Excellent Article on Nashville

[Hank 0]

Please correct me if I'm wrong, but I thought I heard something this morning that will prove whether the local business group really wants to keep the team in Nashville.

I thought I heard it reported that the city is willing to restructure the current lease agreement ,that will be heavily in favour of the new ownership, but if they do this the lease will be extended for more years without any clauses in it.

So essentially, no matter how poorly the Preds do or how horribly they draw, you will never be able to move the team from Nashville.

If this is all true, then Freeman will have to put his money where his mouth is. He's been stating this whole time that he's doing this to save the Preds from ever going anywhere else. This new sweet lease agreement gives him everything he's asking for and will make certain the Preds never leave town.

If he doesn't jump on this, then he's a hypocrite and my suspicions will be correct that he only wants to move the team out to KC for his gangster buddy.

[WingsZR2 1]

The mayor of Nashville wants Freeman to agree to keep the team in Nashville for 5 more years. It's put up or shut up time now. They basically have to come to an agreement in a matter of hours or they won't make the Oct 31st deadline for exclusive rights. Even if they blackball blackberry me thinks Boots is going to make his own bid and move to KC.

[Salviaman 104]

I wonder what Chris Chelios has to say about this......

[Kp-Wings 3]

Why is it that KC is the only city the Preds will move to if they move? It's like taking the team from one hick ass town that doesn't care about hockey to another.

Nobody in KC cares about hockey. Nobody in KC cares about any sports that aren't named the NFL or College Football. Just because they have a new arena doesn't mean they should automatically get a team. It's a ridiculous idea to move a struggling team to a city that's almost exactly the same, and where it would probably struggle just as badly.

If the team has to stay on US soil, move it to a city that has a lot of northern transplants, like Houston for example, or a city that has that and even more, like Vegas. Honestly, I would love to see a hockey team in Vegas. You'd get great fan support because the city has so many tourists and Canadians that relocate there. It would give the NHL some spice for once having a team in Vegas.

KC is nothing more than Nashville part two. A middle-sounthern city that has no tourism, especially not compared to Vegas, and it's not exactly an ideal relocation spot for northerners.

It's obvious that the state of Nevada has no hockey connections at all, other than gambling, but I firmly believe that a team in Vegas would work out well. You have a lot of tourist and northerners who visit the city all of the time who would go to watch.

Edited October 26, 2007 by Kp-Wings

[2probert4 8]

ah, yeah we ended up not buying that house. we're sticking with the current one through the winter and plan on looking again in the spring.

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okay. as for the Preds right now. What can I say? the fans of nashville and the team itself are disproving every argument I had this summer.

I will always fight, tooth and nail to save this team. I wouldn't be a fan if I didn't. But it's quite shameful to see how this city as a whole has responded so far. Are they waiting for local ownership to come on? or did this summer finally kill any chance we had of planting a solid root in Nashville?

The team, is playing terrible. The first two games they came out and looked like a team that was ready to win a playoff series. Flat out dominated two top teams in Colorado and Dallas. Perhaps it gave them big heads and now they think they're more talented than they actually are, but the last 3 games have been embarassing to watch. I've never seen a preds team that seemed to care less about working hard and fighting for a win.

I hope things turn around quickly. I hope that attendance spikes after october. I hope the players turn it around on the ice...

...but I don't see either of those things happening right now.

I was watching one of their games out on the Left Coast and one of the announcers was attributing their bad play as of late to "players wondering if they have a home next season or not". I guess missing one of their top Dmen (weber) and the lack of scoring by Radulov and the dismantling of the roster has nothing to do with it.

Why is it that KC is the only city the Preds will move to if they move? It's like taking the team from one hick ass town that doesn't care about hockey to another.

Nobody in KC cares about hockey. Nobody in KC cares about any sports that aren't named the NFL or College Football. Just because they have a new arena doesn't mean they should automatically get a team. It's a ridiculous idea to move a struggling team to a city that's almost exactly the same, and where it would probably struggle just as badly.

KC is nothing more than Nashville part two. A middle-sounthern city that has no tourism, especially not compared to Vegas, and it's not exactly an ideal relocation spot for northerners.

It's obvious that the state of Nevada has no hockey connections at all, other than gambling, but I firmly believe that a team in Vegas would work out well. You have a lot of tourist and northerners who visit the city all of the time who would go to watch.

