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Post by vivianmb on May 8, 2008 7:42:17 GMT -5
well the isles are refusing to sell any season ticket past the end of the season. they even told an original(yes since 1972) seasoin ticket holder that his money was due in full NOW. he is actually making a stink about it and it is gathering steam.seems that this will be the second year in a row that they wont make any good free agent moves and they are not confident in their drafting for june.therefore they want your dough before you realize the team is gonna suck again.
this franchise is on it's last legs as season ticket holders are starting to get really pissed. aparantly the VP of the team left over this and wang hired his son-in-law to replace him!
this is our team i am telling you. and it's starting to get close. and i dont want to hear about this phantom "lighthouse project" .everyone i talked to on long island says it will NEVER happen.and as soon as wang sees that the team will go up for sale. their arena managment commitments end in 2010.( as far as i know). THIS IS THE TEAM. trust me.
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Post by jhendrix70 on May 8, 2008 7:50:46 GMT -5
well the isles are refusing to sell any season ticket past the end of the season. they even told an original(yes since 1972) seasoin ticket holder that his money was due in full NOW. he is actually making a stink about it and it is gathering steam.seems that this will be the second year in a row that they wont make any good free agent moves and they are not confident in their drafting for june.therefore they want your dough before you realize the team is gonna suck again. this franchise is on it's last legs as season ticket holders are starting to get really pissed. aparantly the VP of the team left over this and wang hired his son-in-law to replace him! this is our team i am telling you. and it's starting to get close. and i dont want to hear about this phantom "lighthouse project" .everyone i talked to on long island says it will NEVER happen.and as soon as wang sees that the team will go up for sale. their arena managment commitments end in 2010.( as far as i know). THIS IS THE TEAM. trust me. Viv, i've believed this ever since our conversation over a year ago. I've watched this franchise very closely and can see the move in the process. The team DOES have a storied history but: Rangers: ( Will never move ) Boston: ( Will Never move ) Devils: ( Will never move....at least not with that brand spanking new arena ) Islanders: ( Wang said it was the "Lighthouse Project" or nothing. And correct me if I’m wrong but, I do believe he KNEW the State wouldn't help finance that HUGE project and that will just give him clearance to let the team go, tear down the existing arena, and either build or sell off for his own capital gain. ) I believe Wang only bought the Islanders for the land that the Arena sits on. Isn't he some huge Real-estate mogul back home? |
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Post by vivianmb on May 8, 2008 8:35:34 GMT -5
no computers. but i believ he only bought that team for the real estate.
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Post by scottie65 on May 8, 2008 9:47:06 GMT -5
I respect your opinions, but I'll reserve judgement on this one until I see more information on it. Not that I dont trust you guys, I just need more proof
By the way, what newspaper covers the Isles?
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Post by DowntownBooster on May 8, 2008 11:40:03 GMT -5
this is our team i am telling you. and it's starting to get close. and i dont want to hear about this phantom "lighthouse project" .everyone i talked to on long island says it will NEVER happen.and as soon as wang sees that the team will go up for sale. their arena managment commitments end in 2010.( as far as i know). THIS IS THE TEAM. trust me. I would really like to believe that as I am getting tired of waiting like everyone else here. However, it seems like every time Winnipeg starts to get national coverage about the possibility of the NHL returning, Jim Balsillie manages to get himself back in the news and the talk again shifts back to Hamilton. It would be great if the NHL came out and said that the first location for a new team in Canada would be Winnipeg and no other city will get approval for expansion or relocation until that happens. |
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Post by scottie65 on May 8, 2008 13:03:17 GMT -5
^ they wouldn't do that because it would box them into a corner. What if other potential sites came available that offered more money to feed into the system?
