Oilersland Vol. 1, The Media In The Arena Debate

Great comic. Too bad about the disclaimer. It doesn’t appear to be on any other posts on C&B.

The disclaimer is sort of bullshit. Am I to understand that every other post here ever does represent the views of the writers and editors of C and B?

I was searching through articles when I came across an interesting one. It was aboot how the smallest team in the NFL, the Greenbay Packer’s (you might have heard of them) run their sports team. Very interesting story, let me give you a brief overview, and how we can use this in our little predicament that we are in. I’m tired of seeing millionaires on tv telling us we need to us tax dollars to fund an arena. So here’s an alternative, so those millionaires can put THEIR money, where their mouth is, Enjoy
 
 The Greenbay Packer’s were founded on August 11,1919 by Curly Lambeau ( Lambeau Field), and George Whitney Calhoun. The city resides approximately 103,000 people (2000 census,) and also had a hard time getting player’s to sign with the team do to the small town fell ( sound familiar?) The Packer’s have sold shares 4 times in their long history, 1923,1935,1950, and most recent 1997 ( for a renovation of their stadium.) Now I’m going to get to the point.
 
 In the late 1990’s the Packer’s realized that people wanted stock of the team, and they needed money for a renovation project. So what happened next was they added 100,000 shareholder’s, and an estimated $20-$25 million in shareholder’s revenue, for their renovation project. All of the people who bought shares of the team, don’t receive a penny of income, nor do they get tickets to any functions going on in the stadium. All they got was a piece of paper saying “they owned the team,” and a piece of mind knowing they did their share to save their beloved Packer’s. The shareholder’s can’t sell their shares (unless it’s back to the team itself), and won’t receive dividends of profit. As well their shares can’t depreciate in value. Instead all of the profit goes into a bank account, and can never be spent. Unless otherwise voted on by a board of governors ( who have been appointed to look after the franchise.)
 
  Where am I going with this? We as Oiler fans don’t have to buy a piece of the oiler’s (Katz’s owns them), but a piece of the new arena!! If we could have a 3 month fundraiser, just after Christmas of course, and sell shares of the new arena in order to fund it. We could sell share’s for $25, and you could buy up to 1000 share’s. That way we don’t have to steal money from that single mother raising 2 children who lives in Athabaska, and will never use the arena she’s funding, cause she can’t afford it. Let me go even into further detail please. Shareholder’s would also receive a bank statment, showing SHAREHOLDER’S where the funds are being spent. Just the 10% profit.
 
 It’s up to us as oiler fans, concert goer’s, circus lover’s or whatever excuse you can come up with, to fund a new arena. I’m not some little bitch with his hand out going gimmee, gimmee, gimmee. I’m a man, and men do what’s right, not what’s easy!!!!
 
 This is how it will work once share’s are bought. The shareholder’s would receive 10% of all arena functions profit, then that money would be placed into a RRSP, Trust fund of some kind of bank account, in order for THAT money to grow. Some steps would be in place, in order to take money out for renovating purposes and upkeep. This is the BEST part, as that money grows, this is going to be some of the money needed in 30 more years or so to fund the next arena project .More share’s will be sold, and the world keeps on turning. Not at tax payer’s expense.
 
  In order to lead, we have to lead by example. Right now 3 current cities in Canada want tax money to fund new arena projects Edmonton, Calgary ( no plans yet, waiting to see what goes on in Edmonton), and Quebec ( talking $ 200 million) of tax payers money. If we set a good example to follow, government officials would look at US, and say to the other cities. DO WHAT EDMONTON DID!!! ya Edmonton, and we would get to keep the oiler’s where they belong. If this message gets out there, WE can make this possible.
 
 My main opinion for not wanting to use tax $ is this, I’ve seen too many schools, and hospital’s closed down, firefighter’s laid off because there’s just not enough money, we are better than this. Now it’s time to prove it. Look at what is going on in Greece right now. That country is in shambles and it’s thanks to socializes taking, and taking from a system that can’t be taken from anymore. I was always taught that if you want something in life, you have to earn it. Even if we only raised $60 million, it’s easier to ask for $40 million than $100 million. It’s worked for the Greenbay community for almost 100 years, why can’t this work for us now?
 When your in business it’s important to understand what’s known as a " target market." So let’s figure out the target market, and how many people are in it, shall we? Just by doing some simple math, we can up with an equation something like this.
 
