Investors Prepare to Announce RHI Return

With the future of professional in-line hockey on the minds of many in attendance at this week’s International Ice Hockey Federation In-Line Hockey World Championships in Anaheim, Saturday’s expected announcement by a group of investors that they have secured financing to revive Roller Hockey International next year will be closely watched.

It is anticipated the new RHI will have as many as 12 teams, including one in Orange County. There will be a six-year deal to broadcast games on Fox Sports and an expected financial commitment from Gretzky centers such as the one in Irvine.

Those familiar with the new ownership group say it hopes to build several 5,000- to 10,000-seat arenas funded in large part by a stock offering.

Founded in 1992, the original RHI went broke at the end of last season. The anticipated return is welcomed news by some, but not so by others.

A message on the answering machine at the office of the San Jose Rhinos, a former RHI power, says: “Due to restructuring of Roller Hockey International, the Rhinos will not play this year, but have every intention of playing in 1999.” The message went on to solicit season ticket sales for next summer.

Several players, including Bullfrog captain Darren Perkins, said they have been told the RHI will return in 1999, though the salary scale is expected to be about $350 a week--nearly $70 below the old RHI pay scale.

NHL spokesman Ken Yaffe, who oversees the World Championship for the IIHF, said RHI’s new president and CEO, former Pittsburgh Pirate executive Bernie Mullin, is a competent administrator who is working hard to rebuild the credibility of the league.

As one of his first acts, Mullin purchased dasherboard ads at the World Championship that touted the rebirth of the league.

Major League Roller Hockey Commissioner Shawn Jones said Mullin has contacted the Bullfrogs and the Buffalo Wings, former RHI teams that moved to the MLRH in 1998, about returning to the RHI next season. Jones said the Wings plan to remain in the MLRH, which plans to expand to at least 18 North American teams next season, four more than it has this summer.

As for the Bullfrogs, Jones says he believes they too will remain with the MLRH.

Bullfrog President and General Manager Stuart Silver remains uncommitted, however. He said he was contacted by the RHI’s new management, but, among other things, he said he doesn’t like the way the new RHI would be run: from the top down, much like Major League Soccer, where the league operates the teams. That would reduce the Bullfrogs to being nothing more than a franchise.

Silver puts a value of about $2.5 million on his franchise, but said it’s not for sale.

He said if the Bullfrogs remain with MLRH, he fears competition from the RHI, which he said intimated it might establish its own team in Orange County.

“I’m not sure what I’m going to do,” Silver said.

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It is the talk of the locker rooms at any venue where there is professional roller hockey. “Until the NHL gets involved, this thing won’t work,” Perkins said.

But Yaffe said the NHL hasn’t changed its opinion about pro in-line hockey. Financial involvement doesn’t make good business sense right now.

“We will continue to keep an eye on in-line hockey,” Yaffe said, “and if there is a business opportunity in the future for us, we’ll look at it.”

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And what of the future of the World Championships? It’s probably won’t return to Southern California, where it has been the last two years--or anywhere in the United States--soon.

“We’re looking to change it into a World Cup format,” Yaffe said. “It would be played every two years, so the next time it will happen may be in the year 2000.”

And it will probably be in Europe next time.

“It’s time to go there,” he said. “We’re looking to get other countries involved.”

Canada has also been mentioned as a possible host country, but probably not until 2002.

Notes

Darren Perkins showed up at the Arrowhead Pond Wednesday night to play for the Bullfrogs with a bloody gash over his left ear, the result of being driven into a goal pipe earlier that day in Canada’s 5-4 victory over Switzerland in the World Championships. He responded with a goal and three assists in a 15-6 victory over Virginia. . . . Bullfrog Coach Todd Gordon and assistant coach Richard Ropchan have been offered two-year contract extensions by Stuart Silver. Gordon has had a rough time lately. He was stung by criticism from U.S. national team Coach Roy Sommer that he was “un-American” for insisting that Bullfrog players choose between playing for the U.S. or show up at the Pond Wednesday for their MLRH game. “No one from the U.S. team ever called me to discuss things to see if we could work something out,” Gordon said. As for being “un-American,” he said, “That’s all right. They can say that. I’m a Canadian.” Gordon was hit in the face earlier in the week at a youth in-line camp by an off-balance skater. He also recently learned the San Antonio Dragons of the International Hockey League folded. Gordon had signed to be the Dragons’ coach this fall. He’s left looking for an off-season job.

The NHL, hoping to pump up the size of the crowd for Saturday night’s 7:30 gold-medal game at the Pond, is offering two-for-one tickets. For information, call (714) 940-2888.

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In-Line Hockey

* What: In-Line Hockey World Championships

* When: Today-Saturday

* Where: Semifinals at Disney ICE, 300 W. Lincoln Ave., Anaheim; Saturday’s final at Arrowhead Pond

* Today’s schedule: 10:30 a.m.--Italy vs. Germany; 1:30 p.m.--Austria vs. Russia; 4:30--Canada vs. Finland; 7:30--Switzerland vs. United States.

* Tickets: $8 adults, $4 children 12 and under. Available at Pond box office or call TicketMaster at (714) 740-2000.

* Information: (714) 940-2888

* Web site: https://www.inlinehockeyworld.com