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Predators sold to Balsillie

Canadian Press and Associated Press

Latest comment posted at 1:58 AM EDT 28/05/07

Jim Balsillie has reached an agreement to purchase the NHL's Nashville Predators, multiple sources say ...Read the full article

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  1. Rob Kirsic from Brampton, writes: Never count the man out to get what he wants. I fully expect him to exercise that season ticket clause and move the team to a closer market to the K-W. I, from day one, believed that the NHL should have never gone into Nashville, the city is great and lovely but no one there (besides ex-pats perhaps) knows anything about the game and it would take way too long to grow the game in a new market. This also goes for most of the Cali teams and FLA teams also. Good for him if he can bring the team here to compete with the Leafs, god knows they need competition. Plus look at the team, they are fantastic.
  2. Glenn Finockio from Winnipeg, writes: The Kitchener-Waterloo Predators? Hmmm.

    Maybe the Hamilton Predators? Double Hmmm.

    The Winnipeg Jets, version 2.0? Ah ha!
  3. Phil S from Toronto, Canada writes: So the Kitchener Rangers' days are numbered?

    To: Rob Kirsic. Florida is full of Canadians who love to get cheap tickets to watch hockey. Most often it's a retiree taking his visiting grandson to a game, of course. But a retiree in Toronto definitely can't afford to to pay scalper prices to take his grandson to a Leafs game.
  4. Shiyam Pillai from Waterloo, Canada writes: Hey! That's some good news. I'd think KW area would be the most likely location as it would be outside of the Maple Leafs compensation area (116 km from Toronto). They could play at The Aud (where the Kitchener Rangers play) till a new facility is built. Plus, the Kitchener-Waterloo-Cambridge area is one of the fastest growing areas in Canada.
  5. Gary Dare from Portland, Oregon, Canada, writes: It's discounted, and often free, tickets that have cause the southern US NHL teams to lose money. The Lightning lost $9 Million, the Canes lost $4 Million, the Coyotes lost a whopping $30 Million (that's thirty million dollars, no typo). David Shoalts reported in March that the Thrashers lead the NHL in ticket giveaways, averaging 3400 per game. The Predators fell below a minimum PAID attendance requirement in their lease this past season and have an exit clause if they suffer a second such season.
  6. Patrick Boily from Winnipeg, Canada writes: Bring back the Jets!!! It's what going to make me stay here! (not a high paying job but the Jets, right Macfayden ;). but in all seriousness it would be great to have the Jets back, too bad they built the arena a bit too small!
  7. Tom Wood from Nashville, United States writes: More details on the Preds' sale at NashvillePost.com, which broke the story:

    http://www.nashvillepost.com/news/2007/5/23/sourcespredssold_

    -Tom
  8. Eric Kirkpatrick from Vancouver, B.C., Canada writes: Put them in Hamilton. Think of the rivalry between them and the Leafs and Sabres. And only a few hours drive from half a dozen other franchises. Winnipeg and Quebec City might work, but Hamilton has advantages when it comes to putting fans ($) in the seats.
  9. Jim Whittier from Hamilton, Canada writes: I agree with post number 1, it will take too long to develop a fan base in the great city of Nashville. Where to? Hamilton's Copps' Coliseum is only 20 years old but already too dated, and I wouldn't want the taxpayer to shell out hundreds of millions of dollars to upgrade to current standards. Winnipeg? No disrespect, but the flip side of having a wealth destroying NDP government, is that no wealth would want to locate there.
  10. Richard Legeer from Rockville, United States writes: Better than Hamilton or Waterloo is Seattle. They have the affluent population with lots of sports interest and think of the Vancouver/Seattle rivalry and possibly with the CA markets too.
  11. Dijer Dije from Ottawa, Canada writes: MLSE almost stopped the Sens from being... you think they would let someone come in even closer? Keep dreaming... Detroit would fight it too, maybe the Sabres too... Seattle, KC, Vegas would be markets MLSE wouldn't fight....
  12. Derek Holtom from Swan River, Canada writes: Patrick Boily from Winnipeg, Canada writes: Bring back the Jets!!! It's what going to make me stay here! (not a high paying job but the Jets, right Macfayden ;). but in all seriousness it would be great to have the Jets back, too bad they built the arena a bit too small!

    arena's just fine - the big money is in the seats closest to the ice.
    wouldn't that just kill mcfadyen if wpg is in the mix? wow, talk about bad timing... one day too late
  13. D Chambers from Canada writes: Eric Kirkpatrick writes "Winnipeg and Quebec City might work, but Hamilton has advantages when it comes to putting fans ($) in the seats."

