The Business of HockeyDiscuss the financial and business aspects of the NHL. Franchise sales, valuations, TV contracts, ratings, expansion, relocation, the CBA and work stoppage discussion goes here.
Portland [Gallacher] poised for NHL bid? (QMI's Perry Nelson) See Post #18
Not only did a city councilor tell The Arizona Republic this week that a new bid has emerged, but multiple sources have indicated that the new bidder might be Calgary-based Portland Winterhawks owner Bill Gallacher.
According to FOX Sports Arizona, Gallacher could be looking to purchase a controlling interest in an effort to move the ‘Yotes to Portland, where an NHL-ready arena awaits.
Working against Gallacher right now is the fact Jamison assured Phoenix fans Thursday he’ll continue his mission to purchase the Coyotes under a different plan.
Please stop with this incredibly lazy journalism. This is another repeat of a vague suggestion made by Craig Morgan. There's nothing to indicate that Gallacher is even remotely interested in Portland. That's not what the sources said. Morgan made the lazy assumption that, because Gallacher owns a minor league team in Portland, that he might want to take a portable franchise to Portland. As far as I know, Gallacher has no particular affinity for Portland. He is from Calgary and has Flames season tickets. That's where his money comes from.
He kicked the tires on the Devils and Stars, both of which weren't leaving their respective markets. So I don't buy that he wants to move the Coyotes, even if he exists as a potential buyer.
Quote:
Nothing is known of what sort of lease agreement with Glendale might emerge, but if Gallacher is part of a new ownership group, it would raise the possibility of an opt-out clause.
Portland has an NHL-ready arena in the Rose Garden, and that city was a rumored destination for the Coyotes once before (the move came a lot closer to happening than most fans know). Jamison said Thursday, however, that he left negotiations convinced that he had succeeded in keeping hockey in Arizona for the foreseeable future, and the NHL has remained steadfast in its preference that the team remain here.
It’s also unclear whether Gallacher is only pursuing a controlling interest or could be part of a group that still involves Jamison.
Unless Allen's involved, Portland ain't getting a team unless someone like Gallacher is also willing to build a brand new arena or is willing to be a secondary tenant in his own building and therefore severely limit his earnings potential. It's that simple.
Unless Allen's involved, Portland ain't getting a team unless someone like Gallacher is also willing to build a brand new arena or is willing to be a secondary tenant in his own building and therefore severely limit his earnings potential. It's that simple.
AIUI, Allen is not well (as in severe, fatal disease; and may not be around in a few years). Gallacher is mentioned as "the" owner of the NBA Portland, so I don't know that Allen is that much of an impediment.
AIUI, Allen is not well (as in severe, fatal disease; and may not be around in a few years). Gallacher is mentioned as "the" owner of the NBA Portland, so I don't know that Allen is that much of an impediment.
i know he's battled cancer twice (most recently in 2009) but thought he was all clear. Do you have any sources to allen's current health?
Unless Allen's involved, Portland ain't getting a team unless someone like Gallacher is also willing to build a brand new arena or is willing to be a secondary tenant in his own building and therefore severely limit his earnings potential. It's that simple.
Allen has had a history of fluctuating interest and disinterest in the NHL. I'm crossing all fingers and toes in the possible hope that Allen has once again changed to a pro-NHL stance and told Gallacher that if he wishes to pursue an NHL franchise for Portland that he won't stand in the way, or even would be a contributor in a purchase attempt for the Coyotes. Portland getting a team would be the best thing since the Bruins winning the Cup.
Just think, in the next 3 to 4 years, the NHL in both Portland and Seattle... What a coup that would be for the NHL.
1916 Stanley Cup Champs
Montreal Canadiens
Losing team: Portland Rosebuds
1917 Stanley Cup Champs
Seattle Metropolitans
Losing team: Montreal Canadiens
OT: This is something I just realized...
I've long known that Seattle was the last team to win the Stanley Cup before the NHL was officially established with the 1917-18 Season. However, Seattle could also have won the Cup in 1919, if not for a flu epidemic that cancelled the Finals with the Cup not being awarded that year. The series was Tied 2 games a piece, again between Seattle and Montreal.
And Seattle was also in the Final in 1920, against Ottawa, but Ottawa won that year.
Quite a rich old history Seattle would be bringing back to the NHL.
Allen has had a history of fluctuating interest and disinterest in the NHL. I'm crossing all fingers and toes in the possible hope that Allen has once again changed to pro-NHL stance and told Gallacher that if he wishes to pursue an NHL franchise for Portland that he won't stand in the way, or even would be a contributor in a purchase attempt for the Coyotes. Portland getting a team would be the best thing since the Bruins winning the Cup.
Just think, in the next 3 to 4 years, the NHL in both Portland and Seattle... What a coup that would be for the NHL.
And I would agree, and have even brought up my opinion that if Allen was interested, then Portland might even jump Seattle on the NHL's hitlist many times before. If not, though.... they might as well be El Paso.
And I would agree, and have even brought up my opinion that if Allen was interested, then Portland might even jump Seattle on the NHL's hitlist many times before. If not, though.... they might as well be El Paso.
Getting portland and Seattle teams would be huge for the league. 3 way cascadia rivalry right there.
