Spirit of Manitoba Chair Alan Sweatman told reporters
yesterday that months of work failed to raise the money needed to
keep professional hockey alive in Winnipeg and it is time to
"pull the plug" on efforts to keep the Jets in Winnipeg and build
a new 16,000 seat arena, according to the WINNIPEG FREE PRESS.
The Jets are scheduled to play exhibition games next month
leaving no time to move the team for the upcoming season.
Therefore, the Jets will play one more season in Winnipeg Arena
while the current owners try to find a new home for the team.
Manitobans who donated money to the Jets effort will have their
contributions refunded "in the days to come." Reaction was mixed
with some still hopeful Jets President Barry Shenkarow "could be
persuaded" to keep the team. Shenkarow holds a news conference
this afternoon. But Spirit Board Member Charlie Spiring says,
"Up ahead, many of us will visit the idea of a Canadian hockey
league or joining the [IHL], but we're going to have to examine
that without a world-class facility" (John Douglas, WINNIPEG FREE
PRESS, 8/15).
NOW WHAT? The city and province will be responsible for the
Jets' operating losses for up to two more seasons, losses which
could be as much as C$30M next season alone (Nick Martin,
WINNIPEG FREE PRESS, 8/15).
LOCAL REACTION: Columnist Hal Sigurdson writes that the only
way to keep the Jets and make them profitable is to change their
name and logo. Sigurdson, citing the NBA: "Keep the Jets
uniforms, design a jazzier logo, call the team the Monarchs or
Falcons and set up shop in the IHL. Add rock music, a light show
and a creative mascot, then watch the money roll in." ... The
FREE PRESS' Kelly Taylor writes, "A lot of people may not want to
believe it, but as an important, international sporting
community, Winnipeg died yesterday." ... Jets fan Mike Taylor
said, "It sucks the big one" (WINNIPEG FREE PRESS, 8/15).
