The NHL Board of Governors' Expansion Committee
yesterday reduced the list of active expansion applicants
from eleven to six. The applications still under
consideration: Atlanta, Columbus, Houston (group headed by
Chuck Watson), Minneapolis-St. Paul, Nashville and Oklahoma
City. Applications dismissed: Hamilton, ON, Hampton Roads,
VA, two from Houston -- one from Rockets Owner Les Alexander
and one from the Maloof family -- and Raleigh-Durham (NHL).
In a conference call, NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman said one
or more teams starting in '98 is a "possibility, but not
before." Bettman: "We haven't decided we are expanding at
all, to be quite candid." He said the expansion fee likely
would be $80M. Remarks from Commissioner Bettman are
followed by market-by-market reaction (THE DAILY).
WHOLE PACKAGE: Bettman, on criteria for consideration:
"We're focused on ownership, we're focused on building/arena
... We're focused on the fact that the team will need to be
successful in its local market and that the team will need
to help strengthen the league as a whole. ... Of all the
factors, ownership was the most important."
PLACEMENT: Bettman: "As we're looking to make
ourselves stronger in North America for advertisers, for
sponsors, media coverage, broadcasters, if we expand, where
future franchises are placed ... is very important in terms
of the footprint, in terms of market size." On possible
realignment: "It will all be done as part of the package."
NEXT STEP: Bettman said a subcommittee of the
expansion committee will make site visits to the remaining
applicants. The scheduling will be done in the next month,
with the site visits done the following month, then a
reconvening of the expansion committee (THE DAILY).
HAMPTON ROADS: After the decision, Hornets Owner and
Hampton Roads applicant George Shinn has decided to "shop
for an existing franchise in economic distress," which he'd
move to the proposed arena in Norfolk. Shinn said that
Bettman has offered to help him in his pursuit for a
franchise (Rick Bonnell, CHARLOTTE OBSERVER, 2/20). VA
state lawmakers yesterday approved a financing package for a
new arena in Norfolk that will use state taxes generated by
the arena to pay back the money borrowed for its
construction (Robert Little, Norfolk VIRGINIAN-PILOT, 2/20).
ST. PAUL: Bettman said the area's application specifies
the St. Paul Civic Center, so the NHL site visit will be
limited to that arena. Bettman also said he views the city
"favorably" as a potential recipient of the Whalers, if that
team moves (Jay Weiner, Minneapolis STAR TRIBUNE, 2/20).
COLUMBUS: Franklin County Commissioners have voted to
put a three-year, 0.5% sales tax to go towards $192M for a
downtown stadium and arena on a May 6 ballot (Kevin Mayhood,
COLUMBUS DISPATCH, 2/19). Bettman: "I think if the
referendum doesn't pass in Columbus and the building isn't
going to be built, that pretty much hurts, if not cripples,
Columbus' chance of getting a franchise" (THE DAILY).
OKLAHOMA CITY: City Mayor Ron Norick removed himself
as a future investor in the franchise. Norick: "I will not
be involved in the franchise, other than being a very active
fan" (John Rohde, DAILY OKLAHOMAN, 2/20).
NASHVILLE: Bettman: "If both Oklahoma City and
Nashville were to be the recipients of franchises, we would
have to, and we've discussed this with both applicants, be
in a position to make sure that the Gaylord Involvement was
only with one of the two franchises" (THE DAILY).
HOUSTON: Bettman, on the ownership choice: "[T]here
seemed to be more certainty, at least in the short term with
respect to the building situation in the Watson group. ...
Mr. Watson has a hockey team already, he controls The Summit
... there was a higher comfort level with the whole package
that was being presented." Bettman, on Watson's IHL Aeros
if Houston gets a team: "I think he will move it. I don't
think he plans on keeping it in Houston" (THE DAILY). In
Houston, David Barron writes the expansion decision "throws
a new wrinkle into the battle between Watson and [Rockets
Owner Les] Alexander for control of a proposed new arena."
Bettman added that the "ability -- or inability -- of Watson
to come to an agreement with Alexander or the city or both
on a new building likely will be a key factor in whether
Houston gets an NHL team" (HOUSTON CHRONICLE, 2/20).
HAMILTON: The "fact the bid lacked an owner was the
overriding reason" Hamilton was eliminated, according to the
TORONTO SUN's Tim Wharnsby. Bettman: "That is something
that through the application process we had suggested might
be an issue. The other owners were uncomfortable with a
city owning a franchise" (TORONTO SUN, 2/20).
ATLANTA: The CONSTITUTION's Henry Unger notes that the
city is "considered one of the favorites" because it's the
largest TV market without a team. Bettman called TV market
size "very important" (ATLANTA CONSTITUTION, 2/20).
REAX: In Toronto, the STAR's Damien Cox writes under
the header, "NHL's On Right Course In Handling of
Expansion." Cox gives his "guess" for expansion: "Atlanta
and Nashville in 1999, with Houston and Oklahoma City
sliding in for 2001" (TORONTO STAR, 2/20). In Houston, the
CHRONICLE's Dale Robertson writes "None of the surviving
cities except Atlanta is as strong a contender as Houston"
(HOUSTON CHRONICLE, 2/20).
