"The Insider" Jon Rosen no longer with the Kings

[Lt Dan]

Thank You Jon Rosen - LA Kings Insider

This past Monday was one of the most difficult days in the history of the LA Kings and AEG organizations as we had to make very hard decisions that impact the lives of many of our team members. We had hoped to be able to return to our normal business activities by now, but the COVID-19 pandemic continues to severely restrict our operations. As a result, we had to make some painful choices regarding personnel throughout our business that we had hoped to avoid.
Unfortunately, we regret that Jon Rosen is no longer a member of our organization. Jon has been a valuable part of our team for the past eight seasons as the LA Kings Insider, and we thank him for his tireless dedication and wish him much success in future endeavors. We have enormous respect and gratitude for the work he put into the LAKI platform. He continued what Rich Hammond started in 2009, and Jon’s passion helped take the site to an even higher level with a singular goal – delivering the most detailed and accurate coverage of the LA Kings.
LA Kings Insider was created to provide a transparent voice to you, our fans, and feature editorial content that highlights the day-to-day activities of the LA Kings. The platform will remain a central source for Kings news, informing you about new developments related to our organization, but for now, there will be no single individual responsible for developing the site. We understand the importance of LA Kings insider to you and we remain committed to evolving the platform and providing exciting new content once we resume our operations
Until then, be well and stay safe.
LA Kings

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[Lt Dan]

I don't know about you guys, but once they are ready to hire again, I hope that they go with Andys

 

[Ziggy Stardust]

So Futa, Stothers and Rosen are now gone. Think AEG is tightening up the pocketbooks? Bailey must be sweating bullets.

 

[Lt Dan]

So Futa, Stothers and Rosen are now gone. Think AEG is tightening up the pocketbooks? Bailey must be sweating bullets.

Is Jesse Cohen or Carrlyn Bathe next?
or is it a wild card like Altieri or Darren Granger?

 

[Bandit]

"difficult decisions"
"painful choices"

12 Kings games not played in a season they were going nowhere, bring out the guillotine!

 

[BigBrown]

Man, that's a bummer. Outside of being a good writer and a pro, Rosen seems like such a likable guy. Took the time to send me DMs a couple of times when he certainly didn't have to, I'm sure he had hundreds of guys peppering him with question.

 

[tny760]

not a good move imo

i liked rosen, his injection of opinion into the reporting was something that i think was good for that website and i think he did it well while being fair. he was even pretty good on TV. guess it's easier to just have corporate mouthpieces feeding bone dry crap onto the NHL page. blaming this on covid is a cheap bullshit copout imo. maybe cut the snoop dogg appearance fee next season and you could afford some actual reporting..

 

[Ziggy Stardust]

Is Jesse Cohen or Carrlyn Bathe next?
or is it a wild card like Altieri or Darren Granger?

Given what was written in the last paragraph of that release, it probably doesn't bode well for most of the media types, as we just witnessed with The Athletic letting go of a slew of writers as well.

 

[kingsboy11]

Didn't see this coming and I don't think its a good move. Rosen was solid.

 

[Herby]

So in a market where the media largely ignores the team they decide to get rid of one of the few members who covers (and I believe only who travels) with the team?

This is kind of a kick to the balls of loyal and diehard fans like us.

 

[jfont]

I don't know about you guys, but once they are ready to hire again, I hope that they go with Andys

This actually made me chuckle

 

[BigKing]

I was hard on Hammond because his position changed once he was employed by the Kings/AEG. With Rosen, you knew what you were getting from Day 1 but he colored his stories with more opinions as he became more comfortable.

The concern now is that you will just get completely canned and bland releases directly from the team. Also, seems you can forget about an AHL Insider too.

AEG is obviously getting hit by the lack of events at Staples, LA Live and in its other entertainment holdings but this is a pretty bad look.

What's more worrisome is when you look at this when coupled with the non-renewals of Futa and Stothers. Seems like they won't even replace Futa, essentially axing the position. With Stothers, is it really about a "developmental" coach or about saving money? What kind of players did Stothers have to develop anyways?

I was already banging the drum before the end of the '19 season that AEG expected the team to be bad and was not going to be interested in spending money. When they didn't raise ticket prices, that was abundantly clear. They then had the opportunity to buy a 1st round pick with Marleau but didn't do it, something a rebuilding team with aspirations to return to contention should be all over.

Now, I understand it because they spent a lot to try to keep the ride going and wound up paying people to not GM, not coach and to not play here with the Kovy signing being the cherry on the sundae. The worry moving forward could be will they be willing to spend or are we going back to the Lie-weekly days when Piston got a chance to look at the books? The prospects hopefully make this somewhat a moot point but they are going to need to augment these prospects with proven talent even if the prospects hit at a high rate.

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

VERY bad move considering the content-to-budget ratio had to have been excellent. Rosen is honestly one of the best in the business at providing honest, fair content in a way that's damn near never even remotely close to "oh, he's just the team mouthpiece." Had a writing style that was accurate and an easy read yet full of description. His affability went a long way, as one could see with his very apparent relationships with players, staff, and others around the league, and his engagement with fans--especially with the league shut down--is second to none. And though he rarely did it, he called bullshit when he saw it, like when he called that snarky Vancouver f*** out when they deliberately misquoted Drew for their shirts, holding others to the same high standard of journalism and integrity that he kept for himself.

There had to be a better way, AEG. Rosen was worth whatever his salary was and much, much more.

And unintentional but that's a pretty big middle finger to the fans, as well.

