(NOTE: I wrote this a few days ago.. It isn't much so read at your own risk!)
After taking a few days to digest the latest news from this arena lease issue I've come to one conclusion:
Brace yourselves!
I won't get into the dirty details of the issue as those have been aired all over North America the past few days but the bottom line is that current ownership is not willing to stand idly by and lose millions upon millions of dollars.
If they numbers they say are correct, which they say is upwards of 12 mil a year, then who can blame them?
Those hoping for a quick resolution to this mess should hope for the best but prepare themselves for the worst. These things never seem to get fixed quickly or quietly.
The Jackets were trying to get something done out of the public eye but those efforts were dashed once the lobbyist got wind of their "sin tax" plan a few months back and squashed it.
Unfortunately the public eye has now turned into a black eye for the entire Columbus Blue Jackets organization. Articles are sprouting up like Penguins bandwagon fans questioning if Columbus can support an NHL team and what good is the cap that the league cancelled an entire season to obtain if small markets continue remain on life support?
The good news is that I'm hearing from more and more non-hockey fans who, despite their lack of interest in the hockey, recognize the tremendous value the Jackets have brought to Columbus.
One of those is a man by the name of Jay Dasecendo. Jay describes himself as "not much of a sports fan" but has recognized the importance of this team to Columbus. So much so he created a facebook group called "Save Our Blue Jackets!".
What's next in this fight?
The Jackets have one hammer and that is to sell and move the team. Last week the Jackets pulled out that hammer when they, along with the Columbus City of Commerce, released a report that details the options to retain the Columbus Blue Jackets (CBJ) and continue the economic development of the Arena District and surrounding areas.
Words like "loss", "retain" and "challenged" have entered the discussion.
While the hammer is out the Jackets haven't swung it yet. They are saying all the right things like their focus isn't on moving or selling the team but to fix their issues and keep this team in Columbus.
Make no mistake though that as this thing gets dragged out, and chances are high it will get dragged out, the hammer is going to fall. That hammer will be in the form of the Jackets courting out of town buyers who will be intent on moving the team.
Unfortunately this his how the game is played. Politicians tend to not take issues like these serious until the situation becomes desperate and dire. Someone will then swing in and be the hero.
It would be nice if the power players could huddle in a room and knock this out and save everyone the energy and emotions that come with the thought of losing something we all love. Perhaps that may be happening as I type this. Based on previous situations in other cities (see Pittsburgh as a prime example) I'm skeptacle anything happens soon.
I truly believe something will eventually get worked out as their is just too much as stake for everyone. Nationwide has a 1 billion dollar investment in the Arena District to protect. Columbus has thousands of jobs and millions of dollars in tax revenue that could vanish. The Jackets, after 8 long years of losing, finally have some traction with what was a quickly eroding fanbase with a young and upcoming team whose window is just now opening.
There is a very good and real example that I think everyone should grab a hold of when they eventually sit down and try to work out a deal to fix this thing. Not much good came out of the 04-05 lockout that saw the NHL become the first professional league in North America to lose an entire season but we did get a glimpse of what the Arena District looked like without it's pro sports team - and with empty establishments and half priced real estate - it wasn't a pretty sight.
The challenge at this point is to keep the momentum going both on and off the ice. The team has to continue to perform while those off the ice have to keep the fire burning until a resolution is found.
Ownership has to do it's part to continue to ice a competitive team and I hope for their sake this whole thing isn't just a ploy to divest itself of the team. To that point it certainly wouldn't hurt if we heard a few quotes from John P. McConnell on the subject.
Nationwide and other business leaders have a tremendous stake in this as well and have to be creative in their approaches to resolve this problem. I'm not a believer that this is only Nationwide's problem to solve. Many businesses have benefited from the Arena and District they funded not only from the events it's attracted but also in terms of how the general perception of Columbus has changed. This needs to be a joint effort from all the major private leaders in this town.
The politicians certainly have a role to play and like it or not, to be a major league town the reality is teams need some form of public support to survive.
Finally as fans we all have an important part to play. Buy tickets. Bring new fans to the games. Spread the word. Wear your Jackets gear with pride. Contact your county commissioners and let them know how important this team is to you. Word around the camp fire is that commissioner John O'Grady is the biggest supporter to get this fixed of the three county commissioners so This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it and get in his corner. Let the other two know when election times comes and this thing isn't fixed that they will not be receiving your vote.
Brace yourselves everyone. This ride could get a lot more bumpy.
-LTL
