Balsillie: Canada should have another NHL team
Jim Balsillie thought he had a deal to buy the Pittsburgh Penguins in October of 2006. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
Ken Campbell
2008-05-15 23:33:48
QUEBEC CITY – Would-be NHL owner Jim Balsillie said Thursday night he enjoys pursuing what he believes in and he made it abundantly clear that he firmly believes Canada should have at least one more NHL team.
So despite the fact that Balsillie - co-CEO of Research In Motion, the company that makes BlackBerry mobile devices - has been rebuffed in his attempts to buy a team, don’t look for him to go away anytime soon.
“I don’t know how or if I will be involved,” Balsillie said, “but I do believe Canada should have another NHL team.”
Balsillie said he was in Quebec City for a hockey tournament last week, but the fact he is here for the World Championship undoubtedly has given him the opportunity to keep in contact with the power brokers at all levels of the game.
Some industry sources have indicated that as many of eight teams in the NHL are for sale right now and Balsillie acknowledged he’s well aware there are a number of teams that could be purchased. He declined, however, to either confirm or deny reports he met with Buffalo Sabres owner Tom Golisano last December to explore the possibilities of buying that team.
One thing Balsillie did seem to make clear is he’s not interested in buying a U.S.-based team, particularly one that is in a struggling market, and keeping it where it is. He said at least a half-dozen times in a five-minute period that he believes Canada deserves another NHL team whether he is involved in the ownership or not.
Balsillie was part of a Champions Alumni Game Thursday at the Pepsi Colisee where the World Championship is being played. It was an interesting dynamic to say the least, considering the fact the game was organized by the Gazprom Export company from Russia, which is run by Russian billionaire Alexander Medvedev, who is restructuring the Russian League amid speculation that it will poach Russian talent from NHL rosters.
By having both Balsillie and Medvedev in the game and at the championship, it brought together the two most powerful and richest men in the hockey world who do not currently own NHL teams.
But the way Balsillie was talking, he sounded like a man who is intent on not making that a permanent situation.
“Canada is the home of hockey, the birthplace of hockey and the soul of hockey,” Balsillie said, “and I think Canada should have another pro hockey team. Wherever, they should have one or two more.”
Balsillie even acknowledged he thinks Quebec would make a fertile market for the league if it ever returned.
The NHL is not exactly in agreement. Sources have said that if the league ever does return to Canada, the most likely destination would be Winnipeg.
“Obviously, Quebec should get its team back,” Balsillie said.
NHL commissioner Gary Bettman recently said in order for the league to return to Quebec, it would require both a committed owner and a new building to replace the antiquated Colisee and Balsillie acknowledged he would be in the position to fill both of those requirements.
“I could afford to pay for it, yeah, I could afford to…sure you could build a building, of course,” Balsillie said. “Canada is a prosperous country and people love hockey and you would fill the building in a day.”
When he was asked why he doesn’t go ahead and do it in Quebec City, he replied, “It’s not my decision.”
Medvedev, meanwhile, quelled fears his league would attempt to poach players under contract to NHL teams, but said the new Continental Hockey League – which is made up of the former Russian League along with teams from Latvia, Kazakhstan and Ukraine – will undoubtedly pursue high-profile players who will become restricted and unrestricted free agents July 1.
He said each of the 24 teams will have a salary floor of $10 million and an upper cap of $22.5 million.
“I believe you’ll see some interesting names next season in our league from the NHL” Medvedev said.
When asked who some of those players might be, he said he couldn’t say because not all the contracts are signed yet. In the absence of an agreement between the NHL and the International Ice Hockey Federation, there doesn’t seem to be any tampering issues for the Russian league to deal with, so it’s possible the league is talking with players who are under contract and will be free agents July 1.
Medvedev also announced he will be running for vice-president of the IIHF at the annual congress next week in Montreal and there is a good chance he will win. Medvedev is seen as something of a renegade and the IIHF is privately encouraged by the fact he’ll be on the executive, since it will be easier to reign him in if he is in their fold.
Mark S. (Posted 2008-05-21 00:15:10)
Kaffloc: Where's Quebec City's brand-new, world-class, NHL-calibre arena?
Oh that's right. It doesn't exist.
www.JetsOwner.com
Kaffloc (Posted 2008-05-20 10:25:46)
Quebec City is the largest Canadian market without an NHL franchise. It is, without a shadow of a doubt, the best place for a franchise. Hockey was born here... The Nordiques/Canadians rivalry was one of the most intense in this sport history! The IIHF World Hockey Championship that just ended here this week-end, were a tremendous success (3rd best attendees in 100 years history).
The Ramparts, from the LHJMQ, had average attendees of 11,116 for 2008 (http://www.lhjmq.qc.ca/lang_en/index.php?page=11194745&typ=reg&an=0708&v=v2&report=TeamsAttendenciesByTeam&filter_id=Que&subfilter_id=).