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Post by jhendrix70 on May 8, 2008 14:02:55 GMT -5
It would be great if the NHL came out and said that the first location for a new team in Canada would be Winnipeg and no other city will get approval for expansion or relocation until that happens. ^ they wouldn't do that because it would box them into a corner. What if other potential sites came available that offered more money to feed into the system? They already did! Gary Bettman himself stated that if Canada were to get another NHL team; Winnipeg would be the first choice! - I'm sure PBonomo has that clip somewhere. I'm pretty sure it was right around the NHL All-Star Game last year at the press conference before / after the game. |
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Post by pbonomo on May 8, 2008 14:17:36 GMT -5
I can't check my YouTube videos from work, so can't verify right now... Maybe someone else can?  |
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Post by vivianmb on May 8, 2008 15:33:34 GMT -5
I respect your opinions, but I'll reserve judgement on this one until I see more information on it. Not that I dont trust you guys, I just need more proof By the way, what newspaper covers the Isles? newsday. |
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Post by scottie65 on May 8, 2008 15:33:57 GMT -5
Jimi, unless i'm out where the busses dont run, I think this is as close as it gets to anything similar to naming Winnipeg. He never tipped his hat to any location over another. www.youtube.com/watch?v=4w30J-0hCCA |
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Post by jhendrix70 on May 8, 2008 17:08:07 GMT -5
Nope, that's not the clip! It was during a press conference.......I'll try and find the link. It WAS posted on this site when he said it!
This is the clip I need:
Text SizeANAHEIM, Calif. (CP) - NHL commissioner Gary Bettman gave his strongest indication yet Monday that having a team return to Winnipeg could happen one day.
Bettman, in his state-of-the union address to the media before Game 1 of the Stanley Cup final, referred to an editorial in a Canadian newspaper he read this week which suggested that if the NHL did add another Canadian team it should go back to Winnipeg first because they have a new building and the NHL owes it to them.
"I'm not opining on whether or not that's an opinion that I agree with, but it is an interesting and intriguing thought," Bettman said in a comment that raised eyebrows.
While he stressed that there really hadn't been that much thought put into it at this point and that he had no plans for any current NHL teams to re-locate or for the league to expand, he does see the chance for Winnipeg to get a team back one day.
"When we had the chance to go back to Minnesota, we did. Because it made sense, the right ownership, the right building situation," said Bettman. "The market was strong and vibrant. We haven't studied Quebec City or Winnipeg or anywhere else in Canada, but the notion that if it could work to put a franchise back in a place where one was lost, feels good - provided we don't wind up in a situation where we've created a prescription for another failing franchise.
"So am I intrigued? It's obviously something I've thought about in terms of trying to make right something that one point in our history went wrong."
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Post by jhendrix70 on May 8, 2008 17:37:32 GMT -5
This one isnt that negative... NHL commissioner suddenly a big Winnipeg booster
By PAUL FRIESENIt was an "intriguing" comment, but it certainly wasn't the first time Gary Bettman has opened the door to a return to Winnipeg.
In fact, an interview the NHL commissioner did with Rogers Sportsnet three weeks ago was even more pro-Winnipeg than the comments he made at the Stanley Cup final in Anaheim Monday.
Talking to Sportsnet hockey analysts Daren Millard and Nick Kypreos, Bettman pegged the 'Peg as his first choice, should the NHL ever look for another Canadian city.
"If we were going to put another team in Canada, I would like to see it go to a place like Winnipeg, where they've lost a team," Bettman said. "It may be a little small, but there's a new building in Winnipeg, which was part of the problem when the Jets left. And with our partnership with the players, our new economic system, a city like Winnipeg or Quebec City might now be able to support a team."
Bettman stressed the NHL isn't looking to relocate a franchise or expand, but if it ever does he "would like to look at Winnipeg, first." www.winnipegsun.com/Sports/Hockey/2007/05/30/pf-4219008.html |
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Post by jhendrix70 on May 8, 2008 17:40:41 GMT -5
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Post by vivianmb on May 23, 2008 15:46:43 GMT -5
i've moved scottie 65's thread to this one, as they are related Ask Adam: The Big Picture « Thread Started Today at 13:35 » -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Adam Proteau of The Hockey News in "Ask Adam" column talking about the possible relocation of the Islanders and one person's comments on his article. Adam, Can the New York Islanders stay in Long Island? They play in a venue that was built in 1973, before an average crowd of 11,740 over the past three years. The NFL, NBA, and MLB have only two teams each in the same market; the NHL has three teams. Mark Trail, Hamilton, Ont. Mark, Ah, a non-distressed person from Hamilton. Do you know my new pal Ben Reed? Can you put a cold cloth on his head and get him to lie down and breathe deeply in a dark room somewhere for a week or two? Thanks in advance. You ask an interesting question, but as someone who was raised watching and admiring the talents of Denis Potvin, Bob Bourne and Butch Goring it pains me greatly to think of the