Wednesday, April 4, 2012

If at some point in the next five years there are rumbling about the Devils packing up and leaving...

...remember when you read this story. This is how these deals with city governments go all cattywumpus and feelings get hurt and cities can't pony up so owners look for greener pastures.

Yesterday the City of Newark took one on the chin over an arbitration case that had been festering for over a decade. Now it seems (and read the article it's far too involved to bring in all the pertinent points without just reprinting it) the City of Newark will owe the Devils and owner Jeff Vanderbeek $2.7 million a year in parking monies all while the Devils pay $3 million a year in lease costs at the Prudential Center. Newark sees less money, they're already horribly strapped, Mayor Cory Booker tries to reopen negotiations and gets rebuffed. Over the next few years the city's cost will increase to actually more than they take in from the Devils.

That's when rumors about moving to Portland Oregon or Seattle Washington begin. And before you say "no way everyone has too much invested in Devils hockey" ask yourself where the Colorado Rockies, the ORIGINAL Colorado Rockies, are today.

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