The G-Men

We touched on the business of sport in our last entry, and it was more negative than anythimng else. Yes, there are losers in the world of business, even professional sports - but - some franchises are doing extremely well. A perfect example is the Vancouver Giants.

A golden opportunity like this arises once in lifetime for investors; a perfect market. Hockey hungry city, sold out NHL games, an empty stadium, close proximity to your competition, in the largest BC city and you've got great financial backing - what a great fit for an expansion WHL franchise!

Its only what you do with an opportunity that counts and the Giants ownership group has made the most of the situation here in Vancouver. Fighting the WHL to start the giants was more than some would bear but it was the right decision to push ahead!

Once the ball was rolling, the right people had to be put into place and I personally think they made a fantastic decision by hiring coach Don Hay, who has lead the Giants to success on the ice.

A Recent milestone happened this season for the G-men, they passed the 2,000,000 fan mark. In a city who the WHL said would have trouble selling tickets, the Giants have blown away all expextations.

A true success story that can be used as a model for other franchises - the Giants are here to stay. The expansion of hockey in the Lower Mainland can be attributed toi Ron Toigo, Pat Quinn and the rest of the Giants organization. The Chilliwak Bruins have grown very well and have just moved into their new stadium, and the Calgary Flames have recently requested for their AHL farm team to be moved to Abbotsford.

We might have lost the Grizzlies to Memphis, but there is no shortage of successful sports teams to enjoy here in Vancouver.

Back in 2009

We'll it wasn't a resolution to blog less in the new year, but it seems to be the case as we've just wrapped up January and this is the first posting of 2009.

Lets get back up to speed!


The Celtics are rocking! At 41-9 they are in playoff form. The final 3 minutes of last night's win over the Sixers was real team basketball. All Star break is right around the corner - should be fun!

The Vancouver Canucks finally look better as last night they won their first game, ever! Just kidding, as a fan that's how long it feels like. Roberto Luongo is back to form and stopping shots, we look like the Canucks of October again - with Mats Sundin getting points, lets hope it'll continue!

As 2009 starts off on a better foot economically than 2008 ended, will we see teams like the Phoenix Coyotes come out of financial ruins? As a fan, I certainly hope so. I am not, however, impressed with Gary Bettman's decision to continue to pay the Coyote's bills. Getting a handout like that is similar to a grown man having to run to Mommy and Daddy for money. What is the money for? To feed his ego.

Sports teams are still businesses: huge losses, over spending, and poor decisions, are not OK just because its the NHL. Its no different than any company asking for a bailout. That bailout will only work if you start doing things in a much different manor. Continuing on the same path wil only lead you back to the same mess.

Since our outlook is for a slow and steady climb back to a strong financial position, we'll be looking more at the business of sport. There might be some teams for sale in the very near future - any takers?

The "i" in team?

Its the day after the Mats Sundin free agency is over, and he's now a Vancouver Canuck. The Canucks' fan forum is buzzing with reactions and opinions, of their new player and what he will bring to the team.

No matter which team landed the popular Swede, here's my question, "What made numerous General Managers around the league chase him for months?"

I don't think Sundin is a deal breaker or a Gretzky, but the length some teams were willing to go in order to get Sundin was awfully ridiculous. Of all the teams, the Canucks are the only which need not trade a top player with the arrival of Mats. Great positioning by Mike Gillis, and the Canucks won the battle. Can you imagine if we had to get rid of 2 of our best players to bring Sundin in - that's what the NY Rangers were willing to do.

No player, in my books, is worth restructuring mid-season. Sure, some teams would have taken a stab at Michael Jordan or Wayne Gretzky in their prime but there isn't and "I" in team, and that one player will never cut it.

The Rangers tried with Gretzky, and it was less than successful, with out the rest of the team creating the magic on the ice. The Wizards tried to spark a championship with MJ and it was an utter failure. The best exanple of restructuring and winning a championship immediately is the 2007-2008 Boston Celtics. And that was no one player signing - it was adding 2 additional superstars, numerous roll player and leadership.

I think the best fit for Sundin is with the Canucks, and its simply because he won't ruffle feathers. If it leads to a Stanly Cup, fantastic, but first let's hope he's a solid, healthy hockey player that can still SCORE!

Whether or not he'll perform, Ticket Sales are through the roof and if you're planning on going to a game, be ready to pay a premium. We've got another star in Vancouver - it still might be best to take a couple days and catch a road game.