Canadian Airlines' decision to terminate its naming
rights deal with the Saddledome "will cost" the Flames
C$500,000 per year in sponsorship money, according to Jason
van Rassel of the CALGARY SUN. But Flames co-Owner Murray
Edwards said yesterday that the team "is already talking to
several potential replacements" and remains "confident"
about filling the void. Edwards: "We have a number of
potential parties that have expressed an interest, but
nothing final yet." Canadian Airlines spokesperson Renee
Smith-Valade said that the Saddledome's naming rights deal
"accounted for only half" of the company's 20-year, C$20M
deal with the Flames and that the airline "will remain a
sponsor" of the team (CALGARY SUN, 5/11). But in Calgary,
Eric Francis calls Canadian Airlines' decision to scale back
its support "encouraging" because it gives the Flames a
"great opportunity to land a better" naming rights deal with
"any number" of local companies (CALGARY SUN, 5/11).
MINOR LEAGUE INITIATIVE: In order to help the Flames
meet the owners' June 30 deadline of 14,000 season tickets
sold, the Minor Hockey Association of Calgary (MHAC) has
issued a "challenge" for fans and businesses to purchase two
Flames season tickets for each of the 738 MHAC teams in
Calgary. Flames VP/Marketing Lanny McDonald said that for
every MHAC team adopted, the Flames would donate 20 tickets
"to allow the adopted team to come to a Flames game as a
group" (CALGARY HERALD, 5/11). Rick Bell, noting the team
still must sell 3,400 season tickets, writes, "No one wants
to hear any more threats of cough up the dough or the Flames
are out of here. No one wishes to endure more pathetic
pleading or tiresome tries at tugging the heartstrings. ...
People want [better] hockey" (CALGARY SUN, 5/11).
OTHER NHL NOTES: The Hurricanes estimated they lost
between $12-15M last season, their first at the Raleigh
Entertainment & Sports Arena. But the loss represents an
"improvement" over the $55M the team lost in two years in
Greensboro (HOCKEY NEWS, 5/12 issue)....The Oilers have sold
11,246 season tickets for next season and have three weeks
remaining to reach the 13,000 required to qualify for the
NHL's Canadian Assistance Plan (Oilers)....The expansion
Wild have reached a two-year agreement for the IHL Cleveland
Lumberjacks to become their top farm team (ST. PAUL PIONEER
PRESS, 5/11)....In Denver, Adrian Dater writes that of the
four teams left in the NHL playoffs, the Flyers ($51M),
Stars ($44M) and Avalanche ($43M) all have payrolls ranking
in the top five in the league this season. The Devils'
payroll ($36.5M) ranks seventh (DENVER POST, 5/11).
