THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Saturday, April 1, 1995 TAG: 9504020374
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY HARRY MINIUM, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: NORFOLK LENGTH: Medium: 83 lines
Blake Cullen made it official Friday - he's not moving his Hampton Roads Admirals to the American Hockey League, nor does he plan to sell the team.
Speaking at a press conference, the Admirals' president and sole owner said rumors have run rampant in recent days that he is negotiating to sell the team.
``I am not involved in any negotiations to sell the team,'' he said. ``Will I ever sell the team? That I don't know.''
He added with a smile: ``If anyone is interested, they can call me.''
Cullen acknowledged for the first time that he was initially approached about moving to the AHL by Bud Gingher, chairman of the board for the East Coast Hockey League and president of the Dayton Bombers.
According to Cullen, Gingher called a month ago to say the AHL and ECHL were considering a merger that would involve a shift of franchises between the leagues. Hampton Roads, South Carolina, Charlotte and Greensboro would all be shifted to the AHL as part of the merger.
``He called me and said we're talking about a big merger ... with no transfer fees and a guaranteed (NHL) affiliation,'' Cullen said. ``He asked me if I was interested and, of course, I said I was.
``But at some point the idea of a merger got tabled.''
By the time Cullen finally met face-to-face with AHL president Dave Andrews in early March, the AHL was seeking to take seven franchises from the ECHL, the ECHL was threatening to sue the AHL and the AHL was seeking $1 million entry fees from the franchises.
Gingher has since resigned as chairman.
Contrary to reports in the news media, Cullen said, the AHL has always sought $1 million per team. No matter how many teams jumped to the AHL, he said, the transfer fee would not have been reduced.
Cullen would have had to pay the $1 million in addition to surrendering an ECHL franchise worth upwards of $3 million without compensation.
``That is something I could not afford,'' Cullen said.
Moreover, the AHL sought two-thirds of the proceeds from the sale of the Admirals' ECHL franchise (if it could be sold), would have charged Cullen $1 million if he ever left the AHL, would have denied him expansion fees for years and told him he had 36 hours to respond.
Cullen asked for 30 days to think it over and the extension was turned down.
``If I had known those were the terms, I would have cut things off right away,'' he said. ``Those terms were ludicrous in my judgment. For instance, we could not give the AHL proceeds from the sale of ECHL franchises. It's against our (ECHL) bylaws. We couldn't sell the franchises under those circumstances. We would have had to turn them back over to the league.
``There were all kinds of restrictions, all kinds of ifs and ands about it. And the terms kept changing.''
Nonetheless, Cullen said he kept his options open until late last week in case another ownership group wanted to purchase his franchise and move it to the AHL.
``But nobody stepped up with any credibility,'' he said.
Cullen acknowledged that some Admirals' fans will be disappointed the team isn't moving up.
``Some fans are adamant about us moving up,'' he said. ``I hope they will take the time to look at what was offered.
``I believe the East Coast Hockey League is a great league. Our league is the one everyone wants to emulate. We're in some great venues and our fans got to see John Porco, Corwin Saurdiff and Trevor Halverson this year instead of next year.''
Scope director Bill Luther also attended the press conference to deny rumors that Cullen's lease at Scope is endangered. He said the lease expires in September and will be renewed soon.
``The only thing the city ever did was to make clear to me that they want Blake Cullen and (coach) John Brophy involved in hockey at Scope,'' Cullen said. ``They've been terrific.''
Of the seven franchises sought by the AHL, Cullen said two, at most, will move up.
``I think Greensboro will move to the AHL and I don't know about Raleigh,'' Cullen said. ``But Charlotte, Richmond, Roanoke and South Carolina will all remain.''
PLAYER MOVES: Admirals defenseman Chris Phelps and forward Trevor Halverson have both been called up to the AHL. Phelps left Friday for Cornwall, Ontario. Halverson leaves today for the Portland (Maine) Pirates. by CNB