ORLANDO, FLA – On Saturday afternoon, the members of the Atlanta Thrashers Fan Club planned to gather and make one last ditch effort to convince the city and team ownership that hockey should stay. As it turns out, they may instead be throwing a goodbye party.
Thursday night, the Toronto Globe and Mail reported that a deal had been struck between Atlanta Spirit LLC, the owners of the Thrashers, and True North Sports and Entertainment to sell the franchise and subsequently move it to Winnipeg. The report, which stated that an announcement will be made in Winnipeg next Tuesday, was quickly refuted by both True North and the NHL following Commissioner Gary Bettmanâs downplaying of the rumors on his weekly radio show earlier in the day.
As word spread throughout the hockey world, thanks in part to discussion on televised discussions during game three of the Eastern Conference finals, celebrations erupted across Winnipeg as fans spilled into the streets. The city has been without an NHL team since the Winnipeg Jets moved to Phoenix and became the Coyotes in 1996.
The mood was much different in Atlanta where fans had hoped that someone would come to the rescue and purchase the team with the intent on keeping them at Philips Arena. Should the Thrashers leave, it will be the second time the southern city has had and lost an NHL franchise. The Atlanta Flames played in the old Omni Arena from 1972-1980 before heading north to Calgary. The Thrashersâ franchise was awarded on June 25, 1997 and began play in 1999.
The report by Stephen Brunt stated that sources told him that Mark Chipman and David Thomson, the two principals in True Northâs ownership, had been targeting the Thrashers for quite some time and that the NHLâs Board of Governors had signed off on True North buying and moving the team pending the negotiation of a purchase agreement with Atlanta Spiritâs co-owner Bruce Levenson. Bruntâs sources said that the NHLâs approval came âsome months backâ, leaving questions about how the situations in Atlanta and Phoenix were both handled.
The Hockey Newsâ Ken Campbell later reported that the selling price will be in the area of $170 million with $110 million for the team and $60 million for a ârelocation feeâ that will go to the NHL. Campbell went on to note that Levenson may want part of the $60 million while the league wants a portion of the $110 million that Levenson is supposed to receive, possibly cutting Levensonâs share of the deal to between $80 million and $100 million.
The Winnipeg Free Press reported on Monday that the NHL had been working on two drafts of the 2011-2012 schedule – one with a team in Atlanta and the other with a team In Winnipeg. Depending on when a deal is completed, the league may have time to hurriedly realign the conferences to accommodate the relocation.
As late as Thursday afternoon, The Atlanta Journal Constitution was reporting that Thrashersâ team president Don Waddell was working with a group from outside the Atlanta area on a deal to buy the franchise and leave it in Atlanta. Earlier in May, Waddell was negotiating with two prospective buyers. Even former Braves pitcher Tom Glavine, a native of Massachusetts who played hockey in high school, was hoping to find a group interested in securing the franchiseâs future in the South.
The fan club event, which was timed to coincide with the teamâs âSelect A Seatâ day, was supposed to be a visual and verbal sign to the NHL and others that the fans wanted the team to stay. Fans were encouraged to wear Thrashers gear, make signs and be part of a group photo that was to be circulated to Bettman and the powers that be.
Now it may be nothing more than a good old Irish wake.
Stay with ProHockeyNews.com for more on this developing story.
Contact the author at don.money@prohockeynews.com
