|
Post by canuck5 on May 6, 2011 14:39:46 GMT -5
I just really don't understand...
How can Gary say this:
Because we fight hard for every city,” Bettman said. “Because we owe it to our fans. Because if you’re a fan in any city and you watch what we do, or you watch what any sports league does, if we don’t protect you as fans in one place, then maybe you’ll start question how well we’ll protect you in your place. Because we have a covenant with our fans, and our fans need to know that we will stand by them as long as possible and that we don’t just run out.”
..... and then turn around and relocate the Thrashers?
I know that he's losing tons of money down there, but after the show he put on in Glendale, anything less than that in Atlanta will have fans crying foul!
|
|
|
Post by ReJ40 on May 6, 2011 17:38:50 GMT -5
Basically he will answer with the same babble he spewed out in 1996 about Winnipeg.
"NOBODY.... NOBODY wanted to own that team in Winnipeg anymore." (Or Atlanta in this case).
He will go on and on about how they tried to save the team but if there is no owner they are left with no alternative. On the other hand, he can rave about how Mr. Hulsizer kept the flame alive and so he, as head of the NHL, kept trying.
Also, it is wierd that in the Why Not Canada specials (i believe), I remember Bettman talking about his "magic three ingredients" for an NHL team: owner, arena and market. He babbled about the fact that they "have not looked at" places like Hamilton when it is clearly a hockey market, along with Quebec (which has at least two ingredients) and Winnipeg which has all three.
Yet, Phoenix and Atlanta quite clearly don't have a market whatsoever and he just glosses over that fact.
Friggin double standards...
|
|
|
Post by canuck5 on May 6, 2011 17:43:15 GMT -5
I just don't see how he can have waited 2 YEARS and millions of dollars to keep the team in Phx - and then turn around and send the Thrashers to Winnipeg this summer. I mean, it would just make him look like the biggest liar!
|
|
|
Post by gilligan on May 6, 2011 19:55:47 GMT -5
I just don't see how he can have waited 2 YEARS and millions of dollars to keep the team in Phx - and then turn around and send the Thrashers to Winnipeg this summer. I mean, it would just make him look like the biggest liar! Yeah, he certainly would hate to be called a lair. But I do agree, there is an optics issue for the NHL here. Which they'll handle with some weasel words as usual.
|
|