Hawks Sale, What's the Real Story? · 19 August, 14:54

After the breaking story of the sale of the Portland Winter Hawks by the Kamloops Daily News, I have two questions:

Why would a Canadian Billionaire (Bill Gallacher) want to buy an American WHL hockey team?

Why would he pay 7.5 million when it was reported sold for 3.5 million 3 years ago and the product hasn’t improved in that time frame?

This is such a contrast to the story told by current ownership for the last few years it makes me wonder.

So what has changed?

Here are some of my random thoughts:

Why would a Canadian Billionaire want to buy an American WHL hockey team?

  • The Team is available.
  • A step up to the NHL.
  • Loves hockey.
  • His kid is playing in the league and wants to be involved.
  • Needs a tax write-off.
  • After he loses money for a few years he can easily move the team to his favorite Canadian city.

Why would he pay 7.5 million when it was reported sold for 3.5 million 3 years ago and the product hasn’t improved in that same time frame?

  • Cost is no object.
  • US dollar is at an all time low and predicted to rise in the future.
  • Has fixed the broken economic model (lease) that the Hawks have been reported to be operating under. The article reports a new lease will be signed 10 days after the sale.
  • Portland is a prime candidate for NHL expansion. Could this be part of a partnership with Vulcan (Rose Garden) to make a bid for a NHL franchise? Can NHL and the Trailblazers now see the possibilities of co-existing?
  • As JJJ and company have proved you can quote lose money on the day-to-day operation of the team and still turn around and sell the franchise for a tidy profit. Of course this was done on the backs of a great hockey fan base watching two seasons of dismal performance in the Memorial Coliseum and the poor Hawks employees that have lost their jobs.

— S. Blanchard

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US Divisional News · 18 January, 15:48

— S. Blanchard

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