NHL Anti-Thread: Bad Business Decision Aggregator

[Still MIGHTY]

Panthers beat writer for the Miami Herald tweeted this out:

@GeorgeRichards: #FlaPanthers to reduce capacity at Sunrise arena by using a large black curtain as well as upper deck tarps.



@GeorgeRichards: Curtain is new. - “@BenWrightATL: Haven't they been doing that for years? And wasn't the curtain sponsored by Party City?”

@GeorgeRichards: never took up that much; and now just 1 section. - “@Alex_Shockley: @MaxEvanx Club Red takes up 1/4 of the lower bowl. Tonight will be DEAD

@GeorgeRichards: still here - “@RedSteeg32: Hopefully they at least rid themselves of the Party City blue tarps…”

Also put out this article the other day:

TRYING TO TURN THINGS AROUND: Vinnie Viola, Doug Cifu talk about the future of the Florida Panthers, change in business practices

Cifu said the team has eliminated giveaways and deeply discounted tickets that have been a staple of the franchise for years.

"We are 100 percent ready for the reality that we'll have smaller attendance this season,'' Cifu said.
"We want people who are there to be paying a fair price, the same price and enjoying a great product on the ice. We can get 15,000 in there if we gave away 5,000 seats. We don't want to do that. It's not fair.''

By giving away so many tickets as well as dumping inventory onto the secondary market, Cifu said, the Panthers devalued their product and helped chase away season ticket holders upset by seeing the deep discounts others received as they paid full freight.

"There is total transparency,'' Cifu said. "Everyone in [a given] section is paying the same price. .-.-. All of the things that franchises which are [fighting] to sustain themselves have done, we think was an operational mistake.''

The team will tarp -- or more likely curtain -- off a good portion of the upper deck for non-marquee games this season further lowering their attendance figures. Capacity at BB&T Center will be around 15,000 for most games.

The Panthers averaged an announced 14,177 last year.

"We are trying to get people excited about hockey as when the franchise started,'' Cifu said. "We think once the fans see we are putting a quality team on the ice, have invested in it, they will respond.''

Last week, Viola and Cifu released a letter reiterating their desire to keep the franchise in South Florida.

On Tuesday, both realized talk of the Panthers moving north will start up again when the Ottawa Senators come to Sunrise for the second home game of the season. Some of Florida's lowest attendance figures of any given season come when Ottawa visits (this photo was taken at last year's Ottawa game which fell on a Tuesday). This year should be no different as that game is scheduled for a Monday night early in the season.

"We have nowhere to move nor the rights to move,'' Cifu said, adding that the team will honor the 14 years remaining on its lease with Broward County.
"We're committed to being here. This is a long-term investment. You don't fix a dozen years of a lack of success on the ice as well as doing things that weren't hockey-related and non fan-centric in one season. We have to earn the trust back in the community to get people back.''

Viola and Cifu said they are confident their business acumen as well as an improved on-ice product will help the Panthers turn "a manageable profit" in the coming years.

---

Realistically, how much longer do we give this thing?

[RyanMcD29]

Well if the tarps are already accounted for by Party City, then they certainly need someone else on the curtains.

THE JOJI YOGURT CURTAINS ABOVE LEXUS ICE AT BB&T CENTER

[TheOldRoman]

I don't think there will ever be a time when I read the name "Vinnie Viola" without laughing. Vinnie Viola! He stands among Boots DelBiaggio with names so comically appropriate of criminal stereotypes, they should actually be professional wrestlers. I'm assuming the NHL also uses the legal counsel of Dewey, Cheatum and Howe.

[The_Admiral]

"We want people who are there to be paying a fair price, the same price and enjoying a great product on the ice. We can get 15,000 in there if we gave away 5,000 seats. We don't want to do that. It's not fair.''

By giving away so many tickets as well as dumping inventory onto the secondary market, Cifu said, the Panthers devalued their product and helped chase away season ticket holders upset by seeing the deep discounts others received as they paid full freight.

"It's also disrespectful to your season ticket holders to put your home games on TV. You should address that next. Also, I'm dead, so braaaaaaiiiinnnsssssss."

[Cosmic]

Well if the tarps are already accounted for by Party City, then they certainly need someone else on the curtains.

THE JOJI YOGURT CURTAINS ABOVE LEXUS ICE AT BB&T CENTER

The curtains must be sponsored by JoAnn Fabric. If the Panthers clip the coupon in the Sunday paper, they can get 40% off the material to make them.

[dbadefense1990]

I don't think there will ever be a time when I read the name "Vinnie Viola" without laughing. Vinnie Viola! He stands among Boots DelBiaggio with names so comically appropriate of criminal stereotypes, they should actually be professional wrestlers. I'm assuming the NHL also uses the legal counsel of Dewey, Cheatum and Howe.

Son of former Major Leaguer Frank Viola?

