10 IDIOTS & LAST CALL

Its seems if rumours can be trusted (which as all of you know is a sure thing here in Montreal..HA!) there are 10 potential Purchasers for the Canadiens franchise and the Beaver Centre. The capital necessary to purchase the team is estimated to be 414 million Canadian dollars and will most likely sell for between 500 and 600 million. It seems some of those on the list could seriously be considered legitimate. , Guy Lalibert, founder of Cirque du Soleil, Quebecor’s, Les Productions Feeling (Celine Dion and Rene Angelil), Caisse de dépôt et placement and Jim Balsillie, the co-CEO of Research in Motion. In my mind these 5 represent the most intriguing and interesting purchasers. Lets take a look Them;

• Guy Lalibert, founder of Cirque du Soleil, estimated net worth (US $1.5 billion) he has numerous entertainment and business contacts that would allow him the ability to find other sources of capital to assist in a purchase. I would look for him to potentially group up with other Quebec investors to make a run.

• Quebecor the media and entertainment giant can most probably raise the necessary capital. It would have an interest in the team from a purely commercial standpoint and the potential spin off impacts it could have on it's other business units. Traditionally this type of company is more interested in a close to majority share position so look for it to twin up with another company such as Celine's to make a run
  

• Les Productions Feeling (Celine Dion and Rene Angelil) 2007 net worth of Celine was estimated at (US $250million). The net value (what hasn't been gambled away by her husband) is most probably more then that with all components of their entertainment empire. Here also i see some type of joint partnership if they are to make a serious run.

• Caisse de dépôt et placement. Regardless of their current difficult financial times (losses of 25 billion in 2008-09) they still have the ability to bring together the money necessary to purchase the team. hoever if one uses their average required return on investment the team probably doesn't make the grade. Look to the Caisse to perhaps put in money in some type of joint venture like the ones mentioned above.
  

• Jim Balsillie, the co-CEO of Research in Motion (US $1.6billion) This one is the most interesting however. He has shown that he can raise the money for a purchase. The interesting thing though is he seems to want to bring a team closer to his headquarters and his home. Balsillie has made several attempts to buy an NHL team, including the Nashville Predators and Pittsburgh Penguins, raising speculation that he would then move it to the southern Ontario region.
  

Less interesting and more unlikely purchasers are; Stephen Bronfman of Claridge Investments Inc, Joey Saputo, (Montreal impact owner and saputo cheese giant), Spectrum Equity, Groupe Aldo and Serge Savard. One under the radar purchaser to keep an eye on is Roustan Capital, they are well connected in the world of sports as well as being a major investor with capacity to raise serious capital if required. There core market however is currently taking a beating from the down turn in the markets.

There is no doubt that the coming weeks will prove to be quite interesting and i can't wait to watch and listen to the media talking heads go on about this one.


RANGERS 3 CANADIENS 1

Well it seems the Canadiens are going to do everything they possibly can to avoid a trip to the playoffs or are potentially hoping to apply the same idea as the fat lazy slob who works beside you and tries to get everyone else to do his work for him. Last night Philadelphia helped in that regard. The sad thing is the Canadiens look bad...plain and simple bad...they look old and tired. it occurs to me as everyone scrambles to pray for a playoff birth that its quite fruitless. Is the goal just to make it into the post season to get knocked out in 4 or 5? Is it the belief that "anything" can happen in the playoffs? Understand one thing (well a couple of things). This team is out of ideas, out of talent and out of heart. Regardless of what happens nothing good is coming out of this season. NOTHING!

As i watch the media frenzy, talking heads, and rabid fans it seems it's like a cheering club of men at a local Bar motivating one of their buddies to get a particular woman (we"ll call her "playoffs") to go home with him. Everyone irks him on, critics, and offers support and suggestions. When finally he does get her to go home with him he ends up not being able to seal the deal, i.e. (her feet pinned behind her ears). This scenario is exactly what is playing out with this playoff run. If we make it in (not in her) were not going anywhere because "playoffs"doesn't want to give out and no matter how much positive or how much encouragement or self denial we apply it is what it is... its closed, with no chance of driving it home.

Enjoy your day...and oh yes Boston on Thursday..EEH... GAD

Robbie