It Was In
The Stars All Along
The UHL's Columbus
franchise shuts its doors weeks into its season, reaffirming its owner's
poor track record and calling into question the league's judgment.
Jonathan ROYBAL
MLNSportsZone.com
MLN Sports Zone - www.mlnsportszone.com - 01.09.04 - Citing financial
difficulties, the Columbus Stars of the United Hockey League (UHL) suspended
operations as of Friday, January 9, 2004 in their inaugural year, before the
mid-point of their first season.
The first-year expansion
club, which joined the UHL last spring, was founded by Columbus businessman
Joe Milano Jr., and operated by his company Milano Sports, L.L.C. |
|
Milano has had at least
two other hockey teams that fell into early operational troubles, with one,
the Tucson Scorch, failing to even play one game (See "Scorch
Scratched") in the Western Professional Hockey League (WPHL). Under-capitalization
was rumored to be a problem linked to both prior operations.
"This is an unfortunate
situation, as Milano Sports informed the league that they are unable to continue
operations," stated UHL President/CEO Richard Brosal in a press release.
Brosal was questioned
about Milano's track record in hockey by this publication (See "UHL
Expansion Gold Rush") earlier this year. He was asked if the UHL
would stand behind Milano's organization to reassure season ticket holders
about the viability of the franchise.
"The league isn't
going to guarantee the season ticket holders their money," Brosal said. "Is
there any guarantee in life?"
Apparently there isn't
any in life or in UHL hockey. Brosal and other league officials refused comment
beyond the press release, which did not appear on either the league's website
or on that of the Stars. At this hour the fate of season ticket holders' money
and back-money owed players and staff remains in question.
"It was a financial thing,"
Packy Moran, Director of Communications for the Columbus Stars divulged to
MLN. " We ran out of money."
Low attendance figures
were the reason that was cited by the league for the Stars' current economic
woes.
"The attendance was
not in the stands," acknowledged Moran.
In 21 home openings,
20,440 total fans attended Columbus Stars games at the Ohio Expo Center Coliseum.
The Stars' average attendance of 973 ranked among the lowest in all of minor
league hockey and was at least two thousand less than the UHL average of 3,042
(as of 1/8/04). The recently renovated Ohio Expo Center Coliseum has a capacity
of 5,676.
By contrast, the NHL's
Columbus Blue Jackets are averaging 17,177 fans across town at the Nationwide
Arena, which has a capacity of 18,500 for hockey.
"The Columbus Stars
of the United Hockey League has endeavored to bring another level of sports
to Columbus and to enhance the environment for amateur sports in the area,"
stated a press release issued by the Stars on January 9th, just hours before
a scheduled game this evening.
"Regrettably, the economics
of the situation have made that goal impossible and the Columbus Stars are
ceasing operations as of today. We are actively engaged in planning an orderly
end to business so as to accommodate our players, coaches, ticket holders,
supporters and sponsors, and will be making plans known as soon as possible."
Moran confirmed that
the team was behind in payroll obligations to the players, as well as the
team's staff.
"You know how hockey
players are when they don't get paid," stated Moran. "We're behind, but every
effort has been made to pay players. Some checks bounced, but [owner Joe Milano,
Jr.] has made good on them. [Obligations] to the team's staff have not been
made good, yet."
In addition to the back
pay owed, the Ohio Expo Center Coliseum verified that the Stars' are behind
in rent payments, though the exact figures were not available at press time.
Apparently, the Stars
asked the UHL for financial assistance to sustain the operation for the duration
of the season, but they were refused.
"The league decided
not to jump in," stated Moran. "It wasn't viable for them."
The UHL refused to comment
regarding the alleged lack of support. Joe Milano Jr., has also declined MLN's
request for an interview.
Fear Factors
While low attendance
was cited as the Stars' primary reason for closing, there are many contributing
factors, some a matter of time, some a matter of thin finances, and some an
apparent desire by UHL management to ignore the warning signs of such a failure.
When asked if the Columbus
franchise would have been better served if the club had more than 6 months
to prepare for the season, Moran hedged.
"That's water under
the bridge now. I don't know."
Most teams in minor
league professional sports are run by organizations or private ownership that
holds sufficient capital to operate teams through the rough early years for
at least one to two years. Some leagues require at least two years of capital
sufficient to keep a team operating at a total loss in order to secure a franchise.
The standards of the
UHL are unknown. Brosal, in a prior interview, told MLN "That is none of the
public's business."
It would seem that the
public in Columbus, albeit small, who came out to see the Stars or hold their
season tickets, may have a different thought on that matter tonight.
Should the UHL have
taken more seriously the previous attempts by the Milano organization to get
hockey teams off of the ground in other markets? Did they, or the Milano organization,
have a duty to disclose these problems to ticket holders?
These are the questions
that the former fans and creditors of the organization are also pondering
at this hour. The only saving grace in a situation that is now quite bleak
is that the NHL is the dominant force in the sport in the area, which means
that fans will not be without puck passion in the marketplace for years, as
has been the result in places like Tucson.
That is, if the NHL's
labor issues don't darken their arenas next season.
