The Return of the Hamilton Tigers to the NHL?

Seems like the tiger has ill-fitting false teeth...



j/k

I think I like the Steel Heads name. Solid. Too bad that moron who owns Steelback Brewery is less successful than other brewers. Signing an endorsement for Hamilton Steelbacks would be a win/win...

Balsillie's plans for Hamilton and Copps Coliseum, as viewed by The Toronto Star:

Swanky Copps looks eerily familiar

Dave Feschuk, The Toronto Star, May 30, 2009

Jim Balsillie's vision of an NHL arena is a sea of Maple Leaves.

In the artist's rendering of proposed renovations to Hamilton's Copps Coliseum that Balsillie released yesterday, the national flag of Canada hangs from the rafters and wallpapers the state-of-the-art scoreboard and skirts the fa?ade of the upper bowl. The seats - "comfortable upholstered stadium seats," the news release pants - are patriotic red. And the digitized fans who populate the concourses look young and happy and overwhelmingly female, if you're into that
sort of thing.



It's a scene straight from a beer commercial, of course, and considering neither Balsillie nor Hamilton hold claim to an NHL team, the whole shiny picture remains a populace-rousing dream. Both the billionaire would-be owner and the downtrodden city will have a better idea of its chances of coming true after a June 9 hearing in an Arizona bankruptcy court, where Judge Redfield T. Baum is expected to address Balsillie's plan to relocate the Phoenix Coyotes to Hamilton against the protests of NHL lawyers intent on keeping the Coyotes in the desert.

Exactly who would pay for this lipsticking of Hamilton's 24-year-old barn isn't clear, but Balsillie, who has said he will fork over some of his personal stash for "short-term" improvements, is essentially asking taxpayers to foot the bill for the big-ticket overhaul.

Yesterday's news release estimated the tab for the upgrades at $150 million, but it was careful to point out that those costs were last worked out in 2007, and that the "the estimate could vary considerably."

In other words, and this is only a guess, don't blame Balsillie when costs inevitably balloon and the public purse takes the dent so that the billionaire owner can enjoy the fruits of the revenue-generating amenities like the 50 luxury suites the renovation would add to the arena.

And don't be alarmed, folks, that the federal government is running a $50 billion deficit, and the local politicians appear scarily optimistic about the prospect of 41 regular-season home games changing the fortunes of the Hammer's flagging downtown core.

"This would be a jaw-dropper of an attraction for Hamilton," Fred Eisenberger, the city's mayor, said in a release. "What I've seen would make the new Copps Coliseum a magnet for sports fans and concert goers across Ontario and North America. It would be a tremendous new asset for our city, and a major part of the revitalization of downtown Hamilton."

As over the top as the mayor sounds, the plan, put together a couple of years ago for Balsillie by BBB Architects and its subsidiary group, Stadium Consultants International, would address a lot of the building's shortfalls, including its current lack of an upper-level concourse and its shortage of latrines. There'd be a new video board hanging over new ice surface cooled by a new ice plant and a new climate-control system. There'd be new locker rooms. There'd be something called a "party deck" in the upper bowl and a new atrium-style lobby and retail stores below.

And as much as Balsillie has spoken of his wish to make his team's home the antithesis of the suit-and-tied Air Canada Centre - he quipped to the Star's editorial board that he'd like a no-necktie rule - some of the proposed features sound awfully corporate.

Ron Joyce, the Tim Hortons co-founder who once had similar NHL dreams, has noted that Hamilton doesn't have a sufficient corporate base to support a club, but Balsillie's proposed renovation would include 20 "bunker suites" for the folks in the first six rows between the blue lines.

One assumes that just as the ACC's platinum seats are often empty when play resumes after an intermission - because their occupants of the ACC's posh bunkers can't tear themselves away from, say, the expense-account shrimp trays - Hamilton's prime seats would presumably suffer the same in-game abandonment. Maybe it's worth double-checking if those Maple Leaves in the artist's rendering aren't blue.

Damn those were ugly jerseys.

wouldn't they be considered a copyright infringement of the Hamilton Ti-Cats? or am I way off base on that one?

For gosh sake, just let Balsille do it. This is getting dry. Pack up your Dung and move out to Hamilton pronto so we don't have to hear any more about this. New rules administered legally and immediately saying that you cannot move a team without all of the owners expressed written consent as well as the Commissioner's (which I realize are there, but no more ways around it!).

Blah.

Mr Balsillie speaks...from The National Post:


Jim Balsillie: Hockey is our game

Jim Balsillie, For Canwest News Service, June 1, 2009

Hockey is our game. Canadians get that. I grew up in Peterborough, Ont., playing minor hockey, dreaming of one day being an NHL player. Millions of Canadian kids have shared that dream. Now I have been fortunate enough to see another dream on the verge of becoming reality, to bring a seventh NHL team back to Canada.

