Broke Yotes!!

[Money99]

From Sportsnet:

Quote:

Baum: "I have extremely lengthy record that you have given me ten feet of documents. The only offer I have seen is the one from (Balsille)." Clark suggesting it is manipulated. Baum: "the only offer I have seen is to buy the team and re-locate it to Hamilton, Ontario."

BOOM!
That's gotta be a huge blow to the NHL's chances of keeping the team around. Bettman keeps blowing smoke up everyone's butts talking about all these offers, but obviously it's all bunk.
The NHL was supposed to submit all other offers to the judge, but then we hear the judge say that there's only one offer on his desk.

From the sounds of things, the NHL is losing this battle, and badly.
But who knows? Sometimes the judge is harder on the side that's winning.

However, the NHL hasn't been able to prove that Glendale is a viable hockey town, the NHL has no other offers, and the judge has shot down the NHL's argument that relocation has hurt the NFL.

I don't know how the NHL is going to come away on top in this one. All the evidence is pointing towards the idea that the judge will allow the Coyotes to be sold/moved one way or another.

[Money99]

And the NHL comes back swinging:

Quote:

CBCSports.ca - Tom: From Tom Harrington: Baum predicts there may not be NHL hockey here in 2 years but likes that NHL would pay bills without conditions.

[SPTO]

Looks to me like Balsillie might get his wish though he may have to pay the Leafs a hefty sum.

[Money99]

Quote: Originally Posted by SPTO

Looks to me like Balsillie might get his wish though he may have to pay the Leafs a hefty sum.

That looks like it to be the case.

The judge will come up with a solution that could satisfy everyone.

He allows Ballsillie to move the team to Hamilton. The NHL hates this because they could have expanded there giving millions of $$$ in expansion fees to all the owners - money that the PA can't get a piece of.

But then the judge makes Ballsillie pay $100M to the league and then another $50M to the Leafs so that everyone gets something.

At the very least, the judge might decide that the league can continue to operate the team. I don't know what that means to the creditors but I would have to think they'd get some money or else the judge won't allow that either. Afterall, his sole intention is to make sure all the creditors get the most money possible.
And since the lawyer representing the creditors told the judge that they like the Ballsillie deal, and that any prolonging of these proceedings means the offers will be less and less, I'm inclined to believe that Ballsillie will get his team.

[GrandMaster B]

If the NHL decides on a relocation fee and it is deemed too high by Blackberry guy he will back out. The NHL will then operate the team for the upcoming season and hold an auction open to those who are willing to keep the team in AZ. If no acceptable offers are given, then it will be opened up to the the rest of the world. Any offers that would move the team will still have to include a relocation fee. I highly doubt the Blackberry guy will pay an estimated $75 to 100 million relocation fee, the $200 million price tag for the team, the $150 to 200 million to upgrade the arena in Hamilton and any other fees that would be owed towards the City of Glendale and/or Toronto and Buffalo. If the guy wants to spend over $500 million for our team, more power to him I guess. I just hope the stockholders for Blackberry understand.

[Darkleaf]

Quote: Originally Posted by GrandMaster B

If the NHL decides on a relocation fee and it is deemed too high by Blackberry guy he will back out. The NHL will then operate the team for the upcoming season and hold an auction open to those who are willing to keep the team in AZ. If no acceptable offers are given, then it will be opened up to the the rest of the world. Any offers that would move the team will still have to include a relocation fee. I highly doubt the Blackberry guy will pay an estimated $75 to 100 million relocation fee, the $200 million price tag for the team, the $150 to 200 million to upgrade the arena in Hamilton and any other fees that would be owed towards the City of Glendale and/or Toronto and Buffalo. If the guy wants to spend over $500 million for our team, more power to him I guess. I just hope the stockholders for Blackberry understand.

He will pay the 100 million relocation fee and the total won't be near 500 million, he will steal the Yote's and make more money than Glendale ever could have brought him in jersey sales alone.

[Donovan]

Quote: Originally Posted by Darkleaf

He will pay the 100 million relocation fee and the total won't be near 500 million, he will steal the Yote's and make more money than Glendale ever could have brought him in jersey sales alone.

In 25 years maybe, thats a lot of jerseys. I agree he will need to bargain down that 100 mil figure. A relocation fee is bull**** anyway, I don't recall Winnipeg or Quebecs buyers paying those. The fee is a total cash grab, its one thing to reimburse teams within close proximity, but thats BS.

[Money99]

Quote: Originally Posted by Darkleaf

He will pay the 100 million relocation fee and the total won't be near 500 million, he will steal the Yote's and make more money than Glendale ever could have brought him in jersey sales alone.

I agree. Paying $400M for an established franchise in Hamilton is a joke.
He could probably move them there and sell it for $450M the next day.

Ballsillie must be overjoyed with glee over the fact that all he might have to do is spend an extra $100M to make his dreams come true. The man is worth $3BILLION. $100M is a drop in the bucket compared to his collective wealth.