DON’T GET ME STARTED began to wonder about a lot of things after the Toronto Star disclosed that Billionaire Jim Baisillie phone-talked with Sabres owner Tom Golisano around the Christmas holidays. The topic? Would Golisano like to sell the Buffalo Sabres to Baisillie and a suspected move of the club to Hamilton, Ontario.
The “Star” report stated that Golisano would be open to selling the Sabres. Once the story broke in Toronto, Sabres managing partner Larry Quinn said the club doesn’t talk about these types of things….that there’s always an inquiry but wanted to quickly state that relocating the team out of Buffalo is out of the question. Golisano reportedly feels the same way.
Now let’s begin to wonder. I wonder if Golisano and the Sabres would follow the Buffalo Bills avenue and play several “home” games in Hamilton, Ontario. After all, Baisillie is a Canadian and would love to put a team in Hamilton. Such a move would bring the Toronto Maple Leafs screaming “Territory – Territory.” Mind you, Hamilton could really support an NHL team – something that many American cities with NHL clubs aren’t getting. You name them: Phoenix; Columbus; Nashville; Florida Panthers; Atlanta are only a handful of teams that could be had for the right price. Nashville, of course, had almost inked a deal with Baisillie, but the NHL frowned and convinced local citizenry to step up. The report in the Star says that many of the league's franchises can be pried loose from the current owners.
Let’s wonder some more. Suppose talks might have been serious enough for the Sabres to pinch their pennies as far as players were concerned – hence the departure of Brian Campbell. If talks were held a year earlier about a Golisano sale of the club – I wonder if the Briere/Drury decisions came into play. Oh well, that’s only wondering. Until something firm shows up, you have to take the words of Golisano and Quinn that the Sabres would never agree to re-location of the club.
Face it, anyone buying the Sabres would probably be foolish to move them considering the success Buffalo has enjoyed – and reaping a profit as well. The reported $92 million Colisano paid for the club has seen the value of the Sabres go up and the club is worth much more. The Sabres have been the talk of the league as far as success stories are concerned. They have a good season ticket base and have sold out about 99% of their games.
Everyone knows that Ralph Wilson – for decades – has stated he would never move the Bills out of Buffalo while he still breathes. He’s kept his word. But when one Billionaire talks to another Billionaire and talk of “sale” is part of that conversation – one wonders what’s going on behind the scenes.
Should Sabres fans be concerned? Sure. Just as the Bills fans are concerned that, in five years (or less,) the Bills might be sold to an outside group that would put the team in Los Angeles or Toronto.
There’s talk; there’s discussion; there’s talk of no re-location if the team were to be sold. And that’s what’s troubling. There’s a lot of talk going on and all Sabres fans will probably be listening to more talk, with few answers on Don’t Get Me Started
© Copyright 2008 by Speakupwny.com
Top of Page
