An Intervention for our Friends in Hamilton
I don't want to do this.
We've tried talking to you…warning you.
But it is clear you need help.
The only solution is an intervention, so here goes…
Hamilton. Pay attention! YOU ARE NOT GETTING AN NHL TEAM! Not this October…not next October…not ANY October.
You are the 9th largest market in Canada …even when you annex Burlington (hopefully without bloodshed). You are principally a working class town with nominal corporate infrastructure. Tourism is virtually non existent.
One rich guy wants to own a hockey team in your town, but only because his wife is from Hamilton and would like to see the joint spruced up a little. If Balsillie doesn't get a team (he won't) then you don't HAVE a second choice. There is no line up behind Captain RIM. No one else is waiving their wallet in the air and yelling, "Hey, what about me?"
Gary Bettman doesn't want a franchise in Hamilton . Neither do any of the governors. Even if Balsillie had played nice with the NHL, Hamilton is so far off the league's radar so as not to exist! The league would rather approve a move to hockey hotbeds like Las Vegas or Kansas City than give you a franchise. Hell, they'd go to Guam before they went to Hamilton !
The Buffalo Sabres don't want you in the club. The Toronto Maple Leafs don't want you in the club. Jeez, Hockey Night in Canada doesn't even want you in the club since they know that the potential increase in audience and revenues will be next to nothing.
In short, nobody wants you except Jim Balsillie and yourselves!
Forget websites that fire you up but accomplish nothing. Forget town meetings or barbeques or marches down Main Street . No one is paying attention!
Get it through your collective heads…it doesn't matter what you want or how loudly you scream for it. No one is listening! No one cares!
You think this is some sort of National pride thing? It isn't. Torontonians could care less. Oh sure, you'd get a handful of goofballs to fight the QEW traffic once in a while to get a cheap ticket. But of the 4 million or so in the GTA, 3.9 million will never, ever, ever go to Hamilton for a hockey game. EVER!
How many do you think will come from London or Barrie, much less Windsor or Peterborough? Have you deluded yourselves into thinking that this is even a topic of conversation in any other city in Canada ? Call anyone you know outside Ontario and do you know what they'll say? "WHO GIVES A FLYING FADOO!"
This is YOUR story and ONLY YOUR story! And it is not goiong to have a happy ending!
Alright, there you have it.
I am very sorry.
But you needed to know.
An intervention is never easy and it can be cruel, but we do this because we love you.
NOW GET BACK TO WORK AND FORGET THIS NHL NONSENSE!!!!!!!!!!!
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Scott wrote on Aug 3, 2009
I agree with Bob!cheer.xo wrote on Jul 8, 2009
Its pretty sad that hockey is one of our national sports, yet we have hardly any nhl teams here. The entire country should be fighting to bring at least another team across the border. And since when did you speak for the entire 4 million people in the GTA? This entire article was really just offensive to everyone in Hamilton. Since when was over 500,000 people considered a town?Proud Hamiltonian wrote on Jul 8, 2009
Since when did being an announcer for a failing baseball team 30 years ago make you an expert on Sports? I'd assume that an expert, like you call yourself, would know that hockey is the 7th most watched sport in the US (Nascar and Bowling are more popular!) so why would a team that is failing in Phoenix move to another US market to fail again. Yeah we know here in Hamilton that you all think we're somehow lower class than the rest of you because we work factory jobs and aren't considered white collar (like all you fancy sophisticates in TO). Lets face facts money is money and it does not matter what kind of job you work GREEN is GREEN. The first time we thought we were getting a team (the Penguins) we sold 500 season tickets to people in the HOPES we would be getting a team, Phoenix can't even give tickets away. Do all of us in Hamilton a favour, keep your mouth shut on things you know nothing about, it just shows how ignorant you areGreg R. wrote on Jul 7, 2009
I really dont like you Bob, but this time you hit it right on the nose. It is never going to happen. Thanks. P.s. you spelt Peterborough wrong.Paul Wilson wrote on Jul 6, 2009
Bobcat I always agree with you because you are right. I am a Hamiltonian and I reserve the right "to dream a little dream for me". I love " Jim the Rim", I know he trying to load his pockets full of cash... however I will promise you that Jim has started the demise of the Little Commish, Gary is doomed due to denying the owners of the equity they so crave. That's constellation enough for me. Go Ti-Cats!TOMMYGUNN wrote on Jul 6, 2009
