not only the marlins but the panthers too should loose their ownership from a lack of support, winner and not whiners would be a good change we can believe in not always bringing up the kids from the organization being the mantra of loosing fans and games, panthers needed a snipper and didn't get one, the kids don't do that the ownership does, you want to fill the arena make it fun and not boring...

Merge the Marlins and Panthers... and make them play soccer or something.

What is it with Florida based teams, I agree merge them into a soccer club, Hahaha

I hope this is another step towards getting hockey out of Florida and back to Quebec.

Hockey in Florida. What next? A franchise in Puerto Rico? Bettman is a moron. I have nothing against the United States. Nothing at all. Franchises in New York, Chicago, Detroit, Philadelphia, Boston, Buffalo, San Jose, Los Angeles and many other cities have thrived for many years. But, Columbus, Dallas, Miami, Raleigh-Durham....and my favourite: Phoenix? Hockey never 'failed' in Quebec City or Winnipeg. Rather, poor lease agreements, lousy tax shelters and GREEDY owners (coupled with a boob as league president) paved the way for pro hockey to be given a shot in some U.S. markets that never really wanted hockey in the first place. Florida was huge in the mid-90s...because they competed and had a cup run. Fans in similiar markets would rather watch NCAA basketball, WNBA basketball, PBA bowling, cricket or darts; especially when the NHL team struggles.

@mike
win.

Wow both the marlins and panthers owners want to step down ?? HAHAHAAH another yahoo fail. Seems like mistakes are an every day event here.

The South Florida market actually has a large North Eastern Base as well as Canadians living here. I can't say the same for Phoenix, Nashiville. They never should have gotten teams.

The headline of this article proves how big of yahoos that Yahoo sports writers are. I hope this is a step toward getting hockey out of Florida. Stupid idiot Bettman.

i agree with #6 skip. Let's take all those southern and desert teams and Gayree Bettman and put them into a separate league. The Bettman League. Then they can do all the foolish things they want to amongst themselves, while we can just plain enjoy NHL hockey as it should be.

can we finally move the marlins to the meadowlands into the new giants stadium like they were sposed to in 03 before they won the title?

Well the Marlins should have known better than to employ goalies anyways. I mean, what good are goalies in baseball?
(seriously yahoo, your rumors section is embarrassing.)

It is now time to contract or move all of the teams in the south that should not be there, The Panthers, Lightening, Thrashers, Hurricanes and even move north to the Bluejackets and West to the Coyotes. Lets give em to Hamilton, Winnipeg and Quebec and fold the rest. The league will be stronger for it.

I believe you can see the writing on the wall in Sunrise, Florida. They a step closer to being moving to possible Seattle or Quebec City. If I was a betting man, I would bet for a surprise move to Seattle. Their are many ownership groups that have been waiting for such an opportunity since the Sonic blazed town for Oklahoma City. With Key Arena sitting empty don't be surprised with a hockey in the Northwest. Call you say "Seattle Totems".

BLAH BLAH CONTRACT BLAH BLAH MERGE BLAH BLAH CANADA NEEDS MORE TEAMS BLAH BLAH
Listen brainless ones, the state of Florida was given teams because A) there are alot of people from the Northeast and Midwest who move here and B) your slow driving, cheap Canadian relatives live down here 4 months a year during hockey season. If they choose not to open their wallets, thats on them. A franchise needs time to build a fan base. I mean the Leafs and Habs have been around for 80+ years. Are we not entitled to a little bit of time to let the kids who grow up here become fans of the teams that play here?
Ownership in both Tampa and Florida has been questionable the past few years, but hey, chew on this: in the last 15 years the Lightning won a Stanley Cup, and the Florida Panthers made a Stanley Cup final. Something neither the Leafs nor Habs can claim.