May 6, 2009 @ 19:16
Talk about timing. On a day when NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman made it perfectly clear, once again, that he doesn't want another NHL franchise in Canada, Neighbour John calls me from Raliegh, North Carolina.
John is on a business trip and he was only an hour away from the site of tonights game between the Carolina Hurricanes and Boston Bruins, so he swung by to see if he could get a ticket.
Of course he could. It's freakin' Raleigh, North Carolina for cryin' out loud. Another Bettman hockey hotbed where the fans could give two shits about the NHL.
Three hours before the game, Neighbour John walked up to the box office where there was no lineup, and he purchased a seat for 60 dollars. It's a decent seat , about half way up the stands, but that's not the point, the point is this - on a game night there was actually a ticket available for game three of a quarter-final series.
Can you imagine if this game was being played in Hamilton, or Kitchener-Waterloo or Vaughn? Do you think there would have been a ticket available three weeks ago let alone three hours ago? Do you think it would cost 60 lousy bucks?
The irony of it all.
On yet another day that Gary Bettman slaps all Canadians in the face with his indignant attitude towards our country, here's another example of how pathetic the imbalance is between Canada and some of the ridiculous markets in the U.S. that Bettman endorses.
Game three of a Stanley Cup quarter-final series in Raleigh, North Carolina will not be sold out tonight.
John says there were lots of tickets available, so even if you hear it was sold out, it will be bullshit - another attempt to make the NHL look healthier than it is.
If this game was being played in the GTA tonight it would be a completey different story. The game would be sold-out and packed with nothing but die-hard fans who love the game, appreciate the game and want the game.
Bettman is an enemy of Canada.
The prick.
Balsillie faces NHL backlash.
Category: Neighbour John | Sports
May 6, 2009 / 19:35
Hope your buddy John enjoys the game in Raleigh.
Eff you, Bettman. You destroyed the NHL. Whatever hard-on you have for Jim B. makes you look like a damned fool.
May 6, 2009 / 20:12
I don't get it.....isn't the NHL in the business of making money????? It seems ridiculous that this issue is even up for debate. Jim Balsillie offers up a ton of cash to buy a team that's guaranteed to bring in a boat load of revenue into the league, which you'd think the NHL would want, to support all the teams that are barely scraping by. If Balsillie is the highest bidder he should be able to move the team wherever he wants. Sports franchises get moved all the time. If Bettman doesn't see the benefit to moving the team to Ontario, he should be fired....get rid of him!!
May 6, 2009 / 22:03
If you want to move a team, put it in Winnipeg. That city is a kickass hockey town.
May 6, 2009 / 22:38
Sooner or later Balsille will get his team, and then Bettman the weasel will have to deal with him regularly. I can't wait. Then finally a true grass roots hockey man in the NHL ownership.
F U Bettman. I hope your head finally bobs off when you talk.
May 6, 2009 / 22:50
Why does Betman dislike Canada so much?
Another team in the Southern Ontario would flourish.
Betmans thinking doesn't make sense.
NHL head office should never have left Montreal for New York.
We've lost control of our game.
May 6, 2009 / 23:06
We should start an email campaign to have Bettman removed as commissioner.
May 6, 2009 / 23:11
Let Bettman know what you think of him. gbettman@nhl.com
Be nice...he's fragile.
May 7, 2009 / 09:25
Where does neighbour John work? I want his job!!!
May 7, 2009 / 09:39
In nature it's called the path of least resistance. In sports they call it an end around. Jim Balsille is taking the only avenue left open to him by Bettman and the NHL Board of Governors.
The fact that it makes Bettman look like an imbicile is sort of an added bonus.
If it works out the way that Balsille plans, Buffalo and Toronto can kiss their territorial rights good-bye along with the healthy pay-out that goes with it.
Sounds to good to be true.
I won't get my hopes up until the moving vans show up at Copps Colisium.
We've been fooled before.
May 7, 2009 / 10:13
You have to wonder if Bettman would work this hard if the same thing were happening to a Canadian team.
May 7, 2009 / 11:53
It is sickening that these southern cities who couldn't give 2 shits about hockey have a team. No one goes and yet for some reason the league, in some unexplainable wisdom wastes millions trying to keep the teams in these places.