We Canadians have passion for the game in abundance, but the NHL also has rules and regulations. I have always set out to meet those requirements.

NHL bylaws state that the most important factors in determining a franchise are who the owner is, what kind of market the team plays in and whether the arena plan is solid. Let's look closely at those factors in terms of my bid to purchase the bankrupt Phoenix Coyotes and move them to Hamilton.

First, the owner. I will let others speak about my business career as co-CEO of Research In Motion, maker of the BlackBerry. I do believe our business is one of the true Canadian success stories and proof that you can be Canadian-based, with the best minds and best people, and compete on the global stage. My absolute commitment as an owner is to working co-operatively with the NHL and the league's board of governors to elevate the NHL and raise the value of all its franchises.

Secondly, the market. Southern Ontario is by far the best unserved hockey market in the world. It's an urban centre of more than seven million people, the fourth largest in North America behind New York, Chicago and Los Angeles. The fact that more than 135,000 hockey fans - think of that as more than seven NHL arenas filled to capacity - from across Canada have shown support for a seventh NHL team through our website www.makeitseven.ca demonstrates the vitality of this market.

Finally, the arena. I have released plans, as required by the NHL's relocation application format, to renovate Hamilton's Copps Coliseum. The design, completed by one of the world's leading sports architecture firms, has drawn rave reviews and would truly make this one of the top-tier arena facilities in the NHL, meeting or exceeding all of the league's technical requirements for NHL arenas.

Not so long ago, the NHL said it was not considering locating another team in southern Ontario. That's fair enough. But since Canadians demonstrated this huge groundswell of support in recent weeks, the NHL has said it now believes southern Ontario is a good hockey market and can support another NHL franchise.

For that turnaround, I give full credit to Canadian hockey fans. It has been a true grassroots movement by the fans from coast to coast, opening the door to another NHL team in Canada. I truly believe that, ultimately, it will be the fans who influence the outcome here. I will meet the NHL's technical requirements. But we couldn't do this without the fans. They are making the impossible become possible.

Some have called the Phoenix Coyotes' bankruptcy and my offer to purchase the team unusual. But the situation is not unprecedented. Teams have relocated before in the face of financial distress, in all professional sports. In fact, the Coyotes franchise was the Winnipeg Jets team before being moved to Phoenix.

Unfortunately it does not appear to be financially viable in Phoenix and, when viewed objectively through the lens of the NHL bylaws and constitution, qualifies for relocation.

At the end of the day, we need an outcome that makes sense for the NHL and for the league's owners. We also have to consider the Coyotes' creditors, who have told a Phoenix bankruptcy court that my offer best addresses their concerns about being paid back the money they are owed.

Some might also recall that my application to become an NHL owner was approved unanimously by all 30 NHL board of governors members when I attempted to purchase the Pittsburgh Penguins. People who have worked with me in business or in philanthropy will tell you that my only goal - in anything I approach - is to leave a situation in much better shape than when I found it. That's what I am all about, and that is what this bid is all about.

An NHL team cannot only survive, but thrive, in Hamilton. With the backing of amazingly supportive hockey fans across southern Ontario and in fact all of Canada, we can make it seven.




Jim Balsillie is co-CEO of Waterloo-based Research in Motion (RIM) and founder of the Centre for International Governance Innovation (CIGI).

The former head of Copps Coliseum, Gabe Macaluso, offers his opinion in this piece from The Toronto Sun:

Balsillie won't win, but Hamilton will get in, insider believes

GABE MACALUSO to the TORONTO SUN, JUNE 3 2009

With Jim Balsillie attempting to move the Phoenix Coyotes to southern Ontario, Gabe Macaluso offers an insider's thoughts on an NHL team settling in Hamilton. Macaluso headed up several attempts to bring an NHL team to Hamilton while serving as CEO of Copps Coliseum from 1989 to 2005.

I can't believe the positive spin some of the news outlets are giving to Jim Balsillie's bid to buy the Phoenix Coyotes and move them to Copps Coliseum.

I know one thing for sure. In listening to Judge Redfield T. Baum last week he wanted a decision -- sooner rather than later -- on the relocation issue.

The NHL claims Balsillie's proposal to move the team is a non-starter because Hamilton is seven miles within Toronto's territory. Baum has said his bankruptcy court would not get involved in the antitrust complaint that might follow the Coyotes relocation.

Here is what I believe will happen:

Before June 9, the NHL will make public that Balsillie's purchase/relocation was not approved by the required 75% of the board of governors. Baum then will dismiss Balsillie's bid and immediately put in place an auction procedure for the second week of September for the Coyotes.

Balsillie will be invited to bid with the proviso that the team must remain in Phoenix. He likely will decline to do so.

What next?

