Sodboy13

So, hey, about Vinnie Viola becoming a billionaire because of his company's IPO... http://mobile.nytimes.com/blogs/dealbook/2014/04/02/virtu-high-frequency-trading-firm-is-said-to-delay-i-p-o/ And the State's Attorney General is sniffing around because Vinnie's Totally Legitimate Trading Corp somehow only had one trading day in the red in FIVE YEARS, which does not seem suspicious in the least. Also, the feds probably won't be far behind, because HFT was on "60 Minutes", and the last remaining redeeming quality of that show is that it manages to get federal regulators to nominally do their jobs every couple years or so. But hey, bet those Panthers still plan on spending to the cap this offseason!

Everything's sublimated. Nothing's sewn on. Wow, that's cheap.

Between the IronPigs' hat that's just a strip of bacon, and the Lexington Legends' hat that's just a mustache, some bros are going to have a real tough time deciding what to wear to Pitchfork this summer.

http://prohockeytalk.nbcsports.com/2014/02/19/pols-support-panthers-bailout-plan-co-owner-says-team-is-losing-100k-daily/ We may have new front-runners in the category of "Biggest Bunch Of Elected Idiots"; Broward County is probably going to give the Panthers another $80 million.

And again: The Panthers are not going to move.

$10 in losing Florida Lottery scratch-off tickets gets you a free $20 Florida Panthers ticket. For those who who just can't experience enough losing.

Nope. They're staying where they are until that lease is up in 2028. They're making millions, and face a huge penalty for breaking the lease.

Sure hope Flynn got the money up-front. Beats the living blazes out of the squiggle they used last year.

The City of Glendale did originally want an "out clause" if revenue projections weren't met, similar to the provision that gives IceArizona the right to skip town if they lose $50 million. IceArizona refused, and the city buckled on it, right about the same time one of the council members took the situation to new depths by comparing the new handout-seeking hockey owners to heroic firefighters, less than a week after 19 actual firefighters died while battling Arizona wildfires. So, they're stuck.

Look at the neck tag. It's not CCM. I've seen these before on eBay, and it's a guy having them made custom. Can you really call it "counterfeit" if it's someone replicating a prototype that was never made available for retail, though?

I recommend group tickets if you can round up some people. We sat in the low rows in the corner of the 300 level for $75 a ticket, and since they're purchased right from a team rep, there's no Ticketmaster gouging involved. Probably wouldn't have made it to a game otherwise.

If anything, I would think the Cup win would drive more hockey families to Wolves games, given Rocky's open "price the riffraff right out of the 300 level" policy.

Looks like it. 5,900 a game, which is 10% down from this time last season, and downright dire by Wolves standards. I didn't think the Blues affiliation would have any impact, but it might.

Okay. Context. Las Vegas' 4600ish per game is currently the 9th-best draw in the 22-team ECHL. Allegedly tailor-made (if the Bucks leave) NHL market Milwaukee is drawing just over 3800 per game in the AHL this season. That's less than 25% of the arena's capacity. There are plenty of excellent reasons to not put an NHL franchise in Las Vegas (and count me among those who think it would be a horrid idea, though it could become a comedy of errors if the Maloofs get in on it). "They can't fill their arena for their minor-league team" is not really a relevant argument. The Moose only got MTS Centre about 60% full, anyway.

Block 37 is a mall in the heart of Chicago's Loop, located across the street from Macy's (the old Marshall Field's flagship store). On the ground level, there's a Chicago sports store selling plenty of legitimate licensed merchandise, and loads of counterfeit Bears, Bulls, and Blackhawks jerseys. Those bootleg customized "authentic" Hawks jerseys are being peddled for $140. Meanwhile, 4 blocks away at the Blackhawks Store, and across the street at Macy's for that matter, legit blank replicas go for $130.

Except Atlanta, because screw that place, apparently.

When it comes to Florida, remember: 1) The center ice sections on the main level are always sold out, no matter what you see; and 2) Ownership doesn't have to care about hockey attendance because of the lease deal. 50 people a night show up and they'd still be worse off by moving.

Coyotes ownership claims tonight's game against the Blackhawks was the first time the team filled all 87 suites at the Jobberdome. They've been playing there since December, 2003. It took them almost 10 years in Glendale to actually sell out a game.

For the record, I bought group tickets to the Hawks-Panthers game on Sunday 12/8. 300 level, in the corner, lower rows. $75 per ticket. Not bad, considering.

I think the usual Blackhawks bump may be lessened by the Thanksgiving weekend.

OH YOU FOREVER GLENDALE

Court documents show the Coyotes lost $112,708,322 during their 4 seasons under league ownership. Gonna be really tough for this new ownership to show $50,000,000 in losses over 5 years. They have to hit the number exactly, right?

The Coyotes' home attendance through 7 games this season is lower than their home attendance through 7 games last season. I'd say that's a perfectly fair comparison.

Lonesome Hipster Bacon Coyotes Fan brought 7,400 fellow breakfast meats with him to the Jobberdome tonight, according to official figures.