Balsillie vs. Bettman - Round Three
June 2009

Is the third time a charm? Jim Balsillie is about to find out. For the third time in as many years, Jim Balsillie has put forth an offer on a struggling NHL team with the hope of bringing a seventh NHL team to Canada. For the other team bids (Nashville Predators and Pittsburgh Penguins), Balsillie largely played by the rules only to be rebuffed by NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman. This time around, Balsillie is playing hard ball.

Since the bankruptcy filing, there have been two very different approaches by the two sides. Bettman and the NHL have largely been quiet, making token statements to the media but letting their court filings do the talking. Other NHL franchise owners have remained silent on the issue. Other professional leagues (MLB, NFL, NBA) supported the NHL’s decision to block the relocation of the Coyotes, although their involvement has been low-key. The league seems to be communicating with the courts and their supporters but the general public has largely been ignored.

Balsillie has been using a blended approach. While using the courts to achieve his objective he’s also been front and centre throughout the process and courting public opinion; he’s released statements, granted many media interviews and even created a web site (www.makeitseven.ca) to support his cause. Balsillie’s actions have made the people of south-western Ontario feel as though they are a part of his bid. Aside from Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment (MLSE), Balsillie has most of south-western Ontario on his side. He’s even upped the ante by placing a deadline of the end of June for a decision to be made before he retracts his bid.

However, there is more that Balsillie could have done. He’s been unable to get endorsements from any high profile people in the hockey world. An endorsement from Wayne Gretzky would have added a much needed boost to his bid. Moreover, Balsillie hasn’t positioned MLSE as the major obstacle in making his dream a reality; with such a large and easy target like MLSE it is surprising that Balsillie has not been more aggressive, particularly in the media.

With the matter still before the courts, Balsillie keeps pushing forward with his Public Relations campaign, recently announcing Labatt and Home Hardware as potential sponsors of the new Canadian team.

Who will win this time? While the court of public opinion has already decided (at least in south-western Ontario), only time will tell if Balsillie’s gamble has paid off.