Silver Seven Exclusive: True North's NHL Application

by Mark Parisi on Jun 1, 2011 7:01 AM EDT in Satire

With the disappointing announcement yesterday of the Atlanta Thrashers' relocation to Winnipeg, we here at Silver Seven were curious how the True North group's bid was approved. Considering the disastrous fates inept owners like Jerry Moyes, Boots Del Baggio, and the Atlanta Spirit Group have caused for their teams, we wondered how the NHL determines who's fit to own a team. We reached out to our secret contact in the NHL offices, and were able to get our hands on the following document. Does the NHL perform its due diligence on future owners? We'll let you judge for yourselves.

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Full size version here.

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"If you leak this we will play dumb no matter what"

Terrific. Rec’d.

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by Peter Raaymakers on Jun 1, 2011 10:07 AM EDT reply actions

To be fair....

True North could end up being one of the better owners in the league. They’ve got experience running a hockey team, running it in the market in question, they’ve got money, they’ve got the business sense, and they certainly seem to have a passion for both the game and the market.

That being said, your point certainly rings true for a number of past, present and potential future owners.

by B_T on Jun 1, 2011 10:08 AM EDT reply actions

Yeah, it's not a shot at True North as much as the other recent owner failures

Atlanta Spirit Group bought the team and immediately tried to sell it, and spent the intervening years in court squabbling with each other. It’s hard to imagine the Board of Governors considering that a healthy environment for successful hockey, you know? But they had the cash, so a blind eye was turned.

True North has a very vested interest in Winnipeg’s success, and I think that’s half the battle.

Silver Seven - The Daniel Alfredsson of Ottawa Senators Blogs

by Mark Parisi on Jun 1, 2011 10:26 AM EDT up reply actions

Well, as long as we're clear on that

I feel the team finally got the ownership it deserves, one that will do right by the team and the local market. Unfortunately for the fans in Atlanta, that ownership (and market) is in Winnipeg.

But really, from the reading I’ve been doing it sounds like this has been in motion for years now. Not to True North and Winnipeg specifically, but ASG seems to have dropped the ball so badly that they essentially ruined the Atlanta market for the short term. Any potential owner would have been nuts to keep the team there – a poisoned, non-traditional market.

A team in any market can survive owners like ASG, if it happens far enough into their life and the team was established enough prior to that ownership (coughBallardcough). That just wasn’t the case with Atlanta.

NHL hockey may return to Atlanta in the future, but it will take an ownership like True North seems to be to get it done. It will be on the basis of a solid business plan combined with deep pockets a true passionate drive to see the team and sport succeed in that market.

by B_T on Jun 1, 2011 10:56 AM EDT up reply actions

Yes, if Chicago can survive Bill Wirtz...

My impression is that ASG never picked up the ball to begin with. I believe their only interest in the Thrashers was selling them. Between their indifference and their sales terms, there doesn’t seem any doubt in my mind that they poisoned the local market for buyers.

Silver Seven - The Daniel Alfredsson of Ottawa Senators Blogs

by Mark Parisi on Jun 1, 2011 11:29 AM EDT up reply actions

So, is Bettman trying his hardest to be a dick or what?

“For this to work every game needs to be sold out” – I mean he may be “Gary Bettman” and all but the new owners are the friggin’ Thompson family. It’s not like its a group that made a few mil in the dot.com era or found the money under a pillow and thought it would be fun to play at professional sports. This sounds sooooo much like bruised ego it’s bloody ugly. He might as well have said, “Here you go Canada, here’s the franchise you’ve been wanting SOOO badly. And when it doesn’t work, don’t say I didn’t tell you so.” What a figurehead for our national game – somebody fire his ass.

by west-sider on Jun 1, 2011 2:17 PM EDT reply actions

He’s saying that because they need an average paid attendance of at least 14,000 to get full revenue sharing, which is a lot of free money to give up.

Though, if they’re going to pay Habs-level prices for tickets, it won’t be a huge problem…

On the Mike Weber bandwagon!
Sabres took the scenic route, but they still MADE IT TO THE PLAYOFFS!!!1

by Ubiquitous on Jun 2, 2011 4:48 PM EDT up reply actions