Checketts out, per Miklasz

[sseagle]

I also heard Blowhard McHairdo (Barry Melrose) on KMOX earlier, he claims that the NHL wont let the Blues move, and that if the Blues were up for relocation, 25 other teams should be too.... but he is also a moron..

Dollar Dave has said multiple times that this team will stay here, even tonight I heard a few interviews in a few different places where he insisted they would stay, and more importantly, would not have a fire sale and would be extending certain key players.

[cprice12]

I also heard Blowhard McHairdo (Barry Melrose) on KMOX earlier, he claims that the NHL wont let the Blues move, and that if the Blues were up for relocation, 25 other teams should be too.... but he is also a moron..

Dollar Dave has said multiple times that this team will stay here, even tonight I heard a few interviews in a few different places where he insisted they would stay, and more importantly, would not have a fire sale and would be extending certain key players.

Mellrose may be a goof...but he's right about the league not letting the Blues move.

The Blues aren't going anywhere. It's a good hockey market, they sell out games, there is a lot of history here, they have a good arena, they aren't losing money hand over fist, etc.

They just need stable ownership for crying out loud. This is getting ridiculous. This team is getting sold once every 10 years or so.

[DaDitka]

I also heard Blowhard McHairdo (Barry Melrose) on KMOX earlier, he claims that the NHL wont let the Blues move, and that if the Blues were up for relocation, 25 other teams should be too.... but he is also a moron..

Dollar Dave has said multiple times that this team will stay here, even tonight I heard a few interviews in a few different places where he insisted they would stay, and more importantly, would not have a fire sale and would be extending certain key players.

Mellrose may be a goof...but he's right about the league not letting the Blues move.

The Blues aren't going anywhere. It's a good hockey market, they sell out games, there is a lot of history here, they have a good arena, they aren't losing money hand over fist, etc.

They just need stable ownership for crying out loud. This is getting ridiculous. This team is getting sold once every 10 years or so.

This.

Look how hard the league is working to make sure Phoenix can not move.

And again, as noted earlier in this thread, the sale will include the OPERATING lease on the arena and the Kiel Opera house. The Blues lease may be up (I don't know one way or the other) but Dave still owns a long term lease on the Scott. Imagine how impossible it would be for him to sell that without the Blues as a tenant.

[bluesfan115]

Heres a thought, Stan Kroenke has divested his interest in the Avs in order to purchase the Rams...How about him as owner?? Makes perfect sense to me, and it would garauntee the Blues stay in St. Louis, via NFL rules...

And it would also allow Checketts to stay on ( if he indeed wanted too) as the voice of ownership...Just a thought

[Leedog]

My thoughts (not that anyone really cares):
Checketts has done a good job, in general, improving the teams talent base, building, game presentation, etc. Thank you!
However.....his ego put this whole process behind by a full year. They wanted to sell a year ago. He wasted a whole year trying to reach an unrealistic goal. This has put the rebuild process behind by a year. The Blues were on pause, in many respects, while he was searchin for a rainbow.
Also, if you notice, he won't do what he was expecting others to do. Have a huge chunk of money tied up in a business but not have a say in it. Seems like he isn't offering to stay on as a minority, silent partner. If someone bought the 70% Towerbrook owns, they would have control. They don't necessarily have to buy his 20% share. But he doesn't wanna keep it if he doesn't rule the roost. Yet he expected others to do so.
Something else blew up in his face. He raised prices and cut payroll. Made it profitable (marginally). Now Towerbrook has raised their asking price to a level his investment team can't afford. Maybe he shoulda left it alone. But then again, he may not have been able to line up the investors he did.

[DaDitka]

The fact is the market is flooded with teams for sale right now. Phoenix, Florida, Dallas, and Toronto (66%) are all already on the market.

If anyone moves, it will be Florida.

That said, my guess is this sale will take quite a long time. Any perspective owner will probably wait for the Phoenix and Florida deals to go through considering they are sure to 'lower' the market value of a NHL franchise.


I see another offseason (and season) of tight purse strings in our future.

[Nyghtewynd]

One thing is clear: anyone who buys season tickets gets what they deserve. While the rest of the NHL will get better, the roster today is probably the roster they'll play next season with. There's no way that they're going to add payroll, and that means another below-average team.

