NHL Anti-Thread: Bad Business Decision Aggregator

[RyanMcD29]

Eh, if the Islanders were to move (besides Brooklyn/Queens), Hartford would be where I'd want them to go for the sake of them still kinda being in the area. Plus as said before, since the Whalers moved it's been entrenched as a Rangers/Bruins territory. We'll see where things go from here I guess

[mattwswfc]

I think Hartford would be in the same boat as Hamilton, could blocked by existing teams i.e. Toronto/Buffalo and Boston/Rangers/Islanders. I'm pretty sure the Rangers and Bruins would have as much say in who goes where as the Maple Leafs.

Furthermore Hartford have got one thing going for them that Hamilton hasn't, they had a team and a pretty good fan base, but it's probably going to take a big pay-off for the likes of Boston and either/both New York's for this to happen. Their was a big thing with the WHA merger in 1979, when Boston rejected the Whalers name of 'New England' and effectively made them change it to Hartford (probably saw it as invading their 'territory').

Don't think any of the teams mentioned would like a team so close, they would see it as stealing their fans or their TV regions, on the other hand not a single NHL team can possibly want a money losing sink hole of a team like the Coyotes existing!

[Hathaway Browne]

I don't know. Sandwiched 90 miles from Boston and 120 from New York, with two other franchises sitting in the same area, the deal in Hartford would have to be outstanding before they'd get an NHL franchise back. I mean Winnipeg-level outstanding.

The only way I see it happening is if Hartford becomes the new home of the Islanders.

I guess that would be the easy way in due to them just relocating in the same territory, although would they keep the Islanders moniker? I suppose it could still work, but just like the Winnipeg relocation surely a return to the old name would be popular?

I wonder what it'd take to get the Whalers name back, do Carolina still own all that?

[Gothamite]

The Whalers name was owned by the State of Connecticut after the team moved south. That's why the NHL couldn't merchandise it until recently. Don't know who owns it now - possibly still the state, or possibly the guy who owns the local minor league franchise and who holds Whaler events every year.

[Brian in Boston]

The Whalers name was owned by the State of Connecticut after the team moved south. That's why the NHL couldn't merchandise it until recently. Don't know who owns it now - possibly still the state, or possibly the guy who owns the local minor league franchise and who holds Whaler events every year.

"Ownership" of the Hartford Whalers' brand identity has never been as cut-and-dried as several parties have wished to make it out to be.

When Peter Karmanos relocated the former Hartford Whalers to North Carolina in 2007, he paid $20-million to break his Hartford Civic Center lease and ceded rights to the Whalers' name, logo and trademarks to the Connecticut Redevelopment Authority as part of a written agreement entered into with the NHL.

In the wake of the NHL beginning to sell vintage Whalers goods in 2009, the CDA's president, Marie O'Brien, told the Hartford Courant that the State of Connecticut retained rights to the Hartford Whalers' name and logo in order to prevent other franchises and/or markets from using the brand and to keep the name available in the event that an NHL team should ever return to Connecticut. She told the Waterbury Republican-American that those rights were "exclusive" and "irrevocable". However, she went on to say that merchandising of the Whalers' name and logo represented another matter entirely, with the NHL maintaining control of merchandising for all league clubs, including defunct franchises.

According to records in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office's on-line registry, the trademark for the Hartford Whalers name is currently listed as "DEAD".

Meanwhile, on November 25, 2009, an amendment was registered with the Canadian Intellectual Property Office asking that the name of the owner of the Canadian trademark for the Hartford Whalers name be changed to:

HARTFORD WHALERS HOCKEY CLUB, A LIMITED PARTNERSHIP

THE GENERAL PARTNERS OF WHICH ARE HOWARD L. BALDWIN

AND HARTFORD ATTRACTIONS, INC.

