Hey Terry, Do Us A Favor and SELL

[HogtownSabresfan]

IIRC, there was a huge tug of war when Research In Motion's (the company behind the BlackBerry) Jim Balsillie wanted to bring a team to Hamilton and there was speculation that he could buy the Sabres out of bankruptcy and move them. But, the Leafs argued that Hamilton was within their territorial area and blocked it.

But, I could be remembering the Balsillie stuff wrong.

The Leafs argued moving another team there was in their territory. There was a rumour he tried to buy Sabres but never much on that. Pegula is spending on rink, so this is probably a moot point.

From the NYT: (What Balsillie Means by 'Southern Ontario,' and Why Losing the Sabres Could Crush the N.H.L.)

Here’s the rub. Under longstanding N.H.L. rules, Hamilton lies within the Buffalo Sabres’ territory. Anything having to do with N.H.L. or affiliated minor league hockey within a 50-mile radius of the Sabres’ home rink in downtown Buffalo has to be approved by the Sabres. Hamilton’s Copps Coliseum is 45 miles from downtown Buffalo — a problem the Hamilton City Council knew about before construction began in 1983 but chose to ignore by jettisoning alternative plans to build the rink farther to the north. (Nice timeline on the history of Copps Coliseum in this article from The Hamilton Spectator.

 

[Jim Bob]

Fifty years ago, a deejay and a Sabres novelty song inspired Terry Pegula’s Buffalo sports empire

Late in the 1974-75 NHL season, Pegula relocated to rural Western New York and started hearing new voices that transformed him.

www.nytimes.com

Fifty years ago, late in the 1974-75 NHL season, Pegula relocated to rural Western New York for a job at Felmont Oil and started hearing new voices that transformed him.

It was in Olean, N.Y., near the Pennsylvania border and about 70 miles south of Buffalo, where Pegula would listen to WGR 550-AM, in those days an adult top 40 station that played Jim Croce, the Mamas and the Papas, America, Anne Murray and B.J. Thomas.

WGR also aired Buffalo Sabres games and took great lengths to hype the young franchise. Pegula was hooked by morning disc jockey Stan Roberts and an inescapable, jaunty novelty song.

“He’s the reason I own the Sabres,” Pegula said in a 2019 interview with The Athletic. “Stan Roberts was one of the funniest people I’ve ever heard on a radio show. That was my wake-up every morning, and they promoted the Sabres.

“They’d play that song, ‘We’re Gonna Win That Cup,’ and I just got brainwashed.”

Now we know who to blame.

 

[ValJamesDuex]

Pegula with a appearance at the Bill's Stadium ceremony yesterday. Sure would be nice if he did that for the Sabres and not hide behind Guelli, Adams, and Ruff. Might help with renewals.

 

[hizzoner]

Fifty years ago, a deejay and a Sabres novelty song inspired Terry Pegula’s Buffalo sports empire

Late in the 1974-75 NHL season, Pegula relocated to rural Western New York and started hearing new voices that transformed him.

www.nytimes.com

Now we know who to blame.

I loved that song and sang it many times at the Aud!

 

[Chainshot]

Pegula with a appearance at the Bill's Stadium ceremony yesterday. Sure would be nice if he did that for the Sabres and not hide behind Guelli, Adams, and Ruff. Might help with renewals.

Do you get to punch him in the nuts if he shows up as part of the renewal? Because that might get a few people to come out.

 

[debaser66]

Caligula put his horse in the senate, Pegula made Kevyn Adams GM of the Sabres.

The similarities are striking.

He is more like Pegulas Donkey