the other press Sports http://otherpress.douglas.bc.ca January 15, 2003 Senators Bankruptcy: Af Sign of Things to Come Jordan Cripps Sports Editor One of the more disappointing sports stories I’ve heard over the past few months is the news that the Ottawa Senators are bankrupt and seeking new ownership. If this had happened when the Senators were entrenched in the Alexandre Daigle sweepstakes, finishing last in the league, it would still be sad but, in some ways, would be easier to understand. Currently, though, the Senators are amongst the league leaders in wins and points. Maybe I’m becoming a con- spiracy theorist but I wonder whether the team made a conscious decision to wait until the Senators were in a a) = rr oe Cy more visible position before declaring bankruptcy. They would hope that the Senators would be able to attract more sympathy for their plight if the team was successful on the ice. This seems to have worked as John Manley has taken up the cause of trying to keep the Senators afloat. If the Senators are unable to get out of debt and can’t find a buyer that is willing to keep the team in Ottawa, the consequences for Canadian hockey could be disas- trous. While teams such as Toronto and Montreal are rel- atively stable financially, the other Canadian teams aren't. Pe | ot For example, here in Vancouver John McCaw has been trying to unload the team for a number of years. It is possible he could follow the Senator’s lead and try to make the team seem as valueless as possible with the intention of getting rid of the team. Even though the team would be bankrupt, McCaw would probably still have significant wealth. Teams in Edmonton and Calgary, where ownership is even less stable and the pockets aren't as deep, may need to go the same route as the Senators just to keep the teams going for another year. One of the more distressing comments made by Rod Bryden, when he announced the Senators had been given bankruptcy protection, was that the Senators need- ed more fans coming out to games. Whenever a team is in financial difficulty the fans are the first target of the owners wrath (something Vancouverites became very familiar with in the few years the Grizzlies were in exis- tence). I have a problem with this. My problem isn’t that the team needs people coming to games in order to sur- vive; teams do need support from fans. The problem is that I don’t think that the best way to motivate people is to threaten them when times become desperate. I believe that teams should be doing their best to get people going to games before they are in danger of losing the team. It seems like the fan becomes a scapegoat for the team’s inability to succeed. Again, to some extent, this is true, fans are needed for a team to have financial success. Unfortunately, though, this connection is really only made when the team needs more money. In my opinion, before blame can be passed to external targets, teams must examine their own activities to see whether there are any internal issues that can be correct- ed to allow for more financial stability. classifieds Students advertise for free! Ghz system bundles with ASUS SAMICK four string bass guitar, Learn with a tutor or become a For free student classifieds up to 30 | finnouncements words, email: submit@op.douglas.bc.ca with your | Automobiles name, student number, desired section, and put “classified” in the subject line. Staff and Student Organizations Receive 50% off our Fast Cash Ad rate. Fast Cash Ads 3 lines 3 times for $20 (30 words max). Open rate of $5 per line. Enquiries: call our advertising man- ager at 604-525-3542. Pictures Classifieds pictures are $10 each print- ing for all of the above categories. The picture size is 3.5cm x 2.5cm, black and white. 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