Quote:
Originally Posted by Erick Estrada
People don't realize that an NHL team in your city is not a god given right even in Canada. You need an owner that's going to invest his own money in it and one that's not a flake like what's been going on in Arizona and some other markets. This isn't the NFL where owners are making sizeable profits. The TV deals are weak and half the league plays in half empty arenas. This isn't about the rich getting richer. It's about a partnership to keep the NHL in the city of Calgary.
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So I spoke with a few of my contacts at the Stampede this morning and their take is that this has many layers, all to do with uncertainty and the viability of the business model going forward. The new restrictions imposed, 50% capacity, no food/beverage revenues, etc. are a very big deal. The team is not discounting the possibility that restrictions could be in place for a long time. And that season ticket holders may not renew post-pandemic.
The Stampede folks are quite shaken and when I flippantly said well the Flames would never leave the City, their reaction was don't be so sure.
Sad times.