Forbes issues major smack-down to Tom Hicks for mismanaging the Dallas Stars

by PegNews wire

Fret not, Stars fans: your angry voices are backed up by financial data.

Photo not provided by the Dallas Stars

Hicks' copy of the magazine was nowhere to be found

DALLAS — Forbes.com recently came out with their list of NHL franchise values and economic outlooks, and the Stars come in as the #5 most valuable franchise overall, trailing just Toronto, New York, Detroit and Montreal. According to the report, the Stars are worth approximately $254 million.

Despite this, Tom Hicks does not get any love from the writers at Forbes, who had this to say:

It is a good thing Dallas Stars owner Tom Hicks is a billionaire. Otherwise, he might not survive the mess he has made of the Dallas franchise. The team, which owns 50% of American Airlines Center, is saddled with $200 million in debt (the team's holding company, Southwest Sports, defaulted on $135 million of debt four years ago), a high payroll, and an under-performing team that can't make it past the first round of the playoffs. The natives have clearly gotten restless, illustrated by sagging ticket sales and waning interest in the Dallas market for the Stars. In the face of this Hicks has actually increased the team's marketing staff to boost ticket sales. What he really needs is a better product.

The fans not filling entire sections of the AAC for home games probably agree with that assessment.

Posted by Todd M.

Staff
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Anonymous

StarsRule, says:

The only thing I agree on is that Tom Hicks does not take the proper interest in his team or those he has allowed to manage it. Many, many mistakes have been made by the GM and coach, with the approval of the Stars president and consequently the team has gone into a landslide. There is a lot of talent on the Stars but due to several inept decisions from the GM the team is floundering. The only decision that will help get the team back on track is to make some big changes in management and Mr. Hicks needs to be more responsible and knowledgeable about how the Stars are being mishandled.

This team has a very loyal fan base and the area is full of hockey fans so don't even go there. Your statement that there is "waning interest in the Dallas market for the Stars" is inaccurate. The Stars must contend with one of the hotest games/teams at this time of year and football in Texas will always win out. Anyone that has forsaken the Stars is certainly NOT a true hockey fan. Look at some of the Canadian teams that sell out game after game yet the team is a consistent loser. A major change in management would do wonders in getting this team back on track and Tom Hicks MUST GET INVOLVED.

Anonymous

2 years, 1 month ago
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kphagen, says:

Insanity: Doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.

The Stars franchise will look and feel no differently than the Rangers franchise as long as an owner that doesn't care about winning is at the helm. It may be a 'valuable franchise', but as a fan...I'm not all that interested in Hicks ability to sell the franchise and make money. I want the owners of the teams for which I am a fan to be upset when their team does not win. I want them to care. Hicks clearly does not pay attention to the scores, he's focused on the bottom line. If we, as fans, are lucky than one of two things will happen. Hicks will sell or he will come to realize that the easiest way to 'keep butts in seats' is to win. It will be like the Mavs before Cuban came along where they made thier money off people coming to see Jordan play a few times a year.

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2 years, 1 month ago
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James Scott, says:

Good to see others in the media call Hicks out on being an absentee owner. Do you think he even know that one of his players became the All-Time American Scoring champ?...or if he even congratulated Mike (or if Mike even cared or expected that Hicks would)? The sad part about it is, nothing would surprise me about his lack of involvement with his teams. I can't remember the last time I heard Hicks breathe a word about the Stars.

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2 years, 1 month ago
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SonyaBlade, says:

when he said "unfortunately we won the cup"

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2 years, 1 month ago
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Billusa99, says:

StarsRule... you are one of the few reasons that the Stars keep selling seats, and good for you.

But, your statement of "Anyone that has forsaken the Stars is certainly NOT a true hockey fan" is biggest piece of hogwash I've read since Stars mgt said years ago "Don't worry, the nosebleed seats in AAC will have great sight lines."

I've been playing hockey since I was 5, and have lived in 3 NHL cities and 2 WHA cities before they were NHL. Had season tiks here for years, till the strike.

True hockey fans stay away when the owner is an insane, back-stabbing egotist who cares more about doing deals for his private equity funds/buddies than he does about building a sports franchise. We stay away because that's the only way that buffoons like Tom Hicks will ever get the message. He should have sold the franchise a few years back when he said he would.

And by the way, the reason Canadian teams sell out game after game even though the team loses makes perfect sense if you ever spent the time to understand those markets. They do well because the owner isn't a LOSER... like Hicks!