Quote:
Originally Posted by Vulcan
The way I see it, is that Balsillie tried going through the front door twice and when that didn't work out, he decided to play hardball.
|
Selling season tickets in Hamilton before he actually owned the team was not going through the front door. He made a stupid play and it cost him any and all goodwill he had with the league.
Quote:
|
Whatever the attitude of the NHL BOGs, it made sense to deal with Balsillie and move the team to Hamilton, even the Phoenix judge ( who you would think would want to keep the team in Phoenix) told them to make a deal and Bettman should have been practical and done it. What it ended up being is a pissing match where most everybody lost.
|
A bankruptcy judge wouldn't let that interfere with their duty. Their job is to get the creditors the best return on the assets as they can within the confines of the law.
Balsille effed up, and burned his bridges. That's sad for him. He lost. Glendale lost. But depending on the sale price, the NHL will break even at worst, now, and retain the Hamilton market for a massive future expansion fee. Counting the fact that they beat back Balsillie's 'relocate without league approval' ploy, I think the league won this battle handily.