Group emerges looking for 2nd NHL team in GTA

SeawaySensFan wrote:This just all feels weird to me.

Indeed.

shabbs wrote:

SeawaySensFan wrote:This just all feels weird to me.

Indeed.

Did you catch the video presentation?

SeawaySensFan wrote:

shabbs wrote:

SeawaySensFan wrote:This just all feels weird to me.

Indeed.

Did you catch the video presentation?

Not yet. I only caught the beginning and then they cut to other news... is it available on-line?

shabbs wrote:

SeawaySensFan wrote:

shabbs wrote:

SeawaySensFan wrote:This just all feels weird to me.

Indeed.

Did you catch the video presentation?

Not yet. I only caught the beginning and then they cut to other news... is it available on-line?

Go back to the link you posted and select "CTV Toronto Extended: Group holds press conference on bid" under the video player, it's a 10:21 min. clip.

Nice! Here's a pic of the jersey...

The Toronto Legacy



Not bad...

shabbs wrote:Nice! Here's a pic of the jersey...

The Toronto Legacy



Not bad...

The whole presser and video presentation is pretty suspect.

It almost felt like a pre-show for a fund raiser or something...

I wouldn't be surprised if Balsillie is behind this too...

shabbs wrote:

wprager wrote:No, I think it is the *last* thing you need. And I'm not being facetious.

*cough* *cough* Boots Del Biaggio *cough* *cough*

I stand corrected.

You thought you were kidding? Looks like the NHL is being the NHL again:

Balsillie has company

DON BRENNAN, SUN MEDIA

Jim Balsillie will learn this morning that he could have some stiff competition in his bid to become the owner of Canada's next NHL team.
It's expected to come from a consortium that Toronto sources confirmed included businessman Victor De Zen.
An 11 a. m. press conference today at the Rosewater Supper Club in downtown T. O. will also unveil the team and arena name, jersey, site plan and renderings of the group, which is aiming to score an NHL expansion franchise for Vaughan, on land just north of Pearson International Airport.
The deed to the significant chunk of real estate is held by De Zen, the founder and former CEO of Royal Group, a home improvement and building products company
he recently parted ways with following the emergence of a scandal over land deals.
Earlier reports suggested De Zen was not interested in becoming part of the team's ownership but might be keen for an arena deal.
The group, which is apparently ready to pour $1 billion into the privately financed development, has obviously done a lot of homework, including the zoning of the land in 2006.
Reports indicate it had a meeting with the NHL in April, and the whispers now are that the league could be in full support of the endeavour.
Basillie could be at least part of the reason for that.
It's widely believed the methods used by the Blackberry Billionaire to relocate the Phoenix Coyotes to Hamilton have irked both league higher-ups and NHL team owners, who would obviously prefer to rake in their share of an expansion fee.
As such, the league is expected to argue that, while market studies show the area will support one other team along with the Toronto Maple Leafs and Buffalo Sabres, it will not support two more.
"In the eyes of the NHL," a source said last night, "this is a better bid (than Balsillie's) any way."
This could be one two expansion franchises the league has plans for, said the source. Meanwhile, the group will today reveal its plan to "honour Canadian heroes while supporting cancer research, national scholarships and children's charities" in what it calls "unprecedented annual net profit donations."

Things just keep getting Boots-ier all the time.

Oy vey.

shabbs wrote:Oy vey.

Listening to David Naylor of The Globe & Mail speaking on Team 1200 today, Naylor said that the NHL's Bill Daly has stated the league has neither been aware of, nor do they endorse, the Toronto Legacy initiative.

Naylor pointed out it's not the first time a group has unilaterally decided to declare it wants to found or acquire a pro sports franchise in North America without consulting the league. He cited an example of a former Miami Dolphins player, Oronde Gadsden, who wanted to start a CFL team in Detroit or Rochester, NY.

More on Vittorio 'Vic' DeZen can be read in the Globe on Business article "A Royal Mess". Link here:

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/article924454.ece

From the April 8 2009 article:

De Zen, 64, is at the centre of a criminal investigation that gets broader and murkier by the day. Documents filed in court by the RCMP direct allegations of fraud and theft against De Zen and several of his closest associates, and also assert that De Zen was involved in "suspect" money transfers. The investigation has produced a black eye not only for Royal Group but also for its banker, the Bank of Nova Scotia.

To top it off, Royal Group's woes sparked a political scandal last fall when it emerged that Ontario Finance Minister Greg Sorbara, a former Royal Group director, was under investigation as well. None of the allegations has been proven, but Sorbara had to resign his cabinet position. He denied any wrongdoing and vowed to clear his name.

Through it all, De Zen has proclaimed his innocence, saying in a statement that he has always operated "in an honest and straightforward manner and with the highest standards."

This is Boots Part II.

This ain't going nowhere.

I remember the whole Royal Group mess. De Zen was using the publicly-traded company he owned to finance his own personal island resort venture.

I have a Royal Group garden shed. I like it.

SeawaySensFan wrote:I remember the whole Royal Group mess. De Zen was using the publicly-traded company he owned to finance his own personal island resort venture.

I have a Royal Group garden shed. I like it.

Well, that just makes everything else OK, then...

There's something "off" about this whole bid, from the owners, to the presentation, to the content of the bid itself. The tin-foil-hat-wearer in me (not a big part) would suggest that this is a ploy - but who? and why?

Balsillie - wouldn't be beyond him to do it, and he could be doing it to ultimately expose the bias against his efforts.

Bettman/NHL - could be doing it to "show" that there is potential for other owners in the GTA/Hamilton region

If this is the case, though, exposure would surely mean the end of the line. For Balsillie, it would mean no pro sports team ever, anywhere. For Bettman, it would mean dusting off the resume, perhaps after congratulating Balsillie on his new team.