Pens Future in Doubt

[Madferret]

Pens Future in Doubt
Associated Press

PITTSBURGH (AP) - Penguins owner-captain Mario Lemieux said he is doubtful that the team will remain in Pittsburgh after its Mellon Arena lease expires in 2007, citing a lack of progress on a new arena.

The Penguins are projecting a $7 million US loss this season, a figure that assumes the team will draw near-capacity crowds and advance to the second round of the playoffs.

''I think we're really running out of time,'' Lemieux said. ''We probably ran out of time already. It's been unfortunate that the city and the county haven't been willing to work with us over the last two or three years.''

Lemieux has said for several years that the Penguins would not be able to survive in Pittsburgh without a new arena. Mellon Arena is the oldest and smallest arena in the National Hockey League.

The lease allows the team to solicit offers for the franchise beginning in June 2006. Kansas City is among the cities that have expressed interest in the team.

''We'll sit down with everybody and understand what's at stake for our investment and what's best for the franchise'' when the board of directors is scheduled to meet this week, Lemieux said.

KC? God no!
Surely with the economics of the new NHL a move back to Quebec or Winnipeg could be considered.

[Iced Tea]

Lemieux and Co. knew of the difficulties they faced well before they went and blew a huge amount on their current roster. Any losses they suffer this year are their own fault.

As for the arena, the Pens should move out of town as soon as they can because they have been negotiating with the authorities for years with no results. The city of Pittsburgh government, the county government and state government forked out the majority of the money for the Steelers' stadium and all the money for Pirates' new stadium and now say no to the other major league sport in town.

The Penguins brought the last two championships to Pittsburgh yet the Pirates, who haven't won the World Series since 1979, and the Steelers, who haven't won the Super Bowl since 1979, both get new stadiums.

Seems like a kick to the face of the Penguins. I don't expect teams to be given new stadiums, although it happens in the NFL (ie Baltimore Ravens), but if other sports teams in a city are able to get financial support when building a stadium/arena, then all major sports teams should get the same deal.

It would be sweet to see a team move to Canada. The Winnipeg Penguins will win the 2010 Stanley Cup, you heard it here first.

[Yoata]

Lemieux and Co. knew of the difficulties they faced well before they went and blew a huge amount on their current roster. Any losses they suffer this year are their own fault.

I'm pretty sure that even with their acquisitions the Pens' payroll is still one of the lowest in the league, not much above the league minimum.

[Iced Tea]

I'm pretty sure that even with their acquisitions the Pens' payroll is still one of the lowest in the league, not much above the league minimum.Just under $30 million.

The Pens should have signed more young talent to surround Crosby and had a highly competitive team in a few years rather than wasting money on veterans who have done practically nothing this season. Leclair and Gonchar need to give back part of their salaries.

[Yoata]

Just under $30 million.

The Pens should have signed more young talent to surround Crosby and had a highly competitive team in a few years rather than wasting money on veterans who have done practically nothing this season. Leclair and Gonchar need to give back part of their salaries.

If you got that figure here: http://www.thefourthperiod.com/Pittsburgh.html , that includes a couple of extra forwards and dmen so it's actually even lower than that I think. What's the league minimum?

True some of their signings haven't worked out that well, but I'm pretty sure they were in a position where they were forced to drastically increase the payroll and there probably weren't that many guys lined up to come to a last place club, even one with Lemieux and Crosby and some of those other guys on it. It is still early though, and they have had some injuries and their goaltending has been lousy, though they should've spent more on defense to help them out. Still I don't think you can blame their financial losses entirely on their signings, I think they did the right thing trying to be exciting and win right now to prove that they couldn't make money even then, and while they haven't done it in the win column, and I don't know how they've done at the gate, it still seems obvious they need a new building to be viable, and with the team they have/will have I doubt it will be difficult for them to find one elsewhere. It'd be a shame for a championship franchise to leave but it'd be Pittsburgh's loss and their decision to make.

[Canadian26]

It's kinda sad to see a team like pits not be able to make it. Im sure many cities in Canada would love to have an NHL team. KC would totally suck, I dont know if it would be a solution to the problem at all. We'll have to wait and see where they'll end up in another 2 years.

[TimmyTabasco]

Who cares, just move already :thumb:

[Daryl Shilling]

KC? God no!
Surely with the economics of the new NHL a move back to Quebec or Winnipeg could be considered.

Not in a million years. Not if they can make more money in another city.

Daryl

[wildboy26]

I would be sad, but after hearing all the rumours of Lemieux pimping Crosby onto the Olympic team, with behind-the-doors persuasion to Grezxty I am glad they are in deep water and might fold. It serves them right.

[slapshot™]

http://www.mjs-co.com/nhl/kc/scouts-reprint.JPG

Ahhhh, what the puck.

Will they be called the Kansas City Scout Penguins....or the Kansas City Penguin Scouts?