    How do you figure? The Hamilton Bulldogs drew a whopping 7000 fans in their 3 home games against the Manitoba Moose - total! The numbers were 2,177, 3,270 and 1,703. I know the quality of hockey isn't the same, but the tickets are also a lot less than an NHL game.

    The Moose were getting about 6,000- 7,000 per game.
  14. Glenn Finockio from writes: Putting a francise in Hamilton makes no sense - already over-stuffed with NHL teams and other pro-sports (let's get the Ti-Cats to a record better than 4-14 first, maybe?).

    Winnipeg has a 15,000 seat arena, already built, and it's NHL ready. Sure, 15,000 is the minimum for an NHL team, but you can guarantee you'd get 12,000 PAID attendees a game, every home game. Enough to support a team in today's market. Besides, it can't do any worse there than in Nashville, right?
  15. Robert von from Calgary, writes: Hey Jim Whittier the Manitoba provincial NDP also have stated that they would like to see the return of the Jets although unlike the PC Party they refuse to mortgage the province to get it. I am unlike many posters here who are always dreaming that the NHL will return a team to Canada. There are far too many cities in the states with brand new arenas begging for a team (Kansas City with a brand new rent free 18000 arena, Seattle, Las Vegas). The NHL has constantly demonstrated that they want to grow in the States. Take for example of the sweetheart deals they offer to VS and NBC for hockey as well as giving them the rights to schedule games in the afternoon. So until we see a change in the daily operations of the NHL I for one will be really amazed if another team ever gets established in Canada.
  16. Tim Bee from Canada writes: They will move to Toronto. That is all that makes sense. They will pay the compensation because it is so lucrative that he will make it up in a few years.
  17. Apu Nahasapeemapetilon from Vancouver, Canada writes: Seattle would be an excellent market. Only 2 hours from the Lower Mainland of BC, a large corporate sector (Starbucks, Costco, Microsoft, Nordstrom, Alaska Airlines, Weyerhaeuser, Safeco, Washington Mutual, Amazon.com to name same), an affluent market that is larger than all Canadian NHL markets except for Toronto and has a hockey history. Plus, there is no income tax in Washington; so the players would like living there. The only drawback is that Seattle doesn't have a decent facility as Key Arena is old and not really suitable for hockey. Portland, though smaller than Seattle, does have the Rose Garden which seats 21K plus.
  18. David R from Canada writes: I doubt he would buy the ticket unless he could move it and move to where he wants it. Hopefully being a Canadian he will move the team to Canada, where it will do well and get real support. Bowling does better than NHL in the US. No US market is being to keep the team for as long as a Canadian city. Maybe the poor rating on NBC and its cutting away from end of game for horse racing.. if finally getting back to US run NHL and sinking in.
  19. Gary Dare from Portland, Oregon, Canada, writes: Thanks for clarifying the situation on lack of a suitable arena in the Seattle area, and there doesn't look to be one for a long while. Meanwhile down in Portland, Oregon, Paul Allen has repurchased the Rose Garden but a) he has been jilted twice in getting a NHL team (Penguins, 1999; Coyotes, 2001) and has fallen to #19 on the Forbes list as one of the few billionaires to lose a chunk of his fortune (also miscalculations by Forbes that omitted some debt), and b) he needs to rebuild the Trailblazers' market and would not want a team competing for the same pro sports dollars in the same season, whether his own team or a tenant's.
  20. Carl Hansen from Canada writes: Shouldn't he be in jail for back-dating stock options?
  21. Sam B from Cambridge, Canada writes: I'm sure some smart reporter will pick up on my comment and run with this story...........but I'm a nice guy - nice enough to give a lead to the G&M ; )

    Check out this link
    http://www.cambridgetimes.ca/cam/news/news_792440.html

    Coincidence?
  22. Hugo Hall from Calgary, Canada writes: It would be nice if he were to move the team to Canada. I would imagine he would want to locate near his corporate HQ in Southern Ontario - so long as the greedy Leafs organization doesn't attempt to prevent a team moving to Hamilton or K/W. That way, Ontario could have two good NHL teams, the Sens and the Preds. Otherwise Winnipeg would be a bit of a longshot with the league's smallest market and a small arena, but I suspect the fan support would be fanatical nevertheless. Either way, I think it is time Canada gets a 7th team.
  23. jake and pete from Cambridge, Canada writes: Waterloo County: Home of Oktoberfest, and Hockey, - great combination. We also have high tech, be it dairy or blackberries, and we have maple syrup running through our veins.

