Burning multiple bridges with Daryl Katz

“I was upset when certain confidential information was leaked and by comments that I thought were unfair and called my integrity into question.” 

“I reacted by trying to send a message to city leaders that they should not take my support for a new arena for granted. “In doing so, I took for granted your support and your love of the Oilers. 

 “That was wrong and I apologize.”

The main thrust of Daryl Katz's "apology" to the fans of Edmonton.

So, seemingly in a little temper tantrum, Daryl Katz headed off to Seattle, apparently for no other reason than to stomp his feet at the folks back in Edmonton.

A strategy that seems to have successfully resolved little, other than to make Katz look a tad more of a carpetbagger than a guy that built his empire in Edmonton. Pushing him into the self inflicted territory of the seven circles of hell that Peter Pocklington once explored during his reign as Oilers owner.

With word of his west coast visit splashed across the Edmonton papers and filling the airwaves of the always entertaining Edmonton radio wars, Katz suddenly it seems decided that some damage control was perhaps in order.

Thus we get the "apology" letter provided to the Edmonton Sun today, a screed to offer up a mea culpa with a dash of indignation directed at those he is currently in negotiations with to create the latest sports palace for the Great White North.

By his letter however, one wonders how the folks of Seattle might be feeling, if in fact they care at all.

In effect, Katz has told the residents of Western Washington State that he really has no intention of bringing hockey there, in effect using them as the battering ram in his negotiations with Edmonton, something we're pretty sure the more vocal of sports radio opinion in Seattle will make note of.

Not that Katz was destined to be a big player in Seattle anyways, at the moment the entire focus of the sports world there is the deliverance of an NBA franchise back to where it never should have left, hockey is but the side dish in the NBA buffet.

All of this is good news for Edmonton's hockey fans, Katz by burning a bridge in Seattle most likely won't be welcome there again, now he has to make sure his Edmonton bridge doesn't catch fire as well.

Hockey fans in Edmonton like others across North America, perhaps are just a little tired of being taken for granted by the owners and administration of the NHL.

In the Edmonton situation, one wonders if perhaps more than a few were giving thought as to where, for instance they might wish to have a prescription filled, the only recourse they might have had to vent their feelings on the mess created by Mr. Katz, who has other interests in the Alberta capital and across Canada.

For the moment, it's all hands on deck for damage control for the Katz collective, trying to smother out the flames of a PR disaster purely of their own making.


The fallout from the Katzgaffe road trip is as follows.

Edmonton Sun-- Secret Katz Group arena meet with Edmonton city administrators...
Edmonton Sun-- Wayne Gretzky 'not involved' with Oiliers, Daryl Katz
Edmonton Sun-- Daryl Katz tour of Seattle arena should spur Edmonton deal
Edmonton Sun-- Daly neutral on new Oilers arena deal
Edmonton Sun-- Edmonton Oilers owner Daryl Katz denies Mayor Stephen Mandel's request..
Edmonton Sun-- Edmonton Mayor Stephen Mandel and Oilers owner Daryl Katz need to hammer...
Edmonton Sun-- Mayor Stephen Mandel calls on Oilers owner Daryl Katz to make demands public
Edmonton Sun-- Edmonton Oilers owner Daryl Katz says downtown arena in jeopardy
Edmonton Journal-- Oilers owner Katz apologizes for Edmonton arena negotiation tactics
Edmonton Journal-- Katz Group fails to make case it needs sweeter arena deal
Edmonton Journal-- We hated Katz's threat, but it's good that he said it
Edmonton Journal-- Seattle feels Edmonton's arena pain
Edmonton Journal-- If we build it, would they stay
Edmonton Journal-- Will Katz group meet with council to discuss arena project?
Edmonton Journal-- Downtown Edmonton area deal can and should be made ...
Edmonton Journal-- Oilers' owner heads to Seattle for meetings after city approves arena deal
Globe and Mail-- Oilers' owner Daryl Katz apologies to fans for Seattle visit
CBC-- Daryl Katz apologizes to Edmonton fans
CBC-- Edmonton's mixed feelings on Katz apology