33,000,000 (people in Canada)/ 2 ( half of Canadians are hockey fans)= 16,500,000
 
16,500,000/ 9 ( seven teams in Canada, and I’m adding two more for Toronto, and Montreal because their fan base is huge)= 1,833,333 (oiler fans)
 
1,833,333 (oiler fans) + 200,000 ( people who are not hockey fans, but support the arena)= 2,033,333 are how many people (approximately) in the target market. In Canada alone.
 
 100,000,000 ( money needed to fund raise) / 25 ( $ per share)= 4,000,000 shares to be sold in order to fund the arena project.
 
4,000,000 ( shares) / 2,033,333 (people) = 1.97 share’s each person would have to come up with to support the new arena project ( or $50). Very, very manageable number, don’t you think?
 
I hope my math was easy to follow, let’s continue.
 
 With the arena project funding almost completed, we need to get our act together in a hurry. Katz has his money in place, as well as the city of Edmonton. All we’re waiting for is the provincial government to " front" our share, until the project is underway. Then once our money is in the bank, so to speak, we can pay the province back, April 1st ( that’s when the fundraiser will be complete.) Just in time for ground zero to be broken. Just the idea that the province will fund the arena, with $100,000,000 minus whatever we can fund raise. This number will be more manageable on taxpayer’s. Still with me?
 
  Now to some of the specific’s of, let’s call it " Edmonton arena trust fund" E.A.T.F? whatever, lol. How are the C.E.O’s appointed for the E.A.T.F? Each shareholder has a single vote to appoint a treasurer or guardian of the trust fund. This group will consist of 3 to 5 people, who will vote on how money is spent, as well as where to invest the 10% profit from the arena, so that money will grow for the next arena project. Each guardian or treasurer will receive a salary ( undetermined how much right now.) As well as each shareholder only gets 1 vote, no matter how many share’s you bought. To vote an treasurer or guardian into power, so to speak. If these people are caught stealing from E.A.T.F, then we cut their heads off. So it will be written, and I’m dead serious. We the people will NOT tolerate stealing from a public fundraising charity.
 
 E.A.T.F will be an independent company, NOT run by city counsel, and made into a LIMITED CORPORATION. All share’s that will be bought will be paid in the name of E.A.T.F, and put into the bank, to give to the province as our “share” of the new arena. E.A.T.F will be a NON-PROFIT organization, and as shareholder’s buy share’s, these share’s will NOT be tax deductible ( cause we are running a charity fundraiser). So tax payer’s don’t end up paying for this facility at all. As well E.A.T.F will donate some profits into the Edmonton oiler’s charity organizations, this will happen so that the E.A.T.F. and the community work together to become tied together, thus making a perfect relationship in the community.
 
 I truly believe in this plan, and think that we could even raise more money that needed. If this is the case then options are available. 1st, let’s say we raised $200 million ( by selling 8,000,000 share’s, or each person buying 4 share’s), we could take more of the profit from the arena functions 15% say, and give Katz free rent (our way of saying thanks for saving the oilers, and everybody wins.) Katz would then be solely responsible for the maintence, and upkeep of the facility, as well as paying the bills (electric, property taxes, etc.)
 
 Throughout history ordinary people have done extraordinary things to benefit mankind. Now it’s our turn. This project wouldn’t just be for this generation, it would be for our children’s, children. We have to teach our children the same morals that our parents, and grandparents taught us as kids. This is going to be the perfect example of how to save money now, for the future. The choice is yours. I enjoy feedback from this, as well as other possible ideas that you have, NOT to steal taxpayer’s money. Thank you for taking some time to read my thoughts. More plans to follow, if this message gets out there in a positive way.

You guys are pretty negative, this is a very fiesable way to save the oiler’s, and you guys are the first people i’ve heard shut this down, out of the 450 or so i’ve talked to.

 So we can get a new arena for them, Not at tax payer’s expense

This episode666 guy is great! Can we get him to write a regular column?