New Jersey Devils Owner Joshua Harris

New Jersey Devils Owner Joshua Harris

I truly have no idea what this is about:

I’m guessing, and crossing-fingers (for the sake of Joshua Harris’ well-being), that this might have something to do with recent executive board additions to the two teams owned and CEOed by Harris and Scott O’Neil:

O’Neil continues to bolster the senior executive staff for the Sixers, Devils and Prudential Center during a time of continued growth on the business side. Andy Goldstein (Chief Financial Officer and Executive Vice President), Brad Shron (Executive Vice President and General Counsel) and Jim Leonard (Senior Vice President of Community Investment) have been added to the staff and will be based in Newark, assuming duties primarily for the Devils and Prudential Center, and as necessary, the Sixers, while Philadelphia has named Tim McDermott the Sixers Chief Marketing and Innovation Officer. All will report directly to O’Neil.

But I don’t know. Rolling out Iverson and Dawkins (what’s with that dickbag and the air quotes?) for something like that? Strange. Especially when you consider that they’re brining them to the Prudential Center, not to Philly.

Let the speculating begin!

UPDATE: The early theory on Twitter is that Harris might bring some Sixers “home games” to The Rock. Which would be the worst PR idea ever, in the history of ever, in Philadelphia.

UPDATE 2:

No surprise. But this is a bad PR decision all the way around for Harris. No one in Philly will, or should, appreciate Harris rolling Iverson out in front of Devils fans for some big announcement. Sports are provincial. Always have been. This is silly.

UPDATE 3:

https://twitter.com/NHLDevils/status/420952039112597504

UPDATE 4:

Sounding a little less horrible.

UPDATES 5 AND 6: We now have two different confirmations of what the announcement will be:

Labeling a “sponsorship deal” – if that’s what it is – a “major” or “huge” announcement is ridiculous, although it’s very P.T. Barnum-esque. Adam Aron would be proud.

UPDATE 7: Mike Sielski confirms that:

Still, the blending of church and state here is not something you should be required to accept or like.

UPDATE 8: As pointed out by some on Twitter, there are mentions of “all-in” and “bluffing” in Tweets and release. It may be a poker sponsorship-partnership between the two teams. A little birdie told me “Party Poker,” but I can’t get that confirmed.

Harris just played us, Philadelphia. This should bother you.

UPDATE 9: It is Party Poker. NJ.com’s Eliot Shorr-Parks confirms.