The Columbus Blue Jackets have enjoyed playing in one of the most modern arena’s in the National Hockey League and you would think one of the best small market sports towns in the United States.
However it is playing in that modern NHL arena that may be their downfall.
According to the Columbus-Post Dispatch, the Columbus Blue Jackets are hemorrhaging money in part due to their lease with Nationwide Arena and their only saving grace may be a local casino. The Dispatch reports that a portion of the revenues generated from Hollywood Casino Columbus on the city’s west side would be used to help the financially strapped franchise.
Mayor Michael B. Coleman said he is “considering casino revenues. Having said that, there is no fix yet. That’s as far as I can go right now, but it’s high on my agenda to deal with it. There should be an urgency to this issue.”
City Council President Andrew Ginther agreed that “failure is not an option. We will figure this out. We will find a resolution.”
Many would think that the Blue Jackets would benefit from arena naming rights considering most teams around the league get a portion of the revenue generated from this.
This isn’t the case with the Blue Jackets.
Nationwide Arena is privately funded which is a rarity in not only the NHL but in all professional sports in the United States. Because of this rarity, the Blue Jackets do not draw revenue from naming rights, parking and luxury boxes at the same rate as other NHL clubs.
Unfortunately for Blue Jacket fans majority owner John P. McConnell doesn’t want to keep on waiting for a resolution to his teams financial problems in Columbus.
“I am not looking to sell (the Blue Jackets),” McConnell said. “If this doesn’t work … you know, I really don’t have any options other than staying the owner as the team is moved. I’m hopeful that’s not going to occur. We’re going forward as if it’s not.
“From the (Blue Jackets) front office down to everybody else (in the organization), they know that if this does not get solved, the team is likely to move. More and more doubt creeps in the longer this goes on. ‘Is it going to happen? Is it not going to happen?’ For us to continue building the organization we want, we’d like to get rid of that doubt.”
Could the Blue Jackets be the next team to bolt their respective city because of money problems? At this point it definitely seems like a possibility, especially considering where the revenue isn’t coming from with the Blue Jackets.
Source: Columbus Post Dispatch