Quebec deserves a team but the arguement of Portland and Seattle is very valid.There is a great junior hockey history in both cities.And there is a great rivalry in everything outside of hockey.This could really work.But please give Quebec City a team also
Quebec deserves a team but the arguement of Portland and Seattle is very valid.There is a great junior hockey history in both cities.And there is a great rivalry in everything outside of hockey.This could really work.But please give Quebec City a team also
I wouldn't worry if I were you. I think it's sure to happen and in the not so distant future. I'd say that at the absolute latest, the NHL will have 32 teams by 2017, though most likely before then. If I had my way, Portland, Seattle, and Quebec City will all be part of that 32-team League (thus meaning at least one will get a team through relocation).
if Allen is unwell, it would be a boost for the NHL to Portland and a downer for the NHL to Seattle. Because there will be pressure for a local billionaire to buy the Seahawks.
Quebec deserves a team but the arguement of Portland and Seattle is very valid.There is a great junior hockey history in both cities.And there is a great rivalry in everything outside of hockey.This could really work.But please give Quebec City a team also
If portland gets a team it gaurentee's that there will be an expansion set up for seattle, which would almost automatically include an expansion to QC.
Absolutely no dots to connect to. The Rose Garden is controlled by Paul Allen's Vulcan Inc. and has no interest in an NHL team.
Hence why the Winterhawks play most of their games at the Memorial Coliseum, so no chance at being a full time tenant.
I'm not so sure - Memorial Coliseum holds 10,407 for hockey, which I presume is 1) adequate capacity for an AHL team and 2) a substantially cheaper venue for an AHL team to play out of. I'd imagine that the few games a year they play in the Rose Garden are bigger-ticket games where there's a higher demand and a willingness to pay a premium.
It's not because Allen doesn't want hockey in his barn that the Winterhawks play out of the Coliseum, it's that the Coliseum does the job at a lower cost, and the extra expense that would come with playing out of the Rose Garden is neither necessary nor justifiable.
Can't see Portland getting a team especially with Seattle seemingly destined to get a team. If you ask me NHL expansion will include 2 of Houston, Kansas City, Seattle and Quebec City.
__________________
Exhibit A as to how hockey doesn't matter on ESPN:
Last night an ESPN program was discussing how the Detroit Pistons needed a hero citing the heroes on the Detroit Tigers, Detroit Lions and no mention of the Detroit Red Wings. All this despite the Red Wings probably being the most succesful team in Detroit right now.
Can't see Portland getting a team especially with Seattle seemingly destined to get a team. If you ask me NHL expansion will include 2 of Houston, Kansas City, Seattle and Quebec City.
Not really talking about expansion with respect to Portland.
Isn't this the same sort of insanity that got the NHL three teams in the US SE, three in CA, etc.? And unbalanced the entire league in the process?
It would be absurd to put two teams the US NW. Makes no sense at all. Can't imagine anything stupider on the NHL's behalf other than going into, IDK, Tucson?
I can think of a lot of things more absurd than the NHL tapping into large, affluent markets that are demographically perfectly suited for the league and, in the case of Portland anyway, are underserved by pro-sports leagues. If you think the three California teams or all of the Southern teams are problems, you're really out of your depth.
I can think of a lot of things more absurd than the NHL tapping into large, affluent markets that are demographically perfectly suited for the league and, in the case of Portland anyway, are underserved by pro-sports leagues. If you think the three California teams or all of the Southern teams are problems, you're really out of your depth.
My only concern for Portland would be that I believe adding an NHL team there would make it the smallest market with both the NBA and the NHL. So while Portland is underserved overall by pro-sports, it may be overserved during the November-April time frame. But that's speaking on just two variables. DMA Size and NBA presence.
Overall, I love the idea of Portland and Seattle because I think the NHL thrives when there are rivalries, and these two cities have done that quite nicely in the MLS already (possibly the only American cities to have made that work).
In my opinion, the NHL's expansion plan didn't have so many problems because of the variable - Is this a non-traditional market? It had problems because:
They expanded too quickly, there wasn't enough time built in to support a struggling market or two (but not more), before moving on to the next rounds.
There were also some questionable ownership/front office situations. The ASG in Atlanta, Glendale over Scottsdale, Scott Howson.
I mean someday I'd love to see Portland-Seattle-Vancouver build a rivalry like Edmonton-Calgary..and if it weren't for oddball arena issues, Dallas and Houston would be an interesting one to see, and Kansas City - St. Louis would be another one to build with. But that all needs to be done slowly. Eventually the # of players playing the game worldwide will increase to the level that the league could support these things. Just takes time, patience, and leadership from the top (so 2 out of 3 of those things aren't bad).
Paul Allen is still battling. The picture you see in this article is the first time I'd seen him in a few months, and as a friend pointed out to me a few weeks ago, he doesn't look so good.
There's now a movement to get Allen to sell the Blazers and the Rose Garden. Just in the last week, Harry Glickman (who was the original driver in getting Memorial Coliseum and then the Portland Buckaroos and then the Portland Trail Blazers in it) has publically come out calling on Allen to sell. The O published a story a while back claiming there's a locally-based group seeking to get cash to buy the Blazers and using Timbers owner Merritt Paulson as the frontman. This story would be more interesting if Bill Gallacher wanted to buy the Blazers, but so far, with a lot of media poking around, Gallacher has given no such signal.
I've also noticed that Gallacher was very quick to table Coliseum renovations (he's offered $10 million as part of a $31 million plan... IMO not enough) when sanctions were announced against the Winterhawks. I don't know if NHL Portland is in his plans, but given what's happening in Seattle, I wouldn't be surprised if there's at least a hedging. There's a lot of moving parts flying about here right now.
So, while I've been generally dismissive, who knows?
Last edited by PCSPounder: 02-05-2013 at 12:45 PM.
Reason: Details! Details!
