[cferneyh]

Do you really think Balsillie paid $220 million for the Nashville Predators purely as an investment? No way in hell. The guy is a rabid hockey fan that has more money than he knows what to do with. There is no risk in this for him. If the NHL went under and he lost every penny of the the $220M, it would be no sweat off his back. I know you're a Leafs' fan but is it really that hard to believe that someone would buy a sports franchise at least partially because of their passion for the sport?

First of all, I guess I was unaware that you know Balsillie personally and as such, can speak to his motivations one way or another (and I guess you know him better than Bettman).

Secondly, I find it comical that you feel he'd be just as happy to piss away $220 million as he would be to turn around and sell the franchise for $350 million in ten years. There is no bigger basketball fan on the planet than Mark Cuban, yet he has stated time and time again that anyone who thinks the money he puts into the Mavericks isn't because he expects a return on it, is a fool.

Sports fans buy franchises all the time, but to sit there and assume that these guys are just as happy to lose all their money versus make a pretty penny is ridiculously naive.

Now, if you can find me a quote from a rabid sports fan/owner who was all shits and giggles when his/her franchise lost money year after year, I'll take it all back. But, uh, good luck.