JackStraw Posted August 19, 2014 Share Posted August 19, 2014 Wang is selling the team. Finally. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/08/20/sports/hockey/islanders-owner-announces-sale.html?ref=sports&_r=0 The Islanders owner Charles Wang announced Tuesday that he will sell the the team to Jonathan Ledecky, a former minority owner of the Washington Capitals, and Scott Malkin, a London-based investor.Wang said in a statement that he would initially sell the group led by Ledecky and Malkin a “substantial minority interest,” pending N.H.L. approval, and that Ledecky and Malkin would become majority owners of the Islanders in two years.Financial details were not announced, and Wang did not reveal how much of a stake he would retain after surrendering majority control of the team. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScottM Posted August 19, 2014 Share Posted August 19, 2014 London-based, huh? That probably won't mean anything, but another team in southern Ontario wouldn't be a bad thing, imho. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flyercanuck Posted August 19, 2014 Share Posted August 19, 2014 @ScottM Think it's London, England. Islander fans should have a parade now that Wang is out. Next they'll have a real gm. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScottM Posted August 19, 2014 Share Posted August 19, 2014 @ScottM Think it's London, England. Islander fans should have a parade now that Wang is out. Next they'll have a real gm. Southern Ontario? Sure. England? That wouldn't work so well. That's what I get for assuming. Lol Wang is almost the Jerry Jones of hockey. If he had named himself GM, he would be. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bertmega Posted August 19, 2014 Share Posted August 19, 2014 I thought they had a deal to play at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn starting next season??? This good news for the Organization.... Now they just need to demolish that dump in Uniondale. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jammer2 Posted August 19, 2014 Share Posted August 19, 2014 Just wait.....I don't think it's quite that simple. There is a pending lawsuit right now that claims Wang agreed to sell the team for 484 mill a few months back...and then the 2 billion dollar offer for the Los Angles Clippers came through, and Wang upped it 550 mill+ . I don't know if Wang can sell the team with this other lawsuit pending. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TropicalFruitGirl26 Posted August 19, 2014 Share Posted August 19, 2014 I will reiterate what I said in the shoutbox: This is GREAT news for the Isles, their fans, the NY Metro area, and the NHL in general.Unless this new group is somehow WORSE than Charles Wang as owners, then this indeed is a huge positive for the team. Wang may have been a competent general businessman, but a hockey guy/businessman, he CLEARLY was not.Even if the new group isn't exactly 'hockey genius', if they are at least savvy enough to HIRE real hockey people and let them do their jobs in running things, then the organization could see a Renaissance in excitement, competitiveness, and old rivalries can be renewed with some serious vigor. Team will be moving into the new arena with the NBA Brooklyn Nets, so that takes care of the Isles' home game needs, it will move them to within the actual city limits of NYC, thus closer to a larger, more concentrated fanbase, yet not so far away from Nassau County that the fans that way wouldn't want to travel a bit into the city to watch the team, and with hiring of real hockey people, will come REAL plans to become perennial NHL contenders, and in turn, that will attract quality free agents which can bring this organization back to its glory days of long ago. The NHL can do with less non-competitive teams within its ranks, and while that may still be the case in some markets, this news from Isles Land is a good step towards eliminating at least one more stale franchise and giving the league yet another quality team. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J0e Th0rnton Posted August 19, 2014 Share Posted August 19, 2014 I still think it is funny that Wang was considered the deep pocket saviour who was saving the team. Hopefully, the new owner gives these poor guys a break. Bets on first move of new ownership, fire Garth Snow? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TropicalFruitGirl26 Posted August 19, 2014 Share Posted August 19, 2014 I still think it is funny that Wang was considered the deep pocket saviour who was saving the team. Hopefully, the new owner gives these poor guys a break. Bets on first move of new ownership, fire Garth Snow? Errrr, isn't that a GIVEN?? lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jammer2 Posted August 19, 2014 Share Posted August 19, 2014 If Snow somehow survives this latest ownership switch, it will be simply amazing. The Teflon Don of modern day GM's.....lol. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScottM Posted August 19, 2014 Share Posted August 19, 2014 If they can fire Bettman after firing Snow, they will be my heroes for life! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flyercanuck Posted August 20, 2014 Share Posted August 20, 2014 If they can fire Bettman after firing Snow, they will be my heroes for life! Well look who's fitting right in. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScottM Posted August 20, 2014 Share Posted August 20, 2014 Well look who's fitting right in. I have a friend that I've recently gotten to start watching hockey, and he knows how much I can't stand Bettman. He didn't, however, realize how much hockey fans as a whole hate Bettman until I showed him several Youtube videos of boos for him at work today. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TropicalFruitGirl26 Posted August 20, 2014 Share Posted August 20, 2014 I have a friend that I've recently gotten to start watching hockey, and he knows how much I can't stand Bettman. He didn't, however, realize how much hockey fans as a whole hate Bettman until I showed him several Youtube videos of boos for him at work today. Was that the video of Bettman at the NHL Draft this year? Hah...talk about wearing the black hat.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScottM Posted August 20, 2014 Share Posted August 20, 2014 Was that the video of Bettman at the NHL Draft this year? Hah...talk about wearing the black hat.... That was one of them. "And to give you a break..." