Mike Jones
Registered User
Nope. For us taxpayers who've been watching our tax money fly into the pockets of Flames owners they can't leave fast enough.About time to let go of this fantasy of yours isn't it.
Nope. For us taxpayers who've been watching our tax money fly into the pockets of Flames owners they can't leave fast enough.About time to let go of this fantasy of yours isn't it.
Judging from letters to the editor, online comments, and things people have said to me I'm not the only one who holds them (Both the need to cancel the arena deal and the need for the Flames to move). I haven't see poll numbers but there's a reason our city council and staff refused to send this to a plebiscite. We can't afford the disastrous deals and projects our current and former Mayors and councils have gotten us into. We have infrastructure that's literally cratering while our so-called leaders are signing sweetheart deals with groups like the Flames ownership.Is this a popular opinion in Calgary?
You do realize that there's promotion and relegation in almost every European hockey league too? It's not only a thing in football. I wouldn't even watch my team if they somehow decided to close the SHL.
Nope. For us taxpayers who've been watching our tax money fly into the pockets of Flames owners they can't leave fast enough.
Really, I thought that QC was the girl that keeps throwing herself at the star quarterback even though the quarterback wants nothing to do with her.QC is the cute girl the NHL hangs around for no other reason than to make the hottie they actually wanna bang jealous.
It's better than basketball.There are barely enough NHL calibre players to fill out 20-24 teams. Ice hockey just doesn't have the talent pool of a soccer or basketball.
Go back and read my posts about this topic again. I have never claimed that I speak for all taxpayers. I have done my homework, however. I have said that I know that I am not alone in holding these views and that there's a reason our mayor and council didn't seem to want to put the arena deal to a vote. And I don't care if we lost. I will never accept what our dangerously incompetent city council has done and will continue speaking out against the hideous deal. And I continue hoping and praying that the Flames do us a favour by leaving.Pretty arrogant to claim to speak for all taxpayers no?
Well bad news. You lost, it's over. The Flames aren't going anywhere and never were.
Maybe focus all that energy on an injustice that actually matters. Or keep tilting at windmills if that's your thing.
The first time was 50 years ago, but okAtlanta again? Third time's the charm.
The facts say differently, but we live in a world where people can make stuff up and call facts "fake news", so to each their own I guess.Metro size is important, sure but look at Atlanta in the past - HUGE metro and they've lost two teams due to lack of interest.
Damn that sucks, hopefully things get better down the road. Appreciate hearing a different perspective on this type of thing. In the meantime do you still root for the Flames or are you more of just a general NHL fan?Judging from letters to the editor, online comments, and things people have said to me I'm not the only one who holds them (Both the need to cancel the arena deal and the need for the Flames to move). I haven't see poll numbers but there's a reason our city council and staff refused to send this to a plebiscite. We can't afford the disastrous deals and projects our current and former Mayors and councils have gotten us into. We have infrastructure that's literally cratering while our so-called leaders are signing sweetheart deals with groups like the Flames ownership.
Except they don't. Owners don't sell money-making teams. Pretty easy to google why the Flames left. To quote wiki:The facts say differently, but we live in a world where people can make stuff up and call facts "fake news", so to each their own I guess.
Now, yeah the Thrashers were a smidge different after being sold but let's not pretend they were playing high-quality hockey in front of sell out crowds. They tried to get local Atlanta investors to buy them and there was ultimately not enough interest to keep them there. To quote wiki again:As the team stagnated on the ice, the Flames struggled at the gate. They peaked at an average of 14,161 fans per game in their second season, 1973–74, but fell to 12,258 three years later and then 10,500 in 1977–78.[26] Concerns that low attendance could result in the relocation of the team surfaced by 1976, prompting politicians and the players themselves to purchase tickets in a bid to stabilize the franchise.[40] The Flames attempted to boost attendance in 1980 by signing Jim Craig, goaltender of the American Olympic team that had won the Olympic gold medal following its "Miracle on Ice" victory over the Soviet Union.[41] It was not successful as attendance fell to an average of 10,024.[26] Adding to the Flames' financial woes was the fact that the Omni Coliseum was one of the last major arenas in North America to be built without revenue-generating luxury suites, which led Fletcher to describe the facility as being "out-of-date when it opened".[3]
So twice, there was a team in Atlanta, there was low attendance, and significant financial losses. So they moved.Due to financial losses and ownership struggles, the team was frequently a target of relocation rumors. In later years, reports saw the team courted by suitors intending to relocate to Kansas City, Quebec City, Hamilton, or Winnipeg.[10][11] On January 22, 2011, the team's ownership group claimed it had lost US$130 million in the last six years, partially as a result of an ongoing lawsuit with former partner Steve Belkin.[12] In February 2011, majority owner Michael Gearon stated that the team would be seeking new investors.[13] Various local groups announced their intent to purchase the franchise and keep it in Atlanta,[14][15] but ultimately the team was sold to the Canadian group True North Sports & Entertainment.