NHL threatens Madison Square Garden

[Gothamite]

Wow, apparently you don't want to cross Bettman. And here we thought Michael Corleone took things personally....

NHL SUES TO KICK OUT GARDEN

PUNISHING RANGERS FOR PREVIOUS SUIT

AP

June 19, 2008 --

The National Hockey League is threatening to kick out Madison Square Garden, the owners of the Rangers , as punishment for accusing the league of violating antitrust laws.

The NHL filed court papers Wednesday that included a draft letter from commissioner Gary Bettman. In its court filing, the NHL asked a judge to agree MSG has breached its contract by challenging league rules and that it can force out MSG.

Madison Square Garden sued the NHL in September, saying it violated antitrust laws by monopolizing control of team promotions. And a judge said in November the league seemed within its rights to take control of the team's Web site.

Messages left with MSG were not immediately returned.

I don't know if he thinks intends to force Dolans to sell the Rangers, or what. But if he's going to take on those scumbags, then I might actually find something to like about the Commish.

[CC97]

I'd like to see the Rangers get the boot (but they won't), because it could get the ball rolling on other teams dropping out in support of the Rangers to start up a much better league

[Ez Street]

Rangers booted, wouldn't that be a story!?

[-kj]

I'd like to see the Rangers get the boot (but they won't), because it could get the ball rolling on other teams dropping out in support of the Rangers to start up a much better league

But, wouldn't New York be a strange choice in the Canadian Awesome National Americans Don't Appreciate Us Hockey League?

[Sodboy13]

I'd like to see the Rangers get the boot (but they won't), because it could get the ball rolling on other teams dropping out in support of the Rangers to start up a much better league

But, wouldn't New York be a strange choice in the Canadian Awesome National Americans Don't Appreciate Us Hockey League?

Shhh. They need at least one token American team to generate revenue.

[njmeadowlanders]

As a Ranger fan, I hope that clown Dolan is forced to lose the team...even though we're in MUCH better shape than the Knicks are.

That being said, (A) there's no way it happens and ( there's no way the Rangers are kicked out of the league--that one is even more farfetched. That would NEVER happen--an original six team in the biggest market in North America size wise--come on. If this happened in say, Florida and Phoenix or something, maybe it's a good "excuse" to get a team somewhere else, but it's the Rangers. New York City. The World's Most Famous Arena. Please...

(However, just say that Dolan & MSG the corporation WAS kicked out of the league...where would the Rangers play? The Meadowlands? Newark? There's no way MSG would let them play there if they were to be sent packing...)

[CC97]

Because I've always advocated the removal of all American teams in the NHL? What I hate is how the league seems to be treating it's main fanbases in order to win over failing markets... that is all.

Continue on.

[Mac the Knife]

They won't, under any circumstance whatsoever, revoke the franchise. That would bring about a pile of litigation that would stack from here to Neptune.

They can, however, force a sale under the NHL Constitution and/or By-Laws. In which case, I suspect there'll be a lineup ten deep to buy them in an open bidding war.

[CC97]

They won't, under any circumstance whatsoever, revoke the franchise. That would bring about a pile of litigation that would stack from here to Neptune.

They can, however, force a sale under the NHL Constitution and/or By-Laws. In which case, I suspect there'll be a lineup ten deep to buy them in an open bidding war.

Balsillie need not apply

[Mac the Knife]

Balsillie need not apply

He doesn't have the jack anyway. The next one who buys a New York franchise in any of the "big four" sports (perhaps even the Islanders) had best be prepared to plunk down at least a half billion dollars. Minimum.

[Epiphanic]

The next one who buys a New York franchise in any of the "big four" sports (perhaps even the Islanders) had best be prepared to plunk down at least a half billion dollars. Minimum.

So...what you're saying is it's gonna take more than $40 and a dream?

[scarsofthumper]

Well at least Mark Cuban has other options just incase his bid for the Cubs falls through.

[Mac the Knife]

The next one who buys a New York franchise in any of the "big four" sports (perhaps even the Islanders) had best be prepared to plunk down at least a half billion dollars. Minimum.

So...what you're saying is it's gonna take more than $40 and a dream?

For those level teams, yeah. Either that or Lee's going to have to sign up about 15,000,000 members.

[Gothamite]

(However, just say that Dolan & MSG the corporation WAS kicked out of the league...where would the Rangers play? The Meadowlands? Newark? There's no way MSG would let them play there if they were to be sent packing...)

I disagree - the Dolans need the income, and the high-profile tenant. Especially if they're going to be sinking millions into renovating. Losing the Rangers would be a blemish on The World's Most Famous Arena.

It would hurt their pride somewhat (although half a billion dollars cash goes a long way towards soothing ego), but they need the Rangers for prestige.

[-kj]

They won't, under any circumstance whatsoever, revoke the franchise. That would bring about a pile of litigation that would stack from here to Neptune.

They can, however, force a sale under the NHL Constitution and/or By-Laws. In which case, I suspect there'll be a lineup ten deep to buy them in an open bidding war.

Balsillie need not apply

Not if he thinks he's going to move a team from Manhattan to Hamilton.