JULY 18TH ON TOP OF JACKSON SQUARE.....LETS SHOW THEM WE ARE STILL HERE STILL SUPPORTING AND ARE THE GREATEST HOCKEY TOWN EVER.....JULY 18TH 2 PM.....chris wrote on Jun 29, 2009
I guess the point is that the NHL cares far too much about what Americans think of the game. Personally, I don't give a FADOO about how Americans perceive our game or whether or not they like it. I find it sad that people in hockey continue to peddle our game to Americans and try to look for acceptance. (Almost as if our game can't be good unless someone else likes it too.) The population may be down south, but the fan interest (and therefore the revenue) is up north. Fire these idiots that are running this league and hire someone with some commonsense.Snidely Whiplash wrote on Jun 26, 2009
NHL in Hamilton? Not in my lifetime. But I LOVE the Hamilton put-downs by the sophisticats in Toronto. I guess they have been listening in TO because its all the same stuff that Americans always say about TO. Its NOT American, even tho it tries to be. Its NOT a big market city, even tho it talks like it is. It certainly is NOT sophistocated, even tho it considers itself the "centre of the universe". Americans favour places like Kansas City, Tulsa, Mobile over the dump that is TO, because they are American. You deal with Yanks, and you deserve what you get. First of all, America doesnt go into ANYTHING, hear me, ANYTHING, unless THEY run it. And when they run it, its done their way or no way at all. And when you are forced to live among their concepts, Canada doesnt even matter,(barely hits their radar in fact), Hamilton doesnt exist and TO is among the smallest of blips. Sorry TO, but you suck too, in a bush-league kind of way.chris wrote on Jun 25, 2009
The problem with the NHL is that it is run by businesspeople, not hockey people. As long as that is the case, nothing will change. Nobody in MLB, NBA, NFL is rushing to place teams in Canada. (Clearly they don't care about growing their game here.) The NHL can have this market all to itself (Hamilton, Winnipeg, Saskatoon, St. John's, etc.) plus it can have the northern US, and go into Europe as well. It's a cold weather game. Keep it north, keep it cold, stick to your power base.John Winger wrote on Jun 24, 2009
Aww, it looks like we are one big happy Fadoo'n family!VitoFromHamilton wrote on Jun 24, 2009
Alright, but don't let it happen again..LOL. J/K Steve! BTW the word is troglodytic. Not bad for a guy named Vito, huh?Steve wrote on Jun 24, 2009
I apologize Vito. I shouldn't have taken my frustrations about our troglyditic city out on you. I suppose that we are on the same side, so again, I am sorry bud.VitoFromSteve'sMother's wrote on Jun 24, 2009
It's not so much Bettman, but the NHL Board of Goobers who are the real idiots here. You just have to look at the salaries they pay for a hockey player, let alone hiring Bettman for commissioner, to gauge their proclivity of confusing abject stupidity for good judgement.McFish wrote on Jun 24, 2009
LoL I'd just like start off by saying the "report this comment" link should be all on one line. I accidently reported someone when I wanted to reply! I'm originally from IL living in NC, and I can't tell you how stoked and surpirsed I was when I found out Raleigh was getting a team. I understand Hamiltonians' disappointment. You have to look at it from the vp of the govenors, though. Bettman thinks, and from a marketing standpoint I agree, that US fandom growth (queue northern growning over southern teams) is the only way for the sport to grow and compete with MLB, NBA & NFL for $$. You're only going to get that by exposing the sport to new areas primarily in the US. Did he handle it right? No, he doesn't have to- he's the governors' puppet. Should he have thanked Hamiltonians for their support and show of hockey love? Yes. But he didn't. Get over him and support hockey however you can, just don't let Bettman bring you down.VitoFromHamilton wrote on Jun 24, 2009
Steve, your gold star for spelling is on it's way. Maybe you were first in your class in the spelling bee, but I'll bet you had the personality of Gary Bettman.mike wrote on Jun 24, 2009
You think this is some sort of National pride thing? It isn't. Torontonians could care less. how much less could they care?steve wrote on Jun 23, 2009
Vito, could you be any more stereotypical? Aside from your name, your spelling, AND your viewpoint, who could have guessed that you are from Hamilton? If anyone from the Hammer wants their opinion to be taken anywhere near seriously, they should first learn how to present an argument that is factual and intelligent and then learn how to spell. After that and then, will it be taken as serious instead of anything but a farcical aside. Oh, and by the way, I live in Hamilton.Dan wrote on Jun 23, 2009