The Coyotes will have a new owner who will pledge to remain in Phoenix providing the team attracts no fewer than an average of 14,000 fans a game and a favourable lease arrangement over 20 years, with a year-to-year renewal. Failing that, the owner will be free to move his franchise to a site predetermined by the NHL -- possibly Winnipeg or Kansas City.

Knowing how important money is to many of these NHL owners, and the fact there are possibly two interested parties with deep pockets -- Balsillie, and Vancouver developer Tom Gagliardi -- they may insist on an expansion team for southern Ontario for the 2012-13 season.

A democratic process will take place and, I suppose, a dollar value of $500 million US for an expansion team will be announced. Of that $500 million, $100 million will go to the Maple Leafs and $35 million will go to the Buffalo Sabres for territorial rights. Toronto, Buffalo and the remaining teams will share in the expansion fee of $365 million, giving each of them about $12 million -- cash. Toronto will ask for and be given the right to carry some of the expansion team's games on its Leafs TV network free of charge for a said period. Toronto will also ask and be given the rights to operate the building in which the new team will play in. This is not unusual. There have been arenas and/or concessions that have been managed by companies affiliated with an NHL team that has its team playing in another venue.

And Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment Ltd. is expert at managing buildings.

All of the aforementioned points to what I was told by three NHL commissioners -- John Ziegler, Gil Stein and Gary Bettman: "If Hamilton wants a team you best come down the aisle with Toronto on one arm and Buffalo on the other."

davetherave wrote:All of the aforementioned points to what I was told by three NHL commissioners -- John Ziegler, Gil Stein and Gary Bettman: "If Hamilton wants a team you best come down the aisle with Toronto on one arm and Buffalo on the other."

I'm sure Mike Schmidt would have something to say about that.

SeawaySensFan wrote:

davetherave wrote:All of the aforementioned points to what I was told by three NHL commissioners -- John Ziegler, Gil Stein and Gary Bettman: "If Hamilton wants a team you best come down the aisle with Toronto on one arm and Buffalo on the other."

I'm sure Mike Schmidt would have something to say about that.

Mike Schmidt, or Milt Schmidt?

davetherave wrote:

SeawaySensFan wrote:

davetherave wrote:All of the aforementioned points to what I was told by three NHL commissioners -- John Ziegler, Gil Stein and Gary Bettman: "If Hamilton wants a team you best come down the aisle with Toronto on one arm and Buffalo on the other."

I'm sure Mike Schmidt would have something to say about that.

Mike Schmidt, or Milt Schmidt?

It was Mike.

davetherave wrote:

OMG that is thee funniest picture I have ever seen. Looks like he should be licking the windows on the back of the short bus....

SeawaySensFan wrote:

davetherave wrote:

SeawaySensFan wrote:

davetherave wrote:All of the aforementioned points to what I was told by three NHL commissioners -- John Ziegler, Gil Stein and Gary Bettman: "If Hamilton wants a team you best come down the aisle with Toronto on one arm and Buffalo on the other."

I'm sure Mike Schmidt would have something to say about that.

Mike Schmidt, or Milt Schmidt?

It was Mike.

Ten Years After. Alvin Lee. Woodstock. "Goin' Home". "I'd Like to Change the World".

Seriously - if Hamilton is only 7 miles within the territorial zone, what's to stop Balsillie from officially putting the team in K-W, but playing in Hamilton (assuming that K-W is outside both zones, and they are close enough). Isn't this essentially a small step beyond Ottawa putting its arena in Kanata? (and less than what Phoenix did?)

For that matter, it might be cheaper for Balsillie to just build his own arena - $212.5M for the team and $300M for the arena is only marginally more than the above, but he'd then have total rights.

Either of the above would negate the issue of territorial rights completely, leaving only the issue of the BOG.

Here's where I have another problem with what was written: Baum has stated that the court will restrict itself to the issue of the bankruptcy, and nothing else. Whether or not the BOG approves the move is irrelevant to whether the declaration of bankruptcy was legal or not. While this is likely to be the next issue, and may be what derails the process, consistency would dictate that this not be considered by the courts at this time.

EDIT: doesn't even have to be as far as K-W - Brantford would also work (and would still encompass Hamilton, K-W, and London within its cachement area)

Acrobat wrote:Seriously - if Hamilton is only 7 miles within the territorial zone, what's to stop Balsillie from officially putting the team in K-W, but playing in Hamilton (assuming that K-W is outside both zones, and they are close enough). Isn't this essentially a small step beyond Ottawa putting its arena in Kanata? (and less than what Phoenix did?)

For that matter, it might be cheaper for Balsillie to just build his own arena - $212.5M for the team and $300M for the arena is only marginally more than the above, but he'd then have total rights.

Either of the above would negate the issue of territorial rights completely, leaving only the issue of the BOG.

