What do Phoenix and Des Moines have in common...???
Hockey people who want out and want to move what's theirs...
Example 1: Des Moines Register/Tom Witosky
Witosky buries the lead...
"The Schlegels have said they have a potential buyer at an estimated price of $3.7 million. They have not disclosed the buyer, but many believe Tom Hicks, the owner of the Dallas Stars, is interested.
The Stars, the original parent club of the Des Moines franchise, broke their affiliation agreement last year after three seasons. The Dallas Stars have said they want an AHL team to play in a new arena in a suburb of Austin, Texas."
Which on the surface is fine...
Except... this will be stuck in the courts... it's good give and take...
A judge has barred the Iowa Chops ((somewhat pictured, thanks Insight Advertising)) AHL franchise from moving.
“The issues are clear,” said Michael O’Meara, an assistant county attorney. “By virtue of the non-relocation agreement that the hockey team has with Polk County, they shouldn’t be allowed to relocate the team. We believe that there are events going to happen over the next week that could allow that to happen without an injunction.”
Hutchison issued the injunction, which will be binding on the owners of the Chops, Dallas businessmen Bob and Kirby Schlegel, until the dispute between the club and the county is resolved.
Foley said the Shlegels had no problem with Hutchison’s ruling as long as it didn’t prevent them from trying to sell the team, which he described as “the only viable option.”
The Schlegels contend they should be allowed to sell the team and allow it to be relocated because they have lost nearly $4 million in four seasons here. The Chops’ financial woes surfaced in May when the Anaheim Ducks broke their affiliation agreement, saying the team failed to pay its affiliation fee.
“We don’t have an agreement to lose $1 million a year indefinitely while (arena management firm) Global Spectrum and the county makes money,” Foley said.
Polk County has reported receiving $3.7 million over the past three years from the operation of Wells Fargo Arena, meaning there has not been a deficit at the Iowa Events Center for the past two.
Meanwhile, the Schlegels, in documents filed with Polk County officials, have admitted taking out a $1.9 million loan from Wachovia Bank using the franchise as collateral. The club reported losing $2.5 million in the past two seasons.
“We would be happy to give the team to the county, if, in fact, they would be happy to pay off the creditors. If they think they need an AHL team, they don’t need to look elsewhere,” Foley said.
Foley said there is a possibility that the Schlegels might file for bankruptcy in federal court as a means to pay off nearly $3 million in debt.
“A bankruptcy judge would have to decide whether to allow the franchise to be sold so that the creditors would be paid off or require the non-relocation contract to be enforced. No one would get paid anything if that would happen,” Foley said.
O’Meara agreed that the Chops still could be sold, but insisted that any sale would have to be approved by Polk County and Global Spectrum. O’Meara said the Schlegels agreed they would not transfer ownership of the team without the written consent of the county or Global Spectrum.
So you have owners that want to move a team, and someone who may want to buy...
BUT... and that's why we put it in caps... BUT...
If Hicks tries to be the man Witosky ID'd in his piece, then where in the hell is Hicks Sports Group getting the money...???
Jeff Wilson from the Dallas Morning News relays this fact:
"Multiple internet rumors are saying that the Texas Rangers have failed to meet payroll, borrowed $15 million from MLB and that owner Tom Hicks wants out from under his ownership of the club.
So far, the club has refused comment beyond club spokesman John Blake saying, "no comment on the club's financial situation." A source has confirmed that payroll was met, from the players down through the lowest man on the totem pole.
Several reporters have attempted to reach Hicks, but he has not responded."
Would Hicks Sports Group try a Peter-and-Paul move to swing this action...?
On one hand, you have the Chops trying to be the Coyotes...
Tom Hicks trying to be Jim Balsillie- except for, probably, the "not having the money" part.
And the Des Moines City government being Gary Bettman, not just acting like Glendale.
We rub our collective chin over this one and can't wait to see where it leads...
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