The first owner of the L.A. Kings said it was going to be great, "Do you know how many Canadians there are in L.A.?" he said... and years later when he sold out after losing millions he said "now I know why all the Canadians moved to L.A., to get away from hockey."
On the beach in St. Petersburg, during the time of Tampa playing in the finals on their way to winning a Stanley Cup, while wearing a Tampa jersey a sports reporter was asking sunbathers if they knew the nickname of the Tampa Bay NHL team... and no one knew the answer. They're playing in the Stanley Cup and no one knows the name of the team.
Like Neighbour John says... there is no problem getting tickets to any of the games in these cities, right from the box office, and up to the last minute. The scalping business isn't necessary at these arenas.
The year Tampa won the cup there was a game seven with the Flyers in the semi-final series, I was there with a group and the day before a game seven Stanley Cup semi-final we called the box office and had our choice of 8 seats in a row in 2 different price levels. If Toronto ever has a game seven in any series, I don't think you could get 8 seats in a row for 10 million dollars.
What is the Bettman agenda, get fighting out of Hockey because he thinks (and only him) that the Americans will like it more. Flood the US south with teams, whether they want them or not... and totally forget about the cities who would welcome a team.
I hope Balsille gets the team and to hell with Bettman.
May 7, 2009 / 12:50
Ball, good post. Couldn't agree more.
May 7, 2009 / 16:07
I hate bettman so much i can't understand how he is still the commisioner. Bill Simmons of espn writes all the time on how he is responsible for killing the NHL. I think David Stern planted him there so the NBA could ensure the NHL never gave them a run for the money in any U.S. markets that might have any interest in watching hockey. His agenda seems to be keep expanding and watering down the league to the point that guys who should be playing for Davos or modo are playing for the Thrashers and Panthers. That makes for real first class hockey is it any wonder why most Nhl teams have only one good line and 3 good defencemen.
Phoenix, Nashville, Carolina, Atlanta, Florida, Tampa, Anaheim and L.A. should all be dissolved. Winnepeg and Quebec City and somewhere in Southern Ontario should be granted franchises. But idiot Bettman will keep all his U.S. franchises and add K.C. and Las vegas to the league.
The NHL under Bettman ensures hockey always stays somewhere under Nascar in the States and the real fans canadian fans keep getting screwed over.
May 7, 2009 / 19:44
Bruce Dowbiggin on CBC said the Canadian teams were responsible for over 35% of the NHL's revenues, WTF is with the Board of Directors, most good businessmen would go where your product gets the most traction. Bettmans probably looking for an expansion team in Orlando with his hockey/business smarts.
Go get them Jim, expose Bettman and his Mafia Cartel (can I say this?) for what it is. Any other industry would be under Rico scrutiny in the USA, if they tried to pull this BS.
I would love a team in Hamilton, this way I wouldn't ever need to venture into Toronto.
May 8, 2009 / 13:45
Like I've always said Freddie, I will never believe there is a team in Hamilton until I see the first puck dropped at centre ice. Bettman's a prick.
May 8, 2009 / 18:50
I somewhat agree. Bettman is a weasle, but putting another team in southern Ontario is NOT a good idea for revenue genterating. There are already hockey fans here. The team needs to be in a city that does not have a team in the area. Who would pick up the T.V. feed for the new team? TSN and RSN are already full of games. T.V. is where a lot of the $ is generated. It is not just ticket sales. Seatle would be a good spot. Mr. Balsillie needs to follow the rules that are in place in order to obtain an NHL franchise and not just try and pirate a franchise.
May 8, 2009 / 19:18
Bettman hates Buffalo too. The cup game is known as "no goal" because of that idiot.
May 8, 2009 / 21:24
I'm working in Newfoundland this week and all the locals would love an NHL franchise in St. Johns, they are passionate here about hockey, and if Hamilton couldn't have it, my vote would go for St. Johns!!
May 9, 2009 / 17:28
Boston's owner Jacobs won't get the consession stand accounts in Canada. Doesn't go much further than that.
May 12, 2009 / 17:11
How about a team in Toronto or Vancouver? I double my chances and still can't win. Must be Canadian!
May 13, 2009 / 20:28
Time has an interesting article on Tonight's game 7 between the Penguins and the Capitals and how hardly anyone will watch it.
More great work by Betman
http://www.time.com/time/arts/article/0,8599,1897847,00.html
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