[News] Hurricanes may face hundreds of thousands in fines due to scheduling nightmare

[troutman]

Could the Canes sue NC State for some kind of economic tort?

[$ven27]

Originally Posted by T@T

You know there's something wrong with an NHL team in Carolina when a freakin college basketball team has priority in dates.

True, however College basketball is HUGE in NC, even bigger then the NBA.

[valo403]

Originally Posted by troutman

Could the Canes sue NC State for some kind of economic tort?

I was thinking the same thing. I imagine it comes down to what they have in their agreement, if NC State is complying with the terms I imagine it would be tough to sue. It's a pretty poorly constructed agreement though if it allows NC State to place the Canes in this type of position.

[sureLoss]

Originally Posted by valo403

It's a pretty poorly constructed agreement though if it allows NC State to place the Canes in this type of position.

Not sure if it could be foreseen though. NC State is asking the arena to reserve approximately 5.5 dates for every 1 date that they would actually use. Don't have the experience in running a professional multipurpose sports venue but that seems excessive in my mind in terms of fair use.

An analogy would be for the Lakers to reserve 205 nights for the Staples Center next year for their 41 home games and then have the Kings, concerts and other events try to work out a schedule around that.

Also slightly disturbing is that Hurricanes negotiated a lease and operating agreement where they absorb operating deficiencies but don't have priority in dates.

[lazypucker]

It is funny to see that Raleigh has scheduling difficulties whereas the likes of Staples Center and MSG can accommodate multiple sports teams plus probably 5 times more concerts/events with no problems at all.

I am interested to know if there is a site tracking utilization rate (number of days booked per year) for sports arenas and stadiums around the world...

[Resolute 14]

Originally Posted by Flame19,289

Why not play at least some of those games in Charlotte at the Time Warner Cable Center where the Checkers (the 'Canes AHL team) play?

20,000 seats, it's still in North Carolina... I'm sure the team would draw well there.

Multi-city franchises have never worked.

[valo403]

Originally Posted by sureLoss

Not sure if it could be foreseen though. NC State is asking the arena to reserve approximately 5.5 dates for every 1 date that they would actually use. Don't have the experience in running a professional multipurpose sports venue but that seems excessive in my mind in terms of fair use.

An analogy would be for the Lakers to reserve 205 nights for the Staples Center next year for their 41 home games and then have the Kings, concerts and other events try to work out a schedule around that.

Also slightly disturbing is that Hurricanes negotiated a lease and operating agreement where they absorb operating deficiencies but don't have priority in dates.

I don't know that that is relevant. If the agreement allows NC State to reserve without restriction it's a poorly drafted agreement.

I'm also not sure it's totally unforeseeable, I know that NCAA basketball schedules often list 3 possible dates for games even after they are announced. For instance, a teams schedule will list an opponent on Friday, Saturday and Sunday with the actual game time to be determined closer to the date based upon the decisions of TV networks, and this is the finalized schedule, not a provisional one.

[Flashpoint]

The article state that the basketball team doesn't have it's schedule yet. Of course this is way down at the bottom, so it makes it look like a dastardly college trying to stick it to hockey in a non traditional market.

The chancellor said N.C. State's problem was that the school had not received its basketball dates from the ACC. “We're in a holding pattern because we do not know what our schedule is,” he said.

The NHL is unlikely to impose the fine in any case - it's not in the Hurricane's control, and we already know the league is committed to growing the game in the southern US.

Don't let any of that stand in the way of a good rant though!

I love reading CP rants.

[valo403]

Originally Posted by Flashpoint

The article state that the basketball team doesn't have it's schedule yet. Of course this is way down at the bottom, so it makes it look like a dastardly college trying to stick it to hockey in a non traditional market.



The NHL is unlikely to impose the fine in any case - it's not in the Hurricane's control, and we already know the league is committed to growing the game in the southern US.

Don't let any of that stand in the way of a good rant though!

I love reading CP rants.

What's your basis for that? I don't see why the NHL would just decide to ignore it's policies because of a team's geographic location. That's a dangerous way to operate a business, and not one I imagine very many NHL owners would be in favor of.

[Flashpoint]

Originally Posted by valo403

What's your basis for that? I don't see why the NHL would just decide to ignore it's policies because of a team's geographic location. That's a dangerous way to operate a business, and not one I imagine very many NHL owners would be in favor of.

They give tens of millions to Phoenix every year?

I could be wrong. But long term the NHL seems investing in doing whatever they can to give the southern teams a leg up. Why fine them if you don't have to?

[valo403]

Originally Posted by Flashpoint

They give tens of millions to Phoenix every year?

I could be wrong. But long term the NHL seems investing in doing whatever they can to give the southern teams a leg up. Why fine them if you don't have to?

How is support of a team owned by the league relevant?

The point is that you do have to fine them, otherwise you create a situation where you can't fine anyone. If you start ignoring your policies for whatever reason those policies become meaningless. What happens if a game in Detroit has to be moved and the NHL decides it's going to enforce the policy this time around? You think Ilitch is going to go along with paying when the league let it slide for Carolina? Perhaps the BoG would sit down and decide to grant a waiver, but I wouldn't say it's anywhere close to a given. Moving games would incur real costs for the league and its partners, as well as other teams, so it's really not a minor thing.

[Julio]

Originally Posted by Flame19,289

Why not play at least some of those games in Charlotte at the Time Warner Cable Center where the Checkers (the 'Canes AHL team) play?

20,000 seats, it's still in North Carolina... I'm sure the team would draw well there.

Actually 10100 unobstructed seats for hockey, and an off center ice surface. No thanks!