Bettman Kicked In The Balsillies

NHL Digest reported earlier about questions that seemed alarming regarding Jim Balsillie’s failed attempt to buy the Nashville Predators.

Reports are surfacing regarding the influence that Gary Bettman had in guiding the negotiations that the group led by Jim Balsillie.

ESPN is reporting that Bettman forced the ending of negotiations with Balsillie for the sale of the Nashville Predators:

“We were advised by Mr. Leipold that the commissioner had found out about the existence of the negotiations and ordered him to immediately cease any further communications with us,” Balsillie’s legal representative, Richard Rodier, told ESPN.com this week.

It is also alleged that Bettman directed current Predators owner, Craig Leipold to focus on closing a deal with William “Boots” Del Biaggio III, the head of a group attempting to bring an NHL team to Kansas City.

Now, I am no rocket scientist, but I do know a thing or two about hockey and a little bit about business and this deal seems completely outrageous to me.

Why would Bettman want to move a struggling team to a Kansas City, where drawing a crowd and making a profit seems like a large hurdle given the demographic, rather than move the team to Hamilton where sell-out crowds and profits are almost certain?

Not only that, Balsillie has pockets as deep as would be required if additional funding were required to support the team in the short term.

I suppose that there is an argument about a proper venue for the team, which favors Kansas City in the short term.  However, the long term viability of the franchise is certainly better in Hamilton.

I must be missing something here, because this fan just doesn’t get it!