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jammer2 Posted August 20, 2014 Share Posted August 20, 2014 Another note, Wang has long been one of Bettman's lackies. Gary must hate to see him going. He automatically sided with Gary in everything, basically he is one of the guys that gave Gary this current stranglehold he has with the owners. He works for the owners, so it's very important for him to keep a clear majority on "his side". That is one of the dirty little secrets that the NHL carries around silently. When you go to buy an NHL team, it's essential to Gary that you support him. That is why you see independent thinkers like Blackberry Barry guru Gary Basilille blackballed, they are a threat to Gary and his continued employment. It's never what is best for the league, but it is what is best for Gary. What a figgin slimeball that guy is!! I'm willing to bet these new owners are Gary backers, or they would have never entered the conversation. So very corrupt this little scam they have going. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Podein25 Posted August 20, 2014 Share Posted August 20, 2014 ...hockey fans as a whole hate Bettman until I showed him several Youtube videos of boos for him at work today.That's nothing. You should check out the clips of Flyer fans booing Santa! Now THAT is some hatred! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScottM Posted August 20, 2014 Share Posted August 20, 2014 That's nothing. You should check out the clips of Flyer fans booing Santa! Now THAT is some hatred! That's pretty much just Philly for you, isn't it? Lol @jammer2 Another example of that is a failing team that can't leave Glendale. If you won't do it Bettman's way and keep the team where it is, no team for you. There are SO many cities where the team would do better. If he wants to insist on keeping it in the sunbelt, why not give Houston a chance? But for Pete's sake, get it out of Phoenix. I hope when Bettman FINALLY leaves they do something to limit the power of the next commissioner. I doubt it'll happen, but I can dream. I won't even get into what I think about points for a loss in OT, the gimmick that I personally find the shootout to be, the uneven conferences, and many other things he's done that I think are stupid. That would be too many rants for one post. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jammer2 Posted August 20, 2014 Share Posted August 20, 2014 I won't even get into what I think about points for a loss in OT, the gimmick that I personally find the shootout to be, the uneven conferences, and many other things he's done that I think are stupid. That would be too many rants for one post. Hah, we have discussed those at length in here. Horrible hockey ideas, the whole lot of them. Agreed, hockey has never fit in Phoenix. It could be as simple as the previous owners are Bettman lackeys, or the potential new ones would not side with Gary. The sad realities of the current NHL. They really do have to limit the next Commish's power drastically. No one man should be bigger than the sport, which is exactly what is going on right now. The game of hockey has been one giant toy to used to stroke Gary's humongous ego. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScottM Posted August 20, 2014 Share Posted August 20, 2014 I'm a southerner. I appreciate the fact that they at least tried to make the sport catch on down here. Hey, some of the places did embrace it. Nashville, Raleigh, Dallas, and Tampa come to mind, but when it doesn't work, give the teams to a city that will appreciate them. Saskatoon would be a far better home than some of the cities that have hosted teams, and that's a tiny market. Bringing this back to the original topic that I kind of pulled it away from, will teams like the Islanders ever really have hope in the current setup? I doubt it... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jammer2 Posted August 20, 2014 Share Posted August 20, 2014 Bringing this back to the original topic that I kind of pulled it away from, will teams like the Islanders ever really have hope in the current setup? I doubt it... I think the new arena covered things nicely. They badly needed it in order for the franchise to move forward in a positive direction. Nasseau fans actually had their vote, they voted against the new arena and thus lost the team. It's kind of a sad day when a hockey fan has to choose between his or her team or supporting corporate welfare. I don't blame the tax payers for not footing the bill, Wang has enough billions he could have whipped up that new arena without any help at all, an would have been no worse for the wear. Unforturnate for the Isles fans, but sometimes, if you wanna play, ya gotta pay...as much as I disagree with that statement, it appears to be all to true for Islander fans. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
notfondajane Posted October 8, 2014 Share Posted October 8, 2014 I wonder if the new owners will move the team west once they take over? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TropicalFruitGirl26 Posted October 8, 2014 Share Posted October 8, 2014 I wonder if the new owners will move the team west once they take over? I suppose that can happen eventually, but given the new arena, being closer to a larger fanbase inside of NYC, and the team's long history in the NY Metropolitan area, I doubt it.If relocation is to be done in the NHL, I think there are other teams that would be looked at before the NY Islanders are. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
notfondajane Posted October 8, 2014 Share Posted October 8, 2014 I suppose that can happen eventually, but given the new arena, being closer to a larger fanbase inside of NYC, and the team's long history in the NY Metropolitan area, I doubt it.If relocation is to be done in the NHL, I think there are other teams that would be looked at before the NY Islanders are.I suppose that can happen eventually, but given the new arena, being closer to a larger fanbase inside of NYC, and the team's long history in the NY Metropolitan area, I doubt it.If relocation is to be done in the NHL, I think there are other teams that would be looked at before the NY Islanders are.I understand the point you made. There's 5 teams between NYC and DC., and imo that's one team to many. Pgh has many great games and series with all 5 teams. One of these teams should move west and bring Nashville to the eastern conference to rival Carolina. Then expand 2 teams in the west Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
radoran Posted October 8, 2014 Share Posted October 8, 2014 Bringing this back to the original topic that I kind of pulled it away from, will teams like the Islanders ever really have hope in the current setup? I doubt it... They've been mentioned in the conversation about Metro playoff contenders... They have a lot of young talent that, if they break through, could really make a huge difference. I wonder if the new owners will move the team west once they take over? They have a deal to move to Barclays Center in Brooklyn next season - so it's not likely that they're moving the team West. Quite frankly, at that point I'd rather be the Coney Islanders in Brooklyn than the Devils in freaking Newark. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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