    All we did as kids here was hockey and baseball that's all we knew growing up. Later as kids in the 60's ball hockey became popular enough to put even baseball to the back seat in summer.

    Jim's idea of moving a NHL team to Waterloo region, gains me much respect for a man that understands his community and the game.

    Go get ume Jim.
  24. Shane Jordan from Winnipeg, Canada writes: Alright! Winnipeg as Stanley Cup winners in '96, '01, '02, and now,again in '09! (yeah, I know that it was 1896, 1901 and 1902, but still I figure we have a a better chance at breaking our drought before Toronto does...)
  25. Alberto Bayo from Canada writes: I want to go see the Kitchener / Waterloo Predators play the Montreal Canadiens next season or the one after that. That would be sweet. Another Canadian based team
  26. Jasper the Black Lab from Vancouver, Canada writes: Welcome to the NHL, Kitchener-Waterloo Blackberries!
  27. Rover Rollover from Canada writes: how about the KW Blackballs?
  28. William Auger from Edmonton, Canada writes: Just goes to show you there shouldn't be any NHL teams in places where there is no natural ice. Instead of trying to force feed a northern sport to southern americans maybe Mr. Bettman should focus on strengthening the market in Canada and the Northern states. The only ice they care about down south is the cubes in their drinks.
    If Bettman had any vision maybe he would think about expanding the NHL to Northern Europe. Now there is a market that cares about hockey. Goodbye Carolina, goodbye Nashville and Phoenix. Hello Helsinki, Prague and Stockholm. Probably makes too much sense for it to actually happen.
  29. Scotia Rae from Toronto, Canada writes: Sorry to burst the bubble here but there will NEVER be another NHL team in Canada. Americans have ZERO interest in watching Canadian teams in sports and the NHL owners know that having too many teams north of the border makes the league look like a bush-league. The NHL would even prefer the Leafs, Habs and all the other Canadian clubs move to Vegas, Houston, KC and Seattle. There is no way this team is going to Canada - the NHL blocked the Pens being sold to Jim due to only rumours of the team leaving for Ontario. The Preds will move to KC, Houston, or Seattle/Portland. If he has any plans to move the team to Canada the league will block the sale. I am 100% confident that I am right on this. Sorry Winnipeg, Quebec, and Hamilton but you are never getting the NHL back. the National in NHL means America not Canada. If a team ever moves to Canada it will mean the league is collapsing in on itself.
  30. Carl Hansen from Canada writes: The NHL is collapsing on itself. Americans are npot interested in hockey. A horse-race is more important. I hope Mr. Jim B moves the team to Canada. Any city in Canada would be happy to have the Preds.

    Cambridge huh?
  31. J. Anthony Skuce from Vancouver, Canada writes: Yeah, collapse always appears to be just around the corner. The league is held in such disdain in the States. It's a disgrace to our defacto national game, which we lost control of a long time ago, obviously. Imagine if European soccer were run out of New York? Hockey being controlled from there is just about as stupid. Bettman and the American sunbelt owners wont be able to keep the Titanic afloat forever. Massive contraction is in order. Personally, I'd like 16 teams, although that's a pipe dream. Leave the South to Nascar. Hockey can't fill arenas down there. That's the territory of christian fundamentalist preachers. A team in Houston? Sign of the Apocalypse. Seattle? Really? Do they care about hockey in Seattle?
  32. A D from Athens (and Ottawa Senatorland), Greece writes: Scotia Rae from Toronto said that (Canada won't get another NHL team because) Americans have ZERO interest in watching Canadian (NHL) teams. ---------------
    Have you NOT been paying attention? Americans, at least south of the snow and ice zone, have ZERO interest in watching American NHL teams, so this is a non-starter! Put teams in Hamilton, Winnipeg, Quebec City, as well as Hartford and Seattle. Get on with it already.
  33. Sherman Sterling from Canada writes: Yes! Waterloo Blackberries, here we come!
  34. L W from United States writes: They will go to K-W.

    Don't pay the fees to MLSE.

    Stick get the tv market.

