Lebrun "I honestly believe that Colorado's ownership no longer cares about the team".

[Alex Jones]

Ownership has never cared.
Kroenke has been pretty open in the past that he doesn't really care about any of his teams, outside of the nuggets. He's at nuggets games all the time, I'm not sure if he's ever been to an Avs game.

 

[Lonewolfe2015]

Add in to the fact fans are apathetic. Avs have been near the bottom of attendance for quite awhile now. Fans got spoiled immediately. Most cities that get a new ( Expansion etc) team have to suffer first.

Fans are also financially savvy and not going to shell out tickets for a poor team in a city where there are better entertainment options in the Broncos, Rockies, and Nuggets. Avs are competing with sports franchises that are being run better than them right now and performing significantly better for at least 2 of them.

I'd like to see the attendance numbers for hockey teams competing with at least 3 other major sports franchises that also happen to be doing better than them in their league's standings on a nearly regular basis (Nuggets are improving at least).

This isn't an argument per say, since the fans are apathetic about it, but I think that's just normal given the situation and it would be that way for any team.

 

[Doctor No]

Add in to the fact fans are apathetic. Avs have been near the bottom of attendance for quite awhile now. Fans got spoiled immediately. Most cities that get a new ( Expansion etc) team have to suffer first.

This isn't about being spoiled immediately - this is a direct reaction to the ownership's combination of apathy and ineptitude.

If this were a Canadian market, this same situation would be lauded as "being true fans who aren't willing to settle for chicanery".

But yes, the fans are apathetic.

 

[blankall]

The only thing Kroenke cares about is making money. He and his wife bought the Av's and Nuggets for under $500m in 2000, and he knows he'd make a hell of a lot more than that on them now. He's probably content to sit on that.

He didn't care about the Rams in St. Louis, moved them to Los Angeles to get a few extra bucks and I doubt he is suddenly going to start caring about them in LA. Just increased the franchise value and it is easier for him to make money, even if nobody turns up to games.

The Wenger extension at Arsenal shows the level of ambition there. They keep a coach who hasn't won anything significant for well over a decade because he has typically kept them "competitive" (top 4 in EPL & Champions League knock out stages) on a smaller budget than other top teams.

This isn't a major revelation... Kroenke openly calls himself an "investor" in teams, which should make it clear he doesn't have any emotional attachment in their success or failure, only about the return.

Successful business people don't think like that. He's going to avoid yearly business loses if possible.

 

[MessierII]

This isn't about being spoiled immediately - this is a direct reaction to the ownership's combination of apathy and ineptitude.

If this were a Canadian market, this same situation would be lauded as "being true fans who aren't willing to settle for chicanery".

But yes, the fans are apathetic.

Oilers sold out through a decade of darkness with some of the highest ticket prices in the NHL.

 

[Howboutthempanthers]

Exactly, LeBrun isn't saying anything new.

I agree that a hands off owner is what you want, but you also want one who is hands off because he hires people that know better than him and is demanding of success. Not one who is hands off because they really don't care about the successes or failures of the team on the ice.

With Kroenke it is more the latter than the former.

Yeah, bad ownership is a death knell for a franchise. Like you said, you need someone who is hands off and let's the experts do their jobs. But the ownership also has to care about whether the teams does well or not.

 

[Howboutthempanthers]

Sakic's a horrific GM too - and how do you fire him? It'd be like Alfie being a crappy GM in Ottawa. How do you tell him you're fired?

Oh very easy. Him sucking as a GM and getting fired won't change the player he was and what he did for the franchise.

 

[Stickpucker]

No ****, they pretty much directly indicated it themselves at the end of the season

Why even keep the team then?

Because even if the fickle billionaire owners don't give a flying flip there are a lot of fans there that do.

Chicago is a shining example of enduring bad ownership and someone helping bring back hope in their franchise.