Here's where I have another problem with what was written: Baum has stated that the court will restrict itself to the issue of the bankruptcy, and nothing else. Whether or not the BOG approves the move is irrelevant to whether the declaration of bankruptcy was legal or not. While this is likely to be the next issue, and may be what derails the process, consistency would dictate that this not be considered by the courts at this time.

EDIT: doesn't even have to be as far as K-W - Brantford would also work (and would still encompass Hamilton, K-W, and London within its cachement area)

The Name Is Tanenbaum. Larry Tanenbaum.

More about Jim Balsillie's next foe in Mortal Kombat, from this 2007 profile in SunMedia:

The controlled world of Larry Tanenbaum

GEORGE GROSS, SUN MEDIA May 6, 2007

It has often been said that Larry Tanenbaum navigated a long and sometimes circuitous route from the Ivy walls of Cornell University to chairman of the prestigious Kilmer Group and Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment Ltd.

In his usually calm and quiet manner, he also became involved in the building of the Spadina Expressway, the CN Tower, a few Toronto hotels, as well as projects in Africa, Asia and Venezuela.

What not many are aware of is the fact that Tanenbaum is a philanthropist.

Actually, he recently donated $1 million to University of Toronto's Sports Scholarship Fund, without making any big announcement about it.

He sits in an elegant office on the 27th floor of a Toronto downtown building, analyzing each issue to its most minute detail before expressing an opinion. He seldom gets excited and that's why I was rather surprised when he almost exploded when a know-it-all radio critic referred to the MLSEL organization as dysfunctional.

"Our organization is anything but dysfunctional," he said in a louder than usual tone. "Anyone who claims that we are, should talk to the three commissioners of sports we are involved in -- the NHL, NBA and MLS. Recently, Don Garber, commissioner of Major League Soccer emphasized that we are among the top two or three organizations in the league, even though we are an expansion team.

That's based on profitability, employee satisfaction and community services."
The chairman conceded though that if there was anything dysfunctional in the organization, it's the fact that the Maple Leafs have not won the Stanley Cup for 40 years. Mind you, there were other owners before MLSEL took over the reins.
Tanenbaum has learned to stickhandle around difficult questions better than Bobby Orr in his heyday. Like when I asked him about the situations concerning CEO Richard Peddie and the often maligned Leafs general manager John Ferguson Jr.

"Let me make it clear at the outset that I'm involved in the operation only as owner," said Tanenbaum. "I don't micromanage our teams. I'm involved in strategy and accountability. Our strategy is clear. We want to win. That means, we want the Stanley Cup, the NBA trophy and the MLS championship."

Does that mean Peddie and Ferguson are safe with long-term contracts?

"Every one of our employees gets an assessment for his performance," said the chairman. "That assessment has to be taken into context with a longer term in view. It's like going from a child to a man. The direction of the hockey team takes patience. At our next board meeting, we'll evaluate his (Ferguson Jr.) over a long period.

"Peddie, who does not have a written contract, will also be evaluated, as he has been every year. He is an excellent fit as a CEO. I don't get involved in (the running of) each team. I leave that to the general managers and coaches. Peddie sets the bar high for them. A year ago, Raptors were our biggest problem, but (GM) Bryan Colangelo did an excellent job this year."

If he seemingly gave Peddie a vote of confidence, I'm not convinced that Ferguson is quite as secure. In a friendly conversation about respected managers in the NHL, the names of Scotty Bowman and Brian Burke did come up, even though it is not known if either would be available, or interested in running the Leafs, should the MLSEL Board of Directors vote thumbs down on Ferguson.

Tanenbaum didn't avoid answering any of my questions, whether it was about Mats Sundin's injury, the influence of the MLSEL majority owners (the Teachers Pension Fund), the evaluation of the Leaf medical staff, or the soccer team's inability to score a single goal.

"I leave the Sundin issue to our medical staff," said Tanenbaum. "If our players seek outside medical help, then it's because this or that specialist has performed not 100, but 1,000 surgeries of this or that type.

"As for the Teachers, there is no interference. They are excellent partners. Our soccer club will improve and we all will be proud of the team. But we need patience. If I said before that development of teams requires the patience of a child developing into a man, with Toronto FC it's a case of an infant developing into a child en route to becoming a man.''

Patience is indeed a virtue.

---

The Tanenbaum will show The Balsillie the True Meaning of Power.

So use Brantford or London. They're outside of the "zone" completely (over 7 miles from TO, and no closer to Buffalo), so Tannenbaum should have no right to kick up a fuss.

Acrobat wrote:So use Brantford or London. They're outside of the "zone" completely (over 7 miles from TO, and no closer to Buffalo), so Tannenbaum should have no right to kick up a fuss.

Did you read Macaluso's piece from the Toronto Sun, posted further up the thread?