CT Gov. John Rowland and Whalers Owner Peter Karmanos,
"their bargaining positions irreconcilably apart," announced
in separate press conferences yesterday that "negotiations
to keep the team in Hartford were over," according to
Christopher Keating of the HARTFORD COURANT. Rowland said
the state will allow the Whalers to leave after their final
home game in two weeks. The team will pay an exit fee of
$20.5M since they were contracted to stay in Hartford for
another season. The cities of Minneapolis-St. Paul,
Columbus, OH, and Nashville, TN, are believed to be the most
likely to land the Whalers. Karmanos said he did not know
where the team will go, but he "is convinced that the team
will have a new home by May 1 and will have a better deal
than the one offered by Rowland" (HARTFORD COURANT, 3/27).
NO DEAL: Rowland described the team's "demand" that the
state cover an estimated $45M in losses over three years
while a new arena was being built as "unreasonable." In
addition to the $147M arena, the Whalers "wanted free rent
and no ticket surcharges to help pay construction costs."
Though "many" officials "were disappointed" in the team's
decision, Hartford Mayor Michael Peters "was the most
outspoken." Peters said the city increased its offer to the
Whalers from $6M to eventually $20M on Monday and called the
team's demands "outrageous." Karmanos said that the team
could not afford to lose $15M every year, as he did not
"anticipate profits" until 2007 (HARTFORD COURANT, 3/27).
QUOTEBOARD: Gov. Rowland: "The deal I offered would be
equivalent to offering to build a manufacturing firm a new
facility and guaranteeing that firm's profits. Outside the
major league sports industry, such a deal would never be
considered. ... This is a setback, but the future of
Hartford does not depend on the Whalers or any other major
league sports franchise." Hartford Mayor Peters: "It's
obvious to me they didn't want to stay here." Asked what he
would say to Karmanos if he saw him, Peters replied, "I'd be
in jail." Karmanos: "We do not believe that anyone is to
blame for this result. It is the function of the size of
the market, the limited nature of the television market and
of the economic realities that we face. ... As a
businessman, you want to take risks, but you don't want to
be reckless. To take the deal that was offered to us would
have been reckless" (HARTFORD COURANT, 3/27). In a
statement, NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman: "We regret when
circumstances force any team to relocate. We recognize and
appreciate the support that the Whalers have received during
their time in Hartford" (NHL). More Bettman: "This wasn't a
case of tough negotiating. Peter Karmanos went in with the
best intentions" (Kevin Allen, USA TODAY, 3/27).
CITY OF JOY? In Hartford, reaction to the Whalers'
announcement "was one that frequently marked their 17 years
in the city -- indifference," according to Dempsey, Goode &
Puleo of the HARTFORD COURANT. Whalers fan Juan Rivera,
noting the team asking the state to cover $45M in losses:
"Forty-five million is preposterous. Who do they think they
are, gods or something?" Fan Jim Harris: "If the city loses
the Whalers, forget about it. ... If nobody comes into
Hartford, it's a ghost town" (HARTFORD COURANT, 3/27).
COURANT sports columnist Jeff Jacobs said there is "blame"
to go around for the departure, naming Bettman, Rowland, the
NHLPA and Karmanos. Jacobs: "Thanks for showing up in
Hartford Wednesday, Mr. Commish. ... Rowland is to be
blamed. He lacked creativity. He didn't get bloody enough.
... The NHL let Hartford rot on the vine." More Jacobs:
"All those who love downtown Hartford? Don't worry. We've
still got the Blizzard and wherever an underaged Oksana
drinks" (HARTFORD COURANT, 3/27). COURANT columnist Tom
Condon: "The Whalers are leaving because [Karmanos] wanted
to leave and was mostly jerking us around. ... Make the deal
any sweeter and we wouldn't be fans, we'd be indentured
servants" (HARTFORD COURANT, 3/27). A CONNECTICUT POST
editorial: "Rowland reached out far enough. ... Good
riddance" (CONNECTICUT POST, 3/27). The N.Y. TIMES'
Jonathan Rabinovitz calls the decision "a blow" to Rowland,
"who had made keeping [the Whalers] part of his efforts to
revitalize this struggling city" (N.Y. TIMES, 3/27). ESPN's
Charley Steiner: "To Karmanos' way of thinking, minus twenty
and a half million dollars is still a better place to play
than Hartford" ("SportsCenter," ESPN, 3/26). CNN/SI's Fred
Hickman noted that the team has played to 71% of capacity
since '92, and 86% this season ("CNN/SI," 3/26).