Further, this Canadian trademark was renewed with the CIPO on May 12, 2010 and the address that was listed for the aforementioned registrant was listed as:

One Civic Center Plaza

Hartford, Connecticut 06103

United States of America

Subsequently, after renaming the Hartford-based AHL franchise that he handles marketing and ticketing operations for the Connecticut Whale, Howard Baldwin told the Hartford Courant, "Somebody telling us we can't use Whalers? That's not true." He went on to say, "Nobody has busted me. The NHL has been great to work with. They made it clear they prefer not using the (old Hartford Whalers) logo, but I went to the Whale because I thought it was the right thing to do. Save the Whaler for whatever happens in the future. Everything with the NHL is cool."

Finally, the most recent amendment to the CIPO trademark listing deleted individual partner names (i.e. HOWARD L. BALDWIN AND HARTFORD ATTRACTIONS) under the ownership heading, leaving just HARTFORD WHALERS HOCKEY CLUB, A LIMITED PARTNERSHIP listed as the owner.

Make of all this what you will.

[mattwswfc]

The Whalers name was owned by the State of Connecticut after the team moved south. That's why the NHL couldn't merchandise it until recently. Don't know who owns it now - possibly still the state, or possibly the guy who owns the local minor league franchise and who holds Whaler events every year.

"Ownership" of the Hartford Whalers' brand identity has never been as cut-and-dried as several parties have wished to make it out to be.

When Peter Karmanos relocated the former Hartford Whalers to North Carolina in 2007, he paid $20-million to break his Hartford Civic Center lease and ceded rights to the Whalers' name, logo and trademarks to the Connecticut Redevelopment Authority as part of a written agreement entered into with the NHL.

In the wake of the NHL beginning to sell vintage Whalers goods in 2009, the CDA's president, Marie O'Brien, told the Hartford Courant that the State of Connecticut retained rights to the Hartford Whalers' name and logo in order to prevent other franchises and/or markets from using the brand and to keep the name available in the event that an NHL team should ever return to Connecticut. She told the Waterbury Republican-American that those rights were "exclusive" and "irrevocable". However, she went on to say that merchandising of the Whalers' name and logo represented another matter entirely, with the NHL maintaining control of merchandising for all league clubs, including defunct franchises.

According to records in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office's on-line registry, the trademark for the Hartford Whalers name is currently listed as "DEAD".

Meanwhile, on November 25, 2009, an amendment was registered with the Canadian Intellectual Property Office asking that the name of the owner of the Canadian trademark for the Hartford Whalers name be changed to:

HARTFORD WHALERS HOCKEY CLUB, A LIMITED PARTNERSHIP

THE GENERAL PARTNERS OF WHICH ARE HOWARD L. BALDWIN

AND HARTFORD ATTRACTIONS, INC.

Further, this Canadian trademark was renewed with the CIPO on May 12, 2010 and the address that was listed for the aforementioned registrant was listed as:

One Civic Center Plaza

Hartford, Connecticut 06103

United States of America

Subsequently, after renaming the Hartford-based AHL franchise that he handles marketing and ticketing operations for the Connecticut Whale, Howard Baldwin told the Hartford Courant, "Somebody telling us we can't use Whalers? That's not true." He went on to say, "Nobody has busted me. The NHL has been great to work with. They made it clear they prefer not using the (old Hartford Whalers) logo, but I went to the Whale because I thought it was the right thing to do. Save the Whaler for whatever happens in the future. Everything with the NHL is cool."

Finally, the most recent amendment to the CIPO trademark listing deleted individual partner names (i.e. HOWARD L. BALDWIN AND HARTFORD ATTRACTIONS) under the ownership heading, leaving just HARTFORD WHALERS HOCKEY CLUB, A LIMITED PARTNERSHIP listed as the owner.

Make of all this what you will.

FYI the Hartford Whalers logo appeared in Grown Ups in 2010, it was worn by Adam Sandler at the water park... maybe the director and producers of the film were promoting the Whalers as a brand and trying to wage the return of NHL hockey to Hartford or maybe it was a mere coincidence... IMO the Whalers logo is one of the best logos in sports and I would certainly love to get my hands on some Whalers merchandise, can't seem to find any decent though.

