As one of about 12,000 passionate Predators fans who are at every game without fail, I could take this opportunity to rant — and there certainly has been plenty of that going on around town for the past few days.

Section 303 publishes an editorial on the Predators situation.

Tennessee Voices: Preds' loyal fans intend to be heard, loud and clear - Nashville, Tennessee - Sunday, 05/27/07 - Tennessean.com

Craig Leipold
Nashville Predators
501 Broadway
Nashville, TN 37203

May 24, 2007

Dear Predators' Season Ticket Holders:

June 25, 2007 will mark the 10-year anniversary of the awarding of the NHL franchise to Nashville that became your Nashville Predators. It's been an incredible 10-year journey for me. I can't tell you enough how much I appreciate your strong emotional and financial support of the Nashville Predators. You are a big part of the team's on-ice success. On behalf of the entire franchise, I thank you.

Ten years ago, I couldn't call myself a hockey expert. Today, my family and I are as passionate and competitive about the game as the most hardcore fans.

When the franchise began, I said we would run it as a business in order to be successful. We developed a game plan both on and off the ice. We became an integral part of the community, especially downtown Nashville. We made sure we had some fun. And, we indicated that making a huge profit was not a top priority – but we certainly didn't make plans to lose a significant amount either.

As part of those plans we developed a loyal fan base – every team should be fortunate enough to have a Cell Block 303 and the loudest arena in the league. We built a team that the community could be proud of on and off the ice. We grew our hockey skills exactly as general manager David Poile outlined, using the draft as a foundation and then supplementing at the appropriate times with trades and free agents. We gave back to the community – well over $2 million in grants and in-kind donations through the Nashville Predators Foundation. We created an entertaining in-arena atmosphere for every game night. And, we did it all while keeping our ticket prices near the bottom of the league.

Unfortunately, the success on the ice has not translated to success for me as business owner.

Here are just a few facts as to why:

The Nashville Predators tallied up 216 points in the last two seasons, fifth most in the NHL, yet because of below-average attendance, the team will still have a real cash loss of $27 million during that time. Additionally, that loss is despite receiving the most money in the league from revenue sharing. Over the last five years, the team has lost over $60 million.
We've invested heavily in sales and marketing efforts, spending over $50 million in 10 years, most of that with locally-based businesses.
Our average regular season attendance this past season was 13,589, up from the year before, but still 2,000 below the NHL average. A low turnout, combined with a low ticket price results in a poor financial situation.
The new NHL Collective Bargaining Agreement with revenue sharing is not a cure-all. Each local market must still support its local team. In addition, this attendance does not qualify us for our full revenue sharing allocation under the... [ Read More (0.3k in body) ]

FUCK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Craig Leipold has reached an agreement with BlackBerry owner Jim Balsillie to sell the team as soon as paperwork can be completed.

Leipold met with the NHL Board of Governors at 2 p.m. Wednesday in New York, and then told his staff of the developments.

Leipold told the Predators' front office personnel that the team will remain in Nashville for at least the next season, but made no promised for the future."

Well it looks as if the Predators might be on thin ice. I had fun going to games this year. But I bet the "leaf" that will now own the Predators will be looking to make a switch at the end of 2008-9 season if ticket sales go soft.

The Predators have an opt-out clause in their 30-year lease with the City of Nashville (the owners of the teams’ arena) if the team isn’t happy with their attendance. If the Predators exercise their out-clause they would be free to move to another city at the end of the 2008-09 season

The Predators out-clause is directly linked towards total ticket sales, not number of tickets sold based on building capacity. The club's lease works like this:

• If attendance slips below 14,000 a game this season, the Predators can signal an interest in exercising their Gaylord Entertainment Center escape clause two months after this hockey season ends.

• Average attendance would have to fall below 14,000 a game again in the 2007-08 season for the team to actually leave by October 2008.

And here’s the kicker – the clause is based on paid attendance and according to what Leipold told The Tennessean, the Predators actual paid attendance is actually just over 13,000 per game (the team gives away 1,500 tickets per game).

The Nashville Predators have been sold (Predators on thin ice?)

