League President Threatens Suit if Bullfrogs Play at Pond
An Irvine group and the roller hockey league that have been trying to gain control of the Bullfrogs might receive a favorable answer today from a Santa Ana bankruptcy judge, but the president of a rival league said he intends to seek an injunction preventing the team from playing at the Arrowhead Pond this summer if the deal goes through.
Bill Raue of Major League Roller Hockey says Pacific Sports Hockey Group reneged on its promise to negotiate to put a MLRH team at the Pond and instead intends to buy the Bullfrogs and return them to play in Roller Hockey International, their former league.
Raue says he received a $15,000 “good faith” check from Doug Denhart, whom he identified s a representative of the Pacific Sports Hockey Group, and Manny Martinez, one of three principals in group, when they met with him in his league office in suburban Virginia last fall.
“We intend to sue if they play at the Pond,” Raue said. “We intend to seek an injunction the minute they sign that lease.”
Martinez and PSHG principals Hank Greenberg and Steve Morrison, both real estate investors, are expected to meet with Pond officials today to put the finishing touches on a three-year lease that calls for 13 RHI home games this summer, including the season opener June 5 against the San Jose Rhinos.
Martinez did not return phone calls Thursday, and Bob Elder, named Tuesday to return as Bullfrogs’ vice president and general manager, said he was too new to the situation to comment.
But RHI President and CEO Bernie Mullin said he has scheduled a news conference Wednesday to announce that the Bullfrogs will be returning to RHI to play at the Pond under Coach Jim Thomson, who has played with the Kings and Mighty Ducks. Earlier this month, Thomson participated in the RHI draft, Mullin said, taking 25 players.
Mullin said in order to secure a roller hockey team, the Pond has lowered the rent it charges to $10,000 a game, about half of what it was at its peak.
Pond General Manager Tim Ryan would not comment on the rent, saying he is just happy to see roller hockey return for a seventh consecutive season. He said he expects to have a deal with PSHG in hand no later than Monday.
“It’s important to note we are negotiating with an ownership entity,” he said. “This situation happens to be between the ownership group and Major League Roller Hockey. If an ownership group had reached agreement with that league, they would be welcome in the Pond. We had a good experience with Major League Roller Hockey last year. We simply want the Bullfrogs back in the Pond with a solid ownership group.”
According to bankruptcy trustee attorney Erin Moriarity, a federal bankruptcy judge is expected to rule today on a motion that calls for RHI to pay $30,000 and PSHG to pay $5,000 to give them control of the Bullfrogs’ name and logo. Both have been in dispute since the Bullfrogs’ parent company, Lilypad, Inc. was placed into bankruptcy last September by the Silver family, which claimed $327,000 in debts.
“This would resolve the ownership of the team,” Moriarity said. “It doesn’t resolve any other issues outside of that.”
Mullin said if the judge signs off on the deal, RHI would own the team, and put PSHG in charge of its operation.
In 1998, the Bullfrogs jumped to MLRH from RHI, which took a year off because of financial problems, and won the MLRH title.
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Staff writer Bill Shaikin contributed to this story.
