Charles Wang Not In Sell Mode Just Yet

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Last night, Islanders nation went into frenzy-mode after unidentified sources stated that Charles Wang agreed to sell the Islanders over to owner of the Brooklyn Nets, Mikhail Pokhorov. Sources told the public that Wang had made arrangements to sell the team as soon as the Islanders move to Brooklyn. What really excited the fans was that Wang would be stepping down, giving total control to Pokhorov, who, unlike his rumored business partner, could prove to be a little looser with his wallet.

Personally, I’m not buying whatever these “sources” are selling. Firstly, no source has even come out and confirmed this to be true. Everything we know on the case has been brought to us via an anonymous source. This news probably would be something a person would want to take credit for, so it doesn’t make sense as to why they haven’t been identified.

Secondly, according to said sources, Wang and Prokohov have been in discussion for “quite some time,” and that the deal was finalized previously. Don’t you think we’d have heard about this if that were the case? It’s a little fishy that all of this talk has gone on, and Charles has agreed to sell the team a while ago (which should have been presented by now), and nobody knew about it until last night. To me, Wang selling the team just sounds like unfounded rumors in the abyss that has become the NHL off-season.

In my personal opinion, it would just be foolish on Wang’s part to sell the team right now. The Islanders are finally generating revenue; something Wang has been trying desperately to come up with since he took control of this team back in 2000. Why would he walk on all the money that’s due for him and Brooklyn? The Islanders have been a budget team for the last 15 years, so finally having a surplus of money is a huge advantage for a team, and I can’t speculate why Wang would be willing to walk out on the money. He’s put in so much time and effort to create revenue (the Lighthouse Project, cheap tickets, and even Ice Girls for crying out loud) and nothing really has worked the way he had hoped it would (mostly all NOT attributed to him). And with the Barclays Center just around the corner for a young, rising Islanders team, the money is practically sitting on the table for this team, and I don’t think anyone associated with the Islanders would feel like they should walk away now.

Selling just doesn’t amount to anything for the principal owner of this once great and will be again franchise, so don’t buy into the fact that any of this is more than a rumor until we hear from Mr. Wang himself.