Should the Pens stay in Pittsburgh?

Question

I know this question has been asked a million times, but I dont mean it the same way others have. The Pens bring so much money to that city and I think the city officials should start showing some appreciation. Between them charging the club so much of construction, and then publicly saying they will try to have the NHL force them to stay if they dont agree to their terms, this is insane. The Pens belong in Pittsburgh because they are one of the few real hockey citys in the states, but if I were Mario, I would leave just out of spite for the officials. If you were in charge of the club, would you continue to negotiate with those jackass officials after all they have pulled?

Answer 1

Kansas City officials and AEG officials have said many times that it makes the most sense for everyone involved if the Penguins work out a deal to stay in Pennsylvania. They have also said that IF a deal cannot be worked out in Pittsburgh, they want to be the frontrunners in the negotiations for the team. In a recent article, Tim Liewicke the president of AEG said that he thinks it is unlikely that the team will relocate to Kansas City. That says a lot to me. He also added that the people in Kansas City have earned the respect of the NHL and team owners by staying out of the negotiations in Pittsburgh. In light of this, I think the latest announcement that Kansas City had sweetened the deal is a ploy on the part of the team. Liewicke said the Kansas City officials have never considered the Penguins as a real possibility but have been in talks with another franchise about the possibility of relocating to Kansas City following the next season. Liewicke himself said that is a far more likely scenario that is being supported by Mr. Bettman and the rest of the league.

With all of that said, I wouldn't blame Mario and Burkle for leaving Pittsburgh with the way they have been treated. I also think that despite the comments of Mr. Liewicke, your present a very likely possibility. If Rendell pisses off Mario and Burkle today, I think they will announce they will relocate to Kansas City. Sorry Pens fans, I know that is not what you want to read, but that's the way I see it. Today is the make-it or break-it day in Pennsylvania. Rendell either gives them what they want or they will announce they are leaving, and I don't think anyone on the Board of Govenors or the Mr. Bettman will be able to stop them from going.

Answer 2

I think Mario is being the jackass and a big baby. Whaaaaa we didn't win the slots license....whaaaaa nobody wants to give us what we want. I think Pittsburgh and Pennsylvania have given them pretty good deals. So go to another city, to a new arena, and get 100 people in attendance. The fan base is here, for any business you go where the market is.

The bottom line is that the Pens don't bring the money to the region that the other venues in Pittsburgh do. If this means strapping the cities budget for something that doesn't pay then I call it a bad business deal.

It amazes me how these sports teams play worse politics than the politicians. The people that are really struggling in the region are the small business owners that are dealing with outragous taxes, new competition that will come from the casinos, and now another possible venue leaving.

Really as much as I love the pens, the city might be better off without them.

Answer 3

Pittsburgh is an excellent sports city.. but an ok hockey city.. not a great one as everyone says.. Fans only come when there is a superstar. After Jagr, attendance was pretty downhill... even during the era of Mario's return.

Where were all these 'loyal fans' before Crosby.. what if Pittsburgh never won the draft lottery.. would the Pens still receive the same attention? Would then attendance hit record lows in Pittsburgh? A new arena would obviously be outta the question...

I think its wrong that people are basing their opinions around Crosby. What will happen in 10-15 years after Crosby.. will the Pens have to go through this again? They went through this before.. two years before they drafted Mario Lemieux.
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Answer 4

Well, if staying in Pittsburgh means the Penguins are going to be in financial difficulty and basically lose money every year and that they won't be able to get a new modern building (without having to pay so much that they actually lose money yearly) to help the team actually make a profit and succeed at paying and keeping their good players and have the budget be able to get good free agents etc. then NO.

KC has a very nice offer on the table that goes a long ways in addressing any budgetary problems a team may have in running a team successfully... they still need to put fans in the seats but it can't be denied that the deal is a great base to help a club grow and prosper under.

In my opinion ...the #1 goal for every team should be to make a profit (obviously) as this is a business after all ... if a team can't make a profit and have the budget to put a reasonable product on the ice that can actually reasonably be expected to challenge for a Stanley Cup then that team should not be in that city. It's a disservice to the fans to have teams that are "borderline"... teams that barely squeak into the playoffs every year at best.. and that have no real hope of being contenders.

