Gary Bettman has now said that the NHL cannot survive in Edmonton unless they build a new arena in the next 5 years. Forget the fact that they sellout every game, the NHL commissioner is now casually threatening to move the storied franchise. What other cities are building new stadiums? How bitterly ironic would it be if the Edmonton Oilers moved into the new arena in Quebec City? Though I suspect they'd change the team name. Alberta oil is not very popular in la belle province. They could call the team the Quebec Green Crusaders.
I would support a small, modestest investment by the federal government to help save the Oilers by building a new barn. I supported the feds helping to build the rink in QC not because I wanted to pander to francophone voters, but because I love hockey and recognize the value of these franchises to our economy and more so our culture. Don't worry Winnipeg, the Phoenix franchise is dying. You'll get your Jets back. First Gary Bettman must be fired. I want to start a petition.
I would support the expenditure of 0 (zero) dollars of my tax dollars on any professional sports team. Not a penny more.
ReplyDeleteI don,t suppose Bettman would have the guts to say that or try that.Let him stick to his PUKE PUKE American teams that are filled with 1500 fans.Canada should just form their own league and get a new commisioner.
ReplyDeleteNot one penny for the NHL.
ReplyDeleteEver.
Maybe it is time that Canada imposed a withholding tax on revenue sharing payments made by Canadian teams to the NHL. After all these payments are tax deductible in Canada and in effect are a Canadian taxpayer subsidy for teams in the US "sunbelt" that couldn't fill an arena even when playing against the best teams in the league. If Anonymous doesn't want tax dollars going to arenas to support teams in Canada, why does he let his tax dollars support the U.S. teams? A 35% withholding tax would reduce the amount available to "loser" US teams and perhaps would speed the move of the teams to other (i.e. Canadian) cities that can support a team. The withholding tax proceeds would be returned to the NHL at the rate of 35%of support payments flowing north (so the operations of teams like the Jets or Nordique of yesteryear could get the same kind of support that Bettman seems determined to lavish on the sunbelt teams.) Maybe this would be a tax change even the BQ could support.
ReplyDeleteWhoa nellie! This could push Albertans over the edge! Bettman had better put on some cast iron underpants.
ReplyDeleteAnonymous: I am not an Albertan but I fail to see why Albertan taxpayers like yourself tolerate their tax dollars supporting "foreign" teams but draw the line at their tax dollars being used to keep or get teams in Edmonton, Winnipeg, Hamilton or Quebec City.
ReplyDeleteIf any city deserves an NHL team, its Toronto.
ReplyDeleteThey haven't had one since the 60's.
As for Bettman, this is a guy that won't allow somebody with deep enough pockets to build and fund a franchise in a market (SW Ont) but will punish another well established one in Alberta because he doesn't like the arena they play in.
Does that guy even know how a successful franchise is?
How's this?
Fire Bettman, let Edmonton build an arena on its own schedule, and let Basille have his francise in Cambridge. The NHL would improve dramatically.
Bettman sees Canada as a small market Country, and he'd gladly trade all the Canadian franchises except for Tor,Mtl,Van., for teams in the U.S.
ReplyDeleteHe's the cliche arrogant Yankee businessman.
I tend to agree with those who want Canada to have it's own separate and autonomous Division in the NHL. If we don't,we are going to continue to be considered second class citizens in the wonderful world of the NHL.
DMorris
LOL. They have to keep the name Oilers. I would also be ok with Quebec City Tar Sands.
ReplyDeleteWouldn't that be the ultimate wealth redistribution story. Alberta funds Quebec City's arena and loses its own team due to a poor arena. After people stop laughing, they'll start shooting.
The Oilers are owned by Darryl Katz, who has sufficiently deep pockets to build a new arena himself. He doesn't need help from the federal government.
ReplyDeleteI suspect the reason the new arena isn't being built has more to do with red tape put up by the City of Edmonton, and finding land to build the arena on. That's just a guess.
Enough of this crap. This is simply a little exhtortion ploy by the NHL to drag out more money.
ReplyDeleteThe answer is no. As a couple of posters have accurately pointed out above, the NHL millioniare spoiled brats already recieve enough tax dollars.