1) Today we read with partial amusement that the 'deal' that the 'local investors' in Nashville had with the team is apparently about to fall through. Regular readers of this blog of course will NOT be surprised by this bit of news. As we recently reported Just 2 weeks ago we mention this very possibility/likelyhood. We didn't think we'd see cracks this soon. We figured they'd go through the motions a bit more. Looks like the local city government isn't going to play along with this obvious charade?2) If/When the sale falls through it will probably grease the skids toward a move to KC. We wouldn't at all be surprised to see 'minority investor', William (Boots) Del Biaggio step forward to become a majority investor, sealing the deal for the eventual move to Missouri. As we mentioned last time, the fix appears to be in! Meet the new boss!.............
9 comments:
My oh my that young man does have quite a bit to say. I have a colleague or two who may be able to help him. (chuckle)
I have followed with great curiosity the situation over in Nashville. They have been in the recent past one of the better teams out here in the West. I'm not at all pleased to see the way things are being handled. If any of what you write is true then there should be an investigation.
This story just doesn't seem to want to go away. I'm sorry but I disagree with the good Dr. The demise of the Predators only helps us in Detroit. I'm not at all sorry to see them in disarray. Selfish? Yes, but screw Barry Trotz and Nashville.
1) Dr: Don't hold your breathe for an "investigation.' All interested parties (excluding the poor fans) are involved with this and an investigation would do little
2) The commish/the other owners are just fine with a move to KC. Its been on the agenda for at least 2 years now. Bettman would have preferred the Preds stay put, but knew that the status quo wouldn't fly.
3) Vlad: Be careful what you wish for. Its natural for fans to be selfish and team-centric, but the health of one team is directly tied to other teams
1) Here is another update:
http://www.tennessean.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071002/SPORTS02/710020375/1028
2) The story quotes the leader of a local group trying to buy the Nashville Predators Monday that he "doesn't expect the deal to work out."
3) Again: Anyone surprised????
In the words of the 41st president of the U.S.... "There you go again"... "Obvious charade"? "The fix appears to be in!"
A charade is defined as a "blatant pretense or deception." Where's the deception? Where's the fix? If you really think the offer from local interests was fake, or if was simply being used to accomplish an ulterior purpose, please explain how and why you arrive at your conclusion, and how you think the motives of the parties involved (all of them, including ones not named Del Baggio) would be satisfied by such a scheme.
Otherwise, you're again making no sense.
1) Sauce: OK, according to MULTIPLE sources, here is what we are/have been hearing about the Nashville situation:
2) The folks who would/are involved: The other owners/Bettman, local investors, Leipold, Boots Del Baggio, etc.
3) The 'local investors' knew going in this was a short term deal, but their worse case scenario was they would lose no money. Best case scenario for them was the city swallowing hook, line, and sinker the Preds new offer to the city to eliminate local and state taxes. Coupled with the reduced payroll and higher ticket prices the new owners were guaranteed an profit on their investment until a sale was finalized
4) Leipold wins one way or the other, but the longer this lasts the more profit he attains.
5) The other owners and Gary Bettman initially would have preferred the franchise stay put, but once the hand writing was on the wall(last year) they were on board/supported the current scheme that will ultimately move the team from Nashville to KC, Bettman had the attempt to get more season ticket holders drive failing as a way to save face
6) Del Baggio, as you already concede, gains from the move when his arena now has a an NHL squad. Why else would a guy with no ties to that city become a part of the ownership group?
7) To almost everyone with knowledge of this situation, the ed result is obvious. Perhaps some will wait until the day that the moving trucks go to Nashville, but we at FAUXRUMORS already know the eventual outcome of this sad situation!
Let me address your points one at a time, using your numbering:
3) The 'local investors' knew going in this was a short term deal, but their worse case scenario was they would lose no money. Best case scenario for them was the city swallowing hook, line, and sinker the Preds new offer to the city to eliminate local and state taxes. Coupled with the reduced payroll and higher ticket prices the new owners were guaranteed an profit on their investment until a sale was finalized
How could their worst case scenario be to break even? What happens if fan interest diminishes to that of professional dart-throwing? In fact, the new owners are asking for a provision that says they can break the lease and move the team if attendance drops below 14,000 AND the team loses $20 million. That means if they’re losing only $15 million per season the lease goes on and on and on. The claim that new owners view this as short term makes no sense. No matter what your ‘MULTIPLE’ sources are saying.