What has become evident is that the NHL will take ANY bid to keep the team in Phoenix. This "news" that White Sox owner Jerry Reinsdork wil be submitting a bid by Friday puts the final nail in the hopes of Hamilton, Toronto, Kitchener, Winnipeg, Moose Jaw, Quebec, Flin Flon, Saskatoon, Regina, Lake of the Woods, Richmond or any city or outpost (I said outPOST)in Canada getting an NHL team any time soon. Do you even think for a minute that when that rabid hockey fan Reinsdork submits his bid, the NHL will look at it and say, "I dunno Jerry, we got this guy in Hamilton with a pretty decent bid...we're leaning that way, but thanks for your interest...and byt the way name ten NHL players..." If the NHL had expended half the effort keeping the team in Winnipeg (where they NEVER should have left in the first place) as they are attempting to keep it in a city that has clearly shown they don't give a flying fadoo about hockey...then the Jets would be thriving in their new hockey arena.VitoFromHamilton wrote on Jun 23, 2009
Bob, it's not that I don't agree with your views, it's just that you're a big enough douchebag to say it. To our faces, nonetheless. Hamilton may not be as sexy as Toronto, but at least we enjoy uninterupted garbage service, something you sophisticates are struggling with in Toronto. Maybe if you didn't have such a dim view of honest hardworking people in Toronto, somebody would think to get up off their air-conditioned fat ass and collect the garbage, the biggest depository of which is the Air Canada Center and that joke of a Maple Leafs hockey franchise.Shelby wrote on Jun 23, 2009
Once upon a time, in a land not so far away, Bob stood up for a Southern Ontario city trying to land a hockey team. This is good stuff... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lo6QSHEjPvQ This was before youthful, can do optimism was destroyed by the creeping effects age and cynicism.chris wrote on Jun 22, 2009
Although I already stated previously that Canada will never get another NHL team under Bettman's watch, the facts are this: 1. Hamilton is a better location for hockey than about 20 of the 24 American cities currently in the NHL. 2. Regardless of how large the city of Hamilton is within Canada (and it's large enough), an NHL team would be successful there. That is what mattersskidandy wrote on Jun 21, 2009
laugh all you want but its amazing when you think of all the nhl players who based out of WELLAND...trash we may be but we care about hockey,and a mass carpool to the hammer has already been arranged...and you think noboby cares huh??? BOB you re a genius!gympanzee wrote on Jun 20, 2009
As much as I hate to admit it...you are right Bob. North Toronto seems to be the only viable market...and the NHL seems somewhat lukewarm on the idea. Many junior teams went through Hamilton and failed. Even AHL hockey in Hamilton gets a collective yawn. I am not necessarily convinced that there are more hockey fans in Southern Ontario than Leaf fans. The blue and white seem to have the monopoly and something tells me that they will fight hard to keep it.Clinton wrote on Jun 20, 2009
Prediction: The NHL/Gary Bettman say to Jim Balsillie, "Go ahead, buy the team, but purchase is contigent upon moving the team (back) to Winnipeg." To me, that is the most reasonable and possibly most satisfactory result. After all, it IS Winnipeg's team. EVERYONE wins; a)The NHL basically can satisfy a WHOLE country (instead of just Hamilton) & b)Mr. Balsillie can own a team within Canada.Nick wrote on Jun 20, 2009
Thanks to "The Count" a team in Canada is not happening any time soon. When it does, it just won't be Hamilton. Even Toronto and Montreal are waiting for a team. LOLLeafluvr wrote on Jun 19, 2009
It's over Hamilton. Today's rally was because money was already exchanged for a victory celebration that never happened. Don't be 'that guy' Hamilton. Downsview is the best place to tap into the GTA. Anyone who uses Kitchener, Oakville, Mississauga, or St. Catharines as reasons why Hamilton would be viable, I got news for ya I've lived in each city including Hamilton for 5 years. I would rather make the drive UP the QEW and make a night in Toronto than the Hammer. It will draw just as much including the lazy, good taste Torontonians like Bob and others. Lets just get a team already. Wake up G.B.Ray wrote on Jun 19, 2009
This is why I love Bob. Couldn't agree with you more.John Plaudis wrote on Jun 19, 2009
To find the biggest *** in this scenario we just have to look under the bus, because that would be where the NHL has thrown him. The *** here is the current owner, Jerry Moyes. The NHL has already stated that they will find a new owner that will satisfy all legitimate creditors. They may as well of said all creditors except Jerry Moyes. Some of the Balsillie money that would have gone to Moyes will instead be put aside for the future buyout of the Glendale lease and the overall purchase price will be less since Moyes will not be deemed to be a legitimate creditor. Balsillie’s lawyers have already jumped on this and are trying to alert other owners of struggling NHL teams that they could be the next ones to be thrown under the same bus when the time comes from them to sell their teams. If it plays out this way, then the NHL will be able to go before the court with their approved purchaser. At that time Balsillie may well come back with his revised bid which will be for more money, butTTQ wrote on Jun 19, 2009