The Predators evened their Western Conference quarterfinal by
beating San Jose 5-2 Friday night in a penalty- and fight-filled game.

"We came here to play hockey tonight," Nashville coach Barry Trotz said.
"We knew it was an important game, and they turn it into a street brawl."

San Jose coach Ron Wilson, who lost a player to injury for a second straight
game, stalked into the post-game news conference and picked up the microphone.

"I have no comment," Wilson said before walking out of the room.

Hell yeah!

NHL - San Jose Sharks/Nashville Predators Recap Friday April 13, 2007 - Yahoo! Sports

Patrick Rissmiller scored at 11:46 of the second overtime, and the San Jose Sharks beat the Nashville Predators 5-4 Wednesday night after blowing a two-goal lead in the opening game of the Western Conference first-round series.

Damnit. Playoff Scoreboard here. Hopefully we'll turn this around on Friday!

SI.com - 2007 NHL Playoffs - Sharks blow early lead, dump Predators in 2OT - Thursday April 12, 2007 12:06AM

Johnson was in the 13th month of an 18-month term of probation when a Gurnee police SWAT team raided his house, finding the guns and arresting his friend, Willie Posey, who was caught in Johnson's basement with a wholesale quantity of marijuana. Posey was murdered two days later moments after he and Johnson arrived in a Chicago nightclub that was a notorious gang hangout.

Damn!

SI.com - Bears DT Johnson may not go to Miami

That was one hell of a rant! You should have posted it to your memestream, but I'll post this to mine.

flynn23 wrote:
Hockey 'purists' can't stand the fact that 3 of the last 4 Cups have gone to 'non-traditional' markets and that the last 2 Cups have gone to Southern US teams is grating on the nerves of every Canuckuckle head north of Oshawa, ONT. Whatever they can do to drag down this franchise, they have been doing. From poor press and media coverage (except from people who actually look at y'know... stats!), poor officiating (Scott Nichol overreacts and gets 12 game suspension. Alex Ovechkin slews and spears Danny Briere, no call), shitty scheduling (65% of the games so far have been on the road), and just general disrespect - this team has gotten the SHAFT. If anything, I hope that all the crap that is going to get kicked up from this meme does nothing but inspire this team to go ALL THE WAY just to silence this bullshit once and for all. When it's clutch time boys... think of all of these idiots and put their hot air into the wheelhouse of your shot, because that will be the only thing that will win something even greater than the Cup. Respect.

Its good when your team is a pain in everyone's ass, isn't it?

RE: SI.com - Allan Muir: Winning not enough to save Predators - Monday January 15, 2007

After years of smart drafting, shrewd trades and clever free-agent signings, your team is in contention for the Cup.

Alas, it's hard to believe the club might be pricing the cost of moving vans in the near future.

The team is struggling desperately at the gate, ranking 23rd in the league. Despite all the winning, attendance is dwindling -- making it likely the Preds will miss the average marks necessary to qualify for revenue sharing from the league. And that's money they can't do without.

It should be made clear that the issue at hand isn't fan support. The die-hards at the Gaylord Entertainment Complex are as passionate and loyal as you'll find in the league. It's the empty seats that splatter the high-dollar lower bowl, and the rows of unoccupied luxury boxes that are the real problem.

The upper crust of Nashville's business community doesn't care about Hockey. I've heard that the impact of regulations on marketing in the healthcare industry might be part of the problem, but I also have to wonder how many Nashville businesses have sunk insane amount of money into seat licenses for the Titans. My employer used to have a half box in Atlanta for hockey/basketball. You could call up the secretary and get tickets. It was a nice perk working there. Unfortunately, they don't do it anymore...

SI.com - Allan Muir: Winning not enough to save Predators - Monday January 15, 2007

In this activity combining outdoor exertion and ironing, athletes do ironing in "extreme" situations, such as on the top of a mountain, halfway down a cliff or even while bungee-jumping... The sport "is an outdoor activity that combines the danger and excitement of an 'extreme' sport with the satisfaction of a well-pressed shirt."

Life imitates the onion...

New X-Games Event?

HA! Thanks Flynn...

Hockey Fights at hockeyfights.com