Martin Braun on 8/8/16 of Bloomberg wrote about Prokhorov's offering statement which included the lease opt out dates. Sure this other writer does more shock-jock material, and I have dismisses his gossip before, but it's more likely someone at Barclay's or AIG connected to Prokhorov floated it.
Does it matter? They are still selling tickets for next season, who wants to be part of a lame duck franchise for two years that desperately needed to be in New York City to survive?
And given existing lease through 2018-19 if Barclay's opts out officially at the deadline 1/30/18 how does it help them sell tickets for the next 2 1/2 half seasons, this article cost Prokhorov money.
Bottom line.
Wang was right, it's Barclay's or out of town, now it's time for out of town.
It's time for our players to play in front of a full house 41 times in regular season, with a real television/newspaper partner, that considers it's team a public trust, not one that bid for the Coliseum, to put in their own AHL team, and bring the Rangers to the Coliseum for home preseason games. They did all they could to get them out of New York for the territorial rights, to get back hundreds of millions in cable television money through 2031 with their media outlets who worked hard to dry up the fan-base for over a generation by hiding them or knocking them.
More outside media (and a lot of fans) should have reported or discussed the conflict of interest or understood what was happening, they did not care or were busy selling themselves since 2008 when Dolan got Newsday or need the Garden to improve their amateur resumes.
NYC sports editors want them out too, coverage cost money, they cannot afford writers to cover games any longer, just negative features designed to drive them out of business like this one with a misleading title.
Now we know why the Dolan's Coliseum coverage went from 100 percent negative watchdog, fudging details in Coliseum agreement vs their losing bid, for three years to completely positive overnight.
The situation will never stabilize here to make owning a franchise financially viable for anyone.
It's not going to work in New York for this franchise any longer, the arena follies must end forever.
Since 1989 this has gone on. I don't blame Prokhorov, Ratner, Malkin, Ledecky or Wang.
Many of our fans were not knowledgeable. I tried as hard as possible for everyone.
Hopefully Malkin-Prokhorov can work out a lease buyout quickly, and get this team to a real market for next season, and not drag this out for the next year or two of rumors & gossip.
I want no part of that, we all have had enough.
Ledecky/Malkin/Wang/Shay are owed 107 million for two more years now that Prokhorov wants the team out of Barclay's, and must pay them this money.
No one's building another arena here, not in two years, not ever. It's time for people to stop the denial. I thought it was working at Barclay's based on 14,200 avg after 12/2/15 and in a decade would have for sure, and it was not bad this year considering all the extra early season weeknight games.
Dolan's media pushed the negatives hard.
Mayor deBlasio thought it was working too.
It will never work outside New York City, and there will be no arena built in an over-saturated arena market, for a fan base that's proven it will not support this team 41 times under any circumstances.
Mangano's path back, is that a joke? Prokhorov owns the Coliseum per their lease, only they decide who plays at Nassau Coliseum which is not a viable alternative with poor fan support, no revenue, not inside a city.
Playoffs? Stanley Cup? Who cares? Tavares contract? Everyone who can pick where they can play should get that chance.
It's time for the entitlement many fans thought they deserved to finally end. Quebec will make an excellent new home for our players under contract, and sellout every game.
Reality came home a year early, hopefully this will be the final season before a relocation out of New York for this summer, we don't need this dragged out until 1/30/18 before it all ends forever in 2019.
Greiss will have some financial security, he earned this contract.
#Isles Transaction: Thomas Greiss has agreed to terms on a three-year deal. Details: https://t.co/NMV0wM8mI8 pic.twitter.com/KMXJtPFmiw— New York Islanders (@NYIslanders) January 31, 2017