Does Kansas City even have an arena that is better than the igloo and meet NHL standards?

[bluemeanie]

Does Kansas City even have an arena that is better than the igloo and meet NHL standards?

They used to... it was destroyed I think. Something about a tornado.:shrug:

Co'mon... Quebec... this is easy. Is there a better team or time for ol' QC?

http://www.geocities.com/othersideoftheroad/feetpopping.jpg

[a4l]

Quebec is a great choice. The Penguins have been in financial trouble for years. That's how Mario became part owner of the team.

[butterfly_style]

I say move them to Scarborough.
You know they would sell out most games.
Isn't the GTA the centre of the hockey universe.

Hey! They already have a web-site.
Scarborough Penguins. (http://www.scarboroughpenguins.com/)

[Amoroq]

Seem as if another city has put their fingers into the warm apple pie, Las Vegas. 1.41 million in population and 30 million visitors each year to tap into. 1 word, conventions! Corporations love them and hockey teams LOVE corporate dollars as they buy up blocks of seats. CHING$$ CHING$$

and of course what happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas ;)

[Iced Tea]

Seem as if another city has put their fingers into the warm apple pie, Las Vegas. 1.41 million in population and 30 million visitors each year to tap into. 1 word, conventions! Corporations love them and hockey teams LOVE corporate dollars as they buy up blocks of seats. CHING$$ CHING$$

and of course what happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas ;)NHL in Las Vegas was discussed yesterday on "Prime Time Sports with Bob McCown" on Sportsnet. A very good point brought up was the competition to hockey. Most NHL cities have one or more competing sports on some nights but not all. NHL hockey in Las Vegas would have gambling as competition for every game. 24/7 gambling is the major draw in Las Vegas and NHL hockey would be head to head with it for fans. Also I not sure what precentage of people want to sit in an arena when they could be gambling, playing golf or enjoying the hotels and entertainment.

Plus, what would it cost to cool an arena in Las Vegas? Is it similar to Phoenix or is it worse?

[Iced Tea]

From a TSN article about the NHL owners meeting this Wednesday; a quote from Bettman. The state of the Pittsburgh Penguins will also be front and centre. With funding for a new arena still not lined up, the Penguins may be headed out of town.

"I'm not worried about it because Pittsburgh has been a very strong market for us, the franchise being extremely well run," said Bettman. "The issue is whether or not the Penguins will be treated as fairly as the city, the county and the state treated the Steelers and the Pirates.

"It's not only that the Penguins have the oldest building in the National Hockey League, it's that there are two publicly supported stadiums that were built primarily with taxpayer money and they're new and modern and have the amenities. So it's difficult for the Penguins to compete for the sport dollar in Pittsburgh against the sale of the modern suite and the advertisement and the amenities fans have become accustomed to.

"Hopefully they're going to get a new arena because everybody, including Mario, wants the Penguins to stay right where they are."

The Penguins' lease at Mellon Arena expires after this season and they can officially look at other cities as early as June. Kansas City is believed to top the list.

"There are lots of places that have been expressing interest in NHL hockey but we're not focused on any of them because we're not looking to relocate and we're not looking to expand," said Bettman. "We're looking to make sure that our 30 franchises are healthy and vibrant where they're located."Link (http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/news_story/?ID=146836&hubname=)

Bettman gets it so why doesn't the city of Pittsburgh, Allegheny County and the State of Pennsylvania?

[slapshot™]

This page should garner more traffic if/when the Pens do fold....

check out the highlight page -> Vintage Pens (http://www.vintagepens.com/catill_highlights.shtml)

http://www.vintagedepotdirect.com/media/PB28.jpg

[a4l]

LOes Quebec Pengu sounds good to me.

[Amoroq]

NHL in Las Vegas was discussed yesterday on "Prime Time Sports with Bob McCown" on Sportsnet. A very good point brought up was the competition to hockey. Most NHL cities have one or more competing sports on some nights but not all. NHL hockey in Las Vegas would have gambling as competition for every game. 24/7 gambling is the major draw in Las Vegas and NHL hockey would be head to head with it for fans. Also I not sure what precentage of people want to sit in an arena when they could be gambling, playing golf or enjoying the hotels and entertainment.

Plus, what would it cost to cool an arena in Las Vegas? Is it similar to Phoenix or is it worse?The avg temp in Vegas is 67.1 F.

Oct 68.3
Nov 55.0
Dec 45.7
Jan 45.5
Feb 51.1
Mar 56.3
Apr 64.1
May 74.0
Jun 84.9

The avg temp in New York City is 54.7

Oct 57.5
Nov 47.6
Dec 36.6
Jan 31.5
Feb 33.6
Mar 42.4
Apr 52.5
May 62.7
Jun 71.6

I think its doable :)

[a4l]

I fail to see any minus temps ther so they are out of the running. For you Americans anything below 32 F is a minus temp.
NYC gets some snow Las Vegas doesn't.