Islanders ever relocating (and whatever happens, don’t any of you forward this column to THN senior copy editor and devout Isles fan Sam McCaig; we could have a hostage situation on our hands before we know it). I haven’t heard even a rumor that Charles Wang is about to sell or move the franchise and there’s no doubt America’s slipping economy won’t spare NHL teams from feeling its wrath. Combine that with the fact plans for a major renovation of Nassau Coliseum and the surrounding area have become bogged down and I think, at the very least, there’s justification for your question of the Isles’ long-term viability. For a while, I’ve argued there are other franchises that should be relocated before some of the league’s most storied teams start calling the moving companies, but there’s no guaranteeing a situation couldn’t arise that would force the Isles to hang their shingle elsewhere. And that would be one of the biggest travesties in NHL history. JR (Posted 2008-05-23 12:25:40) The NY Islanders should have moved or folded a long, long time ago. Who cares if they have a history? The arena is one of the worst (and oldest) in the NHL..there's no real concrete plan to replace or renovate it... and the few "fans" they have don't seem to really care... move the team to Winnipeg asap, where they have a new arena and 100,000 die-hard hockey fans just waiting to throw money at the first person who's selling NHL tickets. If the NY Islanders move, they won't be missed very much. Heck, few will even notice! www.thehockeynews.com/articles/16211-Ask-Adam-The-big-picture.html Link to Post - Back to Top Logged |
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Post by Paul on May 25, 2008 15:48:29 GMT -5
Here's what I think is up with the Islanders. Keep in mind this is opinion and not stating solely a factual statement. It's only fair for me to state this because I'm not an insider to the situation and don't work for the team.
Given the state of the national economy, demands for new stadiums and arenas are not going to be met with the kind of enthusiasm and embracement for the time being as we had seen in past years. Public funding whether it is partial or in whole will be much tougher to acquire now. This is one factor here.
Second, the Islanders have run into pure political deadlock on this quest for a new arena or massive renovation of the current building. Nassau County politics is nearly as bad as New York City politics when it comes to difficulty in getting major projects off the ground or approved. It's amazing the county isn't farther behind the times than they can be. Only the last two years has this metropolitan area as a whole finally started building ANY new sports venues here. Prudential Center is the very first new arena in close proximity to New York City in 26 years. Now both the Mets and Yankees are building new ballparks. The New York Jets and New York Giants have a joint football stadium being built at the Meadowlands. Plans for a new Nets arena in Brooklyn is on the table, but not yet finalized as plans to block the project is still in court. A perfect example of New York City politics at its worst now is the Moynihan Station project in the heart of midtown Manhattan where a new Madison Square Garden is supposed to be a part of it. It isn't dead, but it has stalled to such a point right now that the moron that owns MSG has said "we're just going to renovate right now". Bull-f'ing-crap. You watch, it's called posturing at its finest.
Nassau County is also in debt financially, so unless taxpayers that are already overburdened are willing to contribute a significant chunk of money to help pay for The Lighthouse project, there won't be a new arena for the Islanders in the very near future. They are talking 2011 at the earliest.
The Islanders ownership issues has been one for how long now? Too long. Charles Wang hires a goaltender directly from submission of his retirement papers and how much has Garth Snow improved the team? They suck for a reason. They don't have enough hockey people in their organization to really make a serious impact on the franchise. A real estate guy running things as if he knows about hockey operations? Plus, they're not spending their money. They did in giving Rick DiPietro a ridiculous 15-year contract and they're still paying the price for signing that bust in Alexei Yashin for 10 years at $90 million and he was bought out! Having an aging veteran in Bill Guerin as your prize free agent signing says a lot about where the Islanders have fallen.
The Islanders have not convinced their fans they're committed to winning and backing that up by spending their weakened dollars wisely. So, they're staying away. When was the last time Islanders fans were really excited about their team? How about the 2002 playoffs against the Toronto Maple Leafs.
I may hate them as a fan since my hometown allegiance lies with the archrival New York Rangers, but I don't want the Islanders to move. This is the second-largest metropolitan area in the world (22 million people) next to the Tokyo-Yokohama region in Japan and there is no doubt the Islanders can be supported here. It would be shame if they relocate.
I think you guys know that if there were with 100% certainty no options left for the Islanders to remain on Long Island, my first choice would be for them to move to Winnipeg. It's almost like a three-pronged metropolitan area market here with New York City as its center and New Jersey and Long Island as it's two sub-market areas. The three teams cover the entire market as a whole. But the Islanders going to Winnipeg if we had to lose a franchise around here I can accept, but I'd prefer an expansion team for your city or a relocated franchise like the Nashville Predators, especially with all the uncertainty surrounding that franchise as well.