[rvrdgsfn]

The Quebec City rumblings are getting louder. I don't know why it took so long, because we've been saying for months that Quebec City is the only viable relocation option and maybe the only viable sale option, but Fischler's on it:

http://www.msg.com/blogs/stan-fischler/bluelines-hall-of-fame-devils-avery-s-back-and-the-emergence-of-dan-girardi-1.77253

With no confirmed new Coyotes owner in sight, the club may have to be relocated. Quebec City is the most likely relocation site. One NHL exec puts it simply: "For the league, this will be like a second Winnipeg; a guaranteed success. The Colisee will be sold out in 24 hours and there will be a solid waiting list for season tickets."

Well yeah. So make it happen. You have to if you're in the business of making money.

Seriously NHL, Quebec will be like Winnipeg... It will make you money, do this.

[Gothamite]

FYI the Hartford Whalers logo appeared in Grown Ups in 2010, it was worn by Adam Sandler at the water park... maybe the director and producers of the film were promoting the Whalers as a brand and trying to wage the return of NHL hockey to Hartford or maybe it was a mere coincidence... IMO the Whalers logo is one of the best logos in sports and I would certainly love to get my hands on some Whalers merchandise, can't seem to find any decent though.

I don't know if it was part of any agenda - seems more likely that they were riding the fad that sprung about then, as the NHL finally got merchandising rights.

[zpqmaowl]

I've eaten at the Cracker Barrel next to jobing.com arena before.

[Evil Doctor]

You know, I was going to come in here write a big long dissertation here. But some reason I forget what I was going to write...or even what thread this is....

[Gary]

I've eaten at the Cracker Barrel next to jobing.com arena before.

Good for you

[Gothamite]

You know, I was going to come in here write a big long dissertation here. But some reason I forget what I was going to write...or even what thread this is....

I know, she's hideous. Like some bizarre parody of a woman created by an alien who had never seen one but only read about them online.

Nice Whalers shirt, though.

[DarkJourney]

I would like to see a new arena in Hartford not a refurbished civic center.

[ninersdd]

I read during the Sharks-Stars recap that Dallas in last in attendance. Didn't think there would be a team lower then Phoenix if it's true.

[njmeadowlanders]

This is absurd, but TSN is once again getting everyone in a frenzy (though McKenzie DOES concede there are no plans):

http://tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=381071

It needs to be said up front, and quite emphatically, that the NHL has no plans to put a second franchise in southern Ontario.

But if the league's view on that should ever change, there is a potential 19,500-seat arena project in Markham, Ont., that could one day turn out to be a viable option.

Sources tell TSN that Graeme Roustan, the chairman of the hockey equipment company, Bauer, who also moonlights as an arena builder, and Toronto-area land developer Rudy Bratty, ranked in 2010 by Canadian Business Magazine as the 62nd richest man in Canada with a net worth of $940 million, are working together in a massive real estate venture that includes a 19,500-seat facility that they hope will be built regardless of the NHL interest, or lack thereof, in southern Ontario.

[IceCap]

If the Leafs threw a fit over Hamilton there's no way they ok a team in Markham.

[TFoA]

But NHL commissioner Gary Bettman's message to all of would-be suitors, including those from Quebec City, has been the same: do not construct a building thinking there's a chance to get an NHL franchise because the league has no plans at this time to relocate another team.

wat

[raysox]

I could see Hamilton, Quebec, and Hartford getting teams in someway with the number of teams having front office issues. However, I think a new league system would be better. 15 team conferences without divisions, that'd be simple. With the rumblings about Phoenix, New York, and Florida, all of those teams could be gone and moved to another city.

[RedSox44]

But NHL commissioner Gary Bettman's message to all of would-be suitors, including those from Quebec City, has been the same: do not construct a building thinking there's a chance to get an NHL franchise because the league has no plans at this time to relocate another team.

wat

Yeah, and I'm an incredibly successful astronaut/gigolo to the stars/congressman/secret agent.

[Gothamite]

It's a good thing for Bettman that, with a few notable exceptions, NHL teams can't draw top-level owners. That's the only way he can keep his job.