 

[Toews2Bickell]

It's amazing how bad ownership/management can just absolutely ruin the experience of being a fan. I feel for Colorado fans as us in Chicago have dealt with this in basically every major sport in recent memory. Best thing is that they end up selling the team and new management gives a ****. That's when things will turn around.

The recent championships in Chicago history happened very shortly after an ownership change.

 

[1989]

Oilers sold out through a decade of darkness with some of the highest ticket prices in the NHL.

How many other regularly scheduled recreational activities are there in Edmonton between October to June? Not taking pot shots, just guessing that has to be at least a small factor.

 

[missionAvs]

Oilers sold out through a decade of darkness with some of the highest ticket prices in the NHL.

Truly impressive considering that they also had to compete with a super popular NFL franchise, an MLB franchise, and an NBA franchise.

 

[TMLife*]

Truly impressive considering that they also had to compete with a super popular NFL franchise, an MLB franchise, and an NBA franchise.

I don’t think it has as much to do with other teams as it does the people in each respective region.

 

[Ivan13]

I don’t think it has as much to do with other teams as it does the people in each respective region.

Then you're either dishonest or naive. Also, face it hockey is a niche sport in all of USA save for Minnesota and Massachusetts.

 

[Lunatik]

You really think MacKinnon is better than Monahan?

He hates Monahan. There is no point even engaging in his dellusions regarding him. All he's done the last couple years is make unwarranted and unsubstantiated claims Monahan is 100% a product of Gaudreau

 

[missionAvs]

Then you're either dishonest or naive. Also, face it hockey is a niche sport in all of USA save for Minnesota and Massachusetts.

Tell me about it. When I was younger, my family lived in Novi, MI which is around 30 min outside of Detroit. I used to remember going to sporting events with my old man who is an avid MLB/NFL fan and has been for years. I was really the only person in my 4 member household who was a Hockey fan first and foremost.

Whenever my old man and I decided to go to a sporting event. The conversation was usually like so:

Me: Hey Dad, so we went to a Wings game last time, you want to go to a Lions or Tigers game this time?

Dad: Nah, they suck, let's go to another Wings game.

Me: Sweet.

 

[SenzZen]

Back!...

To Quebec!

 

[Sniper99]

You really think MacKinnon is better than Monahan?

[MOD]

I still take Mackinnon over Monahan AINEC

 

[StayAtHomeAv]

How many other regularly scheduled recreational activities are there in Edmonton between October to June? Not taking pot shots, just guessing that has to be at least a small factor.

 

[The Note]

Kroenke is the kiss of death for any franchise he buys. Couldn't care less about winning or having a successful team. Total *******.

 

[Rick74*]

Then you're either dishonest or naive. Also, face it hockey is a niche sport in all of USA save for Minnesota and Massachusetts.

Thank GOD that this niche sport still breeds championships in cities where the majority of the population could give zero ****s about it.

Thanks Wayne. Thanks Gary.

 

[Riddum]

Roy killed the team and they have beeb staggering ever since

But hey, blame it on Pat.

 

[nbwingsfan]

I'd draft Monahan and then a select few that have better carrer paths then him at this moment

Id think even the vast majority of Flames fans will admit Monahan would not be close to his totals without Gaudreau. MacKinnon is doing it all on his own.

I don't really see anyone else who even has an argument?

 

[KCC]

The old oilers, man

 

[TMLife*]

Then you're either dishonest or naive. Also, face it hockey is a niche sport in all of USA save for Minnesota and Massachusetts.

That’s what I’m saying. And honestly, I don’t understand why Americans don’t like it more.

It’s a lot more interesting than the majority of their most watched sports, imo.

 

[viper0220]

Preach it.

He carries a $6.3m/yr cap hit and he's 4 years removed from his only 60+ point season. Never scored 25 goals or more. Pretty clear that Barkov was and is the better player.

I think if you did a re-draft for 2013, MacKinnon probably doesn't even go Top 3.

Sean Monahan Says hi to top 3, but you are right Barkov is better than MacKinnon.