The City's economy has never been better. It has ranked as Canada's most sustainable City for 2007. Insurance, High-tech industries, Pharmacical industries, health research, ship building, gaming industries, are examples of its growing economic strength.
Bring NHL home.
Mark S. (Posted 2008-05-17 19:48:16)
Houston is a gamble. Winnipeg isn't. In Winnipeg we grow up with hockey. In Houston, they do not. In Winnipeg, there would be no competition. In Houston, an NHL team would have to compete with NBA, NFL, MLB, a huge college sports scene, and several other sports teams and leagues I'm sure I'm forgetting. "Winters" in Houston are beautiful and there's tons to do. Winters in Winnipeg, there's nothing to do. HMMMM... a wonder if Winnipeg is a better place for the NHL than Houston? That's a toughie! ..www.JetsOwner.com
Brent Lundquist (Posted 2008-05-17 15:33:22)
I think you better venture outside your small world.
Houston Aeros steadily have one of the highest attendance in the AHL.
Top Hockey players are not even Canadian anymore they are Russian.
USA will grow in Hockey strength both in attendance and participation in the next decade.
Pete (Posted 2008-05-17 13:12:31)
Brent, there may be only 1 million people in Quebec City but they all LOVE hockey. Houston? 7 million people, maybe 3 hockey fans, give your head a shake. Who cares if Texas' population will eclipse Canada's, this is where the interest and the buzz is for the NHL, not the sun belt of the U.S. of A. eh.
Brent Lundquist (Posted 2008-05-16 23:25:05)
1,000,000 people market Quebec City that's a joke.
How about 7,000,000 people in the region of Houston, TX.
By the year 2020 the population of Texas will eclipse that of Canada.
Maxime (Posted 2008-05-16 17:02:51)
Good case Mark, nut to this i'll answer : New building + Balsillie money = fomality. Thus this argument cannot be held accountable for any cities. To Hamilton's defense, the market would still be there. To Quebec City's defense, there is an airport in Quebec City, thank you. In the same province : what about New York? 2 teams in the same town! Believe me, you put a second team in Montreal or Toronto, and it is still filled out. The NHL doesn't think about pleasing fan bases (Winnipeg does deserve a team, and it would work well due to the "nothing else to do" state of Winterpeg, Manicolda), but rather thinks in a revenue way. Where are we gonna make money. That is the question. My only big question is : who in their right mind could decide that there was more moeny to be made in Pheonix and Nashville then Quebec and Winnipeg? These people had never seen a puck (unless made of cow dung) before the arrival of the teams. In Pheonix, I heard it took 3 years to adapt : people where locked inside their homes because Coyotes had moved in the area. (joke Phoenix people...laugh it up)
Tournesol (Posted 2008-05-16 16:54:52)
Lady Bolt, I believe that the only team in Canada with a "small" ARENA (in hockey, it is not called a stadium!) is Edmonton. Montreal's arena holds over 21,000 and is sold out every night all season long, and the Ottawa Sens averaged over-capacity again this year. All six Canadian teams sell out pretty well every game, and other Canadian cities would as well. The NHL would be a better league with several more Canadian teams and no teams in Tampa, Miami, Nashville, Carolina, Columbus, Phoenix...
Mark S. (Posted 2008-05-16 16:53:42)
Quebec City, Quebec: No modern arena. (an NHL team a 4 hr. drive down the highway, in the same province.. Montreal). Hamilton, ON: No modern arena. (2 NHL teams within driving distance- Toronto and Buffalo.. Detroit isn't too far away either). Winnipeg: (New, NHL-calibre arena. No other NHL teams in Manitoba. Closest NHL team, a 9 hour drive to St. Paul, MN)............... I rest my case.
Maxime (Posted 2008-05-16 16:49:28)
Food for thought : The Bell Centre has been sold out for over 2 years. Getting tickets for a game is so hard, people actually go fill out the empty seats in Ottawa, Toronto, Boston and Buffalo. Adding gas to the ticket price, it's still cheaper to go see them elsewhere. A team in Quebec city would have no problems at all filling the place, you don't worry your pretty little head.
Kaffloc (Posted 2008-05-16 16:48:47)
Obviously, Quebec City is the best place for next Canadian franchise. Its the biggest Canadian market without an NHL franchise (750,000 metro, 1,000,000 regional) ! I think Winnipeg is the 2nd best, even though they built a new arena with only 15 000 seats!! Even the old Colisee Pepsi has over 15 000... Halifax could be nice but not enough people...
Bring NHL home!
