Quote:
Originally Posted by Erick Estrada
There's no soccer in Calgary nor is there winter football or spring baseball. It's nice to see some out of town perspective but you have to understand Calgary doesn't have remotely close to the same availability of sports as well our winters suck and there's not much else going on but the Flames to get people out of their houses on cold winter days. Hitmen already do fairly well for a WHL team and may sell out more games and the Roughnecks would probably do better in their short season but that's not going to fill the void of the Flames leaving. Also Calgary losing the Flames would be more akin to Seattle losing their top team in the Seahawks not the Sonics.
I don't think the Flames will ever sell because Edwards likes to be part of the NHL but I think the city is testing his loyalty. These are proud men that have done a lot for the community and are feeling pretty disrespected and Nenshi is to them like Trump to Mexicans. Deep down I hope they would realize they will outlast Nenshi so hopefully they can be patient enough to wait this out another four years if they have to.
|
First of all, Hockey is very much an 'Old Boys Club' and the NHL is very exclusive, so theres some merit to that.
Honestly, I really hope the owners like Nenshi. Hes not doing wonders for their business at the moment but for the Owners that are Citizens of Calgary you'd expect them to be happy to have a Mayor that is looking out for the Citizens at large.
Look, I understand most of the issues surrounding this arena deal by now, the City has to move a little, I get that, but so do the Flames.
This is the new Paradigm. The 'Something for Nothing' deals are much more limited these days if they're not gone altogether.
I get it, the Flames wanted a donation and all the City offered was a really favourable 'mortgage.'
The Flames wont move and they'll get their Arena, they're either just going to have to pay more for it than they wanted to or wait for an Angel Investor (The Feds) on an Olympic deal.
But the fact of the matter remains that we as a society have to start holding sports teams to the same standards as every other business.
The biggest difference is 'Love.'
We love our sports teams, we identify with them, we dont love our Doctors or Lawyers or Accountants (Although we should because Accountants are a God-Send! Love your Accountant! I'm not biased, super-swearsies) or our Grocery store or whatever.
I had to borrow money to start my business, be it from Family, Friends or a Bank, but I had to pay it back. Not immediately, not with staggering amounts of interest, but eventually and fairly.
Thats the way I see it. The City offered to lend other people's money at a fair rate and plan but they arent making a Donation to a Charity.