New Poll on Arena issue

[Eubee]

Originally Posted by Classic_Sniper

I remember it a lot differently. I remember him having to take out a full newspaper ad apologizing to the people of Edmonton because his very obvious threat of relocating the team backfired big time. It was bery embarrassing on his part and Murray Edwards and co will see the exact same consequences if they choose go down a similar path.

I have what I would call good information that this was all planned out before hand. Including the public apology. The strategy may not have been a game-changing one as the plan was likely to fall the way it did anyway. However it did not backfire.

[EldrickOnIce]

Originally Posted by Classic_Sniper

I remember it a lot differently. I remember him having to take out a full newspaper ad apologizing to the people of Edmonton because his very obvious threat of relocating the team backfired big time. It was bery embarrassing on his part and Murray Edwards and co will see the exact same consequences if they choose go down a similar path.

A full page ad in exchange for a full brand new building at a cost of only 24M of his own money.
This is backfiring?
Seems like he did not bad.
I expect Edwards would accept those consequences.

[CliffFletcher]

Originally Posted by Classic_Sniper

I would be supremely pissed if the Flames higher ups even hinted at moving because it would be an incrediblely offensive slap to the face from my point of view. It would not go over well as we all saw what happened to Daryl Katz foolish attempt in Seattle.

They already have:

Originally Posted by Torture

Just finished listening to the Ken King interview. Man is he ever condescending. The first time he said "I want to be careful how I say this" and that they felt "baited into saying it" and then he proceeded to mention the Flames leaving at least 4 times in the interview. And Rob Kerr definitely wasn't baiting him into those ones.

The first comment where he said he wanted to be careful he said the easiest way to measure public benefit is to see what happens when it's not there but "we'll make our decision it's not more complicated than that". Said it's not a threat but sounds an awful lot like a threat.

Then he compared Edmonton having a new arena and Calgary not having an arena and said it would be like it to when the Flames were in dire straits with a $.60 dollar and were close to relocation. "you better keep pace, you remember what happened the last time we didn't keep pace when we had a 60 cent dollar"

Then when talking about a Filipino lady in a hospice that he took a signed Gio thing to () he said that "in order to have that thing to look forward to you have to actually have a team"

"We've always said if the world doesn't want us around, or doesn't care where we play or anything else just say so, we're over 21, we can take it"

[Fuzz]

Well, there's the threat:

"There would be no threat to move, we would just move, and it would be over. And I'm trying my level best to make sure that day never comes frankly," King said during an interview on Sportsnet Fan 590 in Toronto on Wednesday.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgar...050989?cmp=rss

Hey, Ken? You can't deny you would make a threat, and in the same sentence say you would move. That IS the threat! Wow.

[The Voice of Reason]

Originally Posted by Fuzz

Well, there's the threat:


http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgar...050989?cmp=rss

Hey, Ken? You can't deny you would make a threat, and in the same sentence say you would move. That IS the threat! Wow.

It's not even a funny April Fools joke.

[Calgary14]

"Threatening to move the Flames could be an effective tactic to convince Calgarians to part with their tax dollars, according to New York based author and investment analyst Martin Fridson."

I think the tactic is amateur and will backfire for a good % of people - as shown in the poll results. You want to leave? Don't let the door hit you on the way out.

I just wish the Flames could hire a PR person with a better grasp of the reality of the current economy, both in the city and the province. Thousands of jobs lost and wages stagnant for those still employed. Seems like Ken King has no concept of reality for the majority of Calgarians right now and the timing of his threat (Flames making playoffs) is interesting.

[Fuzz]

Originally Posted by The Voice of Reason

It's not even a funny April Fools joke.

You're probably right, but when it is that tough to tell? I mean, this is exactly the type of thing Ken would say. I have to assume April Fools though, since it is the headline story. Pretty crappy "journalism" if you ask me.