Maxime (Posted 2008-05-16 16:46:34)
Lady Bolt...let me give a hand to Mark here. St-Petes Times Forum : 19500 capacity. Pengrowth Saddledome (Calgary) : 19289 capacity. Scotiabank Centre (Ottawa) : 20500 capacity. Bell Centre (Montreal) : 21273 capacity. So tell me this : where do you fit 22 000 people in there? Face the facts, you can't make a point with made up numbers. Besides, if all is well for Tampa, why are they so desperatly trying to find money to pay Vinnie Lecavalier? Tampa is one of the underachieving teams when it comes to filling an arena. So before you go to the front, make sure you bring something to defend yourself with.
Mark S. (Posted 2008-05-16 16:38:36)
Lady Bolt: You're hilarious. Tampa Bay gets 21,000 on Opening Night and sometimes in the playoffs, therefore it deserves an NHL frachise?! Hahahaha! .... And sure, it will often be "announced" that there's 16,000+ at the St. Pete Times Forum, but how many of those people showed up and watched the game? Maybe half that? How many paid FULL PRICE for their ticket? Maybe a handful? .... Tampa Bay and Miami should have never, ever been granted NHL franchises.
Lady Bolt (Posted 2008-05-16 16:09:23)
I just love the comments about places like Florida that don't need a hockey team..
Especially coming from Canadians.. or anywhere for that fact.......... What I do want to ask, watching the playoffs and a stadium is just full .. booming totally supported... and how many fans has it got, 16,000 ! Geez, You guys up north don't need more teams you need a decent size stadium to play in! That is 4000 less than we have on opening nite of hockey in Tampa Bay.. and we have been known, during playoff's to have 22,000 in the house! And someone here says take hockey out of Tampa Bay... you guys are jokers.. why do you think the players don't want to leave here and love to get picked to come to Tampa Bay Florida ? It sure isn't the lousy amt of money they get paid, for playing hockey! 22,000 fans on a given night.. our low nights are 18,000 ! And its Florida!
Jedi (Posted 2008-05-16 16:08:21)
Please, please, add another team out West so the Red Wings can finally relocate to the East where they belong. Please?
Mark S. (Posted 2008-05-16 16:06:57)
WINNIPEG is the best place for an NHL franchise. Corporate support has never been a problem for any sports team here (including the NHL Jets), why would it be a problem now? Quebec doesn't have a suitable arena, but Winnipeg has an NHL-calibre rink that a team could move into TOMORROW. Those who say "Winnipeg can't" this and "Winnipeg can't" that really don't know what they're talking about, and certainly have no sources or proof or anything to back up what they say. No pride or faith in Winnipeg either. Winnipeg supported the NHL for 17 years in a rusty, crumbling arena that was never even designed for NHL hockey. The Jets left because we didn't have a suitable, modern arena, and because Winnipeg Enterprises took a big chunk of the profits. We were the only NHL franchise that had to pay a "landlord" to use the arena. Ridiculous I know, but that's Winnipeg for you. Much like Minnesota, if (when) we get another shot at the NHL, it will be very difficult to find tickets. Not just the "first 2 years", but for forever. We took the Jets for granted; thought they'd never leave. It won't happen again. www.JetsOwner.com
Disgruntled Leaf fan (Posted 2008-05-16 15:43:44)
Toronto could use an NHL team, too!
Otty (Posted 2008-05-16 14:17:17)
I agree with most, better to see a team in Quebec City than in any Florida town or in any southern US city. Actually I'd love to see a team in Quebec City, I can see it now, Montreal vs Quebec, love to be at those games....By the way I Love my Kings but Montreal has a special place on my heart.....
craig (Posted 2008-05-16 12:55:04)
There's no question that more Canadian cities should have an NHL team. I'm from the U.S. and would much rather see teams in Winnipeg, Quebec City, and Hamilton, than in Nashville, Tampa, Miami, or Phoenix. Hopefully things will work out for expansion or relocation of several teams to Canada.
Pete (Posted 2008-05-16 11:50:08)
Hey Charles, it was never a question of whether Quebec City (or Winnipeg) could "maintain" an NHL team back in the '90s, it was pure economics, the Nordiques and the Jets filled their buildings every night.
Balsillie's so right, Canada needs, deserves and should get every NHL team it could support (Winnipeg, Quebec City, Hamilton... even maybe Regina).
Tony (Posted 2008-05-16 11:42:59)
NOT!!!!!!!!
Charles S. Schoenberger (Posted 2008-05-16 11:07:04)
Why not a saskatchawan team Regina and or Saskatoon [ Gordie Howe's home town]. Quebec has a team and couldn't maintain an other one in the past.
Chuck
Antoine Desormes Jr. (Posted 2008-05-16 08:16:42)
This is a question that has been mentioned in hockey circles for the last several years whether or not Canada deserves another team? In all honesty, it should be two teams. The NHL made a mistake in allowing both the Nordiques and Jets leave their respective cities. Expanding to 32 teams also means the NHL can return to four division alignment because the current setup causes a grave injustice for seeding teams in the playoffs.
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