 

[Lt Dan]

This actually made me chuckle

My work is done soon here

 

[Herby]

I will also add, AEG should not be seen as a bottomless pit, and the individual wealth of the chairman should not have any bearing on financial decisions made by each company within the group, that is not how business works. I really doubt this decision even made it up to PA. As BK said they have been paying Richards, Lombardi, Sutter, Phaneuf, Stevens and Kovalchuk to not work for the team. I’ve said this here before, eventually the bean counters were going to put an end to it, especially with basically no playoff revenues the last 6 years now. I disagree with Rosen because I think it hurts fan connection and is likely a minor cut, but stuff like Futa and Stothers happen when you’re losing money.

 

[Bandit]

I will also add, AEG should not be seen as a bottomless pit, and the individual wealth of the chairman should not have any bearing on financial decisions made by each company within the group, that is not how business works. I really doubt this decision even made it up to PA. As BK said they have been paying Richards, Lombardi, Sutter, Phaneuf, Stevens and Kovalchuk to not work for the team. I’ve said this here before, eventually the bean counters were going to put an end to it, especially with basically no playoff revenues the last 6 years now. I disagree with Rosen because I think it hurts fan connection and is likely a minor cut, but stuff like Futa and Stothers happen when you’re losing money.

Perhaps that's part of the problem.

 

[regulate]

I Also, seems you can forget about an AHL Insider too.

AEG is obviously getting hit by the lack of events at Staples, LA Live and in its other entertainment holdings but this is a pretty bad look.

Zach is still on board with the Reign. Everyone needs to remember, AEG is much more than Staples and the Kings, I believe they run over 100 stadiums worldwide, and without any sports (hockey, basketball, soccer, football), rodeos, monster trucks/motocross, graduations and concerts, the revenue has gone to zero. There is an article in the June 8th edition of the LA Times about AEG, with quotes from Dan Beckerman, they have had to do massive layoffs and furloughs company wide. Concert promoter AEG announces significant layoffs, furloughs due to coronavirus fallout Jon worked for AEG. It's a good bet Jon isn't the only person losing his job, far from it.

 

[All The Kings Men]

Is Jesse Cohen or Carrlyn Bathe next?
or is it a wild card like Altieri or Darren Granger?

Carrlyn works for Fox Sports West.

 

[HeadInjury]

I will also add, AEG should not be seen as a bottomless pit, and the individual wealth of the chairman should not have any bearing on financial decisions made by each company within the group, that is not how business works. I really doubt this decision even made it up to PA. As BK said they have been paying Richards, Lombardi, Sutter, Phaneuf, Stevens and Kovalchuk to not work for the team. I’ve said this here before, eventually the bean counters were going to put an end to it, especially with basically no playoff revenues the last 6 years now. I disagree with Rosen because I think it hurts fan connection and is likely a minor cut, but stuff like Futa and Stothers happen when you’re losing money.

I'm sorry to see Rosen go too, and I agree with your post. Now is not the time to go after AEG for being thrifty. They are getting destroyed by no Staples Center, no Kings, no Galaxy, no AXS concerts, etc.

 

[Sleeping Dog]

I don't know about you guys, but once they are ready to hire again, I hope that they go with Andys

Do you think he could do Kubalik interviews each game?

 

[DoktorJeep]

I’m sure when hockey comes back and they re hire for a new insider that Derek Armstrong will get the job.

 

[BigKing]

Zach is still on board with the Reign. Everyone needs to remember, AEG is much more than Staples and the Kings, I believe they run over 100 stadiums worldwide, and without any sports (hockey, basketball, soccer, football), rodeos, monster trucks/motocross, graduations and concerts, the revenue has gone to zero. There is an article in the June 8th edition of the LA Times about AEG, with quotes from Dan Beckerman, they have had to do massive layoffs and furloughs company wide. Concert promoter AEG announces significant layoffs, furloughs due to coronavirus fallout Jon worked for AEG. It's a good bet Jon isn't the only person losing his job, far from it.

I was going to say that his salary might be so small that he would stay. No AHL season would really test that though, of course.

I do still believe that AEG was tired of spending good money on the Kings heading in to last season. T-Mac was it and he got a five year deal with AEG knowing full well that this last season was going to be bad. It's just unfortunate that the shutdown has led to Rosen being let go, something I didn't see coming no matter how bad the team was.

I wonder what kind of improvement AEG is going to need to see next season for them to open up the purse strings for Blake. Obviously, the COVID shutdown adds a significant layer to this but one of the items touched on when criticizing Blake's early moves is his spending of AEG's money with nothing to show for it. Stevens, Kovy and then Phaneuf when Gaborik would have been covered by insurance. We don't care since it isn't our money and Phil is rich but the people who work at AEG care because it can cost them their jobs.

 

[All The Kings Men]

It's a good bet Jon isn't the only person losing his job, far from it.

This is accurate.

 

[He pukes you die]

I wouldn't even mind if they re-signed Phaneuf to a multiyear deal if it meant FSW not renewing Alex Faust's contract

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

I will also add, AEG should not be seen as a bottomless pit, and the individual wealth of the chairman should not have any bearing on financial decisions made by each company within the group, that is not how business works. I really doubt this decision even made it up to PA. As BK said they have been paying Richards, Lombardi, Sutter, Phaneuf, Stevens and Kovalchuk to not work for the team. I’ve said this here before, eventually the bean counters were going to put an end to it, especially with basically no playoff revenues the last 6 years now. I disagree with Rosen because I think it hurts fan connection and is likely a minor cut, but stuff like Futa and Stothers happen when you’re losing money.

I totally agree, it's not surprising to see AEG paring back.

I would just think even from a ROI perspective that Rosen is more than worth it. Who is their hockey fan engagement now? Most of the locals are with The Athletic. Kings coverage and connection with the audience just went poof. There had to have been much bigger line items that wouldn't have done so much damage.