    Later on, maybe they move in to TO.
  35. B Fulsom from Menlo Park, United States writes: I agree with some of these later posts. In a perfect world we could contract the league to Canada, the Original Six, regions where outdoor hockey could be (and is) played, and American metropolises so large any niche sports franchise would survive.

    The problem with all of this dreaming is the cold hard economic fact that Bettman, in a New York head office, will always take 32 marginal teams earning American dollars at 65% capacity for 80 plus games over 16 quality teams earning Canadian dollars by selling out a 60 game season.
  36. Matt Jared from United States writes: Why would a major professional sport want to "contract" and restrict itself to markets just in Canada and the northern US. I cannot skate, never played hockey but as a Predators' fan for the last three years I have come to love the sport. Why would one not wish for his or her favorite sport to grow in popularity and attract new fans regardless of their geographical origin. If everyone in Canada feels that way (which I'm sure they do not) then let the Predators move to Toronto to compete with the Leafs and let the Blue Jays (who have been lagging in attendance in recent years) move to Nashville since baseball is our national sport and we shouldn't allow baseball to played in any other country except the US
  37. James Clost from chaozhou, guangdong, China writes: what is it about toronto that allows them to essentially veto a team moving into their neighbourhood? or is it just that they could get enough votes to make it not happen? whats the difference between toronto and the new york area - NJ, and the two new york teams? they're all close together and manage to succeed, plus philadelphia and pittsburgh arent that far away either. i know the population base is larger but there are also more teams. toronto/hamilton/kitchener could easily support another team.

    " Matt Jared from United States writes: Why would a major professional sport want to "contract" and restrict itself to markets just in Canada and the northern US. I cannot skate, never played hockey but as a Predators' fan for the last three years I have come to love the sport. Why would one not wish for his or her favorite sport to grow in popularity and attract new fans regardless of their geographical origin. If everyone in Canada feels that way (which I'm sure they do not) then let the Predators move to Toronto to compete with the Leafs and let the Blue Jays (who have been lagging in attendance in recent years) move to Nashville since baseball is our national sport and we shouldn't allow baseball to played in any other country except the US"
    ----------
    noone is saying that teams cant move to wherever they want in the US. but the ticket sales tell the story. historically, there have been many NHL teams in the US already that have failed or have been failing. oakland, kansas city, cleveland, colorado rockies, hartford minnesota north stars, and several of the current teams that are on shaky financial ground. face it, nashville is not a hockey city. attendance tells the tale.

    the current NHL leadership wants to continue putting teams in non hockey cities that treat the sport as a novelty. after a year or two, it begins to wear off and then what? by the way, even baseball was talking about contraction a few years ago.
  38. J. Jones from Somewhere, Canada writes: Winnipeg????? Hahahahahaahahahhah. The NHL doesn't put teams in hick towns. Hahahahaha
  39. Bill M from Canada writes: There's no way this team is moving to Southern Ontario. MLSE has a great golf team, and when they play hockey during the off season, they don't want any competition.
  40. First name Last name from Canada writes: While Bettman is around Baisillie will have to prove that having another Canadian team is far better than leaving the team in Nashville. That would include building a new facility and having sold at least 12,000 season tickets. If he can do that, Bettman's objections might fall on deaf ears.
  41. Baldy Cotton from Canada writes:

    Uh, J. Jones, roughly a third of the the teams stateside are currently in hick towns, so your point about the NHL relocating to Winnipeg is wrong whether one accepts your Wpg-as-hick-town premise or not.

    Matt Jared, your analogy is useless. Toronto = long-standing baseball history over many decades; Nashville = no idea what the hell that ice cube thing they do is in that there arena place. Nice try, though.