[big d note]

My thoughts (not that anyone really cares):
Checketts has done a good job, in general, improving the teams talent base, building, game presentation, etc. Thank you!
However.....his ego put this whole process behind by a full year. They wanted to sell a year ago. He wasted a whole year trying to reach an unrealistic goal. This has put the rebuild process behind by a year. The Blues were on pause, in many respects, while he was searchin for a rainbow.
Also, if you notice, he won't do what he was expecting others to do. Have a huge chunk of money tied up in a business but not have a say in it. Seems like he isn't offering to stay on as a minority, silent partner. If someone bought the 70% Towerbrook owns, they would have control. They don't necessarily have to buy his 20% share. But he doesn't wanna keep it if he doesn't rule the roost. Yet he expected others to do so.
Something else blew up in his face. He raised prices and cut payroll. Made it profitable (marginally). Now Towerbrook has raised their asking price to a level his investment team can't afford. Maybe he shoulda left it alone. But then again, he may not have been able to line up the investors he did.

Good points. From the interview during the game last night, it sounds like this decision was made for him by Towerbrook. They want out, Checketts couldn't find a replacement silent majority partner, so they told him that time is up - sell everything so we can unload our share.

[Oz-iz-God]

Here is a fun doomsday fact: The lease that keeps the Blues in St. Louis ran only through the 2010-2011 season.

(not I believe the team would actually move)

I did not know that - Can you say Kansas City here we come? Cause our new arena has a sweet lease all ready to rock and roll.

That thought actually crossed my mind.

I'm a native Kansas City kid, I have no particular allegiance to St. Louis. Better still, I live in Columbia so it's pretty much the same drive to either city. All told, I'd root for them just as easily in KC as I would in STL, but I'd get to do it in a much MUCH better arena in KC.

Checkett's clearly struggled to find STL investors that would back him and there's a fair amount of money in KC. I wouldn't be stunned if a KC area guy made a hard move on the Blues and tried to send them a couple hundred miles east.

[STLADOGG]

All told, I'd root for them just as easily in KC as I would in STL, but I'd get to do it in a much MUCH better arena in KC.

I don't understand? I like Scottrade, not a bad seat in the house. And it got a perfect score in a research done, cant remember the topic, but is there a hockey rink already in KC?

[Leedog]

The Sprint Center is new and beautiful. I saw Paul McCartney there last summer.

[Oz-iz-God]

All told, I'd root for them just as easily in KC as I would in STL, but I'd get to do it in a much MUCH better arena in KC.

I don't understand? I like Scottrade, not a bad seat in the house. And it got a perfect score in a research done, cant remember the topic, but is there a hockey rink already in KC?

Yeah, the Sprint Center is pretty amazing.

They've done a nice job of keeping Scottrade in good shape and making it a nice venue. But it's unreasonable to expect it to be on par with the brand new building in KC.

I gotta imagine Sprint ranks up with the top 3-5 arenas in the sport. The place is outstanding.

[STLADOGG]

All told, I'd root for them just as easily in KC as I would in STL, but I'd get to do it in a much MUCH better arena in KC.

I don't understand? I like Scottrade, not a bad seat in the house. And it got a perfect score in a research done, cant remember the topic, but is there a hockey rink already in KC?

Yeah, the Sprint Center is pretty amazing.

They've done a nice job of keeping Scottrade in good shape and making it a nice venue. But it's unreasonable to expect it to be on par with the brand new building in KC.

I gotta imagine Sprint ranks up with the top 3-5 arenas in the sport. The place is outstanding.

Ohh wow...just saw it, man is that arena beautiful...doesn't surprise me though KC is a beautiful city.

[thedoc]

1. The Sprint Center is not new. It is just under used and so is in good condition.

2. Stan can't buy the team because he still has a stake in the Av's no matter how we slice it.

3. If a buyer can't be found in a timely fashion there is a possibility be it ever so so slim. Towerbrook could just pull the plug on the whole thing. Remember these people are in business to make money not win Cups. And the price of the Blues is pocket change to them. If there is a possibility of this dragging on who knows what could happen ie. tax right off.

[ViPeRx007]

I started a money pool on Facebook to buy the team. So far we're up to $30. We're practically there. I'll be sure to hook you guys up with some nachos or cheap brewski's when I'm the president.

[Portland Blues]

I started a money pool on Facebook to buy the team. So far we're up to $30. We're practically there. I'll be sure to hook you guys up with some nachos or cheap brewski's when I'm the president.

Will you keep "teh organ"?

[dmiles2186]

I started a money pool on Facebook to buy the team. So far we're up to $30. We're practically there. I'll be sure to hook you guys up with some nachos or cheap brewski's when I'm the president.

Uh-oh. sseagle has some competition to buy the team.

[glen a richter]

Mark Cuban, where are you?

[cprice12]

Mark Cuban, where are you?

Yeah, no kidding.

[Leedog]

Does the NHL have any stupid rules about owning a team in a different city (different sport) like the NFL does?