The Predators have been sold.

[Guest Richard Lawson]

I just dropped in to see the discussion since we got a lot of hits on our site from this site. Here are some links to add to the discussion.

http://www.nashvillepost.com/news/2007/5/2...d_close_june_30

http://www.nashvillepost.com/news/2007/5/2..._predators_sale

http://www.wkrn.com/video_player.php?id=12803

Edited May 25, 2007 by Richard Lawson

[YoungGuns1340 1]

Uh oh! I smell a pun!

The press conference with Blackberrys is scheduled for today I seen. It'll be interesting to see what comes out of it.

At least one person got it!

[Guest DetroitIan]

All I gotta say, Is nothing will put a bigger smile on my face then the preds moving to Canada, or somewhere else in the U.S. Just anywhere but Nashville. Man I am definitely crossing my fingers on this one.

[YoungGuns1340 1]

I would love to see a team in Kitchener. Even better if they stayed in the Western Conference/Central division (although Im not sure how that would work with Toronto being so close). At any rate, I sure as hell would buy tickets to see the Kitchener Whatevers host the Wings 4 times a year.

[ChelisChick 174]

All I gotta say, Is nothing will put a bigger smile on my face then the preds moving to Canada, or somewhere else in the U.S. Just anywhere but Nashville. Man I am definitely crossing my fingers on this one.

I just don't get this kind of attitude. Not singling you out, but using this post as a representative. Am I the biggest Preds fan because I live in Tennessee? No. Do I support them? Yes. I'm a partial season ticket holder, and we mostly have them so we can see the other teams play. Just because I live in the south does not make me a lesser fan. If the Preds move, I will be heartbroken because I will no longer be able to see the Wings, or any other team play. For all of you that are hoping they move, I wish you knew how bad that hurts.

[ifonlyicouldskate 11]

Wouldn't it be great if the preds moved to the toronto area and won the cup before the Leafs :battle: I bet that would piss off some Leaf fans.

[Barrie 900]

A Kitchener team would essentially be a 2nd Toronto team. Putting them just down the road avoids being in the Leafs territorial zone.

Right.

I've also heard a debate about putting a team in the West 'burbs of Toronto (Mississauga) and appealing to the working class. The Leafs can be the Corporate Team, where the Mississauga team would be the Blue Collar Team. MLSE would never let anyone in their territory though.

okay, offical number is 411.

13,589 is the number that Leipold gave in his letter to season ticket holders. He put out all of the financial stats in that letter, divulged a lot of numbers that were hidden for a long time. Admitted to losses that were a lot higher than any of us originally though (about $70M overall). So I have no reason to doubt his number of 13,589 and the number from the sports council that does their own independant audit that was within 200 away from that (I think they had sais 13,883).

Ok, thanks for the numbers.

Like you said, I think some people are making the situation sound worse, especially here in Southern Ontario, because they want the team to move.

Honestly I'd like to see it happen, but would hate to see great Hockey fans like you lose your team.

[alienanxiety 23]

I would think the obvious place to relocate to would be Winnipeg. Keeps the conferences the same.

Now that I think of it - why doesn't the NHL just lose the conference divide altogether? Keep the focus on divisional play, but then play every team outside of your division the same amount of times. Seed the playoff teams 1 to 16.

[Chaldean 0]

http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/attendance?s...t&year=2006

Nashville has the second smallest stadium, yet they only filled 84% of their seats (22nd place)

Not good numbers.

Edited May 25, 2007 by Chaldean

[RedFX 48]

http://www.nashvillepredators.com/pressbox...p?story_id=1367

Leipold on the subject

Two things that throw me off here. Within the last week, the Preds signed a multi-year naming rights agreement with a local company, and purchased a new 30 million dollar scoreboard. I know the signs of relocation are there, but why would the ownership sign all these deals if we're leaving in a year?

[RockyMountainWingGal 108]

I just don't get this kind of attitude. Not singling you out, but using this post as a representative. Am I the biggest Preds fan because I live in Tennessee? No. Do I support them? Yes. I'm a partial season ticket holder, and we mostly have them so we can see the other teams play. Just because I live in the south does not make me a lesser fan. If the Preds move, I will be heartbroken because I will no longer be able to see the Wings, or any other team play. For all of you that are hoping they move, I wish you knew how bad that hurts.

It would really suck for the fans who buy season tickets there. But sadly in professional sports, the fans don't always factor into business decisions. To me, this does all add up to the new owner moving the team at some point in the future. I've listened to some discussion on it and it seemed convincing to me. Personally, I think there are a few other teams that should be moved before the Preds. How about the Panthers? Florida already has one team - it seems like two there is ridiculous.....

[chelios4eva 0]

Wait.... sorry for acting like homer

but what exactly is the chance of the Preds moving?

High Very high, somewhat high, low ect...

[evilmrt 636]

The article Mack posted said RIM purchased a large parcel of property in Cambridge.

RIM has purchased a 25.7-acre parcel of land from Mattamy (Galt) Ltd. for $3.7 million through a numbered Ontario company.

The land purchased by RIM sits between Pinebush Road and Saginaw Parkway, west of Townline Road and east of Bishop Street.

Is that even a viable spot for a new arena?

I would love to see a team in Kitchener. Even better if they stayed in the Western Conference/Central division (although Im not sure how that would work with Toronto being so close). At any rate, I sure as hell would buy tickets to see the Kitchener Whatevers host the Wings 4 times a year.

I hate to post twice in a row, but this is an interesting subject. I would like to think that they'd move the "Kitchener Whatevers" to the Eastern Conference for a nice Kitchener/Toronto rivalry. But then on the other hand, maybe the league would see fit to keep both clubs seperate, as to protect the Leafs somewhat? Even in that situation, they'd have to make exception to the lack of inter-division play and create a Toronto-Kitchener series...at least 4 games a year, I'd say.

