[peg_city]

TSN : NHL - Canada's Sports Leader
Balsillie out as prospective owner?

Jim Balsillie

TSN.ca Staff
6/22/2007 9:36:16 PM
Nashville owner Craig Leipold has advised the NHL to no longer consider Jim Balsillie as a prospective owner of the team pending the completion of a binding agreement between the two parties.
Sources say Leipold told the league the absence of a finalized sale agreement and Balsillie's desire to move the franchise to Hamilton are the reasons for his decision.
"We did send the NHL a letter today requesting that it not do any further due diligence on Jim Balsillie's offer for the Nashville Predators until we reach a binding agreement," Leipold said in a statement. "If Jim is interested in reaching a binding agreement, we are prepared to move forward."
It's the second time Balsillie has been spurned in his efforts to buy an NHL team. He backed out of an earlier agreement to buy the Pittsburgh Penguins.
Balsillie had agreed to pay up to $238 million for the Predators. There was a deadline of June 30th put in place to complete the details of the sale.

Leipold, however, pulled the plug early.
Balsillie had already started putting the wheels in motion to move the team to Hamilton.
At a board of governors meeting in New York earlier this week, NHL commissioner Gary Bettman called talk of moving the Predators "premature."
Other NHL team representatives at the board of governors meeting refused to comment on the pending sale.

[blueandwhite]

I don't get it - why doesn't Bettman want the team up in hamilton? cause that's what they are saying, that if the team is bought by balsillie, it goes to southern ontario.
I, inm y naive fog, thought it wasn't a possibility for other reasons - ie too close to Toronto, too expensive - but it seems to be about Bettman not wanting the team here. he wants it in vegas or Kansas.
I don't get it. What is the problem with coming up here? It is hockey central, it is a town that will adore their team, hockey is canadian - why would that make someone back out of a deal, why would that makle bettman put the pressure on his friend Leipold top back out?
Someone explain.

[oggie oglethorpe]

Its all about money, its not just Toronto that would object to a team being relocated to Hamilton, Buffalo, Ottawa, have their objections aswell. Its also all about the NHL trying to make hockey work in non-traditional markets, they think that if they could get hockey to work in big American citys with high populations, there will be more revenue coming in, revenue which they dont think cities like hamilton can bring in. I live in toronto and im a leafs fan, but im still all for a team in Hamilton, or even a second team in Toronto, hell, id buy tickets, it be nice to be able to actually afford a pair of hockey tickets, the way leafs tickets are priced, im lucky if i can go to one game a season.

[peg_city]

A few thoughts

1. It still can be sold to Basille. Leipold wants a deal finalized before moving anymore forward

2. A reason why Bettman not wanting a team which was talk about on the fan 590 toronto is a) toronto has that much power over Bettmans decisions (Hamilton being in Toronto's restricted area) b) The NHL really doesn't like Basille and how this was handled over the last few months.

[oggie oglethorpe]

This is really upsetting, i was really hopeful that Canada would get another franchise, i dont think the NHL wants Basille to have a team is because he wants to purchase a hockey team to have as a toy, and i dont think Leipold takes him very seriously and doubts his ability's to be the head of a sports organization. As a Torontonian, i would love to see a hockey team in Hamilton, this would create a great rivalry and would give us Leafs fans who cant afford tickets the chance to see a hockey game, more than once a year....I can afford to go to one hockey game a year if im lucky...I think a Hamilton hockey team would attract an audience from all over Ontario....Waterloo, Kitchener, Peterborogh, Brampton, Missisauga, Toronto and others.....I definitly see NHL hockey in Hamilton working, probably better than an of the American franchises which were relocated from Canadian towns..IE Phoniex ect...

[blueandwhite]

That's a very good point -we could actually get tickets to see an NHL team play if hamilton got a team too.
Re the balsillie not being a serious buyer and using his team as a toy - honestly, do they think jerry bruckheimer is a serious buyer and won't treat his team like a toy?
Give me a break.

[oggie oglethorpe]

Im not saying that thats my view of Basille, thats just the way I think the NHL board of governors is viewing Basille....I think he could do a much better job with a team the Jerry obviously.