Rico Posted July 5, 2020 Posted July 5, 2020 Sounds like Pegs could use a financial genius to come back and save the day. 1
boater Posted July 5, 2020 Posted July 5, 2020 4 hours ago, inkman said: But why? Because in reality land Buffalo can't support a major league team. The Sabres are only financially viable when they win. If they move to a major market like LA or other, they can make money even when they suck. Example: the LA Clippers.
Mango Posted July 6, 2020 Posted July 6, 2020 20 hours ago, boater said: Because in reality land Buffalo can't support a major league team. The Sabres are only financially viable when they win. If they move to a major market like LA or other, they can make money even when they suck. Example: the LA Clippers. Yes and no. Part of the issue that makes it trickier is that the NHL is not all that popular to begin with. Where as the Bills can basically break even just from the TV contracts alone. ($255M per year and $198M salary cap) It isn't that different than most teams in the NHL. They need to have lots of butts in lots of seats just to hit a break even point. What is happening to the Sabres is just 10 years of futility catching up to them in a bit of a niche sport. Not necessarily that Buffalo cannot support an NHL team unless there is some wild set of circumstances. The Pegulas are actually in an enviable situation professionally. They have a market that will support their team and make them millions without much issue as long as they are even average at your job. But they can't get out of their own way. They are tanking their own business. Sure, maybe LA could make them more money, but Buffalo isn't a town where it should be costing them money to run the team. If they just made the playoffs every other year, people would literally camp out overnight to get tickets and buy merch. Could you imagine you go to work and people are begging you for your product already, there is almost no customer acquisition costs, no consumer education, no real key verticals. Just a base of people that already want your product. All you have to do is hire people who are about average at their job and get out of the way. Then you can make millions. Most of us are not that lucky. They are actually in complete control of their destiny here. This is their problem, not the towns. They have been absolutely miserable owners of the Sabres. Like one of the worst owners in all of professional sports. It's not the market (albeit there are some issues with comparative profitability to other franchises)
Mr. WEO Posted July 6, 2020 Posted July 6, 2020 5 hours ago, Mango said: Yes and no. Part of the issue that makes it trickier is that the NHL is not all that popular to begin with. Where as the Bills can basically break even just from the TV contracts alone. ($255M per year and $198M salary cap) It isn't that different than most teams in the NHL. They need to have lots of butts in lots of seats just to hit a break even point. What is happening to the Sabres is just 10 years of futility catching up to them in a bit of a niche sport. Not necessarily that Buffalo cannot support an NHL team unless there is some wild set of circumstances. The Pegulas are actually in an enviable situation professionally. They have a market that will support their team and make them millions without much issue as long as they are even average at your job. But they can't get out of their own way. They are tanking their own business. Sure, maybe LA could make them more money, but Buffalo isn't a town where it should be costing them money to run the team. If they just made the playoffs every other year, people would literally camp out overnight to get tickets and buy merch. Could you imagine you go to work and people are begging you for your product already, there is almost no customer acquisition costs, no consumer education, no real key verticals. Just a base of people that already want your product. All you have to do is hire people who are about average at their job and get out of the way. Then you can make millions. Most of us are not that lucky. They are actually in complete control of their destiny here. This is their problem, not the towns. They have been absolutely miserable owners of the Sabres. Like one of the worst owners in all of professional sports. It's not the market (albeit there are some issues with comparative profitability to other franchises) Well said
Recommended Posts