[betterREDthandead 58]

I would think the obvious place to relocate to would be Winnipeg. Keeps the conferences the same.

Now that I think of it - why doesn't the NHL just lose the conference divide altogether? Keep the focus on divisional play, but then play every team outside of your division the same amount of times. Seed the playoff teams 1 to 16.

I would think that Winnipeg would be the most obvious place not to relocate. Especially the Predators. The Jets left town in part because of a lack of corporate support - how would that solve the problems of a team that is seriously lacking in corporate support?

Conference alignment carries zero weight at all when it comes to determining where a team should go. The league will have its teams wherever the economics of it makes the most sense and only after the teams are placed, adjust the conferences accordingly.

By the way, the Leafs aren't the only concern if the idea is to move a team to southern Ontario (which I hope does NOT happen.) The Sabres and the Leafs pitch some fierce territorial battles over southwestern Ontario (Niagara Falls/St. Catherine's area.) The Wings and Leafs would both stand to lose ground if a team were near Kitchener or London. That's two powerful O6 teams plus Buffalo that would more than likely stand in strong opposition to the idea. Sillyballs already tried this idea once, if you recall, not too long ago with the Pens, and that didn't fly. I don't think all hope is lost for Preds fans in Nashville. And frankly, I'd like to see the team stay put.

[Kp-Wings 3]

betterREDthandead: You know very well not to shoot down peoples ideas of Winnipeg as a new place to relocate. For them, it's the only city in the US, Canada, Mexico, and China that can support an NHL franchise that doesn't have one.

I though't you'd be on top of this by now. Shame!

[T-Ruff 47]

By the way, the Leafs aren't the only concern if the idea is to move a team to southern Ontario (which I hope does NOT happen.) The Sabres and the Leafs pitch some fierce territorial battles over southwestern Ontario (Niagara Falls/St. Catherine's area.) The Wings and Leafs would both stand to lose ground if a team were near Kitchener or London. That's two powerful O6 teams plus Buffalo that would more than likely stand in strong opposition to the idea. Sillyballs already tried this idea once, if you recall, not too long ago with the Pens, and that didn't fly. I don't think all hope is lost for Preds fans in Nashville. And frankly, I'd like to see the team stay put.

According to Bob McKenzie, the Leafs wouldn't have much of an argument:

We believe Balsillie would like to move them to southern Ontario, probably in the Kitchener-Waterloo area, close enough to the heavily populated golden horseshoe but just outside of the Toronto Maple Leafs' territorial rights.

If the team moves, Kitchener-Waterloo is the place I would like to see it go......

[betterREDthandead 58]

According to Bob McKenzie, the Leafs wouldn't have much of an argument:

If the team moves, Kitchener-Waterloo is the place I would like to see it go......

They'd still pitch a fit. The Leafs have some serious clout and the Wings would likely join them, whether or not the Preds move to some point which happens to be outside an arbitrary line on a map. After all, even if Kitchener/Waterloo aren't actually inside the Leafs' territory, the Preds would still stake out territory of their own, which would include a huge chunk of the Leafs' sphere of influence. Besides that, Kitchener/Waterloo aren't exactly corporate meccas. All the corporate behemoths that would theoretically lend their support to such a team are in - you guessed it - Toronto. You can bet the Leafs are already working on a little hell-raisin' to do whatever it takes NOT to have a team in Kitchener.

And frankly, if the Preds must move I'd like to see them go somewhere that doesn't already have four NHL teams, one AHL team, and countless OHL teams within a 200-mile radius. If that's not enough hockey for people I don't know what would be.

[MacK_Attack 108]

The article Mack posted said RIM purchased a large parcel of property in Cambridge.

Is that even a viable spot for a new arena?

Here's the map of the general area of where the land was purchased.....

Right off the 401 and just east of Hespeler Rd.....the perfect spot for an NHL arena in the K-W/Cambridge area.

[Guest ZDH]

Here's the map of the general area of where the land was purchased.....

Right off the 401 and just east of Hespeler Rd.....the perfect spot for an NHL arena in the K-W/Cambridge area.

Balsille would never have paid the premium price if he did not see the chance to move the team to KW in a year. I'd love it because I am only an hour away from KW. It's a booming area with alot of people with alot of money to spend.

Season tickets would sell out in about 5 minutes and they'd sell out each home game for sure.

[Lou_Siffer 1]

Going once, going twice....SOLD to Mr Jed Clampett!

[CdnWingsFanEh 2]

Here's the map of the general area of where the land was purchased.....

Right off the 401 and just east of Hespeler Rd.....the perfect spot for an NHL arena in the K-W/Cambridge area.

Perfect spot, right near the 401...

...wipes drool off face...

[betterREDthandead 58]

Article

Bettman believes the Preds will stay put. (Of course, one would hardly expect the commissioner to announce otherwise until the ink is dry on the moving van contract.) But the long and short of the article is that there are a number of hurdles that Sillyballs would have to overcome to move the team anywhere - it's not just a simple matter of deciding attendance in Nashville is too small and packing up.

[Statts 4]

Here is an article written by Buccigross. He says all of the preds key UFA will be gone next season, and their team will suck. Bucci is pedicting the preds move after next season. Should be interesting how this situation plays out.

Edited May 29, 2007 by Statts

[T-Ruff 47]

The simple fact that Balsillie overpaid so much for the Preds has to make you believe he is going to do all he can to move the team. Any hurdles will only slow him down, but not make him give up and keep the team in Nashville....

[sibiriak 84]

I don't get this guy. He abandoned his attempt to buy the Pens when the NHL told him that they won't allow him to move the team from Pittsburgh. Now he is trying to buy the Preds, why does he think that the league would let him move the team this time around?