USHL investigating traffic accident involving worst roll over one trooper had ever seen (players OK)

[LadyStanley]

Sounds like owner made some bad choices and has habitually neglected travel (IOW cutting the budget) on the four teams he owns.

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[Barclay Donaldson]

Just some corrections: Brookings Blizzard are in the NA, who are investigating not the UShow and the owner, Canavati, owns three (two in the NA3 and one in the NA), not four.

Sounds like the owner had to be well aware of the issue with the team bus. If the bus has broken down in previous seasons, players have driven themselves at least once before, the bus is generally in poor physical condition, and one of the regular drivers has multiple criminal offenses on his driving record, then their hockey operations need to be reviewed by the league.

I suspect those other teams he owns, Willmar and Alexandria, are frugally run to prop up Brookings. Blizzard attendance has never been above 1,000 people per game, even before the relocation when they were in Alexandria. Considering how ticket sales are a big chunk of revenue for NA teams and the annual cost of a NAHL team is in the area of $500,000, I can't see them even coming close to breaking even without outside revenue.

 

[JMCx4]

... Considering how ticket sales are a big chunk of revenue for NA teams and the annual cost of a NAHL team is in the area of $500,000, I can't see them even coming close to breaking even without outside revenue.

Maybe the team owner is also a partner in an auto repair shop. Or a regional chain of urgent care facilities.

 

[Barclay Donaldson]

Maybe the team owner is also a partner in an auto repair shop. Or a regional chain of urgent care facilities.

If that is the case, then I would suggest that every team that visits the Blizzard should check their brake lines on a near continuous basis. With Brookings in last place and fan attendance below 500 people per game, they will probably need that business to remain solvent.

 

[mk80]

Thankfully all the players are ok. While the owner of Brookings is certainly at fault with making his players drive, and the bus conditions, etc. I'm also astonished as to why both of these teams didn't make a phone call and just postpone the game. Some 100+ miles between the two of them, they very could have made up the game at a later date, even if it was a weekday match up, some teams in the NA3 have done that this season in Wisconsin.

The league definitely needs to hand down some discipline to the ownership, possibly if this has been going on for some time looking at revoking the franchise rights as much as I hate to say that.

 

[Barclay Donaldson]

Thankfully all the players are ok. While the owner of Brookings is certainly at fault with making his players drive, and the bus conditions, etc. I'm also astonished as to why both of these teams didn't make a phone call and just postpone the game. Some 100+ miles between the two of them, they very could have made up the game at a later date, even if it was a weekday match up, some teams in the NA3 have done that this season in Wisconsin.

The league definitely needs to hand down some discipline to the ownership, possibly if this has been going on for some time looking at revoking the franchise rights as much as I hate to say that.

Apparently there is a fine for canceled games. I can certainly imagine if the owner is tight enough with his wallet that the bus isn't in the condition to drive that he would make the players drive through a blizzard to avoid having to pay the fine imposed by the league.

 

[mk80]

Apparently there is a fine for canceled games. I can certainly imagine if the owner is tight enough with his wallet that the bus isn't in the condition to drive that he would make the players drive through a blizzard to avoid having to pay the fine imposed by the league.

In that case the league should look at reviewing their own policy. While I see the issues in cancelling and rescheduling games, those teams are close enough in distance to make up the game possibly midweek if necessary, in this case it would certainly have helped avoid this accident.

 

[Barclay Donaldson]

In that case the league should look at reviewing their own policy. While I see the issues in cancelling and rescheduling games, those teams are close enough in distance to make up the game possibly midweek if necessary, in this case it would certainly have helped avoid this accident.

The NAHL has quite a few policies that need to be looked over. They've improved by leaps and bounds over the last decade, but I'm still not big on certain things they allow within the league. But they're probably too busy with a certain turf war heating up to worry about frugal owners making kids drive through blizzards.