I live near KC now, and I couldn't agree with you more on the fact that KC is not a hockey city, it probably wouldnt work, and the area around that new Sprint Center is not in the best of areas, (its old) they are making improvements, (restaurants coming in, and street / freeway renovations) but there is a long way to go with the renovations around that arena. The Royals park is getting a major face lift, not sure how much city money is tied into it, but the NHL needs to find another venue. Las Vegas you could argue yes or no easily, big tourist town, lots of people can fly in to gamble / see a game, go to the Chicken Ranch, the Playboy Casino, etc etc. But how many people would buy into the season ticket routine? I dont think they would have a problem with the corporate backing as Nashville does, just doesn't sound right though, Las Vegas and the NHL. Just my 2 cents.

I'd say the Preds are all but gone:

http://www.tennessean.com/apps/pbcs.dll/ar...015/1002/SPORTS

I've been reading some of the posts over at the Nashville Message boards and things don't look good:

http://boards.nashvillepredators.com/index...?showtopic=7202

And now that the teams lost 6 games in a row and to some of the poorer teams, I don't see that attendance getting any better.

This whole scenario wreaks of "Major League". Everyone that's lining up to buy this team wants to move it. The 'local' group that includes a heavy hitter from LA wants the team in KC who offer a very sweet lease deal while Ballsillie wants the team in Hamilton.

I'd prefer the team goes to Hamilton because the league needs stability and we all know the team will thrive there. KC would be nice, as a Wings fan, because it would help us move East when expansion hits.

In any event, I don't see the Preds averaging more than 12,000 paid attendance the rest of the year. Stick a fork in them, they're done.

I do have friends / contacts there, a couple of them are in the Nashville Sports Authority, and they're not having good thoughts about this situation. The Titans draw the larger corporate backing in that town, but some of the local businesses in the Sonnet Center area (restaurants and night clubs) who benefit financially when the team is playing at home, haven't stepped up as some thought they would. I cant tell you which restaurant / bar has purchased season tickets in this "keep the team" cause, but it's not what they thought. I know my friends boycott the establishments that have not purchased a season ticket or two (Baileys Sports Bar on Broadway in case youre curious Legionairre) this continues to be a circus and Leopold is continuing to bend this town over and not lubing up in this situation.

[good morning 10]

moving them to Kansas City = epic fail.

Hamilton, eh, the Canadians love their hockey teams, and I'd bet they'd play better than the Leafs...

Is Halifax too small to support a team? What about Milwaukee?

How will the divisions be restructured when they move?

[Hank 0]

Attendace for last nights game was 13,383. But I would bet my bottom dollar at least 1,000 tickets were comped.

In all reality there might have only been 11,000 tickets sold for last nights game.

By Christmas the Preds will have to average over 15,000 paid tickets to keep their team. That's not going to happen.

Looks like even the powerful Eklund couldn't save this franchise.

EDIT: according to a poster on the Nashville board 3100 tickets were comped. If this is true there were only 10,283 tickets sold.

It sure sounds like this hockey crazed town is trying to save their team.

Sorry, last edition.

So the unofficial average for paid attendance has been: 11766. That means that the Preds will have to average 15,195 over their next 36 home games to save their team.

Edited October 26, 2007 by Hank

[2probert4 8]

Attendace for last nights game was 13,383. But I would bet my bottom dollar at least 1,000 tickets were comped.

In all reality there might have only been 11,000 tickets sold for last nights game.

By Christmas the Preds will have to average over 15,000 paid tickets to keep their team. That's not going to happen.

Looks like even the powerful Eklund couldn't save this franchise.

EDIT: according to a poster on the Nashville board 3100 tickets were comped. If this is true there were only 10,283 tickets sold.

It sure sounds like this hockey crazed town is trying to save their team.

Sorry, last edition.

So the unofficial average for paid attendance has been: 11766. That means that the Preds will have to average 15,195 over their next 36 home games to save their team.

Eklund had his trip to Nashville paid for, and the telethon to sell tickets was sponsored by the radio station that has the Predators rights, but they failed to realize that Eklund isn't the most credible person to represent your team. Legion, did they have local celebrities at that rally to sell tickets? Everyone keeps forgetting though that the Titans suck up so much money from the community , perhaps its hard for people to afford season tickets for BOTH.

[Legionnaire11 0]

Eklund had his trip to Nashville paid for, and the telethon to sell tickets was sponsored by the radio station that has the Predators rights, but they failed to realize that Eklund isn't the most credible person to represent your team. Legion, did they have local celebrities at that rally to sell tickets? Everyone keeps forgetting though that the Titans suck up so much money from the community , perhaps its hard for people to afford season tickets for BOTH.

I believe eklund paid his own way, that's what he said anyway... (e5)

As for who was at the rally...

George Plaster

Pete Weber

Eklund

Phil Bredeson

Vern Fiddler

Ryan Suter

David Legwand

But none of the country stars, actors or other athletes.

[Hank 0]

I believe eklund paid his own way, that's what he said anyway... (e5)

As for who was at the rally...