  42. Charles Mitz from Canada writes: Wonderful news! I think it will be Waterloo although Winnipeg or Quebec City (or even Seattle) would still be better than Nashville. K-W is outside the Leaf's compensation zone and there are approximately 3 million people within an hour's drive of the likely arena location..that's hard to beat.
  43. Joe D'Agostino from St. Catharines, Canada writes: The team could be moved to several Canadian cities. Winnipeg and Quebec are deserving choices after losing their teams. Both cities have great fan bases. Hamilton would be great for southern Ontario. There are many fans that are shut out of tickets to Leafs games. Toronto could support a second team. This last option would create some much needed competition with the Leafs. It would definitely cut into MLSE's precious profits but both teams could do well financially.
  44. Jon Stanfield from Truro, NS, Canada writes: Certainly respect all he has done for RIM, but pro sports is a different game. Nashville is not a hockey hotbed and never will be. But Hamilton or Kitchener Waterloo cannot support an NHL team. These days pro sports is all corporate seats and what support will they have in that region. Are their major head offices? Imagine trying to build a new stadium? I am thinking that is pretty low on Ontario taxpayers minds. If he wants to lose a boatload of cash just by owning a team and having them in Hamilton or KW then so be it, but if he wants to make a go of it he should be looking elsewhere.....like Seattle or Portland. He should have bought Pittsburgh and kept them there....he would have made some dough with Crosby and his supporting cast. From a positive perspective, I like seeing a Canadian businessman buying an American NHL team or any pro sports team for that matter. He will do nothing but help the NHL because he has two things going for him, a smart Canadian businessman, and he has passion for the game. Two things the NHL and Bettman clearly need.
  45. Don Adams from Canada writes: Hmmmm. How about a FAN revolt.... "GET RID OF BETTMAN". :-)

    What about an owners agreement, not only a team salary cap, but also a single player wage cap.... maximum 2 million per year to any one player.`Top notch players don't like it, too bad.... go find another league to play in. Forget the American networks. Concentrate on selling the game in the US to sports networks.
    Team in KW? Yep. team in Seattle? Yep. Team in Winnipeg? Yep. team in Halifax? Yep. Relocate southern US teams to Northern US cities. Yep. PLUS, a European Hockey League, all NHL teams play the European teams at least 0nce in the season, then, a World cup.... winners of NHL play a 7 game series against winners of European league.

    Now, wake up Don. Sigh
  46. Tired Ofitall from Toronto, Canada writes: We need more people like Mr Balsillie and less like Mr Bettman who will force the proper direction of the league. Trying to expand in the US is only killing the sport - the future of the NHL remains with Canada, northen US cities (to some degree) and perhaps Europe. Its time to get rid of Bettman and decide once and for all that we could care less about the American networks.
  47. Sam B from Cambridge, Canada writes: Sorry to repost, but people should really check out this link
    http://www.cambridgetimes.ca/cam/news/news_792440.html

    It makes sense, Cambridge (and the property) is right on the 401, so people in the western portions of 905 could easily get there. If you look at the major centres that are within 30 mins drive you have, Cambridge, Kitchener, Waterloo, Guelph, Brantford, Hamilton, Burlington, Milton - likely talking about a population greater than 2 million.

    As far as the Penguin experience goes - there is a huge difference in how the NHL feels about hockey in Pittsburgh and hockey in Nashville. Having Crosby staying in the US market likely was also a huge factor.
  48. James M from Canada writes: Moving the team to Canada will not happen. It does not agree with the NHL's business plan, whether flawed or not. My suggestion: The Northwest Predators. 21 games in Portland, 20 games in Seattle, 42 road games. Although, with Oden and Durant, there's a lot of entertainment competition in the Northwest now.
  49. Brandan Matchett from halifax, Canada writes: This team will move to Canada. He would not have purchased it without a plan. He didn't buy this team to continue to lose money. The Toronto market is so starved for nhl hockey there is lot's of room for another team.

    MLSE will absolutely have kittens over this, and probably have already gotten the legal team fired up to try and block the move. Looks like the leafs may actually have to try a new strategy to keep their fan base.

    Here is an idea. Try winning now and then to keep your money dripping fans happy. Try hiring exec's with winning records and something more on their resume then assisstant gm to a team like st louis.

    MLSE deserves this in the worst way. Milking fans for more than 4 decades and putting sub par product on the ice.

    Looks good on ya Peddie, you Pr$ck
  50. Hugo Hall from Calgary, Canada writes: I like William Auger form Edmonton's idea of expanding to northern European cities, but I see four potential problems with it: firstly, it would really blow team travel budgets; second, it would give a new meaning to the idea of fatigue on the road(imagine flying from LA to Oslo and then having to play an NHL game the next day). Thirdly, not sure if major European cities have 20,000-seat arenas; and fourthly, not sure if fans there would be daft enough to fork out over $100 a ticket like we do in Canada.

    However, I think in general most of us agree that it is time for the NHL to ditch the sunbelt experiment and focus on proven hockey markets.
  51. ex- Easterner from Calgary, Canada writes: The NHL should worry more about losing viewers in Canada than gaining viewers in the States. A team in K.C. isn't going to get one more viewer on either side of the border. The NHL has to protect what it already has .... a huge market in Canada.