[Senator Clay Davis]

I'm wondering how we missed this, he apparently said it Wednesday on a Fan590 interview. End of the day it's very bizarre and idiotic for him to say it though, this tactic works in the NFL because they've mastered it and until last year had LA as a legit threat for leverage, plus they don't have multiple markets underwater like the NHL does. Seattle doesn't work, the NHL team would be at best fifth in the sports pecking order and maybe even all the way down at seventh. Kansas City....don't make me laugh. Toronto 2, that's it, that's the list, and that won't just cost a relocation fee, but the payoff to the Leafs and Sabres to go into the market. It's actually a remarkably empty threat. It seems like they're really clinging to the hope Calgary is made up of a bunch of emotional people who can't think logically. Pretty insulting really.

[SeeGeeWhy]

Then pay for a new arena, dickhead. Or move. It IS your business and that's your perogative. If Calgary is truly a good market for a "sport entertainment group", another team will come in and take spot left empty by your extortionist ass.

[Boreal]

I'm not going to respond to polls like this that turn a complex economic and financial situation into emotionally potent oversimplification. It means nothing and is more harmful than helpful.

[dissentowner]

Ken King needs to go. Seriously, he is like our Kevin Lowe.

[ToewsFan]

$500 million.

It would be a huge black eye for the city to lose the Flames to Quebec City.

[Kjesse]

I suppose this is part of the game, however KK needs to keep it true. He tried to accomplish saying there is no threat to move, we'll just move.

That's like saying, there's no threat to punch you, I'll just punch you.

By any measure, that is a threat. And probably even moreso. He says we won't even know, he'll just punch. I'd change my vote from up to $200 Mil to zero based on his comments.

[Mr.Coffee]

Originally Posted by dissentowner

Ken King needs to go. Seriously, he is like our Kevin Lowe.

Agreed. He is just shockingly bad. Hopefully when the Flames get around to leaving they take him with them.

[sketchyt]

Originally Posted by Delgar

I suppose this is part of the game, however KK needs to keep it true. He tried to accomplish saying there is no threat to move, we'll just move.

That's like saying, there's no threat to punch you, I'll just punch you.

By any measure, that is a threat. And probably even moreso. He says we won't even know, he'll just punch. I'd change my vote from up to $200 Mil to zero based on his comments.

How hard is it to say something like, "Moving is a non-starter for us today. The notion is insulting. We feel like the city and the mayor are cornering us into making a threat. All 30 franchises have the option to move and at this point, it is not something we are considering. This is the only comment I'll be making on this issue."

Am I on crazy pills?

[The Fonz]

Is there video of King saying these quotes? Is he winking when he says he isn't making threats?

[Mr.Coffee]

Originally Posted by sketchyt

How hard is it to say something like, "Moving is a non-starter for us today. The notion is insulting. We feel like the city and the mayor are cornering us into making a threat. All 30 franchises have the option to move and at this point, it is not something we are considering. This is the only comment I'll be making on this issue."

Am I on crazy pills?

Oh it's incredibly hard when your billionaire boss wants a free equity increase in his investment to the tune of multiple hundreds of millions of dollars.

You see the statement you wrote would weaken your negotiating position if you were King. The problem with King is that I don't think he's been honest at all. Good negotiators are honest. Everything he has done has been poorly executed, transparent (in a bad way), and has taken an egregious amount of time. It's also been essentially the complete opposite of everything he started out saying about the project.

Like this arena is just such a debacle.

[stamps]

Originally Posted by New Era

Not a cent. I want to see Calgarians cheering for the Alberta Oilers and make the 3 hour drive to see a live NHL game.

I thought Edmonton was in Saskatchewan ....

[herashak]

voted up to 200M for a fieldhouse arena complex.

For me I think the $150M for a field house could be bundled with $100M for an arena if the plan is a good one.

[Snuffleupagus]

Originally Posted by ToewsFan

$500 million.

It would be a huge black eye for the city to lose the Flames to Quebec City.

Jesus, if the Arizona Coyotes can't be moved while playing in an arena not remotely close to it's fan base what makes you think a team that makes money would be moved. The board of governors would never in a million years allow this team to be moved while it's filling an 18,000 seat arena.

What's lost in all this is while old the dome is still a great building to watch hockey, sight lines, location, concessions and foot traffic are just fine. The flames want a shinny new toy with a bigger lower bowl which in the end will just gouge the existing 2nd level STH'ers.