[CubsFanBudMan]

There was a time when two empty Pepsi cans and 5 bucks would get you in.

My guess is the discounts have only gotten deeper. This won't end well.

I had faith in their survival until about a year or so ago. There is just too much smoke now.

If this is meant to appeal to their core fans, they will find out just how small that core is.

[JayMac]

Bye bye, Florida Panthers. Quebec City will finally get their team back soon. Will it be the Panthers or the Coyotes?

[sportstar1212]

Bye bye, Florida Panthers. Quebec City will finally get their team back soon. Will it be the Panthers or the Coyotes?

For the sake of avoiding realignment, I figure Florida goes to Quebec and Arizona to Seattle.

[DarkJourney]

Bye bye, Florida Panthers. Quebec City will finally get their team back soon. Will it be the Panthers or the Coyotes?

For the sake of avoiding realignment, I figure Florida goes to Quebec and Arizona to Seattle.

We might just have wait it out but it will happen eventually. Then you can move Columbus to the Atlantic and rename that division the Northeast. Move Tampa Bay to the Metro and rename that division the Atlantic.

[LMU]

Bye bye, Florida Panthers. Quebec City will finally get their team back soon. Will it be the Panthers or the Coyotes?

Vive les Panthères du Québec!

[BBTV]

adding that the team will honor the 14 years remaining on its lease with Broward County.

Wow. 14 more years? How godsdamned long was the lease at inception? Why on earth would you commit to that if you're the Panthers - was there really a risk taht they'd be denied tenancy?

[TBGKon]

adding that the team will honor the 14 years remaining on its lease with Broward County.

Wow. 14 more years? How godsdamned long was the lease at inception? Why on earth would you commit to that if you're the Panthers - was there really a risk taht they'd be denied tenancy?

$$$$$$ Talks....Im sure a buyout can happen for the right price.

[Cosmic]

adding that the team will honor the 14 years remaining on its lease with Broward County.

Wow. 14 more years? How godsdamned long was the lease at inception? Why on earth would you commit to that if you're the Panthers - was there really a risk taht they'd be denied tenancy?

$$$$$$ Talks....Im sure a buyout can happen for the right price.

The county is actually looking for ways out of the lease. The Panthers could probably walk away at any time for free. They like the free money they're getting, though.

[The_Admiral]

Don't hold your breath on the county wanting them out. It's Florida. The government is business, business is the government. It's Rahm Emanuel's dream.

[monkeypower]

I occasionally lurk on reddit and here's a passionate post from a Panthers fan who is fed up with his team being talked about in relocation talks.

http://www.reddit.com/r/hockey/comments/2hl1wk/as_a_panthers_fan_ive_got_a_rant_to_get_off_my/

Looking at the comments, it's somewhat amazing how many people don't understand the business side of the Panthers. I mean not everybody has the pleasure of being on the CCSLC and reading this thread, but some people.......

[The_Admiral]

You can try to make it about business all you want but then those from QC and in the past Winnipeg shouldn't be making weekly post about how empty Atlanta/Phoenix/Miami are and saying their fans don't deserve a team. This sub is horribly cruel to the fans of those teams.

"Trolling an entire fanbase" has made its way to Reddit, apparently. By the same token, wouldn't it be "horribly cruel" to the hockey fans of Quebec City to say that they should never get a team because the Nordiques moved away and because a smallish Francophone city "doesn't grow the game" or "does nothing for the league"? Because people say that all the time without reproach, yet "you amount to nothing" is about as cruel to me as "you shouldn't have nice things." So what it comes down to, just as at that other place, is that you're a second-class hockey fan if your city doesn't have a team. Can't troll a fanbase if we say there is no fanbase.

Also,

The bottom line is this it's salary cap hockey now. You need a GM who can play the cap game if you want to succeed. Yzerman and Tallon stand out to me.

Oh, boy, this just might start the Reddit Hockey Bad Thought Aggregator.

[Cosmic]

You can try to make it about business all you want but then those from QC and in the past Winnipeg shouldn't be making weekly post about how empty Atlanta/Phoenix/Miami are and saying their fans don't deserve a team. This sub is horribly cruel to the fans of those teams.

"Trolling an entire fanbase" has made its way to Reddit, apparently. By the same token, wouldn't it be "horribly cruel" to the hockey fans of Quebec City to say that they should never get a team because the Nordiques moved away and because a smallish Francophone city "doesn't grow the game" or "does nothing for the league"? Because people say that all the time without reproach, yet "you amount to nothing" is about as cruel to me as "you shouldn't have nice things." So what it comes down to, just as at that other place, is that you're a second-class hockey fan if your city doesn't have a team. Can't troll a fanbase if we say there is no fanbase.

HFBoards' own Dred Scott case.

[Sanic]

I can't read properly

[monkeypower]

Found this on reddit today, kinda surprised

ps: some swearing

What do you think the last three posts were talking about?