    Good luck to Balsillie. Hamilton would be a great location .. lots of fans and an instant rivalry with Toronto and Buffalo. The last time Hamilton was considered it was Buffalo that put the nix on it if I recall correctly. Hopefully the Leafs and Buffalo will see the wisdom of cementing a strong base in S. Ontario.
  52. B Fulsom from Menlo Park, United States writes: Hugo Hall, expanding the NHL to Europe will not work for all of the logistical reasons you listed...and the most obvious one: time zones. Vancouver to central Europe is a 9 hour difference. So imagine those hated NBC Saturday afternoon games except push them to 10am...or on the flip side, Europeans getting up to watch HNIC between 3-6am. How many people do you know woke up early on Saturday or stayed home on weekday mornings to watch Canada at the World's in Russia?
  53. Dafydd Brws from Toronto, Canada writes: Hey Jim, just find a spot one mile outside Toronto's (and Buffalo's) territory, near the 401, build it, and they will come. Guaranteed!
  54. Scot Loucks from Pickering, Canada writes:
    Dafydd Brws from Toronto, Canada writes: Hey Jim, just find a spot one mile outside Toronto's (and Buffalo's) territory, near the 401, build it, and they will come. Guaranteed!

    Hey Dafydd..... they already bought the land... check out the link.

    http://www.cambridgetimes.ca/cam/news/news_792440.html
  55. S M from Canada writes: Shane Jordan from Winnipeg, Canada wrote: Alright! Winnipeg as Stanley Cup winners in '96, '01, '02, and now,again in '09! (yeah, I know that it was 1896, 1901 and 1902, but still I figure we have a a better chance at breaking our drought before Toronto does...)

    Sorry Shane but the Aves are the QC Franchise, the Jets are now the Coyotes (who like the jets have never won a cup.)
  56. Marc DeRocket from Canada writes: If Nashville does move anywhere it will be where Gary Bettman wanrs the next NHL franchise to be.That is Kansas City.That was going to be the future home of the Penguins and when Belisle found out he couldnt put the team in S.Ont.he withdrew his bid.Kansas City has a brand new state of the art facility and is offering a rent free lease.Until K.W. area can provide an areana up to NHL standards and the franchise in Kansas City fails thats where the Nashville Predators will relocate if they do move at all.
  57. Gord Gord from Toronto, Canada writes: Let's see....55 comments posted so far here....1 comment in the Nashville web blog.
    Is is any wonder why this franchise is not succeeding? As far as re-locating my spider senses tell me this team is going no where for at least a couple of seasons.
    Once it moves I hope it goes to KW...I am from Toronto and an avid Leaf fan but a move to KW would succeed. Hell Leaf fans would attend in droves. Any other city is a choice for non-support as costs go up and their cities (sorry Hamilton and Winnipeg) don't grow with it.
  58. Concerned Citizen from Canada writes: Sam B from Cambridge and Scot Loucks from Pickering:

    The parcel of land that RIM purchased is 90k ( /- 1k) driving distance from the ACC. A deal with MLSE would have to be made to put an arena there and operate an NHL team from there.

    Buffalo is quicker as the crow flies, but driving distance is over 90 miles. No problem there.
  59. T Muller from Kelowna, Canada writes: I do not believe at this time Winnepeg could support a franchise in the black, but may in the future w/ a bigger stadium and committed owner. There are too many people leaving Winnepeg because of jobs elswhere, but they are fanatic about hockey. Although I do think a Canadian team will emerge, but from what team? Who knows. There are many other teams that are not making it in the US. Florida, Columbus, Carolina, Atlanta and Phoenix. My gues is Quebec City or Seattle. I know Bettman wants KC. Even though a no-rent lease is attractive, it also has no fan base just like Houston.
  60. Gary Dare from Portland, Oregon, Canada, writes: Once again ... Seattle does not have a proper facility in the Key Arena and with the collapse of the Sonics' arena proposal in Renton, WA, they will likely leave town for OKC (the goal of the owners to begin with) and take any possible interested owner with them. Portland, Oregon's Rose Garden was recently repurchased by Paul Allen, who no longer has any interest in the NHL and needs to rebuild the NBA Trail Blazers franchise, whether to keep or to sell.

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