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Post by mcguire4 on May 25, 2008 17:47:01 GMT -5
hmmmm......interesting!!
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Post by seahawksniper on May 28, 2008 16:26:26 GMT -5
What nobody's said is that if it is the Islanders who leave...Hartford is suddenly viable again. Five teams don't work in that area, but four is a possibility.
So there's two cities who want this to happen.
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Post by mcguire4 on May 28, 2008 18:35:41 GMT -5
^ "Hartford is suddenly viable again".
not without an arena they arent.
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Post by scottie65 on May 28, 2008 23:13:56 GMT -5
Show of “Lighthouse” support If there were going to be a groundswell of widespread opposition to the “Lighthouse Project” proposed by Islanders owner Charles Wang and developer Scott Rechler, it would have materialized at the public scoping hearing held last night by the Town of Hempstead as part of the state environmental quality review process. But the tone of the meeting was conciliatory rather than contentious as a parade of speakers expressed their concerns about a project many seem to regard as inevitable. At times, the meeting verged on a pep rally as supporters praised the way Wang and Rechler have laid the groundwork for approval by seeking community input well in advance of filing plans for the $2 billion development. Islanders Hall of Famer Mike Bossy was greeted by cheers when he spoke of the importance to the success of the team of renovating Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum, and some speakers expressed their fear the Islanders might move if the project isn’t approved and Wang is forced to sell the franchise. Most of those who raised concerns about the impact on traffic, water quality and how the affordable housing component will be handled said they support the project but simply want to be part of the process of moving it forward. There wasn’t even a single objection to a design that calls for two iconic towers housing a luxury hotel, high-end condos and office space. If approval were based on this hearing alone, it would look like smooth sailing for the Lighthouse Project. But as any hockey player can tell you, it’s important to keep your head up because it’s the blindside hit that will get you every time. In this case, Wang and Rechler primarily must worry about the possibility of partisan political wrangling throwing up a roadblock to their plans to break ground in July of next year. Nassau County Executive Tom Suozzi is solidly on board, but Town of Hempstead Supervisor Kate Murray looms as a potential obstacle and this is her bailiwick. Suozzi is a Democrat, and Murray is a Republican. There’s no denying the economic boon the Lighthouse Project represents in terms of jobs and tax revenue it will generate. But a project that envisions 2,300 housing units, retail shops and a hotel and convention center along with a massive underground parking garage is bound to have a major impact on local traffic, water supply and sewage. The question for Murray and the Town of Hempstead is whether the economic incentive is strong enough to seek solutions to the environmental problems or whether they will use those concerns to derail Wang and Rechler’s vision of building a kind of Emerald City on the barren Coliseum parking lot. There’s no telling yet what the major issues will be as far as the Hempstead Town Council is concerned, but for members of various community groups that spoke last night, the affordable housing crisis on Long Island and the availability of local job opportunities ranked at the top of the list. Twenty percent of the housing units, approximately 460 overall, are dedicated to affordable housing. But they can be spread throughout the community rather than located on-site. One spokesperson for the developers said that decision is not up to them but will be determined by the political process. If they are located off-site, it’s uncertain whether that would reduce the number of housing units on-site, but that’s doubtful. Some speakers proposed redeveloping “blighted” areas in Hempstead, but more seemed to favor on-site affordable housing. The question of how “affordable housing” is defined on Long Island was raised by a sociology professor at nearby Hofstra University. Median home prices, he said, aren’t as accurate in an inflated housing market as a median income standard for qualification. But by any definition, affordable housing is the carrot that could drive this development. As one single woman under the age of 30 told the panel, “You have the power to get us out of our parents’ basements.” Another local mother of three daughters, playing on the slogan for the project, said she hoped to one day be able to “meet them at the Lighthouse.” Still another woman, representing a group she called “Yes In My Backyard,” said middle-income people who want to work on Long Island, such as teachers and firefighters, need an affordable place to live. The next step in the process comes in July when the environmental review panel presents its findings. At that point, Wang and Rechler should begin to get a reading on whether Murray and the Hempstead Town Council are going to support the Lighthouse Project in their backyard or not. weblogs.newsday.com/sports/hockey/islanders/blog/2008/05/show_of_lighthouse_support.html |
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Post by vivianmb on Jul 21, 2008 23:46:24 GMT -5
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