George Plaster

Pete Weber

Eklund

Phil Bredeson

Vern Fiddler

Ryan Suter

David Legwand

But none of the country stars, actors or other athletes.

And I don't think Kellie Pickler is going to be buying tickets anytime soon.

[eva unit zero 271]

Which is exactly what Bettman wants - even if Leipold gets less $$$ in the deal.

You can't get less than nothing, which is what Leipold was getting from Balsillie; Balsillie, not Leipold, was the one who refused to enter a binding agreement before the BoG had approved the move of the team. As the BoG won't rule on such things until a binding agreement has been reached, and all new owners must make a good faith effort to keep the team in their current market, Balsillie's mouth and deposit tactics are what prevented the sale. Not Bettman's alleged interfering.

[FromAway 0]

As the BoG won't rule on such things until a binding agreement has been reached, and all new owners must make a good faith effort to keep the team in their current market,

Get real. Fans who REALLY want a hockey team should make a "good faith effort" to BUY SOME TICKETS...then the whole thing goes away. The current owner rid himself of every decent asset the team had in the off-season...where is his "good faith effort" in keeping a product on the ice that would cause fans to potentially buy tickets again, etc etc, etc.

Nashville just doesn't work....move the team and move on!

[Legionnaire11 0]

quick little update...

Doug Bergeron has joined the group attempting to buy the Predators.

http://tennessean.com/apps/pbcs.dll/articl...ORTS02/71031020

This is a big shot of cash into the group and hopefully allows them to clear the final hurdles in short order. If a deal isn't reached today, then Leipold is expected to extend the deadline another 7-10 days.

...and yes, the attendance and the team still sucks. I have no excuses for either situation right now.

Edited October 31, 2007 by Legionnaire11

[Guest Hatethedrake!]

Maybe it's time for Eklund to come down to Nashville and save them again. Thank God for Eklund.

[eva unit zero 271]

Get real. Fans who REALLY want a hockey team should make a "good faith effort" to BUY SOME TICKETS...then the whole thing goes away. The current owner rid himself of every decent asset the team had in the off-season...where is his "good faith effort" in keeping a product on the ice that would cause fans to potentially buy tickets again, etc etc, etc.

Nashville just doesn't work....move the team and move on!

If Balsille had played by the rules, he'd have his team and would be well on his way to being able to move the team. If you're upset the team isn't moving, blame Balsillie's egotistical need to have things his way.

[FromAway 0]

If Balsille had played by the rules, he'd have his team and would be well on his way to being able to move the team. If you're upset the team isn't moving, blame Balsillie's egotistical need to have things his way.

I'm not upset at all, just sick of hearing about a franchise that has absolutely ZERO chance of success in the market it is in. I don't care who did what and whether it was too early. The team needs to be somewhere other than Nashville....and clearly the (lack of) fans agree.

[Hank 0]

Maybe it's time for Eklund to come down to Nashville and save them again. Thank God for Eklund.

I heard he's busy curing AIDs while developing Cold Fusion technologies.

Is there anything this no-talent liar can't do?

[Kp-Wings 3]

I heard he's busy curing AIDs while developing Cold Fusion technologies.

Is there anything this no-talent liar can't do?

Heh.

If you can believe it, he actually came on XM radio today and said that Ryan Getzlaf is rumored to be traded to the Maple Leafs. Anybody with even the slightest of hockey knowledge knows that Brian Burke would never trade someone like Getzlaf, who's a big, gritty canadian, which Brian Burke has a *** love for. The fact that he even proposed the trade to a s***ty ass team like Toronto, who have absolutley no assets that Anaheim would need or want, makes it even more ridiculous.

Eklund is such a card. I can't believe people even take into account what he says anymore. The constant "I know it's Eklund, but..." threads that appear in the Trade Rumors forum are just getting to the point of tedious, because it's a given that Eklund will always be wrong.

[2probert4 8]

Maybe it's time for Eklund to come down to Nashville and save them again. Thank God for Eklund.

He cant attend Nashvilles drama right now, he's been awake for 2 days trying to find out about this latest blockbuster Leafs deal E5

[Legionnaire11 0]

there's been yet another investor from california added to the group. but Freeman said the locals still hold 2/3 of the power. it's just a case of del Biaggio bringing in some buddies to spread out his portion, but not add a higher number from their side.

it's still day-to-day, hour-by-hour on the deal getting done, they're so close, but seem to be having a stare down over the final few details. Leipold extended the deadline so it looks like they have through this week now to finish the deal.

One the ice, obviously things have improved.

Oh yeah, Tootoo got another goal last night, and has gone 8 games without a penalty