RIM wasn't built in a day, Bobcat! Don't count Balsillie out of bringing a team to Hamilton...many said the same things about Ottawa bringing back the Senators once upon a time. If the NHL executives had any tangible understanding as to the history of NHL hockey in Hamilton, and what's indeed best for hockey...all this *** about infringing on surrounding franchises operating rights would be a mute point.Why do we have NHL hockey in markets where it doesn't snow?? Does that make good business sense? And name one of these franchises in the South that at some point in time hasn't suffered from some sort of financial turmoil...can't be done! Let's get rid of the Phoenix's, Florida's, Tampa's, Dallas', Anaheim's, L.A.'s, San Jose, Atlanta's, Nashville's...unless the team is winning in these markets, no one gives a FADOO! They're not hockey cities.The league needs to fold all of the franchises in the south, bring a team back to Hamilton,Winnipeg and Quebec City.Mike_Fearn wrote on Jun 19, 2009
You couldn't be more right Bob!Steve-O wrote on Jun 19, 2009
A dissapointing piece of literature from a man who knows how to highlight and feed off of controversy. I'm a big fan, but this is typical bluster from a man who I hope will be proven wrong in the long run. Fact of the matter is, the team has the potential to draw from Hamilton, Burlington, Oakville, Brantford, Kitchener and Guelph, with diminishing returns the further away that people get. I'm interested to hear Bob's take on exactly where a second team in Southern Ontario will go? Vaughan, Woodbridge. Downsview, York U? All those things have one thing in common- not a NHL calibre arena on the horizon. Its all about arena, market, ownership. Hamilton hits 3/3 on that one. Balsille has already started lining up his corporate partners and believe me, there will be more to come. I always respect Bob's opinion, but on this one, we differ.Joe wrote on Jun 19, 2009
Get rid of Bettman! he's ruined the league. http://www.FireBettman.comclint wrote on Jun 19, 2009
As a resident of Hamilton, I TOTALLY agree with you Bob. The major concern that I have now, is that Hamilton City Council and all of the other short-sighted organizations that seem to forever inhabit this section of Southern Ontario, have pinned their hopes of downtown revitalization on this far-fetched plan. What will happen next? Another 10 years of whining and complaining about how our downtrodden downtown is the result of not getting an NHL team? Maybe if the majority of the residents of this city had completed high school, they would be more apt to include the principles of logic in their intellectual diet - rather than act like the proverbial mule on a dirt farm. You know the one, it has the carrot dangled in front of it all day?City of Winnipeg wrote on Jun 18, 2009
Get in line Hamilton!Thinktank wrote on Jun 18, 2009
Bob’s got a point about the prospects of a team ending up in Hamilton as grim, but I wouldn’t say that the rest of Canada could give a flying fadoo. Personally, I could give a very solid, structurally sound fadoo and I know others in the Toronto area that would also be willing to contribute their substantial fadoos as well. Bettman doesn’t want a franchise in Hamilton. We’ve known that from the start, but he doesn’t want another franchise in Canada period. Perhaps if collectively pray or stick pins in little Bettman dolls, he will go away soon. I give credit to Balsillie and the city of Hamilton for pushing forward. It’s because of them that there is even talk of another franchise in Canada. And why are sports writers and show hosts so eager to condemn wishful thinkers? Are they so afraid of being wrong, that it’s safer to be a doomsayer. To push for something new and different, does that make one an idiot or a baby? Who one the cup?Howard wrote on Jun 18, 2009
I agree with you Bob. But don't you think we should consider this exercise again in three to five years from now and then five years after that? I mean what else do Hamiltonians have got to look forward to?Jake Roth wrote on Jun 18, 2009
I couldn't agree more.D.A Mitchell wrote on Jun 18, 2009
Thank god for Bob...A voice of reason in the sea of wishful thinking that is the anti Bettman media. So they not realize it's a fait au compli? The Leafs are enough for this area because their fans are really only Leaf fans. If they played any other sport hockey would be something kids do in this city to kill time on the weekends... There, said my piece...