WHL news- TriCity Americans file to relocate

[BCCHL inactive]

Mark my words, Chilliwack will be a WHL franchise in the future. I'm going to put my money on Prince George, but the Americans are still a possibility.

The Americans are not a possibility. The WHL Board of Governors rejected the application once. They won't approve it in the future.

As for Prince George, it won't happen. Rick Brodsky has failed in two cities as a WHL owner. The Board of Governors is likely to offer him the advice to sell the Cougars to local Prince George owners. Why keep the Brodsky train going, only to have him move again in ten years from wherever he would go next?

Believe me. No city will support Brodsky for more than 4-5 years...about as long as it takes to get out of the "we got a new team" phase, and begin to want a winning team. The fans will quickly see just how much he doesn't care about them.

 

[Boondock Saint]

The Americans are not a possibility. The WHL Board of Governors rejected the application once. They won't approve it in the future.

The Americans are still a possibility to move to Chilliwack in the future according to a Brian Burke TV interview in the last day or two (don't remember which channel).

 

[BCCHL inactive]

The Americans are still a possibility to move to Chilliwack in the future according to a Brian Burke TV interview in the last day or two (don't remember which channel).

Based on what exactly?

 

[Whawks33]

Far as I know, any move to Chilliwack or elsewhere, or any team moving anywhere, had to file paperwork with the WHL by 3/31. I can't find or remember where I read that, but it was some sort of official type of site. So it seems unlikely there will be moves prior to next season.

Also, there is a movement afoot in the Tri Cities area to have local interests acquire the team to keep it in Tri Cities. Apparently one of the portions of the original sale agreement to Darrell Porter was that he and his family relocate to the Tri Cities area, something which he has not done. In general the Tri Cities area, fans and businesses alike are not pleased with Porter. Lot of broken promises from what I've heard. And the rumours of this local buyout come from the Tri Cities Herald, not just wishful thinking from Ams fans.

Keep one other thing in mind, the WHL as a league likes the alignment it has right now, with a 5 team US division. Robison (WHL president) has been quoted a number of times saying as much. A lot of WHL people: fans, broadcasters, beat reporters and such will tell you that relocating teams across the US-Canadian border and upsetting the balance in the WHL right now would be a very very tough sell.

Lastly, and this is a huge huge unconfirmed rumor, but there are whispers that the Chilliwack Chiefs called in some favors to influence the vote against the move. No clue to the truth of this rumor, but it was explained to me that there was little communication to the Chiefs about their future in Chilliwack, and that the Chiefs want to stay put. Again, true or not, I do not know.

 

[Boondock Saint]

Based on what exactly?

He said it wasn't the first application that wasn't ratified the first time around.

Also, apparently when the new ownership bought the Americans, they publicly committed to keeping the team in Tri-Cities for 4 years, and it's only been 3 since they bought the team. That might have also been a factor.

 

[BCCHL inactive]

He said it wasn't the first application that wasn't ratified the first time around.

I am aware of that.

I am also aware that the WHL does not want to lose its current alignment. That was likely the biggest factor in the rejection. I see no reason why a future application would be approved.

 

[Boondock Saint]

The Americans are not a possibility. The WHL Board of Governors rejected the application once. They won't approve it in the future.
........................................................................................

I am also aware that the WHL does not want to lose its current alignment. That was likely the biggest factor in the rejection. I see no reason why a future application would be approved.

Apparently you don't quite understand what's going on with the WHL BOG's as well as you might have thought.......

The WHL is holding a conference call on Monday to revisit the Tri-City Americans relocation application to Chilliwack.

Apparently not only will relocation of the franchise be a topic of discussion, but expansion, either to Chilliwack or to replace the team in Tri-Cities, will be on the slate.

A group of WHL governors have been spearheading the relocation proposal including Chynoweth and Toigo.

It's thought that this meeting would never have been called if Chynoweth and Toigo didn't flip at least three of the votes needed to ratify the move to their side.

The four American teams voted down the proposal last time around, as well as Brandon, Saskatoon, Red Deer, Medicine Hat and Prince George.

 

[BCCHL inactive]

Not to be a pest, and I'm not saying it isn't possible, but the WHL has not released any such news.

I'm not too familiar with business ethics, but if a motion is rejected once, wouldn't the group looking for approval have to apply again for another vote to take place (realizing that the WHL's application deadline for transfer or expansion has passed)?

 

[Boondock Saint]

I'm not too familiar with business ethics, but if a motion is rejected once, wouldn't the group looking for approval have to apply again for another vote to take place (realizing that the WHL's application deadline for transfer or expansion has passed)?

The WHL doesn't seem as structured as some other businesses. I'd assume that if they thought the relocation to be in their best interests, they'd allow the team to move after the application deadline has passed. Or perhaps, they're gonna consider it another vote on the initial application.

Either way, I don't see why they'd even bother doing the vote again unless Chynoweth and Toigo had converted at least the needed three votes to their side. Ewen mentioned that more than just a few governors were helping push the relocation along.

Ewen also mentioned in his article that Porter (head Tri-City owner) has been saying that he can't go back to Tri-Cities after he tried to move the team.......

As an aside, perhaps if they chose to award an expansion franchise in the West (which I see as a HIGHLY unlikely scenario.... i'd say a relocation or nothing) , they'll offer another in the East to balance the numbers... (Edmonton???)

 

[Boondock Saint]

http://www.network54.com/Forum/thread?forumid=146929&messageid=1113634719&lp=1113860610

http://www.whl.ca/headlines/?id=2960