For years many teams like Edmonton, Calgary etc ran exactly like that... budgetary constraints forced them to ice a team that realistically did not have a legitimate chance at being contenders every year... they were merely teams in a league where the odds were heavily stacked in favor of the haves vs the have-nots. Yes, sometimes miracles happen and teams make great runs in the playoffs and do have success but generally the teams with the money and budget to ice a team with depth, pay their top players what they are worth and go after free agents when they need them are the teams that will be the true contenders every year.

They can put the bodies on the ice that fans can at least be excited to watch instead of knowing that the team will have to struggle to even make the playoffs from the start of the season because the team is basically a farm team for the rest of the league.

I think the Penguins would be foolish not to accept the KC offer.. it's good for the team and the NHL to have 30 financially strong teams regardless of where those teams are.

As a side note... DO not have any new teams expanding to any new cities before every team in the league is in a strong position to support themselves. 30 teams is more than enough right now... they just need to be in cities where they can be financially self sufficient and if that means moving to cities that are better able to be financially supportive.. then so be it.

Answer 5

I think the "impasse" declared by Lemieux and his ownership group this week just was the final straw to let them know to get it done or else. That said I think it will happen. Look, if Mario really wanted to move the team, he would have signed on the dotted line with Kansas City weeks ago. The offer there was a free stadium and 1/2 of all revenues generated by the stadium. How can Pittsburgh match that? I think deep down Mario really wants to keep the team there and is giving the officials every opportunity to do so. One of the problems is that Gov. Rendell is a Philly guy. If this were the Flyers a deal would have been done years ago. This back and forth is just posturing to see who breaks first, but with the sweetheart deal KC has put out there, it won't be the Penguins. Today seems to be the "make or break" day for everyone. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that they can get something done.

Answer 6

I think the city officals are making it worse on themselves. Blame it on Rendell. He reminds me of those old Coyote comics and the Super Genius thing. Yeah he threatens to go to the NHL and force them to stay. Yeah that is real great faith. Mario already stated that the politics end was why he wanted out of the buisness. He has been trying to get the new arena for 8 years really. He wanted a new Arena from the start. Rendell wasn't working with him. You'd think in 4 years something could have been settled. I feel bad for Mario out of this. I don't think he should keep them there just for the sake of the city. I think the city should do what they can to keep the team, and I think they could do a lot more.

Answer 7

Well, I think what they're doing is clever. They just said (2 days ago, I think) that the negotiations had reached an impasse and said they are looking for a move. That puts a lot of pressure on the city to try and keep them, which puts them in a much better bargaining position (the pens, that is)

Nobody really wants to move- it takes a while and is a pain. you also have to rebuild the fanbase, the uniforms, come up with marketing ideas, get a new arena where you're moving, so on and so forth.

I'd bet that the city gives in.

Answer 8

Yes.

Pittsburgh hockey is alive, the team is winning and they're selling tickets. A lot of people are going to their games.

You just don't have that kind of promise from Kansas City rent free or not. Just look at Nashville, they've a killer team, but no one is going to the games.

Pittsburgh's city council needs to get their heads out of their arses and fix this mess because, Pittsburgh needs the Pens just as bad as the players need a new stadium.

Answer 9

No I wouldn't negotiate with Pittsburgh anymore. You do everything in your power to help them keep the team there and its still not good enough for them. I know its not the fans choice but I am sure if the fans really wanted them to stay there they would get off their butts and be heard. I know I would write who every I could to say the Penguins are our team and we want to keep them there. As much as I would hate to see them leave, I think they are better off in a different city. One that will show them that they want them there at any cost.

Answer 10

The city of Pittsburgh does not deserve the Penguins. You can look at the town officials all you want, and it is true that they are being unfair with financial support and what not, and then going and trying to force the team to stay... But I say what about the fans? Sure, the Pens were one of the hottest things in the city in the early 90's when they were winning titles, but then when the team began to slump the fans abandoned them. They may be back now because of Crosby and co. but I could care less. A real hockey city is with a team through slumps and championships. Look at Toronto. No titles in 40 years, yet they still sell out every night.