It’s becoming a tired trend in sports.
The threat to move a team when the billionaires don’t get their way to have taxpayers pay for a new palace for their sports team.
Daryl Katz did it with the Edmonton Oilers. Gary Bettman has done it a few times in Phoenix. Al Davis and his son Mark held the gun to the head of Oakland.
And yes in some cases, the cities call their bluff and it pays off for the city. Sometimes, like Oakland, the team leaves.
But here we go again. This time it’s the Calgary Flames.
They want a new rink and a new football stadium for the Stampeders but the city doesn’t agree a giant billion dollar complex is necessary, nor does it like the location.
As predictable as a Harlem Globetrotters game, there was Flames President Ken King talking to media and pondering a move if Calgary council doesn’t come through.
Now let’s not kid ourselves, the Flames aren’t leaving Calgary but surely the rhetoric will only get more nauseating until the city of Calgary finally gives in and taxpayers get the bill.