4) Leipold wins one way or the other, but the longer this lasts the more profit he attains.
Uh…, What? You mean the ticket price increase and the reduced payroll are enough to give him profit WITHOUT the lease concessions and tax abatements? Sort of contradicts the new ownership’s bargaining position, doesn’t it.
5) The other owners and Gary Bettman initially would have preferred the franchise stay put, but once the hand writing was on the wall(last year) they were on board/supported the current scheme that will ultimately move the team from Nashville to KC, Bettman had the attempt to get more season ticket holders drive failing as a way to save face
“There you go again”… What ‘current scheme’? You mean the ‘conspiracy’ between Bettman and the non-local owners (unknown, obviously, by the local owners), developed ‘last year’, to move the team to KC? And Bettman engineers a farcical season ticket drive to ‘save face’? Sorry, but your source for that one is probably also saying that Elvis isn’t really dead. LOL.
6) Del Baggio, as you already concede, gains from the move when his arena now has a an NHL squad. Why else would a guy with no ties to that city become a part of the ownership group?
As I said, I’m interested in what the possible motives would be for parties OTHER THAN Mr, Del Baggio. I still can’t see any that pass the smell test.
7) To almost everyone with knowledge of this situation, the ed result is obvious. Perhaps some will wait until the day that the moving trucks go to Nashville, but we at FAUXRUMORS already know the eventual outcome of this sad situation!
I don’t think anyone doubts the eventual outcome. What is doubtful, however, are the truly nonsensical stories and schemes that you continue to parrot.
1) So to sum up your position you now are on board with the idea that Nashville WILL relocate, but recent moves that facilitate this move by the people with the power to control the fate of the franchise are just a coincidence?
2) Leipold wins when his franchise is sold to Del Baggio for big dollars
3) Del Baggio wins when the established(not expansion) team moves to his new KC arena without having to pay to break the lease
4) The "Local investors" are either willing or unwilling pawns, but for them they either make a few bucks, or look good locally for 'trying' to keep the team in town. A win-win for little effort.
1) So to sum up your position you now are on board with the idea that Nashville WILL relocate, but recent moves that facilitate this move by the people with the power to control the fate of the franchise are just a coincidence?
Never said I DIDN’T think the Preds would relocate. Only that it wasn’t an absolute certainty due to the schemes/conspiracies/alliances/backroom deals that you’ve been parroting. And contrary to your premise, recent actions by the purchasing group do NOT facilitate a move – they actually are doing the opposite. You see lease concession demands and payroll cuts as backhanded ways to sabotage the city’s effort to keep the club. The more reasonable and less conspiratorial view sees those moves as ways to keep the team in the black despite being in a small non-traditional market.
2) Leipold wins when his franchise is sold to Del Baggio for big dollars
If the team is run into an unprofitable funk by Del Baggio (which you essentially believe), Leipold LOSES. His team loses money, which means HE loses money, and the value drops way below what he would’ve gotten from Balsillie. And standard sales agreements usually contain “earn-out” clauses, such that the seller’s eventual price gets adjusted based on the earnings of the francise over the 1st few years after the sale. Liepold is no dummy, so I suspect this agreement would be no different. Therefore, if Boots is allowed to trash the bottom line, Liepold’s eventual price goes down even further. So… “NO ‘BIG DOLLARS’ FOR YOU!!!”
3) Del Baggio wins when the established(not expansion) team moves to his new KC arena without having to pay to break the lease
Agreed. I never questioned your assertions relative to Del Baggio’s motives.
4) The "Local investors" are either willing or unwilling pawns, but for them they either make a few bucks, or look good locally for 'trying' to keep the team in town. A win-win for little effort.
LOL. Of course!!! What’s a few million bucks (maybe even 10’s of millions) for a little Nashville goodwill and never having to wait for a table at the local restaurants. If they’re ‘unwilling pawns’, they have to be some of the most stupid millionaires in existence. If they’re ‘WILLING pawns’? Well, uh, they should probably be committed.
What about what you said you heard from your ‘sources’ about Bettman? You know. The ‘conspiracy’ between Bettman and the non-local owners to move the team to KC by engineering a farcical season ticket drive to ‘save face’. I’d be interested in even a small clue as to how one of your ‘sources’ was able to come up with that one.
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