Tampa, Florida					Monday, September 06, 2010

No John Ziegler, Then No Lightning, Or Cup
Saturday, June 26, 2004
TAMPA—This should not get out, but John Ziegler is a Tampa Bay Lightning fan. Indeed, bet here is he gave a fist pump or two as he watched the Lightning win the seventh game of the Stanley Cup final in Tampa. May even have leapt out of his chair for the pumps and a quiet “yeahhhhhh,,,,,” But, let it get out of the closet, let it be shouted by Lightning fans everywhere. . . “Thank you, John Ziegler!’’ Even though a couple of Lightning star players, say Brad Richards and Martin St. Louis were under 10 years of age when Ziegler entered what would become the Lightning hockey picture. Believe this: There would be no franchise in Tampa Bay now, as we know it, no Lightning team, were it nor for John Ziegler. Now, there have been others keys to the life of this wonderful team and wonderful sports story—none more than the founder of the drive, Phil Esposito—but, that goes for John Ziegler. I know. I was around to chronicle all of the Lightning story, which, in truth began in 1989. John Ziegler was then the commissioner of the National Hockey League, the position now held by Gary Bettman. Ziegler was the NHL commissioner from 1977 through 1992—for 15 years. In 1989, Commissioner Ziegler, a genuinely nice man who then and now has a home at Stuart, FL, on Florida’s East Coast, remains a consultant for the Chicago Blackhawks and remains on the NHL Board of Governors, declared he and his associates wanted to plan for an expansion to at least 30 teams in the 90’s. Ziegler wanted to move west and south. Hall of Fame player and general manager Phil Esposito, was on that study committee. Ziegler had watched with admiration as the Tampa Bay area was awarded a National Football Franchise in 1974 and saw it thrive. He also saw the Tampa Bay Rowdies of the old pro soccer league come to Tampa and thrive. He also saw the Tampa Bay Bandits Canadian visionary John Bassett take a franchise to Tampa Bay to play in the United States Football League and do well. The Bandits did not fail, the league did. Others saw that same phenomenon, including Jim Rutherford, of Toronto, representing the Compuware Corp., Peter Karmanos, and again, Esposito. Rutherford’s group first came to Tampa, then moved to St. Petersburg with the Thunderdome (Tropicana Park, now), the centerpiece. Esposito chose Tampa and with the cooperation of Tampa groups planned to build a new arena, or play in a temporary one for a while. The NHL governors in a meeting in Palm Beach, with Ziegler still the commissioner, heard expansion presentations in early December, 1990, from St. Pete and Tampa separately, Miami, Ottawa, and others. The Tampa delegation was led by Esposito and Tampa Mayor Sandy Freedman, with Rutherford and St. Pete officials pitching their place and the Dome there. Esposito was armed with a new arena financing plan, worked out overnight with the Fuji Bank of Japan, New York lawyer David LeFevre, Tampa Sports Authority Chairman Johnny Adcock and support from the Tampa Council and Hillsborough County Commissioners. The NHL wanted a flat fee for the franchise. Ziegler, looking back to that pivotal meeting, remembers it well. “St. Petersburg wanted to	negotiate the franchise fee. Tampa and Ottawa did not challenge that. Furthermore, we did not like the Dome in St. Pete for the permanent home. Espo was very popular and I had seen all the successes with the other franchises with Tampa the home. ‘’ Mayor Freedman recalled the day, when “we went in. I was the only woman in the room. I think they thought at first I was a waitress. I was the mayor and said so and beyond that I was surprised at the enthusiasm in Tampa for the hockey franchise. It was wanted. I wanted it. When we went in, the men on the governors began chanting, ‘Espo, Espo, Espo. . .’ I figured we were going to get it. I spoke. We were well received.’’ Ziegler said, “the others ruined their chances by trying to deal with the price. We liked Esposito and his background and the mayor was fine. And, you and I had worked together on this for a long time’’ We had. Ziegler liked Tampa. He knew we could get an arena in time, even with the temporary home at the Exposition Hall at the Florida State Fairgrounds. And we did. He was helpful throughout. “We liked Phil Esposito’s guts. He didn’t have the money, but he had the drive, the name and the guts. He also had David LeFevre with him. LeFevre throughout was the glue that made it work, in the long run.’’ He did. LeFevre got the first money from the Japanese, then the second wave of money, then became the governor of the Lightning for the first ownership group from Japan. He also had a solid organization and the ear of Tampa officials. They trusted him. He was wealthy, experienced international financing and banking, and worked well with Esposito’s pals, Mel Lowell, Henry Paul. He was a key—a key—in getting the arena that became the permanent Lightning home built by the Hunt Company. He was a force, as was Esposito, as was John Ziegler. “I was there for the first game ever, with the big win over Chicago at the Expo Hall,’’ said Ziegler. “I loved it. It was fun. It was going to work. We had made the right decision.’’ Twice the Fair Authority (chairman Doyle Carlton, Jr.) let the Lightning play two seasons there, “but, we knew David and the rest would get the new arena in Downtown Tampa, and you did. It is a beauty, and now it is home to the Stanley Cup’’ Ziegler favored Tampa, and then, “I could not help pulling for the Lightning in the finals. Tampa had such a fine team, a polished team, and I think it meant so much more for Tampa to win than for Calgary, again. And I must say, it was all such a source of satisfaction and pride. And, it will mean so much to this new franchise. My experience is that winning this way will stabilize this franchise for a long time.’’ He also said the strong ownership has been terrific and built a foundation with a group of fine young players. He’d favored Tampa Bay for the original decision, then Tampa for the final choice (and Ottawa). And he has no regrets. He’d hoped they’d win the Stanley Cup in Cinderella fashion. And that happened. And, I mean, what the heck, John Ziegler is a Florida resident. “I’ll come by. We’ll go have a steak at Bern’s.’’ Deal. The Lightning buys. Ought to. ##
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