Soccer League Delays Decision on Splash’s Future
Deadlines have meant little the last 3 1/2 weeks as the Continental Indoor Soccer League has continued trying to save the Splash.
And so, while timing has been an issue throughout that period--there was too little time to get a deal done because of approaching deadlines, according to league and team officials--it will be at least another week before the Splash’s fate is determined.
At least two entities are pursuing a deal to save the franchise. Bob Bell, the original owner of the San Diego Sockers, has continued negotiations with CISL Commissioner Ron Weinstein after dealing with Splash Governor Brad Mayne, who transferred Ogden Facility Management’s ownership rights to the league on Feb. 1.
An unnamed out-of-town buyer contacted the league Thursday, with the intention of keeping the team at the Pond.
Mayne has offered free game-day services and half Ogden’s ancillary income, as well as free rent of the facility, in exchange for a partnership that will guarantee that Ogden not lose money.
The league has made several concessions recently to save the franchise, including an offer of $100,000 assistance. But Mayne, whose team lost $200,000 last year, said he might have been able to sell the idea of maintaining sole ownership to Ogden if he had been given the same deal two months ago when he informed the league of the franchise’s troubles, or might have found a partner by now.
“We’d have been able to make our proposal a little different,” said Mayne.
Mayne is unable to take advantage of that deal now because it still leaves him with a $100,000 loss and he has reassigned staff: “I can’t change all the things I’ve put in motion.”
Mayne, general manager of the Pond, abandoned after two years a five-year ownership plan that was on target to become profitable in the fourth year after corporate bosses dictated that he couldn’t lose any more money or use staff any longer on the operation of the team. He said the Pond has already made up the ancillary income (parking, concessions, beverages) it would have lost by the Splash not playing in the arena.
“The last two months [since the search for a partner began], the staff has been able to spend time evaluating opportunities for a high return on our investment,” he said. “We’ve already been able to make up our cash flow concerns and we still have 10 months to continue in that vein of focusing on running the building without also having to concentrate on running a professional sports franchise.”
An example of that focus is that the Pond has only three available dates in August, traditionally the slowest month for arena usage, he said.
The league is scheduled to begin play in June. San Jose and Arizona also continue negotiations with potential buyers, and despite all the delays from an original Jan. 15 target date to begin full operations, CISL spokesperson Liz Miller said the schedule of games will be released only about a week later than it was last year.
“I’d be lying if I said we didn’t have a vested interest in Anaheim, and we’d be crazy not to do everything we could to keep it alive,” Miller said of the Splash, a two-time division champion that had the league’s second-best attendance last year.
