THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, March 15, 1995 TAG: 9503150579
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY HARRY MINIUM, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: NORFOLK LENGTH: Medium: 97 lines
The Hampton Roads Admirals say they need more time to decide whether they should jump to the American Hockey League, but Charlotte and Greensboro aren't \waiting.
Officials from the Charlotte and Greensboro franchises in the East Coast Hockey League say they will file applications for AHL franchises today.
Meanwhile, Hampton Roads joined Richmond, South Carolina and Raleigh, a latecomer to the negotiations, in signing a letter to AHL president Dave Andrews asking for 30 days to study moving up to the AHL.
Sources with the AHL indicate that the extension might not be granted. The NHL's deadline for signing affiliations with AHL clubs is April 1. Andrews has told the ECHL clubs that he must know by then how many teams will be in the AHL.
Roanoke apparently is another latecomer to the negotiations. Howard Williams, a member of the Greensboro ownership group, said he discussed Roanoke with Andrews late Tuesday.
``I think there's a chance Roanoke could end up in the AHL,'' Williams said.
Roanoke general manager Pierre Paiement confirmed that his team inquired about AHL membership over the weekend, but said he now thinks no other ECHL franchises with follow Charlotte and Greensboro.
He said he spoke with both the South Carolina and Richmond owners late Tuesday. ``They told me they are not moving their franchises,'' he said. ``I have not spoken to (Hampton Roads president) Blake Cullen, but they told me they didn't think Hampton Roads was moving, either.''
Andrews met with representatives of the ECHL clubs for the first time Monday in Charlotte to spell out terms for moving up to the AHL. The terms included filing an application and a $55,000 fee by noon today.
Hampton Roads, Richmond and South Carolina will turn down the AHL offer if forced to make a decision today, sources close to all three franchises say.
Cullen, who composed the letter to Andrews, said two days is simply not enough time to make such an important decision.
``I need time to look at some budget figures, to go to some AHL clubs and see what's out there,'' he said. ``We haven't had time to look at the legal ramifications. I don't know what the tax implications are for transferring a franchise. I don't know how much it costs to run an AHL franchise, or whether we'll be able to find an NHL affiliate.
``I want to meet some people in the league. Dave Andrews is a very sharp, nice man, but I don't know the people in the AHL. I've heard some of the owners were opposed to us (the ECHL clubs) coming in from the start. I want to talk to them, to get to know the people we'll be working with. I want to talk to some NHL clubs, to find out whether we can get a working agreement and what comes with it.
``There's so much we need to know before we can go forward. We think 30 days is a reasonable period. It's such a big decision.''
South Carolina owner and former NHL star Marcel Dionne agreed: ``Their deadline is going to be very difficult to meet. This is too important a decision to be rushed.''
Nonetheless, Charlotte and Greensboro already have secured verbal agreements for NHL affiliations. Charlotte will be affiliated with the Florida Panthers and Greensboro with the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim, sources say.
Charlotte president Carl Scheer was unavailable for comment but said in previous interviews that the Checkers have to move up to fend off threatened expansion to Charlotte by the IHL.
The Charlotte Hornets of the NBA are contemplating the purchase of an IHL club for Charlotte, something other NBA teams have done in Detroit, Chicago and Orlando. To forestall the IHL, Scheer plans to move up to the AHL and move from the smaller Independence Arena to the larger and newer Charlotte Coliseum.
Greensboro has allied itself with Charlotte since the beginning of the negotiation process with the AHL.
Williams said the decision to leave the ECHL was difficult.
``But we felt it just an opportunity we couldn't afford to let go by,'' he said. ``This is an opportunity for the entire region, including Virginia, that we may not see again.''
The ECHL has told the clubs involved that they will forfeit their franchises if they move to the AHL. For some teams, including Charlotte and Hampton Roads, the ECHL franchises are worth upwards of $2 million.
The AHL's proposal at first included a six-figure fee for purchasing a franchise and a larger fee if that franchise is later sold. AHL sources say the league's executive council has agreed to drop the fees, assuming that at least four ECHL clubs move up.
However, if fewer than four move up, Charlotte and Greensboro will have to pay $1 million apiece for their AHL franchises.
Other terms of the AHL proposal:
The ECHL clubs must have working agreements in hand before April 1. Dallas, San Jose, Chicago and Pittsburgh are the most likely NHL affiliates for Hampton Roads.
If the ECHL clubs are able to sell their franchises, two-thirds of the proceeds will go to the AHL. ECHL officials say they won't approve any such sales.
The AHL insists that the clubs sign a waiver absolving the AHL of fault if the ECHL sues the teams for leaving. by CNB