Hoffmanns pledge to invest in Penguins and Pittsburgh
If the Hoffmanns had it their way, one of their kids in the toddler-sized Penguins jerseys in the front row of Thursday's introductory press conference will one day own the Penguins, too.
"This is not an investment for us, as you think about a financial investment," Penguins governor Geoff Hoffmann said on Thursday, flanked by his father David and brother Greg, now alternate governors of the Penguins. "This is a commitment to a city, it's a commitment to an organization. The Penguins are going to be in Pittsburgh, and are always going to be in Pittsburgh as long as the Hoffmanns are part of it, and the Hoffmanns plan to be a part of this for generations to come."
The Hoffmanns largely said all the right things in their introduction to the city of Pittsburgh and Penguins fans on Thursday as they vowed to provide support to the team in any way it needs to become competitive.
One of the early questions directed to Geoff Hoffmann on Thursday surrounded the group's immediate goals for the Penguins on the ice, and he dodged the question, in a way. There was no mention of trying to immediately become a contender, make the playoffs, retooling or rebuilding, just giving Kyle Dubas "the resources that he needs to be as successful as we can possibly be as an organization."
Does that mean that the Hoffmanns intend to be hands-off? I asked how much say they expect to have in the personnel decisions Dubas has to make.
"We're big hockey fans," Geoff Hoffmann said. "So, of course, we're close to it, but in terms of making decisions on personnel and strategy and what's happening on the ice, that is Kyle's department, for sure. We're here in a support function, and we'll make sure that he's got the resources and that the team has the resources to pursue whatever opportunities they think are fit, but that's it. We won't be making those decisions."
Geoff Hoffmann added that when it comes to spending to the cap, they'll "whatever we need to do in terms of spending" to provide Dubas with what he needs to be successful.
The Hoffmanns plan on investing in the community, even if they won't be based here full-time. They bought a house in Squirrel Hill. They have interest in developing the Lower Hill District and turning it into the "jewel" of the area. David Hoffmann pointed to the number of hotels in the immediate surrounding area and questioned why it "doesn't seem to fit with the demand" made by having "four sports teams, three colleges, and a vibrant community" in the area, and said that they're "very interested" in building a hotel.
Geoff Hoffmann added that they intend on making "some improvements in modernization" to PPG Paints Arena to enhance the fan experience, but they're still working out a timeline and specific details on what exactly that entails.
As far as the regional sports network goes, the Penguins' deal with SportsNet Pittsburgh runs through next season, managed by NESN while Fenway Sports Group stays involved to help operate the network. But when that deal is up, Geoff Hoffmann said they "want to get our games broadcast and available in as many homes as people that would like to see it, and want to make sure we do it in a way that is as easy to access."
A big step toward ingratiating themselves with Penguins fans and the city of Pittsburgh is getting Mario Lemieux more involved with the team, and the Hoffmanns hope to do that, though there aren't any specifics about what that might look like yet.
"Mario and I have spent some time together,"Geoff Hoffmann said "He's been as good as advertised, I think. Just a great, great guy, and I'm really hopeful that he will be a part of this in whatever way, shape, or form makes sense for him. We would love for him to be a part of that. We know what he means to hockey, we know what he means to the Penguins, we know what he means to the city, and what he means to the league, to the NHL, and I think everybody would embrace him with open arms, especially the three of us up here."
The Hoffmanns didn't promise Stanley Cups, a quick turnaround or concrete changes as they take over the franchise. Instead, they promised stability and support for the people already tasked with getting the Penguins back to contention. Whether that translates into success on the ice remains to be seen, but the message was clear: They're betting on Pittsburgh and the Penguins for the long haul.
THE ASYLUM
Hoffmanns pledge to invest in Penguins and Pittsburgh
If the Hoffmanns had it their way, one of their kids in the toddler-sized Penguins jerseys in the front row of Thursday's introductory press conference will one day own the Penguins, too.
"This is not an investment for us, as you think about a financial investment," Penguins governor Geoff Hoffmann said on Thursday, flanked by his father David and brother Greg, now alternate governors of the Penguins. "This is a commitment to a city, it's a commitment to an organization. The Penguins are going to be in Pittsburgh, and are always going to be in Pittsburgh as long as the Hoffmanns are part of it, and the Hoffmanns plan to be a part of this for generations to come."
The Hoffmanns largely said all the right things in their introduction to the city of Pittsburgh and Penguins fans on Thursday as they vowed to provide support to the team in any way it needs to become competitive.
One of the early questions directed to Geoff Hoffmann on Thursday surrounded the group's immediate goals for the Penguins on the ice, and he dodged the question, in a way. There was no mention of trying to immediately become a contender, make the playoffs, retooling or rebuilding, just giving Kyle Dubas "the resources that he needs to be as successful as we can possibly be as an organization."
Does that mean that the Hoffmanns intend to be hands-off? I asked how much say they expect to have in the personnel decisions Dubas has to make.
"We're big hockey fans," Geoff Hoffmann said. "So, of course, we're close to it, but in terms of making decisions on personnel and strategy and what's happening on the ice, that is Kyle's department, for sure. We're here in a support function, and we'll make sure that he's got the resources and that the team has the resources to pursue whatever opportunities they think are fit, but that's it. We won't be making those decisions."
Geoff Hoffmann added that when it comes to spending to the cap, they'll "whatever we need to do in terms of spending" to provide Dubas with what he needs to be successful.
The Hoffmanns plan on investing in the community, even if they won't be based here full-time. They bought a house in Squirrel Hill. They have interest in developing the Lower Hill District and turning it into the "jewel" of the area. David Hoffmann pointed to the number of hotels in the immediate surrounding area and questioned why it "doesn't seem to fit with the demand" made by having "four sports teams, three colleges, and a vibrant community" in the area, and said that they're "very interested" in building a hotel.
Geoff Hoffmann added that they intend on making "some improvements in modernization" to PPG Paints Arena to enhance the fan experience, but they're still working out a timeline and specific details on what exactly that entails.
As far as the regional sports network goes, the Penguins' deal with SportsNet Pittsburgh runs through next season, managed by NESN while Fenway Sports Group stays involved to help operate the network. But when that deal is up, Geoff Hoffmann said they "want to get our games broadcast and available in as many homes as people that would like to see it, and want to make sure we do it in a way that is as easy to access."
A big step toward ingratiating themselves with Penguins fans and the city of Pittsburgh is getting Mario Lemieux more involved with the team, and the Hoffmanns hope to do that, though there aren't any specifics about what that might look like yet.
"Mario and I have spent some time together," Geoff Hoffmann said "He's been as good as advertised, I think. Just a great, great guy, and I'm really hopeful that he will be a part of this in whatever way, shape, or form makes sense for him. We would love for him to be a part of that. We know what he means to hockey, we know what he means to the Penguins, we know what he means to the city, and what he means to the league, to the NHL, and I think everybody would embrace him with open arms, especially the three of us up here."
The Hoffmanns didn't promise Stanley Cups, a quick turnaround or concrete changes as they take over the franchise. Instead, they promised stability and support for the people already tasked with getting the Penguins back to contention. Whether that translates into success on the ice remains to be seen, but the message was clear: They're betting on Pittsburgh and the Penguins for the long haul.
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