Selling the Team?

I’m glad it looks like Mario Lemieux won’t be selling the team to out-of-town buyers. I want the Penguins to stay in Pittsburgh. I want the Isle of Capri plan to come through for the team.

However, Mario Lemieux isn’t dumb by any stretch of the imagination. If the Isle of Capri plan comes through, then the team is immediately more valuable—they have an arena that will help them make money and an already entrenched local and loyal fan base. But if the Isle of Capri plan falls through, and no arena work gets done (hint, hint, local pols, better start doing something soon) by season’s end, well, the team is immediately more valuable because it is a free franchise, free to go wherever, to some degree.

In any case, I want the Penguins to stay in Pittsburgh, and I’m happy that it looks Mario won’t be selling to out-of-town buyers. But local fans and politicians beware, if nothing goes through on an arena this season, don’t be surprised when the Penguins are sold to out-of-town buyers (for a greater price) in less than a year's time.
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