I’m on WiFi made of tin cans and string this morning, but wanted to update you briefly on today’s news:
- There’s a Wisconsin state budget plan, and the Milwaukee Bucks arena proposal isn’t in it. That doesn’t kill the deal, but it does make passage even dicier, especially in the state senate.
- The New York Post says there’s a deal to move the Arizona Coyotes to Las Vegas, which the NHL has denied in especially strong language, calling it “garbage.” (Unless they mean the Post itself is garbage, which, well, point.)
- Minnesota United‘s owners are expected to ask MLS for an extension on their July 1 stadium deadline. Not that anyone ever said what would happen when the deadline was reached, so who knows what an extension would mean, but anyway.
And that’s it for now. Will try to provide further updates later, interweb connectivity willing.
Milwaukee County Transit System is currently on strike over contract issues.
The image of Milwaukee leadership feeding their transit system to The Bucks is not hard for anybody to visualize.
The kind of fascinating thing for me is the possibility that “austerity measures” might be leading a collection of bad choices yet to be made- rather than the reverse where a bunch of goofy loans go south, and your water system gets sold to Paul Singer.
The Vegas report may well be garbage… but let’ not forget that the NHL also ‘vehemently denied’ that the Coyotes were losing $35-40m per year under Jerry Moyes. A figure which they very much matched when the league itself ran the club…
So lying to the media for their own purposes is not beyond the NHL executive….
http://legis.wisconsin.gov/lfb/publications/Miscellaneous/Documents/2015_06_29%20LRB%2015-2678_P1.pdf
Read the details of the taxpayer giveaway by Walker and company to the Bucks and clinch your cheeks.
“the professional basketball team or its affiliate shall be entitled to receive all revenues related to the operation or use of the sports and entertainment arena facilities, including, but not limited to, ticket revenues,licensing or user fees, sponsorship revenues, revenues generated from events that are held on the plaza that is part of the sports and entertainment arena facilities, revenues from the sale of food, beverages, merchandise, and parking, and revenues
from naming rights.”
We build it, pay for it, and they profit.
I see this post covers more than one topic, so I thought you might be interested in this:
https://www.newsreview.com/sacramento/pageburner/blogs/post?oid=17513166
That’s incredible. I really don’t know how much stock Frawley will put in this, if any, but… Wow. KJ is covering stuff up now.
Bettman also refuted relocation reports about Atlanta and they moved to Winnipeg the same month. Normally if Bettman says one thing, I assume the opposite is true.
The Short History of NBA Picking Up and Moving On: The Tri-Cities BlackHawks became he Milwaukee Hawks, The Milwaukee Hawks become the St Louis Hawks, the Fort Wayne Pistons became the Detroit Pistons, the Rochester Royals became the Cincinnati Royals, the Minneapolis Lakers became the Los Angeles Lakers, the Philadelphia Warriors became the SF Warriors, Chicago Zephers became the Baltimore Bullets, Syracuse Nationals became Philadelphia 76’ers, St Louis Hawks became the Atlanta Hawks, San Diego Rockets became the Houston Rockets, Cincinnati Royals became the KC-Omaha Kings (following along?), Baltimore Bullets became the Capital Bullets, Buffalo Braves became the San Diego Clippers, New Orlean Jazz moved the band and became Utah Jazz, San Diego Clippers became the Los Angeles Clippers (aka Lakers II), KC Kings became the Sacramento Kings, Vancouver Grizzles became the Memphis Grizzles, Charlotte Hornets became the New Orleans Hornets, the New Orleans Hornets became the Oklahoma City Hornets, the Oklahoma City Hornets became the New Orleans Hornets (again), Seattle Supersonics became the Oklahoma City Thunder. Getting the picture? The NBA has a cherished tradition among a slew of owners that play cities for suckers.
Beergut: Despite NBA & team-owner bad behavior, deal-making pols are acting like the jerk is really a Knight in Shining Armor and the city is a damsel in distress. And Bucks owners HAVE made a killing picking up “distresses properties.” Pols are cruisin’ for a brusin’–but within 4 years mayor, governor, and easily bored county exec will all likely be retired/off to next job–when the Bucks’ bullying takes full effect. I pity the pols who will have to pick up the pieces after the Visiting Venture Capitalists are allowed to fleece the taxpayers and control 30 acres of prime downtown real estate, all for the unlimited profiteering noted by sonofsam that state law will sanction–for as long as the arena stands.
Another novelty: the 30-year-plus lease the state will give the Bucks will be crafted, signed, and executed by only one person–Walker’s appointed Head of Administrative Services. What could possibly go wrong. That’s how oligarchy’s sposed to work…
I also wouldn’t put it past the NHL to leak rumors of a Vegas move to put the heat on Glendale, while simultaneously denying it to avoid looking like the bad guys.
Coyotes attendance, revenue dip for Glendale arena
http://www.azcentral.com/story/news/local/glendale/2015/05/26/glendale-arizona-coyotes-attendance-revenue-dips-arena/27792029/
“Glendale’s losses for hockey and concerts at Gila River Arena through May hit $6.14 million, up nearly 14 percent from a year earlier.
The Coyotes have never made a penny of profit in their entire existence!
“The Coyotes have never made a penny of profit in their entire existence!”
Who needs profit when you have taxpayers?
“Who needs profit when you have taxpayers ?”
League Owners – – that’s who.
Bend over taxpayers.. this one’s for you.