There was a rumor that the WHA was going to be purchesed by the WHA?

Reports of sale to NHL denied
The Founders of the World Hockey Association today denied media reports that the World Hockey Association has had discussions with Mr. Bill Daly, Senior Vice-President of the National Hockey League or Mr. Gary Bettman, Commissioner of the National Hockey League regarding the potential sale of the World Hockey Association to the National Hockey League.

At present the World Hockey Association has no relationship with the National Hockey League nor does the National Hockey League have any future contractual rights or options to the World Hockey Association.

WHA co-founder Al Howell states, "We have had no discussions with any representatives of the National Hockey League regarding the alleged reports of the NHL's interest in starting a new league nor have we had any discussions with the NHL regarding the sale of the World Hockey Association.”

http://www.worldhockeyassociation.net/

What the heck? Did I miss this? This reeks of bull****. If a league has to resort to denying fake rumors, I dont think the league should exist. For those that wonder why everyone wants the WHA to fail, its stuff like this that does....

...maybe it's the other way around and the WHA would absorb some teams from the post-CBA NHL.

Yeah, just looks like a desperate attempt to attract investment by hinting that the NHL might buy them out. There's no imaginable reason for the NHL to do this.

Lard... at first I thought the same thing. What asset does the WHA have that the NHL would want?

"World Hockey Association"

If the NHL is serious about creating a new league it would be better off using a league name that is already somewhat recognizable... at least to hockey fans... than it would be to use some new league name that nobody has ever heard of.

And beyond the name some of the legal busywork that needs to be done is already done.

The name "World Hockey Association" might be recognizable to hockey fans, but after all that's gone on in the last few months, do you think it's recognizable in a good way? No way would the NHL owners want any kind of connection with that train wreck, let alone paying for its name.

Somebody at the WHA saw the story about the NHL considering folding and re-forming as a different league, and decided to take advantage of it. Assuming the initial story was just a scare tactic, it's a fake rumor about a fake rumor. ;)

From something called Business in Vancouver:Business model for Vancouver's World Hockey Association entry questioned (http://www.biv.com/Subscriber/news03.cfm)

From MSNBC:
WHA Doesn't Make Dollars and Sense (http://msnbc.msn.com/id/5861563/)

Apparently, MSNBC cannot confirm that the Halifax Icebreakers have a lease, and nothing has been announced about GM Place. Which would leave Detroit and Dallas.

"I'm not dead!"
"Yes, you are... you'll be stone dead in a moment."

...maybe it's the other way around and the WHA would absorb some teams from the post-CBA NHL.

That's my thinking. Calgary, Edmonton and smaller cities may be reduced to minor league teams pretty soon.

Somebody at the WHA saw the story about the NHL considering folding and re-forming as a different league

I didn't hear this but this is exciting. A new league would have a salary cap. I hope they do it! You have the link for this?

http://www.worldhockeyassociation.net/

What purpose would such a transaction serve? It seems like a giant scam to me. The WHA "owners" must think quite highly of themselves to believe the NHL would be interested in GIVING money for nothing in return since the WHA franchises consist of team names if they're lucky.

http://www.herald.ns.ca/stories/2004/08/31/f158.raw.html

Mostly on the junior hockey Mooseheads moving from Metro Centre to the Forum

The WHA quote:

With the Mooseheads gone, MacGillivray has turned his attention to finding another big-ticket hockey tenant for the Metro Centre. He said he would not rule out the Halifax IceBreakers of the fledgling World Hockey Association but any lease deal is a long way off.

"The WHA have had no contact with us since the day (July 8) they came here for the press conference," he said.

http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/spt/stories/090204dnspowhalede.29bb8.html

Registration required. Rick Munro, owner of the Dallas Americans, says that Dallas and Detroit have leases signed, no one else does, he's hoping that three others out of Vancouver, Orlando and Halifax are ready to go by September 17.

"If we can't get everything going by about Sept. 17, then it's not going to work out for this season," Munro said. "It's frustrating, because we're ready to go in Dallas, but other groups aren't ready. I'm still optimistic this will happen."

The only positive news for the WHA: For some reason, the SPHL (the WHA2/EHL/SHL/SEHL/Waronker) is starting without Orlando. I'm speculating that Orlando is trying to shake the David Waronker low-minor league Seals from the NBA-level TD Waterhouse Center. I think that Orlando dumped the SPHL for a league that won't skate. On the other hand, I doubt that the Seals were going to bring the city a bundle of revenue anyway.

http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/spt/stories/090204dnspowhalede.29bb8.html
The only positive news for the WHA: For some reason, the SPHL (the WHA2/EHL/SHL/SEHL/Waronker) is starting without Orlando. I'm speculating that Orlando is trying to shake the David Waronker low-minor league Seals from the NBA-level TD Waterhouse Center. I think that Orlando dumped the SPHL for a league that won't skate. On the other hand, I doubt that the Seals were going to bring the city a bundle of revenue anyway.

Yup. In fact, I seem to remember reading in the Orlando Sentinel a few years back (when the IHL Solar Bears were still around) that staffing the arena on hockey game nights actually wound up costing the city more than they were getting in rent.

Yeah, just looks like a desperate attempt to attract investment by hinting that the NHL might buy them out. There's no imaginable reason for the NHL to do this.

It's like they've watched "Slap Shot" and have decided the NHL is their 'buyer in Florida'.

It's like they've watched "Slap Shot" and have decided the NHL is their 'buyer in Florida'.


:handclap: :handclap:

http://www.herald.ns.ca/stories/2004/08/31/f158.raw.html

Mostly on the junior hockey Mooseheads moving from Metro Centre to the Forum

The WHA quote:

With the Mooseheads gone, MacGillivray has turned his attention to finding another big-ticket hockey tenant for the Metro Centre. He said he would not rule out the Halifax IceBreakers of the fledgling World Hockey Association but any lease deal is a long way off.

"The WHA have had no contact with us since the day (July 8) they came here for the press conference," he said.

Ha! That's funny. The sit around twiddling their thumbs. I just know it.