[LuvTheNats]

This could pose to be the beginning of the end of the Bettman regime. He (and his band of cronies) better be willing to wage nuclear war and not this game of chicken I suspect this is. If Bettman presses this issue too hard, I could conceivably see other owners in the league consider making a change in the commisioner's office. The fact that the league wants to sue over uniformity of a website just goes to show you how over the line Bettman truly is. Personally, I think the league should pick their battles a little bit better. Maybe MSG is not THAT far off when they said this is typical "bullying tactics" by the league. Bettman and the league are acting like a jilted lover who can't let go.

[rams80]

I'd like to see the Rangers get the boot (but they won't), because it could get the ball rolling on other teams dropping out in support of the Rangers to start up a much better league

And Toronto still wouldn't win a championship. In either league.

[DDR]

This could pose to be the beginning of the end of the Bettman regime. He (and his band of cronies) better be willing to wage nuclear war and not this game of chicken I suspect this is. If Bettman presses this issue too hard, I could conceivably see other owners in the league consider making a change in the commisioner's office. The fact that the league wants to sue over uniformity of a website just goes to show you how over the line Bettman truly is. Personally, I think the league should pick their battles a little bit better. Maybe MSG is not THAT far off when they said this is typical "bullying tactics" by the league. Bettman and the league are acting like a jilted lover who can't let go.

There's no way it would come to that. Bettman may not be a great commissioner, but he's not insane. Even if he could get his hands on nuclear weapons, the government would intervene.

[Mac the Knife]

This could pose to be the beginning of the end of the Bettman regime. He (and his band of cronies) better be willing to wage nuclear war and not this game of chicken I suspect this is. If Bettman presses this issue too hard, I could conceivably see other owners in the league consider making a change in the commisioner's office. The fact that the league wants to sue over uniformity of a website just goes to show you how over the line Bettman truly is. Personally, I think the league should pick their battles a little bit better. Maybe MSG is not THAT far off when they said this is typical "bullying tactics" by the league. Bettman and the league are acting like a jilted lover who can't let go.

Nah. No chance. As long as Bettman acts within the parameters of the NHL's Constitution and By-Laws (which, presumably, he's doing), he has nothing to fear from the owners.

[jkrdevil]

This could pose to be the beginning of the end of the Bettman regime. He (and his band of cronies) better be willing to wage nuclear war and not this game of chicken I suspect this is. If Bettman presses this issue too hard, I could conceivably see other owners in the league consider making a change in the commisioner's office. The fact that the league wants to sue over uniformity of a website just goes to show you how over the line Bettman truly is. Personally, I think the league should pick their battles a little bit better. Maybe MSG is not THAT far off when they said this is typical "bullying tactics" by the league. Bettman and the league are acting like a jilted lover who can't let go.

Nah. No chance. As long as Bettman acts within the parameters of the NHL's Constitution and By-Laws (which, presumably, he's doing), he has nothing to fear from the owners.

Well if Dolan and MSG is stripped of their ownership of the Rangers it would be the other 29 owners who would do it not Bettman.

What this was is the NHL responding in their counter-suit of the Rangers original suit against the league about the new media rights. Basically the NHL is asking the courts permission that they can go ahead go ahead with internally punishment as apparently suing the league is in violation of the league's constitution. According to a Sports Business Journal article today the disciplinary process would then go to a hearing before the board of governors (the other 29 owners). They would then vote on if there was a violation and the discipline. Punishment can range from a fine (most likely) to suspension to removal (very unlikely). So if MSG is removed as the Rangers owners it won't cost Bettman is job because at least 24 other owners will agree that MSG should be removed.

As for if Dolan and MSG is removed the Rangers would still exist just have new owners. As said before MSG would probably have to sallow their pride because they need the Rangers in the building to take up dates as well as they need them on their TV networks as because of the Yankees, Mets, and Nets defections they are down to 4 teams (Knicks, Rangers, Devils, and Islanders) for programming across their 2 networks. They already have pay the Devils 25 million-per-year for TV rights to keep them from going to SNY and they extended a similar deal with the Islanders to keep them on. They are desperate for programming so they will keep the Rangers even if they lose the team.

That said again it is very unlikely that ownership will be revoked. Yes, strong language was used by Bettman and the league in the letter to court however that is more a tactic to get the Rangers back in line.

This could pose to be the beginning of the end of the Bettman regime. He (and his band of cronies) better be willing to wage nuclear war and not this game of chicken I suspect this is. If Bettman presses this issue too hard, I could conceivably see other owners in the league consider making a change in the commisioner's office. The fact that the league wants to sue over uniformity of a website just goes to show you how over the line Bettman truly is. Personally, I think the league should pick their battles a little bit better. Maybe MSG is not THAT far off when they said this is typical "bullying tactics" by the league. Bettman and the league are acting like a jilted lover who can't let go.

The issue isn't uniformity of the web-site, which is just a by-product, the issue is the new media rights and revenues associated with it. The BOG voted 25-3 to go to a centralized new media strategy (like MLB does) which would mean revenues from the website would go to a central pool a be divided evenly among the 30 teams. The Rangers did not like that the vote went against the way they voted and then sued the league (in fact 3 times with the NHL winning each time). So now the NHL responded by seeking disciplinary action.