Bruce Firestone and Rod Bryden incurred super losses; Eugene Melnyk poured private thousands and thousands in. Now it is Michael Andlauer’s flip to see if he could make Ottawa’s NHL group thrive.
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For 30 seasons, generations of Ottawa Senators’ followers have cheered within the area bowl whereas, within the bowels of the constructing, proprietor after proprietor has tried to deliver monetary stability to the small-market franchise.
What a turbulent story of possession for the group Bruce Firestone dreamed up; Rod Bryden constructed, solely to lose; and Eugene Melnyk rescued from chapter and for nearly 20 years personally sponsored earlier than passing it on to his daughters — who’ve now bought majority possession to Michael Andlauer.
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With out Firestone, there could be no NHL group right here, no Sens. Our first proprietor was additionally first to dwell underneath NHL “sportlights,” the place each phrase is scrutinized, some sensationalized. Eternally often called the one who introduced again the Senators, Firestone had the gusto for giant league membership however not the deep pockets. He gave Ottawa years of extremely exhausting work, achieved his not possible dream, raised town’s worldwide profile — but is now principally forgotten.
Rod Bryden’s monetary stick-handling — close to magical — delivered a $250-million, world-class leisure facility in Kanata. His legacy: the joy loved by thousands and thousands of hockey followers and concert-goers. He practically misplaced every part and Ottawa virtually misplaced its franchise.
Eugene Melnyk saved the bankrupt group. Season after season, he coated losses within the thousands and thousands earlier than publicly venting his frustrations, issuing an ill-advised risk to maneuver the Senators elsewhere. In emotionally charged professional sports activities, followers actually really feel the group belongs to them, which makes it troublesome to understand the pressures related to bankrolling so many thousands and thousands. Even for some gamers, millionaires themselves, that’s troublesome to totally grasp.
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Small-market house owners skate on skinny ice. They’re seen as wealthy past all means by followers who need them to spend extra however who additionally lament the value of parking, tickets and beer – even when Sens’ pricing pales compared to the NHL common. Our third, and longest-serving, proprietor turned the item of fan pettiness for rising up a Leaf fan and for dwelling the lifetime of a billionaire which, most fortunately, he was. Cynics got here to each boo his presence at one recreation, then critique his absence on the subsequent.
Following his passing, Anna and Olivia Melnyk inherited the group. What they lack in expertise, they make up for in sentimental attachment to the group they grew up with, the franchise their dad saved and dearly liked.
This 12 months, in comes Michael Andlauer, our solely proprietor with earlier hockey expertise. He has deep-enough pockets, having reportedly bought his stake within the Habs for $2.5 billion. He’s clearly decisive; ask ex-GM Pierre Dorion or D.J. Smith. Evidently good, he introduced again Cyril Leeder, whose profession stats present three a long time of sound enterprise management.
Andlauer’s low-key, accessible, everyday-man strategy is sound, though improvised talks with reporters are the place blunders and blind-side hits happen.
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There may be hockey — after which there’s the enterprise of hockey. Positive, Ottawa followers know the sport, however proudly owning an NHL group requires multidisciplinary enterprise acumen they know little of and risk-taking on a scale most can’t even fathom. Like nice goalies, nice house owners are a uncommon breed, with distinctive abilities and sometimes distinctive personalities.
Having bought at full worth the small-market Sens, Michael Andlauer will make our group his personal. He won’t solely reside right here. He can have different pursuits and will even often cheer for the Habs. And no, he’s not “from right here.” And sure, the group will finally transfer downtown.
Andlauer embarks on a mission to construct a brand new Leisure Mecca and a Stanley Cup contender, to revive each our downtown core and hockey fever. If he succeeds, our new majority proprietor would possibly simply change into one of the best factor to ever occur to sports activities in Ottawa.
Laurent Benoit was director of media relations for the Ottawa Senators underneath each Bruce Firestone and Rod Bryden. He now teaches disaster communication and public relations at uOttawa and a neighborhood school. Opinions expressed are his personal.
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