact) that the deal is done and apparently there's a Press Conference tomorrow

I wonder if he'll relocate. Possibly to Kansas City, Las Vegas or maybe back to a Canadian market like Winnepeg or Southern Ontario.

Mr. Natural wrote:I wonder if he'll relocate. Possibly to Kansas City, Las Vegas or maybe back to a Canadian market like Winnepeg or Southern Ontario.

If he moves, it'll be to Canada... most likely Southern Ontario

The Waterloo rumour works just fine for me!

I think K-W is definitely too small for a team, but it can't be worse than what the Predators have now in Nashville. The question is if people will come from London, Hamilton, Mississauga, etc. to see the games. I don't have the answer to that. Obviously 4 games a year vs. the Leafs will sell out, and games against Montreal would probably as well, but what about when Florida or the Islanders come in?

That will have to happen, because on it's own K-W just isn't big enough to support a team.

I think Nashville will be moved within the next few years. They've had some good teams over the past few years and haven't done so good attendance wise. I feel for the fans who are going to have to hear about this now.

Which Southern Ontario city deserves a team? Brampton? Windsor? Not exactly major markets under any definition of the word

A clause will be implemented. The Preds won't be moving for a minimum of 7 years.

Crowned wrote:A clause will be implemented. The Preds won't be moving for a minimum of 7 years.

Listening to the Preds owners press conference today he didnt sound too confident the team would be staying past the 07-08 season.

Crowned wrote:A clause will be implemented. The Preds won't be moving for a minimum of 7 years.

Yes that clause will be implemented but there's a way around it. That clause is ONLY in affect when there is a lease agreement. If the Preds don't average 14,000 people next year then they can opt out of their lease, making that clause null and void

UTMCretin wrote:Which Southern Ontario city deserves a team? Brampton? Windsor? Not exactly major markets under any definition of the word

It'll be a joint effort i think, it'll be three cities in one, probably rename the the tri city Preds or something

MAS wrote:-= original quote snipped =-



Yes that clause will be implemented but there's a way around it. That clause is ONLY in affect when there is a lease agreement. If the Preds don't average 14,000 people next year then they can opt out of their lease, making that clause null and void

14,000 tickets sold, or 14,000 average attendance (in the actual arena)? If it's 14,000 tickets sold, it'd be quite easy to reach that figure.

Crowned wrote:-= original quote snipped =-

14,000 tickets sold, or 14,000 average attendance (in the actual arena)? If it's 14,000 tickets sold, it'd be quite easy to reach that figure.

It'll be easy to reach if there's a big drive to save the team, like what happened in most other NHL cities that eventually lost their teams in the 90s. But will fans do that for 7 years? Unlikely. And based on what the guys on the FAN said, I don't think the city is going to be willing to dump money into it (apparently they're letting a minor-league baseball team leave, or something like that).

The scary thing for Nashville is that they have a very good team right now, although they haven't enjoyed the kind of playoff run that can really grab attention. What will happen if the team's fortunes turn downward? All the evidence suggests that trying to force Balsillie to stay there for the 7 years would just be postponing the inevitable, and I think everyone involved will realize this too. I think the Predators have no more than 2 seasons left in Nashville. I'd say even a city like Phoenix is possibly better off because their team stinks, so you can't blame people for staying away - there's no such situation in Nashville (or New Jersey either, and they're moving - sort of.)

give them to winnipeg. It's not fair that Ontario gets 3 teams while other big provinces have none. Waterloo???? Who really knows where that is give it to a team that needs one.

Winnipeg needs one

So it is looking more and more like the Preds are moving to Southern Ontario. Basille just activated his rights to put the Preds in Copps Coliseum if the lease is broken in Nashville

http://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/article. ... 01140_2400

Interesting Quote:

Balsillie approached the city late last week through Toronto lawyer Richard Rodier. That led to a flurry of behind-the-scenes discussions, including a telephone call between Mayor Fred Eisenberger and Balsillie.

"He has assured me that he wants to secure a team and he is interested in bringing it to Hamilton," Eisenberger said Wednesday night. "Certainly he has the resources to do it and we will leave it up to him to pull it together."

If this is true, then we know his intentions

Interesting quote from Eklund's blog

That however does NOT mean there won't be lawsuits...One source said to me, "No matter how this plays out someone is taking someone else to court. It could be Balsillie if the deal is denied. And that could end in many ways, but one of those ways is that Jim is given an expansion franchise. What Jim has done is blow away the two barriers. One he has proven that people will buy the tickets, and secondly he has already made nice with MLSE by offering them the rioghts to televise the games...Two barriers that NO ONE else has ever broken through. Or we could see lawsuits form other involved parties...In the end I believe that Jim will get the Preds, but if he can move them is another story...and they won't make it easy on him."

http://www.hockeybuzz.com/blog.php?post_id=8114

If that's the case, the problems are coming from outside of Toronto, probably Buffalo, Ottawa, and Detroit

Crowned wrote:-= original quote snipped =-




14,000 tickets sold, or 14,000 average attendance (in the actual arena)? If it's 14,000 tickets sold, it'd be quite easy to reach that figure.

But it would be hard if the new owner wanted it to be. Raising ticket prices to absurd amounts, actually counting the fans at the games instead of the usual attendance lying that goes on in other cities, no promotions, no marketing, etc, etc, etc.

Balsille is willing to take a one year bath to earn the right to relocate.